Comfort Inn & Suites North Conway

With gray siding, a car port supported by white columns, and triangular pediments over the windows, Comfort Inn & Suites almost looks like a big New England house. Outdoors, grounds neatly planted with trees and flower beds make the hotel look quaint, and less generic than one might expect from a chain hotel. The exterior is neat and clean, as is the interior.

The lobby is functional with stylish furniture, like a ladder-style bookshelf that holds free copies of daily newspapers. There is a navy blue sectional sofa and armchair topped with orange throw pillows, as well other armchairs in the space. Off the reception area, the breakfast room has tables and chairs in front of a glass fireplace. Free coffee and tea are available here 24 hours a day. A pirate statue signals the entrance to adjacent Pirate's Cove mini-golf.

The hotel is located directly on White Mountain Highway, which can get busy, but there's a pedestrian sidewalk, and loads of shops and restaurants are just across the street. Cranmore Mountain is a 10-minute drive away, and Attitash Mountain is a 20-minute drive away -- both are popular ski resorts, and offer other outdoors activities in the summer. Settlers' Green Outlets is just a three-minute drive down the road, and Story Land theme park is almost 20 minutes away. Parking at the hotel is free.

Each of the 59 rooms and suites at Comfort Inn & Suites North Conway was renovated in 2014. A mini-fridge, microwave, and coffeemaker come standard, as do a small table and chairs. For more space and a living room area, upgrade to a double queen room or a suite. Decor is basic, consisting of wooden furniture, a black Eames-style desk chair, and red bed runners. Mattresses get high marks, as do the options for soft or firm pillows. Flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi make up the available technology -- there isn't an iPod dock. Bathrooms are on the smaller side; a single sink and a shower/tub combo with a fabric curtain is the norm. Makeup remover towelettes are nice extras included with basic shampoo and soap amenities.

Noise from the street isn't an issue as the hotel is set back from the road, but a neighboring nightclub can get noisy. Rooms on the opposite side of the hotel tend to be quieter.

Features at Comfort Inn & Suites are better than average. A real highlight at this property is the adjacent 36-hole pirate-themed mini-golf course, where guests get a discount to play. Expansive windows at the indoor swimming pool make the space look bright and attractive, though the pear-shaped pool is on the small side. The fitness center is tiny and windowless, but it does have strength-training equipment and cardio machines, along with towels. There is no restaurant on the property, but continental hot breakfast is served every morning, and free coffee and afternoon cookies are hospitable touches. The lobby also has a desktop computer and wireless printer for guests to use, and coin-operated laundry facilities are convenient for longer-term stays.