My husband and I have stayed at the Balsams several times during the past three years and have enjoyed it every time - the last time, in September 2007, we brought along guests from Australia and they loved it, too.
Last year, The Balsams changed its no-pets policy, and now guests who bring their pets stay in a separate building which is near the main hotel. Last July I brought my Golden Retriever. Upon our arrival, the staff brought a dog bed, dog bowls and biscuits (which my dog promptly devoured) up to our room. If you love to go hiking and swimming with your dog, this is the place to go - The Balsams' property includes miles of hiking trails as well as a lake.

We have been going to the Balsams since 1995. We were concerned because of some of the negative reviews here since the takeover. We are pleased to report that everything was up to the "old" standards, and I would say that service was actually better than last year. The entire staff was very attentive, professional, and friendly. Our waitstaff and housekeepers were excellent. The food was as great as ever! We will be back next year.

We just returned from a very short stay at the Balsams and just wanted to write a couple of notes that might be useful to people planning to visit. Before going I read some of the comments and always am looking for something useful rather than general impressions or personal taste issues.

First. If there was one BIG problem for me during the visit, it was the bed. In the end, I can forgive a lot about decor, food, or staff issues but a hotel needs to provide a comfortable bed. It is its primary purpose of being. The mattresses were OLD, very old. I would suppose about 10-15 years and some of the least expensive I have seen. They were Days Inn, Howard Johnson type quality and not what you would expect from a hotel where you are paying $250 a night. Whoever runs the Balsams needs to visit some of their 4 and 5 star "peers" and see what a decent bed looks like these days. References to 1905 are all and good and we all can appreciate some of the quaintness that the Balsams offers but not with a 15 year old $200 Serta. That provides zero value. I would have brought this up with the staff had they bothered to ask how my stay was before I left. No one did.

Second. The nature and northern New Hampshire are stunning. If you have a car, take the trouble of driving to Erol and beyond and appreciate some of the nature. I was pleasantly surprised by the free snow shoes provided by the hotel to hike through the nearby woods. It is really worth it.

Third. Given the location, it is difficult to avoid the breakfast buffet but it was atrocious. Food prices are up but $25 per person (with tip) is truly steep for some warmed up sausages and eggs made to order. The sign of a good buffet is when an a la carte menu is provided also. Take that option away, and you have to eat whatever is served. The food at the ski lodge is even worse so no other option but going to Colebrook about 15 mins away if you have a car. We skipped the formal dinner and opted for the regular bar food in the tavern. A nice cold beer by the fire beats the culinary adventures upstairs in my book.

Finally, please note that there is a 15% gratuity added to the ROOM. I would rather give some cash to the ladies fixing the rooms, who knows who gets the 15%.

Overall, I agree with the ones that saw significant problems with the hotel itself but appreciated the natural beauty of the place.

We are family of four with two children, ages 6 and 7, and we stayed at the Balsams for five nights during President's week, 2008. We had been to the Balsams a few years earlier and this time improvements were evident. Our room (a superior room, same as last time) was nicer, as were many of the stately public areas. The food ranged from good to excellent and there was nice variety, including a vegetarian option at most if not all dinners (although the steak seemed consistently the best dish on the menu). The staff was helpful at every turn. The self-contained nature of the property is a big plus for families with kids. The kids enjoyed the ski school while my wife and I enjoyed snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. If there's a more beautiful place in New England to spend a few hours outside on a winter's day, I haven't seen it.