One thing I noticed here in the Mt. Washington Valley of New Hampshire is that there still is a preponderance of mom-and-pop style motels operating. There are a couple of big chains such as the Comfort Inn & Suites and Best Western Red Jacket but by in large the motels in town are smaller operations.

This ends up being really nice. Our first visit up here outside of the timeshare I was nervous about staying outside of the national chains. However, my friends in the area recommended the Yankee Clipper Motel to us when we needed a place to stay for a few days before our new home was completed.

The Yankee Clipper Motel is located on Route 16 in North Conway, about midway down “the strip”. It’s easy access to the many outlet stores and shops in the area and within a short drive of the ski resorts and other area attractions.

Checking in was easy at the front desk. The rooms were all interior entrances in the two-story building. We were on the first floor in the main building, so we did manage to park our van outside the sliding doors and bring our luggage in that way on the rainy night instead of having to go through the doors at either end of the building.

The rooms were not modern, but were very clean. Ours had two double beds with a television on a credenza opposite them. The beds were very comfortable to sleep in. The room has air conditioning and we did have to use it on the evenings late in August. There was plenty of room for myself, my husband and our two younger children. We didn’t spend much time watching television, but there is a good selection of at least the basic cable channels.

The bathroom was where I noticed the most wear and tear. It was still very nice and clean but there were signs of the paint peeling and age. This is not a modern building by any stretch of the imagination, but pains have been taken to keep it up as best as possible. The water pressure was great in the shower and tub. There were soaps, lotions, and shampoo for us.

The daily maid service did a good job making the beds and straightening the room. Down the hall were vending machines which weren’t terribly overpriced. There’s an outdoor pool in the back by the other buildings in the complex. It was clean and clear when we visited and not so deep. My kids enjoyed swimming in it once, although they were more anxious to go swimming in “our” lake.

During the week with the stay comes “free breakfast” at The Blueberry Muffin. It’s a restaurant sort of attached to the motel office. The breakfast that is free consists of eggs, home fires, and toast. Anything else you can have $2.95 off the cost of the meal. We enjoyed the breakfast a lot and thought it was worth it. The deal was only for the adults in the party - the children in the party don’t get any “credit” toward breakfast.

Rates vary depending on the season. Especially during peak times, you’ll be paying a lot. We ended up with a bill of about $250 for three nights on Labor Day weekend. When we tried to book it for Columbus Day weekend, the rates were $150 and up per night. However, this was still way less than the Comfort Inn & Suites or the Holiday Inn Express. I imagine it jumps the same during the big ski weeks and weekends as well.

I wouldn’t hesitate to book anyone into the Yankee Clipper Motel for a stay if they weren’t staying with me for any reason. It’s a nice place with pleasant surroundings and staff. It’s not a “resort” by any means, but if you’re looking for a nice place to hang your hat while you’re off in the Valley doing other activities, it’ll do just fine.

Website: http://www.blueberrymuffin.com/

Reservations & information: 1-800-343-5900
1769 White Mountain Highway, Rt. 16
P.O. Box 479
North Conway, NH 03860


Other sites to see in New Hampshire:

Attitash Bear Peak Ski Resort ~ Bretton Woods Ski Resort ~ Canobie Lake Park ~ Cranmore Mountain Ski Resort ~ Franconia Notch State Park ~ Kancamagus Highway ~ King Pine Ski Resort ~ Loon Mountain Ski Resort ~ Madison Boulder Natural Area ~ Mount Washington Cog Railway ~ North Conway, NH ~ Polar Express Event ~ Shawnee Peak, Bridgeton ME ~ Six Gun City ~ Story Land ~ Whale's Tale Waterpark ~ White Lake State Park ~ White Mountain National Forest ~ Wildcat Mountain


Some places to stay in New Hampshire:

Attitash Mountain Village - Bartlett NH ~ Comfort Inn & Suites - North Conway NH ~ Hampton Inn - Concord/Bow NH


Other places to eat in New Hampshire:

Bea's Cafe, Conway NH ~ Cafe Noche, Conway NH ~ Decades Steakhouse, North Conway NH ~ Delaney‘s Hole in the Wall, North Conway NH ~ Harts Turkey Farm, Meredith NH ~ May Kelly's Cottage, North Conway NH ~ Merlino's Steakhouse, North Conway NH ~ Moat Mountain Smokehouse, North Conway NH ~ Muddy Moose, North Conway NH ~ Peach's Restauran, North Conway NH ~ Red Parka Steakhouse & Pub, Glen NH ~ Yankee Smokehouse, West Ossipee NH

Books about the area:

Appalachian Mountain Club White Mountain Guide ~ 50 Hikes in the White Mountains




© 2005 Patti Aliventi

Recommended: Yes