AMC Highland Center at Crawford Notch — Hotel in Carroll

We visited AMC's Highland Center at Crawford Notch in the 3rd week of April, 2021. We had originally planned to stay 2 nights, but extended our stay to a third due to good weather and plenty of hiking opportunities. We focused on streams, waterfalls and sub-4,000-footers for which the Center served as a walkable base.

Our room was clean and quiet, with a comfortable queen bed and in-room bath with a good hot shower. Literally every room in the Center appears to have a great view of the dramatic scenery of the Notch.

The included breakfast and supper exceeded our expectations. The buffet breakfast was abundant, with a 3-hour (7-10) window of service. The 6:00 pm supper surprised us with table service in 3 courses. The entrees on our 3 days were bbq-seasoned pulled pork (braised and tender), roast beef tenderloin (succulent) and baked pork chop (fair, but admittedly never a favorite of mine), with a vegan entree always an option (and these were equally good). I can only quibble with their somewhat heavy-handed use of salt in some dishes, especially soups, which were otherwise fine.

While they operate an outdoor shop with a good selection of apparel and gear, they also offer gratis loaner items such as backpacks, shoes, poles, gaiters and snowshoes (but not spikes). In addition to filling a need, the loaners are a great way to audition gear which you are thinking of buying.

The staff were kind and accommodating, including when we requested an impromptu extension of our stay. Knowledgeable staff offered tips on fitment and use of gear, and advice on hiking routes appropriate to the weather and our abilities.

The only real disappointment was the inexplicably insipid and AWFUL coffee. The beans tasted generic at best, the brew was dish-water weak, and it was hit or miss as to whether you encountered a fresh pot. They could fix this in a heartbeat, by upgrading the coffee, using a higher ratio of coffee to water, and training staff to make smaller pots more frequently. This would require no new equipment whatsoever. Beyond that, for a small investment in a grinder, they could even switch to buying freshly and locally roasted whole beans, with the potential for amazing coffee.

All in all, our stay at the Center, and the recreational opportunities offered nearby, have left us enthusiastic to make this a part of our annual or biennial rotation, whether with...

I booked a room at the AMC Highland Center in October in preparation for a hike of the Presidential Traverse trail with 5 other friends. We booked the room for one night, which included 6 bunk beds and also included dinner and breakfast.

The cost for the room is very reasonable, and you can save more by becoming an AMC member. There are also discounts on hiking gear in the shop if you are an AMC member.

I was impressed with the dinner that was included with the room cost. They served salmon, pasta, and many other side options. Everyone in the group was pleasantly surprised. We left early to hit the trail, so we did not get to try the breakfast.

We ran into rough weather on the trail and bailed off the mountain that evening. We needed a place to stay and called the AMC Highland Center for a room. They had the same room available from the previous night. We stayed and had breakfast the next morning, which was very good. We found out that the cost for the room is cheaper if you decline the dinner option the night of your stay.

I enjoyed my stay at the AMC Highland Center very much. The staff were very knowledgeable and hiker friendly. I saw many other hikers staying at this location. The bunk beds were not the most comfortable, but for the cost of the room with six guys, it was a great value, especially with dinner and breakfast. I expect to come back to hike the White Mountains again and will book another room at the AMC Highland Center. Highly recommend this location anytime if year if you plan to do hiking in the...

The front desk staff were very helpful and the free rental gear is such an awesome perk. The food, however, really turned us off. The hot dinner options were so bland, over cooked and either dry or swimming in oil. The only good part was the fresh salad- until we found a dead fly in it. When we let the staff know, just as a heads up, they told us there was no way it came from the kitchen and must have flown in our food while in the dining room. Very bizarre. And the staff at the host table wasn't there when we arrived so we walked into the dining room and he chased after us telling us we needed to wait for him, and going out of his way to point out the sign that said please wait to be stayed. Unnecessary. Unfortunately breakfast was sad too- pancakes that were hard as a rock on the bottom, but too soft to pick up on the top- they just crumbled in the tongs. Thankful for the fresh fruit though, but bummed to see oatmeal was finally put out about 1 hour after the start of breakfast. We had our own room but the halls were so loud with kids and slamming doors- even after quiet hours. Bring ear plugs. Rooms were clean and shared bathrooms were nice as well. Would definitely look elsewhere next time we come back, but if we stayed here again we would ask for just the room and...