VERMONT
The Equinox Resort
Manchester Village, VT
The Equinox, situated on 1,300 wooded acres in the Taconic Mountains in southwest Maine, recently completed a multimillion-dollar renovation in partnership with designer Geoffrey Bradfield, resulting in a redesigned Great Room and guest rooms, a sophisticated, muted color palette, and custom made beds with deluxe linens, among other updates. Accom-modations include 195 rooms and suites in four unique buildings— the main hotel, offering an array of room grades; the Charles Orvis Inn, a restored 19th century residence adjacent to the resort featuring one- and two-bedroom suites, library and sitting rooms with fireplace, New England porch and deck overlooking the Village of Manchester, and a state-of-the-art board room; the "old Vermont" 1811 House, the former home of Abraham Lincoln’s granddaughter offering 13 individually decorated rooms; and a selection of private townhomes.
The resort’s stunning mountain setting means activity options abound, from the par-71, 6,423-yard golf course, named one of the "Top 75 courses in the U.S." by Golf Digest; to The British School of Falconry, the nation’s first school of its kind to offer hands-on lessons with trained birds of prey; to the Land Rover Experience Driving School. Guests can also try their hand at archery, sign up for lessons at the Orvis Fly-Fishing School or the Orvis Shooting School, or lose themselves for the day at the 13,000-square-foot, full-service Spa at Equinox.
The Equinox is well versed in hosting a variety of corporate functions, from large annual meetings to more intimate board retreats.
Their 18,500 square feet of versatile settings spread across each of the resort’s buildings can accommodate any size group, with state-of- the-art technology and in-house catering and service. Team-building opportunities abound, from golf to falconry to off-road driving and the ropes course.
Dining is offered at five eateries, including the new Chop House, a fine steak house featuring such signature classics as the 24-ounce porterhouse, grilled lamb chops, roasted king salmon, and whole Maine lobster, served in a refined hunting lodge setting.
Address: 3567 Main Street Route 7A, Manchester Village, VT 05254
Phone: 800-270-2132
Meeting Space: eight meeting rooms and multiple outdoor function spaces; 18,500 total square feet; accommodates groups of up to 300 guests
Accommodations: 195 guest rooms and suites
Website: www.equinoxresort.com
Twin Farms Inn
Barnard, VT
Accolades abound for this small inn, centered on a 1795 farm-house and set on 300 acres of wildflower meadows, pine forests, and apple orchards just 10 miles from Woodstock, Vermont. The inn—formerly the country retreat of Harry Sinclair Lewis, the first winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and his wife, the noted journalist Dorothy Thompson —has garnered a five-star Mobil rating for 13 consecutive years, and was named the number one small hotel in the U.S. in the 2007 Zagat Survey. Offering what could accurately be called "summer camp for adults," Twin Farms Inn juxtaposes classic Vermont architecture with an avant-garde design, and specializes in bespoke service (with a two- to-one staff-to-guest ratio) and exceptional cuisine.
Among the 20 accommodations at Twin Farms are 10 artfully appointed cottages, from the Moroccan-themed Meadow Cottage to Barn Cottage, constructed in a traditional Scandinavian gambrel style, clad in local stone and cedar shingles. The Main House offers four individually decorated rooms, from Red’s Room, the home’s original master bedroom, to the Guest Room, a second floor suite with window-lined walls to let in the scent of the nearby gardens, a walk-through dressing room, and an antique clawfoot tub and separate shower. The Lodge, located at the base of a small mountain, was originally built as an artist’s studio, and later became a favorite gathering place for skiers who would warm up before the enormous fireplace.
Dining is one of the main attractions at Twin Farms, with customized meals featuring the freshest, locally grown ingredients prepared by an elite culinary team. Dinner is served at in the dining room of the Main House, with its 26,000-bottle wine cellar. Guests may also opt for a gourmet picnic hamper customized for any location across the grounds, or an al fresco meal on the terrace of the Main House.
Thanks to its natural setting, there are plenty of activities to keep guests occupied in all seasons. Summer activities include hiking, biking, fly-fishing, canoeing, tennis, swimming, croquet, and lawn sports. Winter brings Nordic and Alpine skiing, snowshoe hikes, sleigh rides, and ice-skating. Year-round, guests can indulge in the inn’s celebrated Out of the Woods spa, featuring treatments and products developed specifically for Twin Farms. Nearby activities include golf, horseback riding, foliage viewing excursions, and exploring the shops and galleries of nearby Woodstock.
