We are redefining the concept of what an all-season destination resort should be, with all of the amenities of the 21st century blended with the historical architecture and character of days gone by.
It's a spectacular mix of mountains, forests, fields, lakes, and streams - and with over 5,500 acres in conservation, we plan to keep it that way. The Balsams is dedicated to principles like dark sky considerations for stargazing at night, pet-friendly atmospheres for the furry members of our families, and carbon-neutral sustainability goals.
"The Balsams is a special experience - in a very special place."
Diane D., Founder - Concord, NH
Location
The Balsams’ location in northern New Hampshire is just a few hours’ drive time from the Northeast’s major population centers.
With an expansive site connected to the North Country’s wilderness areas by a vast network of trails, The Balsams seems to be a world apart, but with 12.4 million people living within a 5-hour drive of the site, The Balsams enjoys easy access from the Northeast’s major population centers.
Additionally, the Berlin Regional Airport is located within a half-hour drive of the Balsams. The airport is currently only available to private planes, but with a 5,200-foot runway, there is ample room for future commercial flights.
Read on to hear from Les Otten, Principal Owner and visionary, get a preview of the resort's master plan, and embrace the renaissance of The Balsams.
From the desk of Les Otten:
Welcome to The Balsams.
When I first discovered this gem tucked away in the stunning wilderness we know as Dixville Notch, I knew instantly it was special. Many years after my first Sunday Brunch in the summer of 1974 and after a couple more decades of founding ski resorts all over North America, I realized its enormous potential when I saw the mountain topography.
The Balsams is in a true alpine zone, in one of the snowiest places in the East, and it was just waiting for someone to come along and recognize it. The skiing stood out to me as a chance to create an independent ski area, relying on my past experience but creating something uniquely environmentally conscious, something tailored to the next generation of skiers, something visionary.
And the more I looked, the more I saw the richness of outdoor activities in all seasons. Our master plan incorporates The Balsams history, the heart of the Grand Resort lifestyle including fine dining as a centerpiece, and artfully blends a marriage of past and present to provide the best guest experience in one of the most beautiful locations I have ever seen.
There are very few things in life that stop you in your tracks, and The Balsams is one of them. I invite you to get to know our Team, our Vision, and embrace what we see as being the premier four-season resort in North America. It is, and will continue to be, unlike anything else.
I hope you too allow yourself to be stopped in your tracks, at least long enough to take in the splendor of the Notch and breathe the cool mountain air. I know you'll love it just as much as we do.
Leslie B. Otten, Principal Owner & Developer, The Balsams
You may already know The Balsams. You might know it for its legendary culinary tradition, or its unparalleled 11,000 acres of sprawling wilderness. You might have heard stories of socialites who visited, waltzed, and dined here. This iconic grand resort has a colorful and fascinating history starting from humble beginnings.
The first records reflecting lodging services date to 1874; lodging was added after a fire destroyed the original building. The newly-built Dix House was a modest, 25-room summer inn, from which White Mountain travelers discovered the immense beauty, solace, and wonder of Dixville Notch.
Henry Hale, who owned The Balsams between 1895 and 1922 when it was largely a summer resort, was an industrious businessman. Among other things, he invented the reversible Pullman train coach seat. Upon taking ownership of The Balsams, Hale made dramatic improvements to the property.
Hale’s work included creating Lakes Gloriette, Abenaki, and Coashakee, which fed through an elaborate series of canals to the hydroelectric plant that powered the resort. He purchased 16 nearby farms to provide fresh food for guests, and hired famed designer Donald Ross to lay out the Panorama Golf Course.
The Hampshire House, constructed from 1916 to 1918, transformed The Balsams into an elegant, 400-room grand resort. It was the first steel-frame, reinforced tile and concrete masonry structure erected in New Hampshire. Henry Hale commissioned Architect Chase R. Witcher (1876-1940), a native of Lisbon, N.H. and a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to design the structure. By this time, wealthy guests arrived by train and stayed for months.
