We returned to Merrill Farm after a visit 11 years ago. We were rather put off by Trip Advisor reviews mentioning bedbugs and other unspeakables - we hoped that these related to the motel/cabins rather than the hotel rooms.

We were not disappointed. Our children (9 and 11) loved the extra space in the loft room. The homebaked muffin and maple butter breakfasts were as wholesome as ever and the afternoon cookies are still there too. For the first time we discovered the pool and also the free canoes on the beautiful river. Perhaps we're just British but we had no feeling that the place was "outdated".

If we had to make a criticism, it would be that the staff were not quite as open and welcoming as we remember - but perhaps this was just because they were busy with the demands of the high season.

We have just returned from a road trip around New England staying in many hotels. We found our stay at the Merrill Farm just what we wanted. My standards of cleanliness are high! The room was spotlessly clean, with air con and 2 bed, a king and a queen. The room was large and the bathroom was nice. The furniture was pretty and the bed the most comfortable we stayed in during the trip.
There was coffee, tea and hot chocolate available in the dining area all day and until 10pm, you just help yourself. At 3.30 - 6pm is cookie time, you can have as many as you want and also lemonade for the children. There is no-one watching how many you have, it is all very relaxed! Breakfast was 'awesome!' Try the maple butter it's yummy.
I didn't recocnise the hotel from the previous reviews. If you are going there I am sure you will be pleased with the standard. Tip: go to Jackson, a small village just outside North Conway, The deli shop is great and the food and music at the wild cat inn is great.

Stayed for a week at the end of July-beginning of August. We were a party of 10 and had 3 of the "cabins". The website looked very inviting and we were all looking forward to our annual family vacation. Our cabin was large enough and had many of the amenities described on the website, however the accomodations were old, outdated and could use some updating. Little things, like the remote controls for the TV and DVD player actually working. The bathroom was significantly outdated and could use a complete renovation and the bedding (clean but old and worn) left both my wife and I with back aches. We had planned on making all of our meals (we were in a cabin after all), however the kitchen was pretty inconvenient to use and the gas stove appeared to be an antique. Outside, the deck was old but served its purpose and the pool was nice, although there is a little wasp problem around the pool deck. The canoes were very nice and we used them every day, spending as much time in the very clean Saco as we did on it. The water was clean and cool and the river itself was beautiful. The breakfast was nice and the cookies at 3:30 were a welcome break. The staff seemed to be very nice as did the rest of the guests. The other cabins used by the other members of my wife's family shared many of the same charachterists as ours and we were overall disappointed with the "Resort" accomodations. That said, the area around North Conway was excellent and we had a great time in NH. There is more to do than can be done in a week. If you go, you have to go to Mt. Washington and Lost River Gorge. Both are within an hour of the hotel. For the price, if we went back (not likely) we would opt for a room in the main house.

I've been looking at the reviews of folks who stayed since we were there last summer, and I must say that I did not encounter any of the accusations I've read here.

The breakfast was really nice, homey, very bed & breakfast like. The grounds were very old world, but cute and next to a very scenic river. The rooms were nice (although the beds were not the most comfortable I've ever slept on). We booked loft type room so my in-laws could join us and we all thought it was beautiful.

The service was very friendly and the pool was great to go into during the hot July days we stayed there.