Meetings at Twin Farms Inn are truly unique experiences, offering comfort, privacy, and flawless, personalized service. Amenities include wireless high-speed Internet; complimentary phone service; a special liason that is assigned to each group; staff to arrange all group and individual activities; and an all-inclusive fee, from cocktails to kayaks.
Address: P.O. Box 115, Barnard, Vermont 05031
Phone: 800-894-6327
Meeting Space: customized meetings for small groups
Accommodations: 20 guest rooms, suites, and cottages
Website: www.twinfarms.com
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Mount Washington Resort
Bretton Woods, NH
Mount Washington Resort rests in the midst of 800,000 acres of New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest, at the base of the 6,288- foot Mount Washington. When it was constructed in 1902 by 250 Italian craftsmen employed by Pennsylvania Railroad tycoon Joseph Stickney, the resort incorporated the latest advances in engineering, including a steel superstructure, a heating system, and an electrical power plant. To this day, the property still has its own private telephone system and post office.
Over the years, this masterpiece of Spanish Renaissance architecture has played host to such luminaries as Thomas Edison, Babe Ruth, Princess Margaret, Winston Churchill, and Joan Crawford, and is set to welcome even more visitors when it debuts one of the largest meeting spaces in Northern New Hampshire in late-2008. The resort staff attends to every meeting detail, from itinerary planning to audio- visual equipment and custom menus, and rooms are prepared to accommodate training sessions, customer presentations, team-building seminars, and strategic planning retreats.
One-of-a-kind dining venues include the Three-Diamond Dining Room, which serves four-course dinners with orchestra accompaniment nightly, and Stickney’s Restaurant, serving lunch and dinner and offering casual indoor and outdoor dining with panoramic views of the White Mountain Presidential Range.
The Cave is a Prohibition-era speakeasy with stone walls and live evening entertainment, a unique way to preserve the resort’s historical roots.
Seasonal activities abound, with golf, tennis, horseback riding, and fly-fishing available in the summer months, and snowboarding, Nordic skiing, ice climbing, snow tubing, sleighrides, and winter hiking trails for cold weather enthusiasts. The property also boasts a new spa and is undergoing a $7 million renovation of its two golf courses, scheduled to reopen this fall.
Address: Route 302, Bretton Woods, NH 03575
Phone: 800-314-1752
Meeting Space: multiple meetings rooms and lounges; two ballrooms; 30,000 square feet total meeting and event space
Accommodations: 200 rooms and suites
Website: www.mountwashingtonresort.com
Wentworth by the Sea, a Marriott Hotel & Spa
New Castle, NH
Nicknamed the "Grand Dame of the Sea", this property on the island of New Castle, just an hour north of Boston and five minutes from downtown Portsmouth, overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, the Isles of Shoals, Little Harbor, and the Piscataqua River. When it was built in1874 to resemble the elegant ocean liners of the day, this landmark hotel was the largest wooden structure on the state’s coast. The majority of the 161 rooms feature ocean or harbor views, and the interiors have been restored to their glamorous Victorian-style décor.
Wentworth by the Sea is New Hampshire’s premier coastal meeting destination, having attracted prestigious meetings and attendees since its start. Most notably, the delegates of the historic Russo-Japanese Peace Treaty talks of 1905 descended upon the property to sign the Treaty of Portsmouth. Theodore Roosevelt, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for his involvement in these talks, mediated the summit, which ultimately ended the Russo-Japanese War.
After extensive renovations, the property reopened in 2003. Two full- service restaurants offer visitors a choice between indoor or outdoor, casual or fine dining fare. The 6,300 square-foot, full-service spa provides treatment rooms, saunas, and an indoor pool. Guests of the hotel are granted exclusive access to the Wentworth Marina, which offers yacht and sail boat charters, harbor cruise tours, and deep sea fishing charters. Also included in a stay at the property is guest access to the Wentworth by the Sea Country Club, which boasts three lighted Har-true tennis courts, professional instructors, round-robin tournaments, and two lighted paddle tennis courts, as well as an 18- hole private "Scottish links" style golf course.
