Inn at Pleasant Lake » News

Skiing, skating & snowshoeing in Sunapee & New London while enjoying the inn

lindamackenzie — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:21:21 +0000

The Inn at Pleasant Lake is centrally located to downhill and cross-country skiing and nearby many wonderful trails for snowshoeing. There is a skating pond maintained in town and Village Sports is ready to rent cross country skis, skates and snowshoes if you don’t have your own equipment. If weather conditions permit you will often find our neighbors skating on the pond right near the inn and you can join in there.

Executive chef Brian MacKenzie and Sous chef Heather Stafford prepare the inn’s signature five course prix fixe menu Wed-Sunday nights. Make sure to make your reservation by noon if making a same day reservation. A leisurely dinner at the inn is the perfect way to take off that winter chill. If you are staying at the inn there is nothing better than relaxing by the fireplace with a cup of tea or coffee and a good book.

We offer a midweek Dine & Stay package, a Two-night getaway rate most weekends and offer ski packages through Mount Sunapee Resort and Ragged Mountain Resort.

Call our reservation staff today to see what options might fit you best. We look forward to seeing you this winter. ~ Linda & Brian MacKenzie

September Wedding & Event Show … Free Admission

lindamackenzie — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:33:41 +0000

We are hosting a Wedding and Event show at the inn on Saturday, September 29th from noon to 3:30pm. Vendors from around the region will be present and the event is free to the public. Come meet caterers, photographers, musicians/entertainment, event planners, confectioners, tent and rental company and venue sites. Please stop by if you are planning an upcoming event.

NH Wedding Show

Bike & Hike the Northern Rail Trail

lindamackenzie — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 17:12:27 +0000

The Northern Rail trail is comprised of two trails that connected to complete over 50 miles of packed ledge surface that run from Boscawen to Lebanon New Hampshire. There are not many spots where you must travel across a car road making it an ideal and safe spot to bike and walk or run. The inn has detailed maps of the trail as well as a great map showing a route to the trail head in Potter Place for those that would like to bike from the inn to the rail trail entry at Potter Place. There is a new parking area at Potter Place wtih plenty of spots for those who would prefer to drive over, park and enter the rail trail.

More info on the trails can be found at:
Friends of the Northern Rail Trail
Freinds of the Northern Rail Trail in Grafton County

Mount Sunapee Resort: it’s not just for winter!

lindamackenzie — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:47:14 +0000

Mount Sunapee will be opening it’s new Adventure Park at the end of June and run through August and weekend through mid-October. There will a canopy zip line tour down South Peak for ages 10+ (late June) and a Treetop Obstacle Course for ages 5+ (scheduled to open July 21). There will be Off-Road Segway Excursions, ages 16+ (late June), Disc Golf on the Province Trail on South Peak (July 21). In August they will open a miniature golf course too. For more information call 603-763-3500 or click here

Saturday, June 16: Lake Sunapee Bike Race

Sunday, June 24: The Sunapee Wheels Lions Club has its Antique and Collectible Motor Vehicle Show from 9am-2:30pm. $5 entry. There will be food and a free chair lift ride to the top of Mt. Sunapee.

August 4-12: 79th Annual League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair

Spring at The Inn at Pleasant Lake

lindamackenzie — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:54:04 +0000

It’s looking like another wonderful season is upon us. Our new outdoor patio is such a bonus to the inn and we couldn’t be happier that we added that last year. If you haven’t been by to see it, please stop in. Most of the plants survived the odd “drought” winter we experienced here in New Hampshire This winter we continued work on our historic red barn and completed adding a wide pine floor made from trees that were milled off of a friend’s property. The floor still needs to be sealed but looks fantastic. We need to continue on through the zoning process with the town to see if we can use the space for more than storage. There has been lots of interest for using it for other things such as wedding ceremonies and even zumba classes!

The dock is out at the beach and our children have been kayaking and swimming already. Beach clean-up is Memorial Day Weekend to get all the picnic tables placed and the grounds tidied. We hope that you have time to plan a getaway or a dinner out at the inn. We’d love to see you again.

Winter Fun, New London & Sunapee, New Hampshire

lindamackenzie — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:14:29 +0000

Mount Sunapee Resort, December 26, 2011

Winter is a great time to stay at the Inn at Pleasant Lake. We offer specials all winter long for stays of two nights or more and a midweek dine and stay package. What better way to get through winter than with one of Chef MacKenzie’s wonderful meals awaiting you at the end of a busy day on the slopes or just a leisurely weekend away from the pressures of eveyday life.

This snow season started off with a bang right before Halloween….oops. Then again right before Thanksgiving. Ok, ok, so we want our snow, but not before we are ready, not on nights of big holiday parties or when our guests are traveling to see us. Picky aren’t we? We had a bit of snow at Christmastime and not much since. Fortunately the cold air has set in and our local ski mountains, Mount Sunapee Resort, Ragged Mountain Resort and Pats Peak have been busy blowing their own mini blizzards to get their trails open. Sunapee reports that they will be at 80% by January 6th.

We can report that the trail system just up behind the inn is beautiful any time of year. Friends and family hiked the trail on December 22, 2011 and you can see how pretty Little Brook looked with its iced over edges. Our friends also had an opportunity to hike Mt. Kearsarge before the deep snow set in and captured some great views on December 24th. We hope you get a chance to visit.

