Review: TownePlace Suites by Marriott Laconia Gilford

Item: TownePlace Suites by Marriott Laconia Gilford
Rating: 7
Author: Jean-François Léveillé

Located not far from the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Laconia Gilford proved to be a practical home base for our four-day getaway in the region. This long weekend let us go a bit further than usual from Montreal and discover the abundance of trails this corner of New Hampshire is known for.

Between lakes, mountains and the great outdoors, it was the perfect opportunity to make the most of our AllTrails Peak subscription, which we’ve also covered on Milesopedia.

Facade of the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Laconia Gilford

Our credit card selection
Credit card	Annual fee	Welcome offer
Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$120	Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months Up to 70,000 points After $3,000 in 3 months	Apply NowCompare

Booking and points rates

In early November, we took a trip to admire the region’s last fall colours, a landscape dominated by black oaks, beeches and birches that tint the mountains in golden and copper hues at this time of year. The TownePlace Suites Laconia Gilford offered excellent value at the time, at around US$139 per night or about 29,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

Item	Value
Cash rate (per night)	around US$139
Points cost (per night)	24,000 to 52,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, depending on season
Room booked	Standard room
Room obtained	One-bedroom Junior Suite, 1 queen bed, sofa bed (Titanium upgrade)

To earn points for this kind of stay, check out our comparison of the best credit cards in Canada.

Arrival and location

Located in Gilford, near Laconia, in the Lake Winnipesaukee region at the heart of New Hampshire, the hotel enjoys a calm setting away from the bustle. The large free parking lot makes it easy to get around, especially to enjoy the area’s activities: Lake Winnipesaukee, the beaches, mountain hiking trails, and nearby shops and restaurants. A car is recommended to reach most points of interest.

Walking in, you find a simple but welcoming lobby. On the left, a double-sided gas fireplace discreetly separates the entrance from the lounge area, a warmer space to read or unwind outside your room. On the right is where breakfast is served, while the front desk sits at the back of the lobby. There’s also the small market typical of TownePlace Suites, handy for snacks or essentials. Check-in service was courteous and efficient, true to the brand’s functional spirit.

The lobby and small market at the TownePlace Suites.

Room: Junior Suite

Right from the start, the kitchenette stands out as a real strength: full-size fridge, microwave, stovetop, dishwasher, dishes and utensils… everything you need to be self-sufficient. Since we like cooking most of our meals on hiking trips, we loved having that freedom, even though counter space remains limited.

The Junior Suite’s full kitchenette.

The bathroom right next door is spacious enough to be comfortable. Nothing fancy, but everything you need.

Then you reach the living room, a truly functional space. The sofa bed does the job well for relaxing, and the layout favours versatility. The living room offers simple but clever solutions for eating or working, with a fold-away tray table and an ottoman that converts into a work surface, small practical touches, in short. You can tell the hotel is designed to be lived in, not just slept in.

The living room, designed to be lived in as much as slept in.

The work desk stands out in particular: well lit, ergonomic, and flexible thanks to its rolling table. It’s a great spot for a few hours of writing or catching up on emails before heading back out to explore.

The bedroom, separated from the living room by a standard door, has a comfortable queen bed and plenty of storage, just like the living room. And with a window in each room, the natural light is genuinely pleasant, especially for a hiking-focused stay where you spend more time enjoying the outdoors than the hotel. The two smart TVs (living room and bedroom) are a practical touch, making it easy to connect to your streaming platforms.

The bedroom, separate from the living room, with a queen bed and plenty of storage.

Restaurants

It should be noted first that there’s no on-site restaurant. Instead, the TownePlace Suites offers a buffet-style breakfast served in the common area next to the lobby. Nothing fancy, but enough to start the day well. There are a few hot options, cold choices, self-serve coffee, and enough variety to put together a simple, quick meal. The atmosphere is informal and entirely self-serve, true to the spirit of extended-stay hotels.

The buffet breakfast, simple but sufficient.

The room where breakfast is served.

Services and facilities

The TownePlace Suites offers a small, fairly simple fitness room. It has two treadmills, an elliptical machine, some free weights, a weight bench and yoga mats. It’s a functional space, perfect for keeping up a minimal routine or stretching out a bit, especially after a day spent outdoors.

The fitness room, simple and functional.

The hotel also has an indoor pool. It’s fairly small, more suited to kids or a quick relaxing moment, no doing laps here. A few loungers and armchairs surround the space, letting you settle in for a bit of relaxation. The parking lot right in front of the hotel is large and easily accessible, with no stress finding a spot.

Indoor pool at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott

Around the hotel

Staying at the TownePlace Suites in Laconia Gilford means being right in the heart of a truly rural, peaceful part of New Hampshire, close to Lake Winnipesaukee, where winding backroads and wooded hills naturally invite you to slow down. We especially enjoyed strolling through the two neighbouring towns, Gilford and Laconia, each with its own personality. Laconia, in particular, has some lovely local shops and a warm atmosphere, and we especially loved the Wayfarer Marketplace, a coffee house that’s as welcoming as it is delicious.

