Historic Butternut Cottage - First home of actress Bette Davis in Sugar Hill, NH - Sugar Hill

See all properties

Save

Entire home

View of the Butternut Cottage as you arrive.

Flower box in front of barn guest rooms.

View of left side of house with garden in front.

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 8269.4 sq m

Popular amenities

Hot tub

Fireplace

Kitchen

Barbecue grill

Free WiFi

Washer

Check out the area

Sugar Hill, NH

Sugar Hill Sampler8 min drive
Franconia Notch State Park10 min drive
Cannon Mountain Ski Area12 min drive
Manchester, NH (MHT-Manchester-Boston Regional)100 min drive

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Downstairs Guest Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Downstairs Guest Room 1

1 Queen Bed

Master Bedroom

1 King Bed

Twin Bedroom

2 Single Beds

2 bathrooms

Downstairs Bathroom

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Shampoo

Upstairs Master Bathroom

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Outdoor play area

Garden

Dining Area

About this property

Historic Butternut Cottage - First home of actress Bette Davis in Sugar Hill, NH

This house was originally a farmhouse that is rumored to have burned down. Robert Peckett III informed me his grandfather was living in the formerly small cottage when he sold it to the actress Bette Davis during one of her visits to Sugar Hill. Bette made several additions and modifications to the house. Most notably, she added a barn and two guest rooms, a garage, and a front screened in porch. The house features hand-crafted kitchen cabinets and counter top, four decorative fireplaces, one fireplace with a propane stove, and a working wood stove. The screened-in front porch has plenty of outdoor furniture to relax on lazy summer days and evenings. A side stone terrace features Adirondack chairs for you to enjoy Bette's garden and sundial. The wood-paneled upstairs bedrooms have built-in vanities and bookshelves rumored to have been handcrafted by the Warner Brothers studio crews. The master bedroom also has a non-working fireplace and panels behind the door believed to be hiding places for Bette's liquor. The newly remodeled downstairs bath features a slipper tub that invites you to soak sore muscles after a day of strolling around the White Mountains or skiing at Cannon Mountain and the Mittersill Alpine Resort. The cozy downstairs barn bedrooms have easy access to this bath and feature paneled walls and decorative non-working fireplaces. The main attraction of the house is the barn room, where a lovely collection of photos of Bette's career and life are displayed on the wall surrounding the TV and wood stove. There is a collection of Bette's films in VCR and DVD format for you to enjoy. Enjoy a relaxing evening watching one of Bette's films while watching the logs glow in wood stove.

Property manager

Marion Aldrich

Amenities

Hot tub

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Free WiFi

Air conditioning

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Outdoor space

House Rules

Check in after 1:30 PM

Minimum age to rent: 21

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Please bring playpens for young children.

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed, service animals permitted

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Please follow written instructions for operation of wood and propane stoves found in flowered binder in living room and sent to you electronically.

Please exercise extreme caution going up and down stairs to upstairs bedrooms/bath. Hold banister while going up and down stairs to ensure safety.

Be careful with wood cabinets/surfaces. Rumor has it Bette hired Warner Brothers carpenters to build some of the kitchen cabinetry/upstairs vanities.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Long-term renters welcome

Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property

Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Sugar Hill

Located in Sugar Hill, this holiday home is in a rural area and near theme parks. The area's natural beauty can be seen at White Mountain National Forest and Franconia Notch State Park. Travelling with kids? Consider Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway and New England Ski Museum. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

Sugar Hill, NH

What's nearby

Sugar Hill Sampler - 8 min drive
Franconia Notch State Park - 10 min drive
Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway - 11 min drive
Cannon Mountain - 12 min drive
Cannon Mountain Ski Area - 12 min drive

Getting around

Whitefield, NH (HIE-Mount Washington Regional) - 35 min drive

Restaurants

McDonald's - 12 min drive
Starbucks - 12 min drive
Dunkin' - 11 min drive
Burger King - 12 min drive
Taste The Thai - Littl - 12 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Historic Butternut Cottage - First home of actress Bette Davis in Sugar Hill, NH pet-friendly?

No, only service animals are welcome at the property.

What time is check-in at Historic Butternut Cottage - First home of actress Bette Davis in Sugar Hill, NH?

Check-in begins at 1:30 PM.

What time is check-out at Historic Butternut Cottage - First home of actress Bette Davis in Sugar Hill, NH?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Historic Butternut Cottage - First home of actress Bette Davis in Sugar Hill, NH located?

This family-friendly Sugar Hill holiday home is located in the mountains, within 3 mi (5 km) of Gale River, Sugar Hill Historical Museum and Frost Place. Sunset Hill Golf Course and Sugar Hill Sampler are also within 3 miles (5 km).

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Martin M.

23 Feb 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Special woods retreat

We were delighted by the detail, comfort, and history of the cottage. Every sitting area was interesting, comfortable, and relaxing. The kitchen is superb and could easily support an ambitious meal prep. We enjoyed walking in the neighborhood and taking in the peaceful surroundings of the cottage. Look for to staying again in the summer months!

Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Harriet S.

13 Jan 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful house!

We love the Franconia/Sugar Hill area have stayed in many different rentals, and this was by far the best. So amazing to experience the history of this house and see the beautiful way it has been cared for and restored. It's fun to see a picture of Bette Davis sitting right on the hearth in the living room! We spent some cozy nights by the wood stove watching her movies too. We had one minor issue with the house, and Marion could not have been more responsive and helpful. Loved our stay, and hope to be back!

Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

William F.

18 Oct 2023

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Better than the pictures; incredible updates & reno

One of the most lovingly updated historic properties I have stayed at! The location is beautiful and silent but convenient to 93. The building retains every ounce of its charm, original carpentry and trim while offering responsive, zoned climate control, a high-end chefs stove and hood, powerful water pressure downstairs, and comfortable bedding. Marion is a very responsive host who was helpful throughout minor hitches (like upstairs sheets that the cleaner might’ve overlooked— the only issue in an otherwise spotless, faultlessly clean home). I am a little ashamed to admit as a child of 1992 that I had never even heard of Bette Davis before staying here— I enjoyed learning about her through her old home and would also not hesitate to stay at this property regardless of that added historic value. I look forward to coming back.

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Roger G.

4 Sept 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing part of Hollywood history meets peaceful, North Country New Nee Hampshire beauty

We absolutely loved our stay at Bette Davis’s Butternut Cottage. More than just a cottage, it’s reminiscent of 19th century farmhouse with exposed wood beams in the ceilings and rooms throughout. With 5 fireplaces and 2 wood stoves, rumor has it Warner Bros studio craftsmen built the cabinets throughout the home for Ms Davis. Extremely private, the property is tucked away from the rarely traveled main dirt road and I was able to walk my dog for miles off leash without seeing another soul on many a morning. Sugar Hill and it’s sister community Franconia Village sit at the northern end of Franconia notch just south of the quaint 1950’s style Main Street of Littleton, NH, a must see. The views in the area are the best New Hampshire has to offer. We particularly loved the Bette Davis room where we watched her movies provided by the host on VHS. Nostalgia on all levels while surrounded by 30 photos of magazine covers, historic scenes, wedding photos and more. (There is streaming and an dvd available as well.) Even if I had never heard of Bette Davis I would want to stay in this lovingly cared for property. It is evident the owner has taken pride in restoration and upkeep of the property; no easy task. I would highly recommend a visit here if for only a weekend, a week, or, as in our case, an entire summer season.

Stayed 91 nights in Jun 2023

2/10 Terrible

kathy l.

28 Nov 2022

Disliked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful cottage

Another wonderful stay for me and my family. Thankyou Bette

Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2022

About the host

Hosted by Marion Aldrich

I first visited the White Mountains of New Hampshire in the Summer of 1970 as a camper at the Ogontz White Mountain Camp. I fell in love with the beautiful Ogontz Lake surrounded by its idyllic hills. As a camper, I went hiking on Mount Moosilauke and climbed Mount Lafayette twice. I loved eating the freshly made pancakes topped with maple butter, syrup, and sugar at Polly's Pancake Parlor. Besides having an excuse to eat pancakes and hike around the area while I visit the house, I love hosting this house because of the guests and the wonderful experiences they share in the guest book located in the living room.

Why they chose this property

During a summer reunion in 2008, I spoke to another former Ogontz camper who had moved back to the area. I considered buying a house with a small apartment attached so I could rent the house out and stay in the apartment. In October 2008, I traveled up to Franconia to see a few houses that fit my criteria. The realtor informed me that a house owned by the actress Bette Davis had just dropped in price (remember the 2008 real estate crash?) and was within my price range. All I could remember about Ms. Davis at that moment was the scene in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" where she uncovers a serving dish to reveal a dead rat for Joan Crawford's supper. The realtor, an Ogontz Camp friend, and I went off to see this renowned house formerly owned by Bette Davis. When I approached the front of the house, I felt a strange feeling of stepping into the past. I thought the front screened porch was curious as I climbed the small steps to the front door. As I strolled through the mud room, kitchen and rest of this hand crafted house, I grew fascinated by the wide floor planks and wood beams, hand crafted built-in vanities, kitchen cabinets, and wood-paneled walls. I was admiring the photographs of Bette's career and life in the barn room when I turned to my friend and said, "I think we are done looking at houses for the day." It took me several years to insulate the walls, basement, and crawl spaces, install a geothermal heating and cooling system, install a generator (no more power outages!) and add other updates while respecting the original structure and spirit of the house.

What makes this property unique

The house was rebuilt and renovated by Bette Davis during her early years in Hollywood as an escape from the stress of making one movie after the next under her contract with the Warner Brothers Studio. It has been written that she employed some of the Warner carpenters to panel the interior of the upstairs bedrooms and craft the built-in vanities and mirrors. I discovered she employed local architects as well to attach a barn to the house, which is the current barn room. The house changed hands a few times after Bette sold it, and the owners before me found the house abandoned with raccoons living in the attic. They collected books, photographs, posters, and other memorabilia of Bette's life and displayed these in the barn room. I have added a few more photographs/memorabilia and some of my guests have graciously added to the collection. There is one plaque left by a guest that states "Old age ain't for sissies!" in the barn room. The house is surrounded by quiet woods with a view of the Bette's stable house to the east and Bette's second house to the southwest, The Butternut Lodge. The barn room looks out over peaceful woods and during the winter, snow drifts form upon the glass doors. The Vermont Castings wood stove warms up the barn room and two front bedrooms during the coldest winter nights. There is always a generous stack of kiln dried wood in the garage to keep the stove hot and the barn room and house cozy for movies, board games, or just relaxing on a winter's day.

Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback