Profile Motel & Cottages
391 Styles Bridges Highway
Lincoln, NH
The White Mountains basecamp where the trail starts at the back of the parking lot.
This property is an Honorable Mention. It has been vetted and approved for our highest standards of cleanliness, safety, and operational excellence. While it is still evolving toward our full design-led designation, it is a proven, reliable anchor for any road trip. We recommend it with confidence.
About Profile Motel & Cottages
The Profile Motel and Cottages sits on three acres on US Route 3 in Lincoln, New Hampshire, two miles south of the Franconia Notch State Park entrance. The motel operates seasonally from May 1 through Columbus Day. Single-story motel rooms have parking directly outside the door. The cottages sit on the wooded rear of the property above a small brook that runs through the pines. The Georgiana Falls trail begins at the property's edge: the lower falls are under a mile from the back of the parking lot. Jim and Matt own and operate the property themselves. Reviews describe it as exceptionally clean and well-maintained in a corridor where good value is harder to find than it used to be.
What Profile Motel & Cottages Is Known For
The Georgiana Falls trail begins at the property's edge. Not 'nearby.' Not 'a short drive.' At the edge of the property. The lower falls are under a mile from the back of the parking lot. This is not a common amenity in a region where most motels in this price tier require a fifteen-minute drive to the same trailhead. The combination of direct trail access, immaculate maintenance, personalized family ownership, and pricing that is consistently described as excellent value for the White Mountains is what makes Profile Motel worth recommending ahead of most alternatives in the Lincoln-Franconia corridor.
Amenities
- WiFi
- Georgiana Falls trail access from property edge
- Heated outdoor swimming pool
- Fire pit with seating
- Picnic tables with charcoal grills
- Horseshoe pits and lawn games
- 5-bedroom cottage with full kitchen and wrap-around porch
- Cottages with screened porches and brook access
- Complimentary ice on-site
What Guests Love
- The Georgiana Falls trail begins at the edge of the property. From the back of the parking lot to the lower falls is under a mile. Most White Mountains lodging requires a drive to the same trailhead. This motel does not.
- Jim and Matt are the owners and they run the property themselves: late arrivals find the lights on, trail questions get a real conversation, and flexibility that chain-managed properties cannot offer is a consistent theme in reviews from guests who asked for it.
- The review record for cleanliness at this price point in the White Mountains is exceptional and documented over years of independent stays.
Worth Knowing
- The property is seasonal: motel rooms open May 1 and close at or after Columbus Day; cottages operate May 1 through October 15. The property is not available in winter.
- Profile Motel does not accept pets. Travelers with animals should look for alternative properties in the Lincoln or Woodstock area.
- The five-bedroom cottage sleeps ten and is designed for large family groups. It reserves early for peak summer weekends and foliage season. Book well in advance if this is your intended accommodation.
- Rooms on the Route 3 side of the building may pick up some highway noise during peak summer traffic hours. The cottages and back-facing motel rooms are quieter.
The Room
Motel rooms are single-story with exterior access and parking at the door. They come with either one queen or two full beds, a miniature refrigerator and microwave, TV, and wireless internet. The rooms are not architecturally distinctive, but they are consistently described as exceptionally clean and well-maintained: reviews use the phrase 'SO CLEAN' with enough frequency that it is clearly a standard the property holds rather than an occasional pleasant surprise. Bathrooms are full, rooms are sound-insulated, and beds are comfortable. Two-person cottages sit among the pines on the back of the property with screened porches and sliding glass doors, queen beds, wireless internet, heat, air conditioning, refrigerators, and microwaves. The suite adds a kitchenette, a twin bed in the bedroom alongside a queen, and a pullout sofa in the living area, suited for families who want more room than a single motel unit. The five-bedroom cottage sleeps ten with a wrap-around porch overlooking the pool, a full kitchen with pantry, a living room, a family room, and two full bathrooms: the property's group accommodation option, designed for extended families or friend groups sharing the cost of a White Mountains week.
The Grounds
The three-acre grounds include a heated outdoor swimming pool, a firepit, picnic tables with charcoal grills, horseshoe pits, and lawn games. A small brook runs behind the property along the back edge of the cottage area. The Georgiana Falls trail begins at the property's edge, making the motel a literal trailhead. The grounds are maintained carefully: the pool area is clean, the fire pit is set up for evening use, and the open lawn space between the motel and the cottages gives families room to spread out. Complimentary ice is available on-site. The property fronts US Route 3 but most guest activity takes place on the back side of the grounds, shielded from road noise by the building and landscaping.