Address: 588 Wentworth Road, New Castle, NH 03854
Phone: 866-240-6313
Meeting Space: formal board room, in addition to two ballrooms, is subdivisible into three sections and the Original Grand Ballroom with stage area; 12,000-square feet total; accommodates groups of 14 to 400
Accommodations: 161 deluxe rooms and suites
Website: www.wentworth.com
MAINE
The White Barn Inn & Spa
Kennebunkport, ME
This cozy enclave of cottages, connected by flower-lined walkways, is just 700 yards from the shop-lined streets of Kennebunkport, Maine, an affluent summer playground. The 1850s homestead and two 170-year-old barns are a charming home base for exploring the not only the village, but also southern Maine.
Existing in its current form since 1973, the Inn was constructed from the original boarding house built in 1820. With just 25 rooms, this AAA Four Diamond-rated property offers exceptional service and amenities, from fresh fruit and flowers in each room each day, to plasma televisions. There are also numerous accommodation options to choose from, the largest of which is the Loft, which has its own private entrance and is located adjacent to the main house. With a cathedral ceiling, fireplace, private deck overlooking the grounds, and an oversized marble bathroom with whirlpool and separate steam shower, the Loft Suite combines the elegance of the other rooms into one, luxurious retreat.
The Inn offers something special for meetings and retreats: the Wharf Marina Cottages. These private cottages are located in a gated compound right on the water and can house up to eight people. When reserved as a whole, guests receive exclusive use of the Friendship Cottage for a meeting space, as well as a staff member who is assigned to valet the gathering. This cottage offers panoramic water views, a large, stone wood-burning fireplace, and a complimentary beverage bar. In addition to the Friendship Cottage, the Wine Room, which houses more than 7,000 bottles of wine, offers a private dining venue for up to 15 people for an intimate dinner, wine tasting, meeting, or special event.
The White Barn Inn is home to the only AAA Five Diamond, Mobil Five Star restaurant northeast of New York. Built in a restored barn dating from 1820, the restaurant is filled with 19th-century antiques, collectibles, and oil paintings, while a floor-to-ceiling window showcases the seasonal flowers, greenery, or snow-covered landscape. The four-course prix fixe menu, which changes weekly, highlights seafood from the icy waters off Kennebunkport, as well as native game and poultry.
The Inn provides complimentary bicycles and touring kayaks and canoes for exploring the area, and True Blue, the Inn’s private yacht, takes guests on leisurely, scenic cruises. Kennebunkport is home to many museums, art galleries, specialty and antique shops, and activities such as whale watching, golfing, nature and shore walks, and beaches.
Address: 37 Beach Avenue, Kennebunkport, ME 04046
Phone: 207-967-2321
Meeting Space: private cottages available for buyout, accommodate eight guests; inn accommodates up to 35 guests
Accommodations: 25 rooms
Website: www.whitebarninn.com
The Harraseeket Inn
Freeport, ME
The Harraseeket Inn lies two blocks north of L.L. Bean headquarters in Freeport, and, as they say, is a "two-CD drive north of Boston." The inn offers 84 guest rooms and six suites (plus 23 fireplaces), divided between two period buildings (circa 1798 and 1850) and two modern additions. The recently renovated Thos. Moser Room is a partnership with Thomas Moser, Maine-based designers and builders of heirloom quality, hand-crafted wood furniture. The corner room has been decorated using traditional and modern pieces from the Thos. Moser furniture collection, as well as furnishings and accessories by other well-respected New England companies, and original artwork by Maine artists.
Despite its historic roots, the inn offers all the necessary modcons today’s business travelers expect. Complimentary wireless Internet service is available in all of the guest rooms and common areas. From its vantage point in the center of the village, the inn welcomes corporate groups of up to 250 guests, offering meeting set-up (spring water, pads, pens, and flip charts), audio-visual equipment, and copy and fax service (available at an additional charge). During breaks, the inn can provide food service ranging from light refreshments to sumptuous buffets. Private dining is also available for groups, or reservations may be made in one of the Harraseeket’s dining rooms for parties of up to 20. Receptions and cocktail parties can also be arranged in one or more of the inn’s six function rooms.
