It’s 6 p.m. at the Hanover Inn Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire, and all the guests in the lobby pause as the faint sound of music rises from outside. The staff begins to hum along as loyal guests and alumni rush outside to sing the Dartmouth Alma Mater as it plays from the Baker Bell Tower above the Dartmouth Green.
The bells first rang from the tower in 1928, 148 years after the first guest checked into the school’s notable Historic Hotels of America property. The Hanover Inn Dartmouth dates back to 1780 when it opened as the Dartmouth Hotel on the Dartmouth College Campus. After a devastating fire and a series of renovations, the hotel reopened as the Hanover Inn Dartmouth in 1903. Since its reopening, the inn has added new wings and expanded and updated its offerings to include 108 guest rooms and 14 suites overlooking the iconic Dartmouth Green.
In 2012, the inn reopened again after a $43 million renovation that updated the guest rooms and the facilities to include modern conveniences while maintaining its signature historic charm. Along with the addition of Pine, a new farm-to-table restaurant by celebrated chef and restaurateur Michael Schlow, the inn added several executive meeting rooms, a multipurpose ballroom and an 11,000-square-foot conference center that includes seven executive meeting rooms and an additional ballroom.
The hotel’s central location on campus and easy walking distance to downtown Hanover have made it an excellent choice for meetings while in the Dartmouth vicinity. The inn is in high demand during sporting events at the campus, as it’s only a short stroll to all of Dartmouth’s sports fields. But even at full capacity, the inn doesn’t waver on its ability to cater to the individual needs and desires of each guest who walks through its doors. Whether in town for a college event, an on-site meeting or a corporate outing to explore the Upper Connecticut River Valley or the Appalachian Trail, guests of the Hanover Inn Dartmouth can witness history being made at this charming inn.
Meeting Spaces
Many of the meeting spaces are recent additions and feature modern yet timeless decor with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment and complimentary Wi-Fi. Spaces and their guest capacities are the following: Grand Ballroom, 480; East Ballroom, 240; West Ballroom, 240; Hayward Room, which overlooks the scenic Dartmouth Green, 245; Grand Foyer, 200; Drake Room, 50; Ford Sayre Room, 50; Brewster Room, 20; FordSayre/Brewster, 95; McFate Room, 20; Moosilauke Room, 20; Washington Room, 20; and Cardigan Room, 20.
Catering
Groups meeting at the Hanover Inn Dartmouth can savor the culinary creations of award-winning executive chef and James Beard contributor Justin Dain, along with his culinary team. The team crafts a range of menus from which to choose on the catering menu and is eager to create custom menus for groups that show off the inn’s locally sourced ingredients and farm-fresh produce. Menus are available for all meals of the day and include passed hors d’oeuvres, buffets and plated meals. Among the standout menu items are fig and mascarpone beggar’s purses for passed appetizers and tender filet mignon served with a red-wine reduction. Alcohol is available.
After Events
The Hanover Inn Dartmouth emphasizes bettering the environment, and the staff practices environmental stewardship throughout its regular innkeeping duties and event management. In addition to sourcing local ingredients for the restaurant and catering menus, the culinary team also participates in the Clean Plate Club with a commitment to compost anything left behind on guests’ plates. The cleaning team uses environmentally safe cleaning products to meet with Green Seal’s standards and changes the sheets and towels every third day unless they are requested to change them more frequently. Water-free urinals in the men’s restrooms have reduced the inn’s water usage by more than 75,000 gallons each year.
Extras
Before and after events, guests can take advantage of the Hanover Inn Dartmouth’s central location to enjoy Hanover’s top attractions, including the neighboring Hopkins Center for the Performing Arts and the Hood Museum. Other local attractions include the Montshire Museum of Science, King Arthur Flour, the VINS Nature Center and the Billings Farm and Museum. Portions of the Appalachian Trail pass directly by the inn’s doors, and guests can hike a short portion of the trail before taking to the shores of the Connecticut River for kayaking, canoeing or swimming. The staff can also arrange short day trips for downhill skiing or golfing nearby.
Hanover Inn Dartmouth
Location: Hanover, New Hampshire
Size: 108 rooms
Meeting Space: More than 11,000 square feet
Access: Lebanon Municipal Airport, Interstate 91
Contact Info:
603-643-4300
