There are hotels, and then there are truly memorable fantasy vacation spots. Although budget is near the top of every parent's list of travel considerations, there are times when families want to be pampered a little. The hotel featured here--Mount Washington Hotel & Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire--is not only grand in its architecture and history, but also in the scope of amenities it offers families, whether it's access to perfect ski trails or special kids' programs and children's menus. It's priced at the high end, but offers great family packages that include everything from meals to recreational equipment to seasonal activities. And when that wears thin, there's always curling up with a good book--or a couple of kids--to help complete the perfect getaway.

MOUNT WASHINGTON HOTEL & RESORT

BRETTON WOODS, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Set against the majestic backdrop of New Hampshire's 6,288-foot-tall Mount Washington--the tallest peak in the East--the Mount Washington Hotel & Resort looks like a snow queen dressed for a ball. Decked out in pure white, this beauty wears a crown of red turrets, and a 900-foot-long verandah adorns her like a royal necklace. She rules a 2,600-acre landscape, with cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and red-cheeked children at play in the white expanse. Built in 1902 as a summer retreat for wealthy urban families (it's 165 miles from Boston), the Mount Washington wasn't winterized until 1999. Now families can escape to this 200-room palace in winter to ski, take a sleigh ride, swim in the indoor pool, or simply enjoy a cup of cocoa by the fire in the grand lobby. On a typical day, as snow falls outside, families gather in the large, open common areas to play board games and make beaded necklaces at the craft stations set up during school vacations. In peak periods, there's a terrific Kids Kamp for children ages five to 12, family movies, and special themed weeks featuring clowns, nature programs, and crafts.

Dinner in the octagonal dining room, as glitzy as a Fabergé egg, is a dress-up affair (Dad has to wear a jacket and tie), but it's not uncomfortably fussy. Kids and adults take to the dance floor and boogie to live big-band music while they wait for their meals. (If you want something more casual, you can eat in one of several restaurants included in the hotel's meal plan, but the food isn't nearly as good--and you don't save any money.)

When New Hampshire native Joseph Stickney built this Spanish Renaissance Revival hotel, he spared no expense. About 250 Italian craftsmen were called in to make the hotel the grandest of its day; the kitchen alone occupies a quarter acre. And while the glitterati were quick to come--Winston Churchill, Babe Ruth, Thomas Edison, and three presidents among them--families came, too. One reason why so many of the guest rooms have interconnecting doors is that the hotel needed to accommodate the large families (and their nannies and servants) who came to the White Mountains for the entire summer.

But in winter, it's all about snow. There's cross-country skiing on a new 100-kilometer network of trails, and downhill skiing and snowboarding at nearby Bretton Woods, New Hampshire's largest ski area, reachable on the free shuttle. The town of North Conway, filled with more than 200 outlet stores and family restaurants, is just a scenic 30-minute drive away. Chances are, though, wherever you roam during your winter adventure, you'll return to the snow queen for more royal treatment.

JUST THE FACTS

REGULAR RATES: Winter weekend rates start around $339 per night for a family of four, including breakfast and dinner. Two-bedroom suites run about $449 a night.

SPECIAL OFFERS: Check out the hotel's website for special packages and unadvertised specials.
ECONOMICAL ALTERNATIVES: The hotel has two nearby sister properties (the Bretton Woods Motor Inn, for example, costs about $149 a night). You can use the Mount Washington Hotel's facilities at no extra charge, and a free shuttle transports you between the properties.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call (800) 258-0330 or (603) 278-1000 or click here.

Deborah Geigis Berry and family recently climbed Mount Washington in their station wagon, which, she says, was just as hair-raising as climbing on foot.

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated July 2005.