Bluebird Sunapee

Regional travel is back in style, and Northeasterners will be delighted to learn that just outside of Newbury, New Hampshire, on the shores of Lake Sunapee, is Bluebird Sunapee, a rustic, rural boutique hotel with an eye for design and an appealingly adventurous bent. It’s the work of Lark Hotels, a New England–based brand that specializes in exactly this sort of thing: hotels that feel modern but still classic, inspired by the latest trends in contemporary hospitality but still true to the traditions of the places where they’re set.

The rooms, then, are crisp and clean-lined, combining a stylized simplicity with retro elements, from the somewhat Seventies color palette to the rustic patterns of the headboards and textiles. Common spaces include an indoor pool, a lounge with a proper wood-burning fireplace, and a game room.

This corner of New Hampshire is a four-season destination — witness the vintage snowshoes used as in-room decorations — and it’s just as inviting for summertime hikers and bikers as it is for wintertime guests with an eye on the slopes at Mount Sunapee. And the adventure isn’t just window dressing; outdoor ski lockers and plentiful bike racks are evidence that the activities are central to the experience.