The Balsams is known for its rich tradition as a grand resort, but its legendary culinary status sources to 1954, when Neil Tillotson (known to guests and staff as “Mr. T”) became the owner. Tillotson, too, was a successful industrialist; he made a fortune by discovering new ways to create products with latex rubber, including inexpensive toy balloons and medical examination gloves. Tillotson also expanded the resort's winter offerings by building the Balsams Wilderness ski area on the property.
Under Tillotson, The Balsams focused on superb food and exemplary service. Chef Phil Learned led the kitchen, relying heavily on local milk, butter and cream from registered Jersey cows and freshly caught trout from Lake Gloriette. This was farm-to-table cuisine, generations before the term was coined.
Throughout the years, The Balsams was a forerunner in destination travel. It expanded the concept of what a resort could be.
We’re bringing that vision back. We fully understand what drew so many people here for more than 150 years, because it drew us here, too. It’s mountains, lakes, views, sparkling clean air and water, and 11,000 acres of wilderness.
The unique campus-style design of the Resort is centered on the Great Lawn being the heart of the destination. From the Great Lawn, you can easily reach any activity without leaving the property or needing the car; hop on the gondola and hit the slopes, avail yourself of 100km of trails for hiking, Nordic skiing, biking, or snowshoeing, take in a movie, canoe, kayak, or fish on our lakes, rent a snowmobile or ATV and explore the larger Great North Woods area, or relax by one of the pools or at the Balsams Baths spa with a book in hand.
"I regard cooking as both a fine art and a noble science. Going forward, The Balsams will certainly reflect modern tastes, but will remain faithful to my core philosophy: the finest of ingredients, prepared with the greatest of care. Grass fed, free range, and wild caught...these aren't just better for the environment, they taste better. And always, served with the utmost respect for the art, and the science, and the guests who enjoy both. Chefs are ladies and gentlemen, and people came to The Balsams for the food and the old world charm."
Chef Phil Learned; Former Balsams Partner and Executive Chef, CEC Executive Chef, Honorable Order of the Golden Toque
The Balsams Baths are designed in the style of a Nordic Spa, inclusive of steam rooms, saunas, thermotherapy pools, meditation spaces, cold plunges, and traditional spa offerings as options. You can take full advantage of the fresh, crisp air, natural surroundings, and incredible views.
The location is ideally situated next to the Cold Spring Brook waterfall, which provides wonderful ambient white noise to relax or meditate to. The Balsams Baths is the ideal place for you to wind down whether you've just gotten out of yoga, skiing, mountain biking, nordic skiing, or zip-lining. Spend a day just reconnecting with your senses and luxuriate, you deserve it.
The gondola whisks you away from the shores of Lake Gloriette and delivers you to a wilderness ski experience unlike any other in the east.
With a base at 1,865 feet above sea level, The Balsams has been called one of nature’s most glorious balconies. Due to its location in a true alpine climate zone, avid skiers and riders will experience more dependable snow and a longer winter season year in and year out. With 2,200 skiable acres of alpine terrain, one of the largest vertical drops, and 100 km of Nordic trails, The Balsams will be larger and more varied than any other resort in the east at full build-out.
“The Panorama is an amazing example of Donald J. Ross in his prime. Ross is legendary for fairway contours and challenging greens. Each hole at The Panorama has its own unique character, reflected by a name, and you’ll come to appreciate both a bit more each time you play them. It’s mountaintop golf, with wilderness views in every direction that extend into Vermont and Quebec. There are summer mornings when temperature inversions place you in bright sunshine above the clouds in the valleys. There are crisp autumn mornings when the sun glows off the changing leaves while mist rises from the ponds.”
Andy Pearson; Director of Grounds & Golf Course Management
Experience Luxury
As beautiful and well appointed as the interior of The Balsams is, you will immediately be drawn to the windows. There are stunning views all around, and the design is light and airy with high ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and the original crown molding and built-ins that recall a bygone era. It's a fine balance of antique charm and modern comfort.
"We couldn't be more excited about the team we've pulled together for The Balsams development. Their collective experience is unparalleled in our industry and will turn what is an ambitious vision into a splendid reality."
Leslie B. Otten, Principal Owner & Developer, The Balsams
Photo taken 31 January 2017 of the Hampshire House with the striking cliffs of Dixville Notch as backdrop