The Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa

The Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa (Mountain View Grand) in Whitefield, NH, has piqued my curiosity for some time and I finally was able to cross it off my bucket list. It is considered one of the four grand hotels of the White Mountains (Grand Hotels) and I can see why. It is simply breathtaking to take in all of its grandness–the expanse of the hotel, its old-world charm, and the stunning panoramic views all lend itself to a magical experience. The hotel has 142 guestrooms and sits on 1,700 acres. As soon as you drive up, you know you’re in for a special treat.

Its humble beginning goes back to 1865 involving two weary, stranded travelers who found their way to what was then a farmhouse. They were welcomed by the owners who treated them with gracious hospitality, a warm bed and a hearty breakfast. The visitors enjoyed their stay so much that the owners believed that other travelers would enjoy their hospitality as well. So in the summer of 1866, they officially opened the Mountain View House, which included a newly built two-story addition and a full veranda. A full-detailed history can be found on the Mountain View Grand website (see link above).

My stay was on a Sunday night, 9/15/24 to 9/16/24, and I went through Booking.com for a rate of $148.00 for a basic queen room with no view, before tax. I called the hotel to see if they could match that rate but they did not see the same rate I was seeing as I have an additional discount with Booking.com due to being a repeat customer. They saw $164.00 so they were not able to provide the same rate of $148.00. I thanked them anyway and it didn’t hurt to ask.

I arrived shortly after 12 noon and had lunch at the Harvest Tavern. Saying it was not busy is an understatement as I was the only one in the restaurant at that time and had my choice of tables. I picked a table that had an exquisite view of the mountains. Here is a picture of my view while having lunch.

Lunch consisted of a turkey club sandwich with a Maine Lunch IPA. Dining alone was a first-time experience for me and it felt both sad and empowering in this strange new journey without a life partner.

When booking the room, I had requested early check in of 2:30 to 3 pm and I was able to check in around 2:45 pm (at no additional cost). The woman at the front desk was very courteous and friendly.

While the room was small, it was cozy and comfortable. My room did not have a view (as previously noted) as I opted for a budget friendly getaway. The amenities were plentiful and included a coffee maker, mini refrigerator (which was stocked with wine, beer and soda), a large flat screen TV, bathrobe, mini bar that included dry gin, tequila, Grey Goose vodka, and Kentucky bourbon along with a price list if I chose to imbibe. However, I brought my own wine–Butternut Chardonnay. I tend to gravitate towards wine that has the word butter in it!

The queen bed was extremely comfortable and those lumps were only in the comforter, not the mattress.

The hotel offers dining-in room service from their Harvest Tavern and my dinner consisted of the Mountain View Grand cheeseburger with grilled red onions, Vermont white cheddar, lettuce and tomato, served on a brioche bun; and fries on the side. It was hearty and delicious and there was no room for dessert (which is just as well). The hotel does offer onsite fine dining at the 1865 Wine Cellar. Reservations are required and jeans, shorts, sneakers, and baseball caps are not permitted. That would give me a chance to wear heels and a skirt which sounds fine to me!

After dinner, I decided to explore the hotel and check out its grandness. Speaking of which, there was a baby grand piano in the hallway not far from my room which made me want to play but it was locked.

Here are some pictures as I wandered through the hallways.

The Harvest Tavern Bar looked inviting so I sat down and ordered a glass of their house Chardonnay. The bar was quiet as it was a Sunday night and that suited me perfectly fine.

The bartender said it was okay if I wanted to sit outside with my glass of wine (generous glass BTW). What a beautiful night it was and I kept thinking how Doug would have enjoyed this hotel immensely.

When I got back to my room, I took some notes about the hotel and the leather notebook was greatly appreciated (which can be purchased in their gift shop). It didn’t take long for me to fall asleep after crawling under the comfy covers and the room was extremely quiet all night.

In the morning, I made some coffee in my room. While I would not call it gourmet coffee by any means, it served its purpose. I did not purchase the bed and breakfast package (for budget reasons); however, it is available to select when making your reservation.

Before checking out at 11 am, I took a few more pictures of the property and grounds.