Common Man Inn & Spa

We had such an amazing time having our wedding at The Common Man Inn & Spa. I really can’t express how much they exceeded our expectations and created a personalized experience for us. Kali was wonderful to work with. She is quick to respond to emails and always has a positive attitude. The planning was very straightforward. They did a beautiful job setting up the room and an excellent job ensuring the evening ran smoothly. Foster’s Hall is just gorgeous and provided us the right amount of intimacy for a crowd of 85 people. The dance floor is stellar and we took full advantage of it with a live band. We also had our after party at Foster’s Boiler Room and I highly recommend going that route. For only $ 1500 we were able to have the bar all to ourselves with unlimited snacks for all of our guests. We felt their prices (especially their Winter specials) were very reasonable. The spa is *amazing*. I had hair done by Nicole and makeup done by Nikki and both women did a phenomenal job and were a joy to work with. My husband and I both had massages and we were pleasantly surprised with the quality of the massage therapists. We very much enjoyed our hangover day in the hot tub, pool and sauna. We also stayed in the Camp room for four nights and holy crap was it AMAZING!!! So much character and the room is HUGE! Honestly, all of our guests loved their rooms and commented on how spacious and unique they were. We also ate at Foster’s Boiler Room several times and thoroughly enjoyed the diverse menu and excellent drink selection. The only negative was there were a few little things not done right at the reception and there was some miscommunication on payment (we were going to split final payment between check and card only to find out when we were there that they don’t accept out of state checks but hadn’t told us that in advance). Nothing was a big deal though and overall we were thrilled with the staff and service we received.

My girlfriend and I stayed here for two nights and it was great. Every staff member was very helpful and super nice. Breakfast at rise and shine café, which is in the lobby, was just what we needed. Pool/​jacuzzi area was perfect. And food at Fosters was so good we went twice. Place doesn’t make you feel like you’re staying in a hotel but more like a friends house. Very inviting. We went and checked out Mt Washington, Wildcat and Franconia Notch State Park and stayed at common man. Great location. I would recommend this place to anyone that is looking for more of a laid back vibe and not that of a marble floored 4 seasons.

Our room smelled like dog and the beds were horrible. I expected more for $ 200/​night.

have stayed here several times. love how homey & comfortable they make you feel. there used to be an orange tabby cat that wandered around the inn, but I guess it recently passed away. they have a new kitten called cc. the pool and jacuzzi are super nice. love coming back every year!

My boyfriend and I stayed here for a wedding.
We were promised a queen bed but given a double. I could feel the springs in the mattress, so needless to say it was not a good nights sleep. The light above our bathroom mirror was broken which made doing makeup difficult.
I could touch the ceiling when I raised my arm to push up the popcorn tiles. The room was small, and we had a really small window. The interior design was a disaster. The same piece of wall art (suspected to be repurposed yarn rug, displaying raccoons and other forest friends hiding in what appears to be an evergreen tree) is above *both* beds. We went to a friends room and lo and behold our rug wall art was on the floor as intended. For $ 150 a night, this is a terrible deal. Take your money elsewhere.

There are a few moving parts to this review so let’s begin with the Inn itself. The makeover of what was an old fabric mill on the Sugar River in Claremont was well thought out and quite masterful. They were very creative in taking the building on a dramatic side next to a waterfall and making the various parts interesting and never dull. The exposed brick and stone walls as well as the trusses and old wooden floor joists were nicely integrated with the modern renovations. The room we booked was, however, not as advertised with a regular double bed masquerading as their idea of a queen, a small thing perhaps but to correct it required an expensive upgrade on a busy weekend. Points deducted.
While the service was friendly on occasion, depending on who was staffing what, the Inn needs to totally overhaul its hospitality training and think a bit about the client’s experience. Let’s begin with the so-​called breakfast. On the weekend, breakfast is served in the restaurant starting at 10AM, an hour that is not suitable to everyone’s schedule by far. If you are up earlier you receive the complimentary «Continental» breakfast in their lobby. This pathetic substitute for nutrition features tiny plastic trays where you can place a paper cup of coffee, a piece of old and suspect fruit, yogurt, packaged pastries. The cutlery is of purest petrochemical derivative and cheap. On top of this, there are only a couple of couches to sit on which are all taken with other guests so the only option is to retreat to the room balancing said tray of disappointment, worse even than what you find at a chain motel on the road. This is a poor way for a client to start his or her day and sets a very bad tone. Just open the restaurant a few hours earlier. People will pay.
The restaurant itself is lovely and its terrace is breathtaking. What service we encountered was inexperienced, likely summer interns, and totally uninterested is working. One would think that in a somewhat depressed economy as is Claremont’s people would be trying harder at their jobs.
We go back to this area each summer and it’s not a certainty that we would choose the Common Man Inn again if another option presented itself.

