Gale River Motel, Franconia

Staying at the Gale River Motel is like visiting an old friend - comfortable, relaxing, a pleasure in arriving, and just hating to leave.

We were heading to the White Mountains to do some hiking and discovered the Gale River Motel's Hikers Special. They were offering this awesome special plus they promised a free shuttle to the trails, maps, advice on where to hike, and even a water bottle if we needed one. We arrived and Kevin, the owner, greeted us warmly, pointed out the cookie jar filled with the best chocolate chip cookies we've ever tasted and the tea/cocoa bar in the lobby. There was even one of those personal massage cushions on one of the chairs in the lobby to give your back a great back massage. Kevin was great...he had anticipated everything a guest might want and seemed to provide it before we could even ask for it...his welcome informed us of the dining discounts that were available at local restaurants, the hours of operation of the Jacuzzi, and a reminder to look through the in-room guest book that included all the information and more about the area. The room was immaculately clean. A spectacular view of the mountains. And everything in the room that you could want...fridge, coffemaker, even a soda bar (never have we found a soda bar in a motel before). We had a great nights sleep, Kevin shuttled us to the trailhead and then picked us up later that day. The soak in the Jacuzzi was soooo relaxing after the hike. We decided to extend our visit for another day as the hiking weather was terrific. Everything was perfect at the Gale River...