Coco's Path, Great Brook Trail, New London, 12/22/11

Mt. Kearsarge Hike, 12/24/11

The inn gets a new outdoor patio

lindamackenzie — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:17:10 +0000

Since mid-May we have been working double shifts to complete an outdoor patio project. The new patio comes off the side of the inn and has views to Pleasant Lake and the pond. We’ve ordered some beautiful outdoor furniture from Porch and Patio in Orange, CT where Linda’s brother works. To control costs Brian worked with our landscaper, Jim Orrok of Nature’s Design and Linda’s cousin Nick who arrived in late May for a summer culinary internship. Nick initially didn’t know he was going to learn landscaping during the days, but happily agreed to help out and was a huge asset to the project. A local mason, Josh Judkins created the amazing rock walls using rocks harvested from our home property. The result is a beautiful outdoor space that will be welcome our guests to relax and unwind. We hope you get a chance to come for dinner or stay overnight and enjoy the new space. Below are some photos of the project. There are many albums of the this project and our barn project on our Inn at Pleasant Lake Facebook page. You can “like us” there if you enjoy photos and day to day tidbits from the inn.

Why choose an inn or bed and breakfast?

lindamackenzie — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 18:00:06 +0000

Ten Reasons to Choose a B&B

Tied of the same old stark hotel or motel room? Why not choosea B&B? The biggest reason to leave your old hotel behind is… Cha Ching – the added value. Today’s B&Bs are simply a better way to stay for travelers seeking more for their travel dollars. Take a peek at the top ten reasons bed and breakfasts and country inns make a better and a more affordable way to stay.

Reason 10: Put your nickels and dimes away. Heck, put the $5 bill for the bottle of water back in your wallet! No mini bars here! Research from BedandBreakfast.com reveals that more than 92 percent of B&Bs offer complimentary afternoon refreshments, wine and cheese/hors d’ouevres receptions or evening desserts. More than 50 percent of B&Bs offer stocked snack and beverage pantries 24-7 and we’re sure that 100% of today’s B&Bs will offer you a glass or bottle of water and tell you to put the cost toward your vacation!

Reason 9: Stay plugged in. Complimentary wi-fi & calls. Say goodbye to that $20 daily fee for wi-fi access. Nearly 90 percent of B&Bs and country inns offer complimentary wi-fi according to BedandBreakfast.com surveys. The other ten are working on getting it. Nearly 100% of today’s B&Bs offer complimentary local or long distance phone calls. When’s the last time you saw a pay phone anyway? They’re a dying breed.

Reason 8: Great rates! According to the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII – (pronounced PIE) don’t you just love that a B&B organization is named after a yummy treat?) the average daily rate for B&Bs is ???. When we compared this to city hotels of like levels, the B&B rate came in lower, and that doesn’t take in to consideration all the extras.

Reason 7: When’s the last time you met the owner of the hotel? And when is the last time he or she carried your bag to your room? Pick a B&B and read their reviews. Inngoers rave about the fabulous hospitality and friendship that innkeepers offered during their stay. In fact, for many B&B travelers, the innkeeper was what made the stay special.

Reason 6: Free parking. OK, we’ll admit, not all B&Bs offer free parking, but last time BedandBreakfast.com surveyed innkeepers, 95.3% said they did. Even in the city, B&B rates for parking average around $25 vs. as high as $50/nightly in hotels.

Reason 5: Flat screens, fireplaces & whirlpool tubs: Usually reserved for the Presidential Suite in a hotel, increasingly B&Bs offer amenities including flat screen TVs, in-room fireplaces, steam or multi-jet showers and deep Jacuzzi tubs.

Reason 4: Bed is half their name: Looking for fabulous beds? Nearly 100 percent of B&Bs offer high thread count sheets, feather beds, pillow libraries and down comforters at no additional cost to guests.

Reason 3: Breakfast is the other half of their name: Take a family of four to the breakfast buffet at a resort hotel, and you’re looking at upwards of $100 to feed the whole family. Bed and breakfasts all offer breakfast – it’s their signature selling point and half their name. From five course candlelit breakfasts to lavish continentals, most innkeepers offer a breakfast to fuel you for the entire day.

Reason 2: They really will leave the light on! Arrive at 2am, and you may not see a cherry innkeeper greeting you, but you will always find a personalized welcome, no matter what time you arrive from innkeepers who genuinely care about your safe trip and will call you by name.

Reason 1: Cookies, yes! Cookie cutter? No. No two B&Bs are alike. As independently owned small lodging properties, each one offers something new and different. No big box look to B&Bs ranging from urban chic to historically preserved mansions and homes.

Chef MacKenzie mentioned in The National Culinary Review

lindamackenzie — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 22:42:22 +0000

Jody Shee has written a lovely article about different potato soup recipes from various restaurants around the country and has included us in her pursuit of a delicious bowl of soup. Our Potage Lyonnaise is a favorite in the restaurant and it is fun and rewarding to be recognized. Enjoy.

Haute Potato Soup by Jody Shee for The National Culinary Review

Our old 1789 barn gets a new foundation

lindamackenzie — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:29:06 +0000

Starting at some point in September we will have a company here to lift our antique barn and pour a finished basement. We are really excited for this which might seem a bit odd, but we have always been short on storage space and the thought of a clean and open area is wonderful. We will have a nice spot to put our canoes and kayaks in the winter and a nice home for our big tractor. Finally we can move the majority of our catering equipment out of our housekeeping area in the basement below our commercial kitchen. The contractor will be lifting the entire structure, straightening it and then pouring a foundation. The entire barn will be elevated an additional 30 inches after the foundation is in.

We will post pictures as the project unfolds.