Overall poor experiences with both the stay and the Front Desk Service Manager.
The person taking my reservation associated with a Groupon couldn’t determine how to book a room costing less than what I had paid. This would have resulted in the Inn making more money from the transaction and would have given me a room that was a better fit than the more expensive. She described that there might be financial reconciliation difficulties between the Inn and Groupon. I really didn’t need to understand what the Inn’s back office process issues were but to keep things simple for them I accepted a room I really didn’t want.
The Common Man Inn attempts to be quaint with its furniture and fixtures that you might find in a rustic vacation cabin. Unfortunately the furniture is what you would see at a yard sale complete with mattresses that have visible valleys (4 inches deep) reminding you of the multitude of people that slept there before you. Couple that with a 20+ year old TV with a remote that doesn’t work which is OK since you soon get tired of the very poor picture quality and you’ll be looking for things to do outside of the room or Inn.
The room was poorly maintained:
The thermostat cover fell off when touched and came apart into 5 pieces which I had to put back together.
The sink drain stopper control was disconnected. It was necessary for me to use a suction cup to pull the stopper up to drain the sink.
Music could be heard all night. Annoying and affected our sleep.
Much of this was provided to the Inn prompted by their post-​stay survey which the Front Desk Manager replied to by email helping me understand that most people enjoy the quaint, poorly maintained room with yard sale furniture. If you do, this is an Inn for you.

My boyfriend and I stayed here for his birthday and it was amazing! We stayed in a king room with a jacuzzi. We had our own fireplace and a huge couch so we ordered food from the restaurant downstairs and ate it by firelight. The bed was huge and comfortable, lots of little homey touches! And I can’t NOT mention Jennifer! She was working the front desk when we checked in and let us go to our room early. She was so nice! So friendly! Such a GREAT face for our first moments there. We both agreed that although the room was perfect, romantic and comfortable, the food was amazing (as the common man always is) and the jacuzzi and fireplace were so relaxing, Jennifer put the entire experience over the top!

So wonderful! Did a «stay and spa» package with my mom and toddler. We stayed in the Lodge suite — it was truly stunning. So many beautiful, unique details. It was perfect for my little one. The three of us had plenty of space. We slept great on our featherbed mattress and were nice and toasty by our own fire. The minibar was very reasonably priced and having the mini fridge was very helpful for keeping snacks for a toddler. The room was VERY clean, housekeeping does a fantastic job. Upon arrival we were each given a robe, slippers and water bottle; part of our package.
At the spa we did a number of services: massage, 2 facials and a haircut. Each were fabulous. Nikki is a wonderful esthnetician who will send you home with real results and Michelle gives a great cut. The pool and hot tub are very rustic and cozy. Its a salt pool so no harsh chemicals here. It’s great to step out and dry off by a wood stove.
The restaurant is again very unique in its décor as well as offerings. The food is a real treat. The kids menu is even elevated. Waitstaff is very upbeat, friendly and goes the extra mile to make your meal great. Priced very reasonably for the quality and quantity.
It’s the attention to detail that makes this inn very different from others. Locally made goats milk soaps in the bathrooms, one of a kind antiques, regionally inspired dishes, a cat living in the lobby… Can not recommend this place enough!

This place is absolutely wonderful. Their attention to detail is what really takes the cake. They offer handmade soap (not that generic stuff you’d find at Ramada), delicious smelling lotions, there’s unique little decorations, and everything just feels like home.
I stayed in one of the loft suites, and it was so spacious, cozy, and convenient. There a bathroom on each floor, a stocked fridge and also an empty one to keep ice, or any drinks you bring yourself. I also like how they add a tip to your bill for the housekeepers. It’s good to know they take care of their staff as well as their guests!

Have stayed here several times and always leave satisfied. We have brought our golden retriever and she loves it here. Great location and decent restaurant. If breakfast was a little better I would give it a 5 star. The rooms are large and well appointed.

This review is for their salon. We were there for a wedding. I have only wonderful words to say about Erica (who did my hair) and Amanda (who did my make-​up). Both did a great job and I left very happy. Erica was a pleasure to chat with. She listened to my ideas, implemented hers and my hair came out lovely and lasted the whole evening. We did waves and braids but nothing overly done. Just perfect. Same with my make-​up. The make-​up line is Bare Minerals. The brushes were clean. I did not break out afterwards. Make-​up looked and felt nice. Thank you ladies!

