Route 16 in North Conway is packed to the gills with basic motels, which are reasonably priced in the off season (you can sometimes find a room for around $40-$50 per night in spring or late fall), but getting surprisingly expensive during peak travel times such as summer, ski-season weekends, and fall foliage season. Fronting the commercial strip, these motels don't offer much in the way of a pastoral environment, but most are comfortable and conveniently located.
Among the many choices, you might try the budget School House Motel (tel. 800/638-6050 or 603/356-6829; www.schoolhousemotel.com), with a heated outdoor pool; the Yankee Clipper Inn (tel. 800/343-5900 or 603/356-5736; www.blueberrymuffin.com), with a pool and an on-site cafe; or the pricier, more upscale Green Granite Inn (tel. 800/468-3666 or 603/356-6901; www.greengranite.com), with about 90 rooms (including 2-room suites with whirlpools and wet bars) and a nice indoor pool building with whirlpool.
