The INNside Skinny: The Wentworth, An Elegant Country Inn, Jackson, NH

While  “an elegant country inn” is befitting for The Wentworth, An Elegant Country Inn, one is not quite sure if they’ve arrived at an inn, a boutique hotel or a resort when they enter the lobby. All three terms apply to this graceful inn. Forgive me if I gush, but The Wentworth is one of my “bucket list” inns, earning this distinction for attending to every detail from tiny to essential. Perhaps it’s because I know of its more humble beginnings, when Swiss hotelier Fritz and Ellie Koeppel arrived on the scene in 1990 and began transforming the Wentworth from a neglected “Baby Grand” hotel to its unassuming sophistication today. I remember thinking when I toured the Wentworth in the early 1990s, “Well, at least the rooms are spacious – that’s one thing they have going for them.” Today, the Wentworth offers 51 guest rooms in six buildings, including spacious inn rooms, deluxe suites and 17 family condos, all with the signature Koeppel mark of distinction.

I stayed in the newly opened Fairlawn Suites. Located directly across the street from the main inn, the Fairlawn Suites represent the culmination of a year of gutting, expanding and moving the cottage housing eight suites. Upon entering, it is clear that a keen eye designed and decorated the rooms. From the elegant window treatments to the rich red leather chairs and headboard of the king bed, marble floors in the bath, it’s clear nothing has been overlooked. The bedroom, offering a wide screen TV and gas fireplace, opens to an ante-room with a window seat large enough for a nap, and a desk providing an ideal space for working. Another large TV is found in here. The bathroom sparkles with rich green marble tile floors, a steam shower, a deep Jacuzzi tub complete with three different soaking salts, and yet another large TV.

I’m a stickler for details. Small things, like timers for the fireplace so guests can fall asleep to flickering flames without worrying that the fire will go all night, and Keurig coffee makers, which brew a decent cup of in-room coffee, make a difference to me. There’s even an extra glass shelf in the shower solving the problem of where to set the shampoo – a detail that I struggle with whenever I travel. Plush robes and towels, feather pillows and plush mattress toppers, and not one, not two but three flat screen TVs can’t help but impress the most discriminating guest. Fritz and Ellie really know traveler preferences, and have successfully attended to all the small details that create one fantastic guest experience here.

I had the chance to tour a number of the rooms at the Wentworth. It’s definitely worth splurging on the rooms offering hot tubs with private balconies. Just imagine soaking in your private hot tub while you watch the stars or snow falling outside. Privacy curtains mean no one can see in, but you can see out. Standard rooms are …well...standard. They’re comfortable and cozy and highly affordable, but without the amenities of the larger suites. Most of the  premier rooms offer a separate sitting room, deep spa tubs or balconied hot tubs and in-room fireplaces.

The Wentworth offers an exceptional fine-dining restaurant, long considered one of the best in Mt Washington Valley. The fine dining cuisine follows suit with focused attention on the finer features. Breakfast is also served in this elegant setting, offering a choice of main courses plus a buffet of additional sides including muffins, fruit, cereals, yogurt and granola, reminiscent of a European brunch.

In the summer, the Wentworth is steps away from the scenic 18-hole Wentworth Golf Course, one of Mt Washington Valley’s eight courses. In the winter, the same terrain doubles as one of the finest cross country ski centers in New England, the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation. Five additional cross country centers and seven alpine ski mountains are within a 30-minute drive from Wentworth – some much closer. There’s no shortage of things to do nearby. I arrived as autumn foliage was almost at peak, and the breathtaking setting of the hotel adjacent to the Jackson Falls drew not only me but also other travelers from throughout the world coming to photograph Jackson’s colors.

The INNside Skinny: Don’t expect the innkeeper to be waiting to greet you in the lobby. In this way, it’s more like a hotel, yet checking in at the front desk is a very pleasant experience. In any city, rooms of this caliber would command a $400-$500 nightly rate. The market won’t bear that here. Rates start at $194 per couple per night (midweek) including a four-course candlelight dinner and breakfast for two, and $134 with just breakfast (no dinner). Weekends, the rates top out at $344 per night for the breakfast and dinner package in the most luxurious of suites. The condos start at $200 per night for a two-bedroom unit. During foliage season, the rates go up slightly, but are well worth it for the gorgeous views and easy access to Mt Washington Valley’s attractions. In late fall (Oct 23-Dec 19), these nightly rates fall to $168/couple on weekends and $158 midweek for the dinner and breakfast package, a very attractive offer.

Bottom line: The Wentworth offers an affordable, elegant, romantic getaway in a distinctive setting. Add it to your bucket list; you will be very glad you did!

For More Information

 The Wentworth, An Elegant Country Inn, Route 16A, Jackson, NH, 800-637-0013,

Jackson Chamber of Commerce

Jackson Ski Touring Foundation

Black Mountain, Jackson, NH

Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce

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