The Summit hotels and condominiums are the most convenient to the slopes. But Bethel also has a group of excellent B&Bs and old country inns. Call central reservations (800-543-2754).

Jordan Grand Resort Hotel and Conference Center ($$–$$$$) is slopeside to Jordan Bowl, but miles by car or shuttle to the rest of the resort. Enjoy whirlpool spa, indoor/outdoor pool, full-service health club, restaurants, child care. Be forewarned: The walls are not well soundproofed.
The Grand Summit Resort Hotel and Conference Center ($$–$$$$) is trailside with a 25-meter heated out-door pool, athletic club and one of the resort's better restaurants.

The Snow Cap Inn is a short walk from the slopes, and the Snow Cap Ski Dorm next door offers affordable digs. All but the dorm offer packages with lift tickets.

Sunday River has nine condominium complexes throughout the resort; all are convenient to the slopes and have trolley service. Locke Mountain Townhouses are the most upscale, but hard to get, with the ideally located Merrill Brook condominiums not far behind.

SUNDAY RIVER SKI AND STAY PROGRAMS

Less than a mile from the area, the Sunday River Inn (824-2410; $–$$$) is a traditional lodge with large living room with fireplace. Family-style breakfast and dinner are included. There is (see Cross-country and Snowshoeing) ice skating, ski-jouring (harnessed dogs pull a person on skinny skis), plus a wood-fired hot tub and sauna. Choose from dorm rooms, rooms with shared or private baths. Shuttles take guests to Sunday River. (NOTE: As of Summer, 2006, this inn is for sale, and most locals think it will no longer operate as an inn when sold.)

In Bethel, the Bethel Inn and Country Club (824-2175; $–$$$) has old-style atmosphere. Renovated rooms are first rate; others barely make the grade. The rates include breakfast and dinner. The inn also has a cross-country center (see Cross-country and Snowshoeing), health club with outdoor heated pool and a shuttle to the ski area.

The Sudbury Inn (824-2174; $$–$$$), one of our favorites, has comfy rooms, one of the best restaurants in town and Sud's Pub, a popular watering hole; a few rooms are pet-friendly. The Gideon Hastings House (824-3496; $$–$$$) has four rooms as well as two suites with whirlpool tubs and a casual restaurant downstairs. 

Just east of Bethel, on the road to the mountain, the Briar Lea (877-311-1299; 824-4714; $$) is an unstuffy B&B with an English accent and six guest rooms decorated with floral wallpapers and antique furnishings. All have TV/DVD and Wifi. Some can be connected as suites for families. Well-behaved dogs and children are welcome. Rates include an English-style breakfast. The inn also has a good, authentic, English pub-style restaurant. 

A Prodigal Inn and Gallery (800-320-920; 824-8884; $$$), opened in an historical home in 2003, is a bit more upscale than other Bethel-area B&Bs. Bronze sculptures by innkeeper Tom White accent the public spaces, including a TV room with video/DVD library and fridge and a living room with fireplace. Some guestrooms have Jacuzzi tubs; all have CD players. Breakfasts are elegant, delicious and huge. Marcy White also prepares delicious afternoon snacks.  

Architect-designed Crocker Pond House (207-836-2027, $$) is an elegant retreat in a private, woodsy location just outside of town. Children are welcome—the loft rooms is especially good for families. No TV, but plenty of other comforts, including classical music, afternoon refreshments, free Wifi and inroom phones. 

Want the privacy of a motel with the charm of a B&B? The Inn at the Rostay (207-824-3111 or 888-754-0072, $-$$) fits the bill. Motel-style rooms ooze charm, with homemade quilts and country themes. All have TV, VCR (library available) and phone; some have refrigerators and microwaves. Free Wifi, an outdoor hot tub, afternoon snacks and a reasonably priced hot breakfast are provided. There’s also a quilt shop on the premises. Two a bit-off-the-beaten-path lodgings are worth considering, too. The Perennial Inn (207-369-0309, $$-$$$), in Rumford Point, is a sprawling Victorian farmhouse that welcomes kids and, with notice, pets--the owners also breed pedigreed labs. Great breakfasts, Wifi, a TV room, a pool room and miles of trails for XC or snowshoeing complete the picture. The budget conscious can’t do better than the Andover Roadhouse (207-392-1209, $) a restored 18th-century Colonial-style village home with seven private rooms (shared baths) and a 10-bed bunkhouse. Guests have use of a kitchen and common living room stocked with games, and there’s free Internet access, too.

health club and a shuttle to the ski area.

Accommodations Legend: (double room) $$$$–$200+; $$$–$141–$200; $$–$81–$140; $–$80 and less.

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