The AM Forum

I'm strongly considering attending Nearfest, for the 1st time.

I'm wondering if anyone can suggest places to stay? Looking for someplace clean (my wife is picky), and perhaps within a reasonable driving distance.

Planning on driving up Thursday. How busy does the Friday attendance get? Spend a few hours on Friday and Saturday and do some local exploring to keep the wife happy! Would be nice to meet some of the people I speak with.
Thanks

Most folks will probably point you toward Manchester as it's seemingly on the way.  For a more authentic New England experience you might just stay on I-95 and go to Portsmouth NH.  It has plenty of name brand hotels and some good local eating places, brew pubs etc.  The old historical part of Portsmouth is called Strawberry Banke and has a section of older well preserved buildings and homes and shops from when Portsmouth was a bustling seaport.  The "Little Woman" will enjoy it and you'll do OK.  Portsmouth is nice, while Manchester is much less so.
From Portsmouth to Deerfield, hop onto NH Route 101 westerly, a good high speed road which will take you to within 3 or 4 miles of the Fairground.
73 de Norm W1ITT

I stay at the Fairfield in Hooksett.

Diane and I stayed a couple of times at the Hampton Inn in Bow. Was very nice, a somewhat longer drive than from the Manchester area.

If you are booking a hotel don’t forget that Octoberfest Nearfest coincides with near peak leafpeeping season, so rates will be high and many hotels may have 2 night minimums.  One must weigh the cost of staying in a hotel compared to the treasures that might be acquired for the same amount of money at the fester!

Just checked Loudon Race Track, nothing scheduled for Nearfest Weekend, if something big was going on that also would be putting pressure on the hotel situation.

The Manchester area (Manchester, Bedford, Hooksett) has its share of hotels and the major chains are all represented.  Manchester is about 30 minutes, 20 miles, from the fairgrounds.  Concord is a little further to travel (approx. 40 minutes, 25 miles) and has its share of hotels with major chains well represented.  As mentioned, it is foliage season with the prime weekend, Columbus Day, being the weekend before NEAR-Fest, so you are probably best to reserve sooner than later... 

Or, for $40, and unlimited use and feel the nature  :D

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1sfhV33IsL._AC_SL1500_.jpg)

My wife mentioned Nearfest had a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn Express?

I just booked the Holiday Inn in Manchester. I’ll keep looking for something closer, I can always cancel with no penalty. At $99 a night, not a bad deal. How busy does it get on Friday?

Try Airbnb: there are likely to be rooms for rent that are much closer.

i always stayed near the manchester airport right off loop around (been a while) name brand hotel and GREAT restaurant across the street. wound up staying a few more days!

    I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express about 200 yards from the highway, near the airport in Manchester in 2019. It was horrendous! Every peice of furniture in the room was stained with bodily fluids, the bed reeked of s@X and the noise from the highway was really bad. Went about a mile up the main drag to McDonalds for breakfast (the complimentry breakfast at the hotel was inedible) and was greeted by abondonned cars in the parking lot and very scary looking people wandering around the area. It felt like I was in NYC at the height of the crack epidemic in the 90's. NEVER AGAIN!!!! Never thought Manchester would be like the South Bronx. Went into Walmart there and it was flooded with people who looked like they worked for the Taliban.  If you do stay there make sure you are well armed. 

OK, so what's your suggestion, perhaps closer to the event? I've been checking the feedback on that Holiday Inn and any comments over the past 6 months were generally positive.

Having traveled the world on business for decades, I have leaned that online hotel reviews are not to be trusted.  Many of the properties manage to have shill reviews planted and the more common trick is to have negative reviews somehow deleted.  Travel reservations is an incestuous business.   I would trust the assessment of a friend who has been there but, other than that, you're on your own.
I would reiterate that a look at Portsmouth NH is in order.  Years ago when Joe, Bob and I were running Hosstraders at the Rochester Fairgrounds, many of the "from away" people went to Portsmouth for a breath of fresh ocean air and some good eats.  That they made reservations for the next time as they checked out of the hotel speaks well.  When I was a lad, Manchester was a city that one drove through quickly and I don't see that it's improved.
73 de Norm W1ITT

We do have a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn at $99 a night.  

The Holiday Inn is located at 2280 Brown Avenue, Manchester NH (Exit 2 off I-293) (603) 641-6466.  Mention NEAR-Fest for the special rate.

73,

MrMike