Making changes to a historic hotel can be tricky.

There are things like historic site rules, zoning and the myriad details guests don’t think of.

And what do you do about the memories and expectations of the guests? For long-time guests, it can almost feel like someone buying your childhood home and giving it a whole new look. How dare they?

That’s what made me worry about the addition of the Presidential Wing at the Omni Mount Washington Hotel (www.omnihotels.com/mountwashington). To be honest, I was all for the notion of new showers, brighter and more modern rooms and a sleek setting. But I also love the historic charm of the main hotel and couldn’t bear to imagine it altered.

I visited the Omni Mount Washington recently and chose the Presidential Wing. I’m here to say this: It’s perfect. Not only does it offer all those posh perks a newer spot can have; it’s beautiful, comfortable and blends well with the history of the resort as a whole.

First, the exterior. While the wing’s outside architecture does feel just a bit newer, that’s only to the discerning eye. With its color scheme and architectural touches, were you to visit for the first time, you might not even realize it’s an addition. That’s pretty remarkable, given the hotel’s Joseph Stickney design and 1902 opening.

The gasp-at-the-beauty first look of the hotel as you round the corner is unchanged. The new wing sits lower on the property, kind of tucked behind the original main hotel.

In the Presidential Wing you’ll find bright hallways and lobbies dotted with comfy sitting spots and huge windows. You’ll also find a full spa (with its own outdoor hot tub area), amenity-laden rooms with things like plush robes, rainfall showerheads and soaking tubs.

There’s also a club room where they put out breakfast (they call it continental but both our days there they had more than we could eat, including eggs and bacon), different appetizers and sweets throughout the day (like an amazing charcuterie board, lobster ceviche and Korean meatballs one afternoon) and complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks.

It’s like your own mini club within the hotel. The staff there was delightful. I chose to do some work there for an hour one afternoon and the staff asked me if I wanted the music or AC adjusted. How kind.

The pool area is lovely. Tucked just below the Wing, it looks out on the great Mount Washington itself. The summer bar area on the roof is a must-visit at sunset or under the stars.

And of course, the Presidential Wing is just a stroll to that classic beauty that is the Omni Mount Washington. While we could have easily been satisfied with the Club food, we chose to dine in both the Main Dining Room and Stickney’s. I’d put it on par with any five-star restaurant.

You can meander through the hotel and check out things like the Gold Room, where in 1944 world leaders convened to both establish the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).

There’s the classic indoor pool – original to and adapted for modern times from the 1902 hotel, historic photos and artwork and a lobby that just begs you to settle in. It’s well maintained and truly special.

In the bottom level you’ll find the hotel’s own post office, a game room, some eating and drinking spots like The Cave ( a prohibition-era speakeasy). It feels like a little town down below the main hotel.

There’s all that history and charm for you to take in. And then, it’s refreshing to meander back to your new, bright Presidential Wing room.

Well done, Omni Mount Washington. You amped up what we already loved, and in just the right way.

A visit to Omni Mount Washington isn’t complete without sitting out in the veranda at the original hotel. (Photo Moira McCarthy)

The Presidential Wing’s pool area offers sunshine, open space and fantastic views. (Photo Moira McCarthy)