Escape: The five-star, five-diamond Relais & Châteaux Mayflower Inn is a 58-acre slice of heaven in the heart of Litchfield County, Connecticut, just 90 minutes from White Plains. There are 30 luxurious rooms and suites scattered across the property (including one complete with mahogany library and private bar), lush themed gardens, and a stunningly serene 20,000-square-foot spa.
Unplug: Just walking into the white sanctuary that is the Mayflower Spa will lower your blood pressure about 20 points. Curl up with a cup of ginger tea in the Garden Room looking out over Blue Heron Pond and the woods beyond, before and after a luxurious spa treatment. Try the Japanese Red Flower Treatment Ritual with a shiatsu massage or the Midnight Honey Body Buzz with warm honey massage (and thank us later), or soak in the shimmery mosaic whirlpool or lap pool.
Ramble through the meditation labyrinth or the Shakespeare and American Poets’ Gardens on your way to the dining room or bar at the Inn. Despite the elegant atmosphere of the Main Dining Room, the dress code is “country casual,” meaning a jacket and tie are not necessary. (Jeans are fine, but no shorts at dinner. We said unplugged, not sloppy.) Don’t miss the Mayflower Bibb salad with blue cheese, frizzled shallots, tomato, and truffle vinaigrette or the crab cakes with papaya, mango, and jicama, topped with crispy plantains.
Smartphone Substitute: Wrestle yourself away from the WiFi, and ask the spa concierge to help you choose from the dozens of classes, treatments, and experiences available: Pilates and yoga classes, archery, fencing, fly-fishing, even poetry readings. Or go “off reservation” for a brisk 45-minute guided hike around the countryside or kayaking on the Housatonic River.
Details: Mayflower Inn & Spa, 118 Woodbury Rd, Washington, CT, (860) 898-9466; mayflowerinn.com. During the week, the Mayflower offers two or three night Mini-Luxe Experience packages with accommodations in one of 30 rooms or suites, three spa cuisine meals a day, and unlimited access to all scheduled classes and activities; treatments and private fitness sessions available on an à la carte basis, from $1,150 per person (all tips are included). There is a two-night minimum stay on weekends; rooms start at $550. WiFi is available free of charge throughout the property, but cell phone service is spotty for all but AT&T customers.
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