I recently stayed at the «Cabin in the Woods» at the Common Man Inn and Spa. The cabin actually is about 3 miles from the main building steps from the Italian Farmhouse restaurant. When I mean steps away you can watch people eating on the deck. The cabin was so cute and I was really impressed with how well stocked it was. I was going for a girls weekend with three friends, we knew there was a full kitchen but still brought our own pans. We really didn’t need anything, there are a ton of plates, pots, pans, utensils, etc. The fridge is huge and has an ice maker. When you first walk in you are in the kitchen, and to your right is a small full bathroom with a stand up shower. The kitchen has a big island with stools and then opens into the dining room/​living room. There is a back deck that has a picnic table and the hot tub (which is amazing!). Upstairs there is a large full bathroom and two bedrooms. The larger bedroom has a full size bed and the small bedroom has a day bed with a trundle. Although we were so close to the restaurant we didn’t go because we had a full kitchen.
The pros: The full kitchen, two full baths, the hot tub, the homemade soap/​lotion samples, location to a restaurant.
The cons: Inside needs a deep clean, there are a lot of cobwebs and it was pretty dusty. Although I listed being near the restaurant as a pro the con is that there isn’t a defined parking spaces for the cabin so people who were going to the restaurant blocked us in and we had to go inside to have them move. I didn’t like having people so close to the cabin. We were looking forward to sitting on the front porch, but there is only one rocking chair and there are so many spiders we wouldn’t sit out there even if there were more. Also being so close to the restaurant we felt weird. On the back deck the trees are VERY overgrown and there were actually vines that started to wrap around the picnic table. BUGS, I know its a «cabin in the woods» but due to the back being so overgrown the bugs were EVERYWHERE. Lastly, there isn’t a DVD player in the living room with the larger TV only in the bedrooms and the TVs were tiny. We made the best of it and all piled into the larger bedroom to watch a movie.
We also went to the spa for mani/​pedis. It was amazing! I loved how calming the spa is and the staff is beyond friendly.
There were some cons, but honestly we are already talking about going back there for girls weekend 2014. Also on the counter in the kitchen is a registry of people who have stayed before, read through it and leave your favorite memory. I loved reading it there was a couple that got engaged there, was there for their wedding night, and returned for their first anniversary.

We went to the Common man spa to get ready for my cousin’s wedding. We were there all day and the staff was amazing.
In between services we had some down time because there were 6 + of us getting updos, makeup, manis, and pedis.
The staff was amazing. Jenny did my nails and she is a miracle worker. My nails are always breaking and uneven and she made them look like a million bucks. I cant remember the girl who did my hair… I was to say Erica but I could be making that up. She was wonderful! She was funny. She kept joking with the rest of the bridal party and myself.
The entire staff that had anything to do with my cousins wedding sure made us feel special. We had a great time and we left looking like all new people.
They did an AMAZING job with the wedding make up and hair. I highly suggest booking your salon needs at the common man spa.

Love this place!

This is an outstanding place to stay. Clean, friendly staff and beautiful rooms. I had a great stay.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE & Can’t wait to come back!
The service is so friendly and they make you feel right at home. The décor is very Adirondack, homey, and tastefully done. The organic lotions, soap, and gels really make you feel like you just aren’t staying at any olé’ hotel. The lobby is inviting and incredibly quaint. The animal friendly idea is amazing! I can’t wait to bring our dog, Bella and my fiancée back here when we are in town. The beds aren’t the best, but I can look past that with the lodge décor and fantastic bath products. The only recommendation I would like to add is — update the TVs in the rooms. A small flat screen would be perfect. I love the idea that the whole inn is eco-​friendly and heats the water with solar panels.
Thank you for a wonderful stay and I can’t wait to come back!!!

When can I go back?!
This is the perfect place for a girls weekend or even a romantic getaway. I stayed here on night with four girlfriends. We stayed in one of the loft rooms, which was amazing. There were plenty of beds and two bathrooms.
We started our day in the spa, I had a facial and a massage. This was my first facial and it was one of the most wonderful experiences, I can’t wait for my next one. The deep tissue massage was nice as well.
After the spa, we had some wine in our room and then headed downstairs to Foster’s Boiler Room. I had the mussels and a salad, which were both fantastic. There were cheese and crackers to snack on as well and the bread was great!
After dinner, we went back to the room to use the DVD player and watch some movies. Such a relaxing night!
We had breakfast in café the next morning. The basics are free, but a veggie omelette will cost you $ 4.00.
We decided that we would be coming here for quarterly girls weekends. It’s so nice to have the spa, dining, and lodging under one roof. This is the ultimate relaxation!

I realize that the Common Man is part of a chain, but you really can’t tell so much! It has a very Cozy feeling, especially staying in the special Camp suite, which came with a fireplace, separate sitting room, and jacuzzi tub! Only thing i found odd about the room was it had a bajillion places to sit. How many people at once do they expect in that room?
Front desk staff was very accomodating, being very prompt about changing my sheets after i voiced some concerns about a reaction to their detergent. The overnight staff is AMAZING. My Boy and I being late late night owls, were up and about at 2−4am. One helped us in finding games to play, and on our last night the overnight guy actually set us up with an early breakfast, as we always missed the gratis breakfast in the café, as it was held during our usual sleeping hours! Everyone really went above and beyond. The spa staff was very attentive when i went for my massage. The sauna, pool and rockpool waterfall jacuzzi was nice as well.
The cat Fletcher, who invited himself into our room and stayed a while to cuddle and play was likewise a delight, a very good mascot for the hotel as a whole! Side note, their mini bar is very reasonably priced!

Up for the weekend, needed an «open late» place for dinner, drinks, etc.
Common Man Inn and Spa has a Foster’s Lounge, which is open until 11 pm (late for central NH).
Food and service was TOP NOTCH! Had the Lobster Mac and Cheese and WOW was it good. Also had a few Sam Adam’s Summer Ales and we started with some Buffalo tenders. Nice!
Able to watch the Red Sox as well.
Interesting area downstairs with couches and tables.
I’ll be back next time I’m in the area.