It’s hard to imagine a more appropriate name than New Hampshire’s historic hotel Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa.
Guests can enjoy stunning views of the White Mountains from the resort's spacious balconies while relaxing in Adirondack chairs with a cold drink, as visitors have been doing since the resort opened in 1866. Considering the positive effects a relaxing weekend in nature can have on one's health, it's no surprise that the resort has launched a leisure activity. Series of wellness retreats.
“Whether you soak in the scenery during a guided meditation or simply breathe in the fresh mountain air, the scenery becomes part of the healing process,” said Olivia Ashby, director of the resort’s Tower Spa. “On a recent visit, my family and I enjoyed the resort’s spectacular surroundings and experienced some of the family-friendly wellness activities the resort has to offer.
Spread over 1,700 acres and featuring a golf course, full spa, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts and a working animal farm, the 141-room resort has no shortage of activities to choose from. In addition to designated wellness packages, guests can choose from activities offered on different itineraries, including the Peak Pursuits Adventure Retreat for men, the Blissful Bonding Retreat for couples, and the Bundle of Joy Babymoon Retreat for expectant parents.
Some packages include a visit to the resort's Tower Spa, which offers a variety of massages and other treatments in 12 rooms. Certain spa sessions also include time to relax in a tower room with stunning 360-degree mountain views.
For those seeking a more active excursion, the resort offers hiking and biking on an extensive trail network, as well as professional instruction and golf on a nine-hole golf course designed by golf architect Ralph Barton. Golfers can even have a llama serve as their caddy as part of the tournament Llama Tee Time Trek Experience.
Mountain View has many activities for families to enjoy together, including an oversized chess board. Photo credit: Bart Beeson
let's play together
Our visit featured an experience at the Peaks & Play Family Retreat Center, a retreat designed to bring families together. Highlights of the trip include multiple visits to the resort's on-site farm, which is home to goats, sheep, alpacas, llamas, donkeys and other animals.
To the delight of our three-year-old, the animals are very friendly, often scurrying up to the fence for a scratch on the neck or a spinach snack. We also visited the farm animal story time where our daughter could draw on llama themed t-shirts, assemble and paint a birdhouse or read an animal themed storybook.
The author's partner and daughter visited the resort's farm, which is home to sheep, goats, llamas, and other animals. Photo credit: Bart Beeson
Another day, the resort prepared a delicious picnic for us, including a selection of charcuterie, sandwiches, and chocolate-covered strawberries, which we took to a nearby swimming hole in the Ammonoosuc River to cool off on a hot summer day. We then returned to the resort for a creative movement class where the instructor led us through a series of stretches, yoga and ballet moves while our daughter took a lap around the yoga room to the tune of Frozen.
During the family wellness event, we had plenty of time to enjoy the resort's other activities and dining options. Given the heat wave during our June visit, we spent a few hours in the outdoor pool and enjoyed the cooler temperatures of the basement game room, which had ping pong, foosball, air hockey, and other games.
There is also a small cinema on the lower level where guests can choose from a variety of movies. For dining, we enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast buffet each day at the Harvest Tavern and ended up having dinner at the same venue, with a variety of dishes on the menu focusing on local ingredients.
The resort also features 1865 Restaurant, a reservation-only restaurant housed in a functioning wine cellar where guests 15 and older can enjoy exquisite set menus and wine pairings.
Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa features a nine-hole golf course on site. Photo credit: Carley Rudd Photography/Mountain View Grand
health history
Although our kids were more interested in petting the goats than learning about the hotel's history, it was still a fascinating story.
The resort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of only four remaining “grand hotels” in New Hampshire, large resorts that were popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s and allowed visitors to arrive by train and stay for weeks or months at a time. While exploring the resort, guests can get a glimpse into the hotel's past: A portrait of Dwight Eisenhower hangs above the fireplace in the Eisenhower Library, a favorite spot of the former president.
The Dodge Parlor, named for the original owner, is decorated with photos and memorabilia, displaying menus from the hotel's early days and photos of balls held in the chandelier-draped ballroom.
With the recent focus on guest well-being, it's fitting that the resort itself has stories of resilience and renovation. After being closed for many years and falling into disrepair, it reopened in 1988 after a $20 million renovation coordinated by individual investors, businesses and government officials. In 2024, the resort completed another multi-million dollar renovation, updating the lobby, clubhouse and Harvest Tavern, and introducing wellness services at the Tower Spa.
The resort continues to make the most of its natural surroundings with its recently launched wellness package. As Spa Director Ashby explains, “Our retreats are designed to help guests reconnect with themselves, and the environment does a lot of the work for us.”
resort room Prices start at $229.