The Experience
Staying at Profile Motel is the White Mountains experience in its most straightforward form. Guests arrive, park at the door, and the next morning are heading up the Georgiana Falls trail from the back of the property, driving five minutes to Loon Mountain, or continuing north two miles into Franconia Notch. The property does not have a lobby in the conventional sense. Jim and Matt are the operation: they are the ones making recommendations, leaving the lights on for guests arriving after dark, and keeping the property at a standard the review record documents consistently over hundreds of independent stays. The motel exists exclusively in the season when the White Mountains are most worth visiting: late spring through fall foliage. Clark's Trading Post is less than a mile up the road. Whale's Tale Waterpark is nearby. The Kancamagus Highway's eastern terminus is in Lincoln, opening 34 miles of National Forest driving with no traffic lights. For visitors who have come to hike, the motel's position at the junction of Route 3 and the Kancamagus puts nearly every White Mountains trailhead within twenty minutes.
Details
Lincoln, NH 03251
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Profile Motel & Cottages have EV charging?
No, Profile Motel & Cottages does not have EV charging.
Does Profile Motel & Cottages have WiFi?
Yes, Profile Motel & Cottages has WiFi.
What is there to do near Profile Motel & Cottages?
Georgiana Falls: 0.3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Franconia Notch State Park: 2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there. Loon Mountain Resort: 4 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is Profile Motel & Cottages from Georgiana Falls?
0.3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is Profile Motel & Cottages from Franconia Notch State Park?
2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is Profile Motel & Cottages from Loon Mountain Resort?
4 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there.
Is Profile Motel pet-friendly?
Profile Motel and Cottages does not accept pets. Travelers with animals should look for alternative accommodation in the Lincoln or Woodstock area.
When is Profile Motel open?
The motel rooms open May 1 and close at Columbus Day or later depending on weather. The cottages operate May 1 through October 15. The property does not operate in winter.
Can I hike directly from Profile Motel?
Yes. The Georgiana Falls trail begins at the edge of the property. The lower falls are under a mile from the trailhead. For longer hikes, Lincoln Woods and the Franconia Notch trailheads are within a short drive.
How far is Profile Motel from Franconia Notch State Park?
Franconia Notch State Park is approximately 2 miles north on Route 3. The Flume Gorge, Echo Lake, and Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram are all within the park boundary.
Does Profile Motel have a pool?
Yes. The property has a heated outdoor swimming pool available to all guests during the operating season.
Is breakfast included at Profile Motel?
Breakfast is not included. Complimentary coffee is available on-site. The Lincoln-Woodstock area has several restaurants and cafes within a short drive.
How far is Profile Motel from Loon Mountain?
Loon Mountain Resort is approximately 4 miles from the property on Route 3 in Lincoln.
What types of accommodation does Profile Motel offer?
The property has single-story motel rooms with exterior access and parking at the door (queen or two full beds), two-person cottages with screened porches and sliding glass doors, a suite with kitchenette, and a five-bedroom cottage that sleeps ten with a full kitchen and wrap-around porch.
Is parking available at Profile Motel & Cottages?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available at Profile Motel & Cottages.
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Things to Do Near the White Mountains
Georgiana Falls
0.3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
Georgiana Falls is a series of cascades on Harvard Brook reached via a trail that begins at the edge of the property. The lower falls are accessible in under a mile from the trailhead; the upper falls add another half mile through White Mountain National Forest. One of the most accessible waterfall hikes in the Lincoln area, requiring no driving once you are parked at the motel.
Franconia Notch State Park
2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
Franconia Notch State Park is the most visited natural area in New Hampshire, encompassing the Flume Gorge, Echo Lake, Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram, and the trailheads for Franconia Ridge, including the most popular segment of the Appalachian Trail in the White Mountains. The Flume Gorge's granite walls and covered bridge trail is a signature New England experience. The park entrance is two miles north on Route 3.
Loon Mountain Resort
4 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there.
Loon Mountain is a four-season resort on the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River in Lincoln, with alpine skiing and snowboarding in winter and mountain biking, gondola rides, and climbing walls in summer. The resort anchors the eastern end of the Kancamagus Highway corridor, one of the most scenic drives in New England, running 34 miles through the White Mountain National Forest without a single traffic light.