Whereabouts are you going? I know they do hut to hut in the Whites in NH. Typically, you bunk with about 8 other people. It can get noisy, especially with small kids (may not be a problem in the winter). They usually have a communal dining room/kitchen too. Not sure if the one in the Whites staffs the kitchen in the winter, but I know they do a breakfast & dinner, included in the price, during the summer. I havent stayed at the huts mysel overnight (they charge hikers $25 to stay, on the floor. Kind of a ripoff), but I have heard of other hikers who have stayed there, and they would have rather stayed at a campsite. Mind you, this is durng the summer, when tourists drive up to a hut, stay overnight, then drive to the next one. Winter I would think that there are more outdoorsy type people, who are there to enjoy the outdoors via skiing, snowshoeing, etc.
I have done several winter camping trips in the pemmigawassett wilderness area, and loved every second of it. There is nothing quite like waking up in a tent, with 6" of fresh snow everywhere. Enjoy, get pics, and share!