Fox Ridge Resort

We chose Fox Ridge Resort for a winter break ski trip at Cranmore with another family because it was cheap, had an indoor pool, and allowed pets. The location worked very well, under ten minutes from Cranmore and close to plenty of stores and restaurants. The kids liked the pool, though I was disappointed that the hot tub was out of order. The staff were friendly and efficient. Our rooms were spacious, the beds comfortable, the heater worked well, and there was plenty of hot shower water. The decor is a bit old, and we could hear people walking above us, though it wasn't especially noisy. Breakfast was a standard continental spread: coffee, tea, cranberry or apple juice but no orange juice, three cereals, three hot items usually hash browns, eggs, and some kind of sausage, plus bread and bagels with cream cheese. Wi-Fi was very poor, with a decent signal only near the lobby, and mobile service was weak too. I would probably stay again because of the price.

The space was good for the price, and the staff were good. The pool was decent, but the jacuzzi was broken. The beds felt like springs instead of mattresses, and the pillows were lumpy chunks of shredded foam, so I didn't sleep well. Breakfast was a very average continental spread. I didn't hate the stay, though I probably won't return.

We were trying to keep costs down for a three-night family trip to take our four-year-old to Storyland for the first time. This was the best deal we could find that included breakfast and an indoor pool, and the location in the heart of North Conway was very good. Having Dominoes Pizza across the street came in handy. The indoor pool was really nice, and on the days we chose to use it, we had some quality time to ourselves. The hot tub was just okay, with little heat or jet action, in my opinion. The place is a bit down home. The long, steep driveway has potholes and isn't one you'd want to walk up. Parking was a ways from our room, so we had to stop awkwardly to unload, then move the car. In the rain and mud, it wasn't ideal, and the doors wouldn't stay open. There are no elevators either. We originally wanted an upstairs room for the view, but the first floor turned out to have a nice back door opening onto a grassy hill with some privacy. The view wasn't great, although we could see a little mountain from the room. The beds were good enough, as was the air conditioning. The TV had issues, but we weren't there to watch TV. Sharing the only microwave in a break room some distance away was challenging. The toilet clogged, which may have been user error, probably our daughter. We also had fun with the little mini golf course, nothing special, and she loved having the playground to herself. We'd go again if we had to, but we'd hope to afford somewhere a little nicer next time.

My family had been coming to Fox Ridge Resort since the 1990s, and it used to be our regular hotel when we visited that part of New Hampshire. This last stay changed that. The place has gone downhill badly. Our room was filthy, the pool was dirty, and the hot tub wasn't working. My 15-year-old said he'd give it zero and told me never to bring him back. I was so disappointed; it used to be beautiful and clean.