Grand Times in the White Mountains

Omni Mount Washington Resort & Spa
Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Mountain Grandeur, $$$

Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast, demands a resort that befits such grandeur, and Omni Mount Washington Resort & Spa has more than fit the bill since 1902. The Spanish Renaissance landmark sits at the base of the mountain, surrounded by nearly 800,000 acres of White Mountain National Forest and Bretton Woods, New Hampshire’s largest ski area. Everything is grand, historic, and noteworthy here, from the crystal chandeliers to the 900-foot veranda and its status as a National Historic Landmark.

And now it's newly grand. A renovation completed in 2026 refreshed all 200 rooms in the historic wing, along with many public spaces and facilities. The new interiors take their cues from the surrounding mountains, with blues and greens, botanical details, woven accents, and antique-inspired furnishings that preserve the hotel's Gilded Age character without feeling stuck there.

The resort is the kind of place where families can return year after year and have an entirely different vacation: scenic gondola rides and spectacular foliage in autumn; skiing and sleigh rides in winter; hiking, horseback riding, fishing, golf, and mountain biking when the snow melts. Come ready to play — and then to revive in the enormous spa, linger over cocktails with a view, or claim a wicker chair on that lovely veranda.

At a Glance

The Vibe: Old-fashioned New England grandeur with a playful outdoorsy streak.

Standout Detail: History happened here. In 1944, delegates from 44 nations gathered at the hotel for the Bretton Woods International Monetary Conference, which established the postwar international monetary system and led to the creation of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. The Gold Room, where the major agreements were signed, remains part of the hotel, which offers daily historic tours.

This Place Is Great For: Families and multigenerational groups who want plenty to do; skiers who appreciate a grand hotel at the end of the day; couples looking for a spa-and-mountains escape; history buffs; outdoorsy types who like their wilderness with a side of comfy beds and good cocktails.

Rooms: Of 269 rooms and suites, 200 in the historic wing have just had a makeover that pairs Gilded Age references with contemporary comforts: mountain-inspired blues and greens, antique-inspired furniture, woven textures, and subtle botanical motifs. Configurations range from kings and double queens to family rooms with bunk beds and pull-out sofas and multi-bedroom suites. The eccentric Princess Room has the original four-poster bed used by the wife of the hotel's founder. The newer, 69-room Presidential Wing has a more contemporary feel, with most rooms offering a private balcony or patio and bathrooms with soaking tubs. Many rooms throughout the hotel are dog-friendly. (Fido’s part of the family, too.)

A short walk away is a quieter, more intimate alternative: Omni Bretton Arms Inn, a restored 1896 hotel with 34 rooms and suites and full access to the resort's activities and amenities.

On Site: The 25,000-square-foot spa has 13 treatment rooms, including a couples’ room and wet room with a Vichy shower, treatment tub, and color therapy. The recently renovated fitness center sits alongside a heated indoor pool and whirlpool; a year-round heated outdoor pool is particularly appealing when everything is covered in snow.

Sporty outdoor pursuits when it’s nice out include tennis (on red clay courts), pickleball (obligatory), hiking, mountain biking, fly fishing, gondola rides, horseback riding from the original Victorian stables, a canopy tour, and 27 holes of golf. When it gets cold, New Hampshire's largest ski area, Bretton Woods, is conveniently right outside, with loads of downhill trails and glades, ski school, snowboarding, snow tubing, snowshoeing, and more kilometers of Nordic trails than the most active visitor can expect to cover.

Anyone who forgot an essential — gloves, toy, sweater, scarf — can probably find it at one of the resort's handful of shops.

Food + Drink: No one's going hungry — or getting bored — with all the options on offer here.

The historic 1902 Main Dining Room serves New England-inspired fare beneath soaring ceilings and has a showstopping 18-by-18-foot white marble bar. Newly renovated Stickney's Restaurant & Pub in the former billiards room handles casual lunches and dinners with mountain views, while Rosebrook Bar serves drinks and light fare behind the grand staircase. Labrador Tea & Coffee off the Great Hall is the new café for espresso, tea, and light bites.

For a nightcap with a side of history, The Cave occupies a granite-walled Prohibition-era speakeasy. The Princess Lounge is the elegant option for cocktails and conversation; the seasonal rooftop Observatory Bar is all about the mountain views. And the Great Hall and enormous veranda remain excellent places to do very little with a drink in hand.

Rosebrook Lodge at the top of the Bretton Woods Skyway Gondola has several casual places to eat and refuel between adventures.

Round of Applause: Omni Hotel and Resorts' Say Goodnight to Hunger program supports food banks serving children, families, and seniors in the communities where its hotels operate. The company also partners with Shared Hope International to train hotel associates to recognize and help combat human trafficking.

What to Do Nearby

The White Mountain National Forest is essentially the backyard, with nearly 800,000 acres encompassing some of New Hampshire's best hiking and scenery. But this is one hotel where “nearby” is almost beside the point: Bretton Woods ski area, the stables, hiking trails, gondola, golf, fishing, and most other activities are part of the resort itself.