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Sugar
Hill Inn, a memorable New Hampshire Inn for a romantic getaway
by Norm
Goldman
Artwork by Lily
Azerad-Goldman
>
more romantic getaways in New Hampshire
Unhurried, quiet and
gentle are the most appropriate adjectives to describe the quaint
town of Sugar Hill, New Hampshire. This scenic hamlet on the Western
edge of the White Mountains was originally part of the town of
Lisbon, and only in 1962 was it incorporated.
Perched along a ridge overlooking Franconia, you can observe the
Canon and Lafayette mountains to the east, and within bird's eye
view, you also notice the Presidential ranges of the White Mountains.
Today, Sugar Hill, consists of not much more than a town hall,
post office, and general store, lodging facilities, private homes
and a population well under one thousand. In retrospect, very
little has changed over the past century.
Can you fathom how difficult life must have been when the first
settlers dared to venture here by ox cart, and began building
their farm homes within this beautiful serene setting? No railroads
or other agencies existed at the time.
One such brave family was the Oakes, who arrived in 1789, and
built a farm home, where the present day Sugar
Hill Inn now sits.
Driving up to the inn you can't help noticing the beautiful groves
of sugar maples adorning the fields and roadsides. You now can
well understand why the town is called Sugar Hill. Situated within
an atmosphere of rustic charm and vibrant foliage, the Sugar Hill
Inn blends the natural surroundings of forest, mountain and sky.
Where peace and quiet are primordial, folks can relax and escape
the asphalt, the noisy traffic and flashing lights, and enjoy
the rich diversity of wildlife, flora and fauna.
The inn's charming owners, Judy and Orlo Coots, have owned the
inn since 2002, and they love what they are doing. They exude
the necessary attributes to create a magical romantic escape beckoning
their guests to return again and again. Judy's background in massage
therapy and esthetics combined with Orlo's culinary expertise
make them a perfect team to show how a country inn is far different
from a hotel or motel.
They have been in the customer service business for so many years
that they know how to pamper their guests. As a member of the
Select Registry Distinguished Inns of North America, Sugar Hill
Inn adheres to the highest standards of excellence in accordance
with the rules and regulations of the association.
Many of the inn's guest rooms bear historic names reflecting Sugar
Hill's early pioneers. The Moses Aldrich room is in memory of
the earliest Sugar Hill family, who arrived in 1780. The Peckett
suite commemorates the famous Sugar Hill inn by that name, where
in 1928 the second U.S ski school in the USA was founded and was
the first resort school. It was likewise the gathering place for
many socialites, literary elites, actors and actresses and the
well to do.
Sugar Hill Inn is also quite notable for some of its famous guests.
In the early 1920s the property's third owners, the Richardson
family, were friends of actress Bette Davis. Apparently, they
had met her while working at Peckett's-on-Sugar Hill.
 It
is purported that Davis stayed with the Richardson's, while her
own house was being built, and even afterwards, when it became
too crowded with her own visitors. To capture this bygone era,
one of the rooms is named after her. The Bette Davis room, with
its picture windows, contains books mentioning her love of the
area, her house, Buttercup, and her marriage to Arthur Farnsworth
and honeymoon that took place in the area.
I asked the Coots how much of the original farmhouse still exists;
to the best of their knowledge, most of the original structure
remains in place. The hand hewn beams, fireplace in the front
living room and the wide floorboards in the guest room above the
living room are all original.
In the 1920's a new wing was added on by the Richardson's, a lower
living room and dining room were added, when the farmhouse was
converted to a lodging establishment. In the 1970's another addition
was put on the west end of the house-enlarging one room, adding
another and creating more living space for its owners. In 2000,
the "new wing" was reconfigured to change 5 rooms to
3 with more luxurious amenities added. The owner's living quarters
were converted to an additional luxury room, and added to the
west end was another luxury room.
Eight guest rooms await in the main house along with six in the
country cottages and two master suites. All have private baths
and fabulous views of the White Mountain Presidential Range. Some
of the rooms have fireplaces, porches, and whirlpool/two person
soaking tubs. A separate spa room offers massages and facials.
ROMANTIC DINING
Not to be missed is the inn's superb cuisine served candlelit,
and during the winter months, fireside. It truly is a relaxed
special experience with a grand view of the surrounding mountains.
Orlo prepares each meal to order, exhibiting a great deal of imagination.
We had the pleasure of savoring the Butternut squash soup and
field greens with julienne vegetables and shallot vinaigrette.
This was followed with the seared tuna steak with maple balsamic
glaze and braised red cabbage. Topping all of this was the luscious
desert. Lily was so impressed with the braised red cabbage that
she had to ask for the recipe. In February, the inn runs a weekend
special, where dinner, wine, extra chocolate truffles and roses
are included.
 ROMANTIC
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS
For loving duos there are ample opportunities to explore and delight
in nearby attractions that are only minutes away. You can marvel
at Franconia
Notch, recognized as a Registered Natural Landmark, and is
only ten minutes away from the inn's front door. Driving towards
the Notch is staggering! The view of the towering peaks of the
Franconia and Kinsman Ranges is overpowering. Unfortunately, one
of the most famous New Hampshire attractions, the Old Man of the
Mountain, recently collapsed. I guess old age caught up with him.
Whatever the season, the inn is not far away from a wealth of
activities. Hiking swimming, biking, riding the Aerial Tramway,
visiting the Flume, skiing, golfing, attending a summer theatre
production, canoeing, and horseback riding are only some of the
possibilities.
If you love poetry, don't miss the Robert
Frost Place. The poet lived here for five years from 1915-1920,
farming, writing poetry and living the good quiet life.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
SUGAR HILL INN
Route 117, PO Box 954, Franconia, NH
Tel: 1-800-548-4748
603-823-5621
Email: info@sugarhillinn.com
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