Red Jacket Mountain View Resort & Water Park

The Red Jacket Mountain View Resort is a sprawling yet boxy white wood building that sits at the end of a long drive. It has a sweeping, fir-dotted lawn and excellent views, but it's less serene and more boisterous and child-oriented. The lobby is rather ordinary and has dark patterned carpet, gloomy lighting, and dated, traditional furniture. But guests rave about the welcome here, complete with drinks and a snack. And merry activities abound, such as movie nights, bonfires, sing-alongs, sleigh rides, and Xbox video-game tournaments. Or there's the more standard diversion of a dip in the pool, where the water is usually churning with children. But adults can take refuge in the reading room, which serves afternoon tea, or the resort's fine-dining restaurant. 

The White Mountains of New Hampshire exert a pull on outdoor enthusiasts, but they're also a draw for families with young children due to their many kid-friendly  attractions. The enormous Kahuna Laguna Water Park is just next door, while the enchantingly retro Story Land theme park is a 17-minute drive away. Santa's Village -- a similarly old-fashioned park -- is a 70-minute drive. Some attractions are close enough to walk but require trekking on the busy, main road. Banana Village Mini Golf and Pirate's Cove Adventure Mini Golf are a five-minute walk from the hotel. The magnificent grown-up golf course at the Mount Washington Resort is a 16-minute drive. The downtown area of North Conway and its many outlet stores is a seven-minute drive. Cranmore Mountains Ski Resort is a five-minute drive. Attitash Ski Mountain is an 18-minute drive. Gunstock Mountain Ski Resort, an old-fashioned, family oriented skiing attraction, is a 90-minute drive. The closest airport is Portland International Jetway, a one-hour-and-twenty-five minute drive away.

The 164 rooms at this resort range from single rooms in the large main lodge to simple cottages with kitchens. Some units also have whirlpools. Rooms are in need of updates, with dark carpets, dark-wood headboards, and satin dust ruffles that make the place feel trapped in the 1980s. Dark pattern fabrics and pleather chairs are widely used. The rooms are spacious enough and have the requisite flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and clock radios. In addition, guests will find irons and ironing boards, coffeemakers, and hypoallergenic bedding. Bathrooms are decent-sized, but the walls are a depressing beige, and shower/tub combos with flimsy plastic curtains do little to spruce things up. Sleeves of plastic cups, vinyl counters by the sinks, and fluorescent lighting further downgrade the spaces. Accessible rooms are available.

Children at this resort will find a whiteboard in the lobby updated each day with activities that include ceramics, storytelling, sing alongs, and Xbox tournaments. Snacks such as cookies and hot chocolate are provided. Some of the activities are fee-based, but many are included in the resort fee charged to each guest on arrival. The resort also provides some free events for families such as movie night, bonfires, and live entertainment. Sleigh rides, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and mountain bikes can also be arranged. And there's a noisy arcade on the property with 25 video games and other pursuits, like air hockey. Chapney's Restaurant, the resort's more formal dining room, has limited lighting, wooden chairs with leather inserts, and round dining tables. Long windows provide a view of the resort's landscaped acres. At Palmer's Red Ridge Grill, the atmosphere is more relaxed. There's a bar and banquette seating and the menu is lighter and less formal. Like Chapney's the view is terrific. Both have some terrace seating. There are a few grills on the property and picnic tables for families who wish to prepare food outdoors. Drinks can be brought to guests at the outdoor, heated pool surrounded by blue and white loungers. The property also has a big fitness center with machines and free weights and a spa with a long array of treatments for a fee, including a hot rock massage. For other peaceful pursuits, there is a reading room in the lodge where, for a fee, guests can have afternoon tea. There are also four conference rooms that can accommodate weddings or corporate events. Laundry and dry cleaning services are available for a fee, as are cribs and rollaway beds. Pets are allowed for a fee but cannot be left alone in the room for more than two hours. The lobby includes free coffee and tea, an ATM, a 24-hour front desk, luggage storage, and a safety deposit box.