Colonial Inn

The Colonial Inn in Concord, Massachusetts, is a link to the American Revolution and an antidote to the sameness of chain hotels.

There are only 56 rooms. The main building was built in 1716 as a house. Some wide-plank wooden floors slant a bit and guests have reported ghosts in room 24.

But the Colonial Inn offers modern dining, gentle accommodations and the cozy Village Forge tavern and live, local music. It's just 20 miles west of Boston, overlooks Monument Square and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

It's been a hotel since 1889 and is near literary, colonial and patriotic landmarks. Guests get the modern world too, including fine dining, wireless Internet, air conditioning and the boutiques and shops of Concord.

Concord and next-door Lexington were cradles of the Revolution when, in 1755, British troops marched from Boston to seize colonial guns and supplies. They killed eight Minutemen on Lexington Green at sunrise, and then marched on to Concord.

At Concord's North Bridge, other farmers with muskets fought the redcoats and, remarkably, sent them fleeing back to Boston. Some contraband was in what became the inn's tavern.

Guests have included President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jordan's Queen Noor, singer Bruce Springsteen, actors John Wayne, Shirley Temple and Glenn Close. Golfer Arnold Palmer and comedian Steve Martin have been there too.

There's nearby Walden Pond, Minuteman National Park, Concord Museum and the homes of Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. In the 1830s, young Thoreau lived in what would become the inn.

Other reasons to visit are the dinner crab cakes and the warm Indian pudding ($4.95) available at dessert. Some of us adore the creme brulee, but people at TV's Food Network  raved over the Indian pudding. It's traditional -- baked milk, corn meal, eggs, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, but with vanilla ice cream on top.

Two-night, two-person weekend dine, wine and stay packages can be around $450. But regular summer weekday rates for two can run under $200 and the Inn often has promotions, including Facebook and Twitter.

- by Dan Sheridan, Boston Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)