Accommodations include full breakfast and afternoon tea, and the inn offers two restaurants—fine dining is available in the award-winning Maine Dining Room (a Wine Spectator award winner since 1991), emphasizing Maine-raised produce, wild fish, and organic and natural meats, while casual Downeast specialties like steamed clams, lobster, and Maine brewed beers are available at The Broad Arrow Tavern.
Freeport has become a shopper’s mecca in recent decades, offering 170 specialty and outlet stores that range from Ralph Lauren to Cole Haan to L.L. Bean (of course). Other activities include coastline hiking in nearby Wolf Neck Park or Mast Landing Sanctuary; renting a sail boat or hopping on an excursion boat to one of the nearby islands; fishing; daytripping to Boothbay Harbor or Camden; and more. If there’s an activity you’d like to do but aren’t sure how to arrange it, Harraseeket Inn Safaris will supply guides, transportation, and ideas.
Address: 162 Main Street, Freeport ME 04032
Phone: 800-342-6423
Meeting Space: seven meeting rooms; accommodates groups of up to 250 guests
Accommodations: 84 guest rooms and six suites
Website: www.harraseeketinn.com
More Northern New England Retreats
Vermont
The Pitcher Inn
275 Main Street, Warren, VT 05674
802-496-6350, www.pitcherinn.com
Built on the site of a 150-year-old hotel that was destroyed by fire in 1993, the current Pitcher Inn features 11 guest rooms and suites, each individually designed by a different designer, including the Calvin Coolidge room, the Hayloft suite, and the Trout, Lodge, Mountain, and Ski rooms.
Stowe Mountain Lodge
7412 Mountain Road, Stowe, VT 05672
888-478-6938, www.stowemountainlodge.com
Stowe Mountain Lodge, the first luxury resort hotel to open in Vermont in 50 years, welcomed its first guests in June. Offers 139 rooms and all-season activities from its location at the base Mt. Mansfield and Spruce Peak.
The Woodstock Inn & Resort
14 The Green, Woodstock, VT 05091
800-448-7900, www.woodstockinn.com
Created in 1969 by Laurance S. Rockefeller, grandson of John D., on the site of an 1892 inn, The Woodstock Inn and Resort offers 142 guest rooms and suites featuring original artworks by noted regional artists and custom designed furniture and adornments (many also feature fireplaces).
New Hampshire
The Ash Street Inn
118 Ash Street, Manchester, NH 03104
603-668-9908, www.ashstreetinn.com
This historic bed and breakfast was built in 1885. Located near the center of downtown Manchester, the inn offers renowned afternoon teas and most modcons, including wireless Internet access.
Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa
Mountain View Road, Whitefield, NH 03598
866-484-3843, www.mountainviewgrand.com
A landmark hotel since its opening in 1865, offering beautiful surroundings, golf, horseback riding, skiing, summer and winter mountain activities, an in-house spa, and fine dining.
The Wentworth
1 Carter Notch Road, Jackson Village, NH 03846
800-637-0013, www.thewentworth.com
Founded in 1869, The Wentworth offers unique lodging and fine dining year round in the heart of the White Mountains. Activities include skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, golfing, hiking, biking, white-water rafting, and more.
Maine
Bar Harbour Inn & Spa
Newport Drive , Bar Harbor, ME 04609
800-248-3351, www.barharbourinn.com
Situated directly on Frenchman Bay near the heart of downtown Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, the Bar Harbor Inn offers eight acres of lawns and gardens, a half-mile shore path, and three distinctive guest room buildings.
Bethel Inn Resort
On The Common, Bethel, ME 04217
800-654-0125, www.bethelinn.com
Opened in 1913, the inn is set on 200 acres near Sunday River ski resort and the White Mountain National Forest. Accommodations are located in the main colonial complex and town homes, and more than 20 miles of cross-country trails snake across the grounds.
The Captain Lord Mansion
6 Pleasant Street , Kennebunkport, ME 04046
800-522-3141, www.captainlord.com
The only AAA Four-Diamond Kennebunkport bed and breakfast inn, set on an acre of landscaped grounds. The first floor, three-room suite—the inn’s largest—offers a park view, two gas fireplaces, and bath with heated marble floor, marble 10-jet, hydro-massage, waterfall shower, antique pedestal sink, two granite vanities, and a whirlpool tub for two. ET |
