Tucked along Kearsarge Road in North Conway, Cranmore Mountain Lodge blends nearly two centuries of history with new energy under owners Shirley Chu and her husband, Wilson Kwok.
Built in the mid-1800s as the Bybrook Lodge (because it is situated close to Kearsarge Brook), the inn became part of local lore when it was purchased in 1938 by Richard W. Flanders and his family. Following the death of his wife, Flanders later married Babe Ruth’s daughter, Julia, in a ceremony attended by “the Great Bambino” and covered in TIME magazine in 1940. Ruth himself was a regular guest. His favorite, Room 2, still holds its original furniture.
In December 2021, Chu and Kwok, both from Massachusetts’ South Shore, were searching for a small home but instead bought the 19-room bed-and-breakfast on a whim. Neither had hospitality experience; Shirley was an accountant, Kwok a software engineer. “We never even stayed at a B&B before this,” Chu says while laughing.
The learning curve was steep, especially managing staffing challenges and the quirks of an aging building. But three years later, the lodge is thriving—grossing over $367,000 in 2024, a 138% increase from 2022—and drawing guests from around the world.
While the business is on a growth track, it has faced challenges. Earlier this year the lodge received notice from the Kearsarge Lighting Precinct, which handles zoning regulations in the area, that the new owners could not host weddings, even though previous owners had done so. The couple appealed, and filed a lawsuit against the district, which in May approved the lodge’s request to host weddings and events. “We’re focusing on promoting more intimate gatherings, around 50 guests or so, as they align with our goal of creating a warm, cozy, and personalized experience for our guests,” Chu says.
Three months ago, Krista Haxton joined the team, bringing fresh perspective as well as a passion for the hospitality industry. After 15 years in university settings, Haxton spent 2024 traveling the world, learning the art of innkeeping in boutique hotels and guesthouses.
Now Haxton and Chu run the inn together as an all female management team. Haxton brings her experience to bear from turning over rooms (she times herself) to fixing faucets, managing the pool, learning biscuit-making, and marketing to universities and retreat groups. “The minute a guest checks in, it’s about their experience.”
One recent evening, three solo travelers ended up chatting until midnight in the library. “We had a doctor, a project manager, and a woman in hospitality all just sharing life stories,” Haxton says. “That’s exactly the kind of place we’re trying to build.”
