If you were to put together a list of the grandest hotels in the world of golf, the iconic, red-roofed Omni Mount Washington in the Presidential Range of northern New Hampshire would be squarely in the discussion.
And the Golden Age golf course at the resort has similar historical and architectural significance.
The Donald Ross-designed Mount Washington course is widely considered the finest public course in a state that, thanks to its four-season getaway destinations that fully embrace spring/summer, fall leaf-peeping and snow sports, has the fifth-highest proportion of resort golf in the continental U.S., according to the National Golf Foundation.
The golf season is shorter in New Hampshire and the winters can be more severe, making course conditioning a challenge at times, but superintendent Greg Boucher and his team continue to do a fantastic job with a course that’s steeped in history and boasts incredible views of not only the mountain surrounds but the gilded age hotel that dates to 1902.
There’s a bit of a split personality in the routing, with the front nine having more of an open parkland feel and more subtle green complexes. The greens on the back nine are more “Ross-like,” with greater contour and more of the substantial drop-offs surrounding the putting surfaces the architect is best known for. Meanwhile, the layout is surrounded by mature forest and peaks – including the visible ski runs at Bretton Woods – while the hotel is a prominent backdrop throughout.
There are 27 holes in total at Omni Mount Washington, with the opening tee for the 9-hole Mount Pleasant course almost hidden in the trees high up on the hill, just steps from the hotel’s stately front veranda that’s over 900 feet long. The extra nine is quite good, with strong design bones and fun, challenging holes, giving an extra (and lower-commitment) dimension that can make Omni Mount Washington more than a one-and-done golf destination.
But no matter how good the golf – or any of the other activities at the resort, for that matter – the hotel itself will always be the scene-stealer.
Historic Landmark
Now recognized as a National Historic Landmark, the hotel was built by coal and railroad tycoon Joseph Stickney, opening in 1902, and welcomed urban elites who traveled to the area by train from cities such as New York, Boston and Philadelphia. It has hosted presidents and dignitaries for over a century, eventually growing into the four-season resort it is today that predominantly welcomes guests from New England and the major metropolitan areas in the Northeast.
In addition to the sweeping mountain views, the resort boasts indoor and outdoor pools, a 25,000-square-foot spa and wellness center, dining and drink offerings ranging from the elegant 1902 restaurant to a prohibition-era speakeasy tucked away on the lower level of the hotel. There’s more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space and the resort this year reimagined all 200 of its historic rooms.
The region’s winter identity is different – but almost inseparable – from its summer one, with the Bretton Woods Ski Area across the main road from the hotel. And just a few miles away, the popular Mount Washington Cog Railway hauls visitors to the summit of the property’s namesake, and the highest peak in the Northeast at nearly 6,300 feet.
Once ski season ends and the snow melts, there’s a compressed window to get the golf courses ready for play – with an approach for turf recovery and conditioning that is much different than that afforded year-round golf properties.
Yet Omni Mount Washington continues to deliver a golf experience that’s one of the best in New Hampshire, not to mention the Northeast, and the history – on and off the golf course — is an inextricable part of that. More broadly, Omni’s portfolio is one most historically significant in the game, with Mount Washington sitting alongside The Homestead in Virginia and Omni Bedford Springs in Pennsylvania, two other properties that boast lineages extending back well over 100 years.
Omni continues to embrace the past as it focuses on the present and looks to the future, whether it’s with its Gilded Age gems, properties that have undergone recent significant golf upgrades like Omni La Costa Resort & Spa (California) and Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa (Florida), or those newer to the spotlight like Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa (Texas).
For golfers in the Northeast U.S. and New England area, Omni Mount Washington is a can’t miss gem: a memorable experience that would be worth the visit even if it didn’t have a historic Donald Ross design and 27 holes of golf ringing one of the grandest hotels in the country.