Join the Inn Crowd

BY JOE BILLS

Cozy rooms. Fireplaces. Home-cooked meals. Guests from near and far. Knowledgeable, friendly hosts who love what they do. Whether your ideal New England experience is a view from a mountaintop or a stroll down a timeless Main Street, a classic inn stay is the seed from which so much can grow. In fact, an overnight in a historic inn is such a quintessential New England experience that we can think of only one thing even more quintessential: owning one!

If, like Bob Newhart’s famous TV character, you’d love welcoming guests to a New England inn of your very own, here are five real-life opportunities to make that dream a reality.

Boardman House Inn

8 Norwich Road, East Haddam, CT; boardmanhouse.com

Located on the Connecticut River close to the venerable Goodspeed Opera House, Boardman House Inn is a treasure of Connecticut’s Gilded Age. Built in 1860 as the home of silversmith Norman S. Boardman, the mansion was renovated in 2004 and features a wealth of modern conveniences alongside callbacks to its rich past (think: crystal chandeliers, Persian rugs, hand-carved marble fireplaces). Boardman House has greeted guests since 2010 and was named to Yankee’s Best of New England Hall of Fame in 2020. Price: $1,250,000

• Square Feet: 5,450

• Acres: 0.49

• Bedrooms: 8

• Bathrooms: 7 (Derek Greene, Greene Realty Group, 860-560-1006, office@thegreenerealtygroup.com)

ADAIR COUNTRY INN & RESTAURANT

80 Guilder Lane, Bethlehem, NH; adairinn.com

The first thing you’ll notice is the inn’s breathtaking views of the White Mountains’ Presidential Range. But the foreground isn’t too shabby either, with lush landscaping designed by the Olmsted brothers complementing the 1927 main building, which since 1992 has served as an inn with 11 guest rooms (plus three more in the guest cottage). With a full commercial kitchen and a formal dining room, the Adair is black-tie-ready, but when guests want something more laid-back, the speakeasy vibe of its downstairs Granite Room beckons. Price: $2,699,000 • Square Feet: 8,300 • Acres: 156.11 • Bedrooms: 14 • Bathrooms: 16 (Keegan Rice, Badger Peabody & Smith Realty, 603-823-5700, keeganr@badgerpeabodysmith.com)

THE OXFORD HOUSE INN & RESTAURANT

548 Main St., Fryeburg, ME; oxfordhouseinn.com

Just an hour from Portland, the Oxford House—which once earned Yankee’s “Best In-Town Country Inn” designation—is perched on the cusp of New Hampshire’s White Mountains and Maine’s western lakes. Built in 1913 as a private residence, the inn has welcomed the public since 1985. With a cozy, granite-walled pub on the lower level, a 50-seat restaurant with a fireplace, and exquisite woodwork throughout, the Oxford House checks all the boxes. In summer and fall, guests kick back on the porch, where grand views are punctuated by the scent of flowering vines. Price: $849,000 • Square Feet: 5,660 • Acres: 1.22 • Bedrooms: 5 • Bathrooms: 6 (Dana Moos, Swan Agency Real Estate, 207-266-5604, dana@danamoos.com)

The Huntington House Inn

19 Huntington Place, Rochester, VT; thehuntingtonhouseinn.com

On Vermont’s scenic Route 100, the beautifully restored 1806 Huntington House is the antidote to stressful city life. Located on the four-acre Rochester town green, the six-room inn and its accompanying restaurant and tavern are surrounded by small-town pleasures, from concerts in the nearby gazebo to a strollable downtown filled with galleries and shops. The Green Mountains are a glorious backdrop to it all. Just a bit farther afield, popular ski destinations await, as do backcountry trails perfect for hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing. Price: $989,000 • Square Feet: 4,744 • Acres: 0.77 • Bedrooms: 6 • Bathrooms: 9 (Eric Johnston, Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty, 802-779-1903, eric.johnston@fourseasonsSIR.com)

Monadnock Inn

379 Main St., Jaffrey, NH; monadnockinn.com

Located in Jaffrey Center, at the foot of Mount Monadnock, the inn boasts roots stretching back to 1870, when an earlier building here welcomed summer tourists. Since then, it has served as base camp for generations of hikers and a gathering spot for locals. The restaurant, pub, and porch combine to seat more than 90, and the guest rooms have been updated to keep things warm in winter and cool in summer. The pandemic slowdown may have roughened the edges a bit, but a little polish will return this gem to its former splendor. Price: $575,000 • Square Feet: 6,857 • Acres: 1.49 • Bedrooms: 11 • Bathrooms: 12 (Bill Goddard, Coldwell Banker Realty, 603-673-4000, bill.goddard@nemoves.com)