Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Merrimack/Nashua, New Hampshire

One of the most pleasant surprises of a recent New England vacation was a stay at the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Merrimack/Nashua, New Hampshire. This beautiful hotel sits among tall pine trees and with its rustic look, is very different than other hotels at which we stayed on our trip during the summer of 2014.

"This place is fantastic," said my wife as we turned from Daniel Webster Highway into the hotel driveway. "I can't wait to see the inside."

Then we stepped out of the car and were immediately struck by the incredible aroma of pine.

"Wow, smell that air," said my son Brendan.

"I've never smelled anything like that," said his sister Emily.

I had once lived in New England, but years in the hot Texas sun made me forget what New England air was like. I looked at Tiffany and she was smiling.

"This is wonderful," she said.

Then we went up to our room and the smiles got bigger.

"Oh wow!" said Emily. "This room is amazing! Can we stay here for a week?"

I looked around and it was an amazing room. It was more like a small apartment than a hotel room.

"How much are we paying for this room?" I said to Tiffany.

"One-hundred twenty dollars."

We paid more than that the previous night in Mystic, Connecticut for a room that was nowhere near as nice as this. Not even close. This room was majestic compared to last night's hotel, for thirty dollars less.

The spacious room was nicely furnished and tastefully decorated with attractive, comfortable furniture, and impressive artwork on the walls. It looked like a designer spent a great deal of time and thought to make it as tasteful and restful as possible.

After unpacking and storing our suitcases, we relaxed in the sitting area. The couch and two chairs were luxurious compared to what we had the night before – in fact, compared to every other hotel at which we stayed during our two-week trip. After a long day on the road, we were pleased to relax in such a clean, comfortable hotel; one that was also what I considered a bargain price.

We stayed up later than usual that night, without even turning on the large screen television, simply because our room's sitting area was so pleasant and comfortable. We opened the sliding glass patio door, allowing the intoxicating pine scented New Hampshire summer night air to stream through the screen. It was incredibly relaxing to sit and enjoy this beautiful hotel room that was so reasonably priced.

The next morning, we enjoyed coffee in the room, in real coffee mugs, not the Styrofoam cups usually found in virtually every hotel room I've ever stayed in. Our coffee was stirred with metal spoons, not plastic sticks. A simple thing such as providing ceramic coffee mugs speaks volumes about the quality of service and the attitude of management and staff. Yes, so they have to wash the mugs and utensils; that they choose to do so elevates the Hawthorn Suites to a level above most of their competition.

After our leisurely coffee, we walked to the nearby breakfast room. It was busy, but the hotel staff was on top of it; the food was plentiful and delicious, all included in the price of the room. We had a long drive ahead of us that day, however we lingered longer than we normally would, because every facet of the hospitality of the Hawthorn Suites in Merrimack was outstanding.

The simple things add up. At this great hotel, the simple things added to the affordable pricing and the care and thought put into room design and total guest comfort, make this one of the greatest hotels we have ever seen.

People from Texas are used to blazing heat, so a visit to New England is a refreshing change. We have traveled throughout the United States, and The Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham in Merrimack (Nashua) New Hampshire was one of the most refreshing hotels at which we have stayed. Our only regret was that we only had time to stay one night at this fantastic place.

Look for this great hotel, the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham, whenever you are anywhere near the Merrimack/Nashua, New Hampshire area. If your stay is anything like ours was, you will be happy you booked a room at this exceptional hotel.

Larry Manch is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. His books include: 'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other Rock & Roll Stories', 'A Sports Junkie', 'The Avery Appointment', 'Between the Fuzzy Parts'.

He also writes about baseball for Climbing Tal's Hill, food and travel on Miles & Meals, and music/guitars on The Backbeat.

He lives in Central Texas with his wife and family.

Follow @LarryManch