We also enjoyed a wonderful hike up Mount Major in the Belknap Range, a well-known mountain range in central New Hampshire, with a vast trail network offering beautiful views and a real sense of getting away from it all. It’s a perfect destination for those who love walking and exploring nature.

The hike up Mount Major, in the Belknap Range.

In November, the region is quiet: the lakes’ water activities, which likely draw a good share of visitors in summer, give way to late fall colours and a more introspective mood. We chose to cook in our suite rather than try local restaurants, which fit perfectly with the spirit of the place and the freedom this type of accommodation offers.

The neighbouring towns of Gilford and Laconia.

Pros and cons of the TownePlace Suites Laconia Gilford

Pros

Spacious Junior Suite: functional and comfortable, with a real kitchenette
Calm location: away from the bustle, close to trails and the lake
Free parking: large and easily accessible

Cons

Modest breakfast: simple buffet, nothing more
Slightly out-of-the-way hotel: a car is needed for most trips

My overall impression and final rating

The TownePlace Suites in Laconia Gilford offers a simple, comfortable and unpretentious experience, perfectly suited to those looking for a practical base to explore the region. The slightly out-of-the-way location ensures great peace and quiet while still making it easy to reach nearby points of interest.

The common areas, from the welcoming lobby to the small gym, lean more toward functionality than the “wow” factor, but everything is clean, well maintained and designed to meet travellers’ essential needs. In the end, it’s a hotel that delivers exactly on its category’s promise: a reliable, calm and efficient address for exploring Laconia, Gilford and the surrounding landscapes at your own pace.

A simple, nature-focused, unpretentious getaway, exactly what we came looking for: a spacious suite for cooking and feeling at home, steps from New Hampshire’s finest trails.
Jean-François Léveillé, Milesopedia contributor

To go further:

To maximize this type of experience, check out our comparison of the best credit cards in Canada, ideal for earning travel points toward your next stay.
To plan your next hikes, check out our full review of the AllTrails app.
A bit further south, also check out our review of the Fairfield Inn Burlington Williston, Vermont, another convenient Marriott Bonvoy address for exploring New England.

Earning Marriott Bonvoy Points

The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for free stays at more than 8,000 hotels worldwide is to hold the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card (and/or the Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card). You can also earn American Express Membership Rewards points and transfer them to Marriott Bonvoy.

To learn all about earning and redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points for free hotel stays, check out our guides:

Compare

Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card

American Express Marriott Bonvoy

Annual fee: $120
Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$600Total$600Plus $100 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.: $600
Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months: Up to 70,000 points

The Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card is the best credit card in Canada for free hotel nights.

New Cardmembers can earn up to 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points with the current offer:

Earn up to 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership.
Plus, earn 10,000 points after you spend $500 on your Card in your 13th month of Cardmembership.

The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.

Every year after your first Card anniversary, you receive an Annual Free Night Award good for a redemption of up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide. At a valuation of 0.9 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, that certificate is worth roughly $315, which on its own more than covers the $120 annual fee. That is the main reason to keep this Card year after year instead of cancelling it.

To get the most out of the certificate, aim it at a night that would otherwise price close to the 35,000 point ceiling.

The Card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Those credits count toward the next Elite tier, so you begin every year 15 nights ahead of where you would otherwise start.

You move up to Gold Elite status automatically when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card in a year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your Card.

Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 70,000 point welcome offer is worth about $630, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.

Marriott Bonvoy points pull their weight on free nights rather than on gift cards or merchandise, which is why this Card should be judged on the hotel stays it produces.

You earn 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 hotels around the world.

The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.

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Annual fee

Primary card$120

Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0

Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,210

2nd Year Value$312

Travel insurance

Delayed BaggageUp to $500

Lost BaggageUp to $500

Flight DelayUp to $500

Hotel BurglaryUp to $500

Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded

Extended Warranty+1 years

Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

TownePlace Suites Laconia Gilford – Frequently asked questions

Is the TownePlace Suites Laconia Gilford well located for exploring Lake Winnipesaukee?

Yes. The hotel is just minutes from the lake, from Gilford and from the main access points for outdoor activities, ideal for exploring the region without too much driving.

Is the TownePlace Suites well suited for hiking or outdoor-focused stays?

Yes, that’s one of its strengths: quick access to Mount Major, local trails and the beaches of Lake Winnipesaukee. Free parking also makes the logistics easier.

Is the suite with a kitchen well equipped for cooking meals?

Yes. The suites have a real functional kitchenette: a full fridge, microwave, dishwasher, stovetop and enough utensils for real meals.

Is the hotel’s breakfast satisfying?

It’s simple, continental-style, and can do the trick, but it’s not the hotel’s strong suit.

Who is the TownePlace Suites best suited for: couples, families or active travellers?

The suite format and location make it a good choice for independent couples, families looking for extra space, and active travellers coming to explore the region.