Quintessential Country Chic
Windham Hill Inn
311 Lawrence Dr // West Townshend, VT
(800) 944-4080 // windhamhill.com
Distance from White Plains: 3 hours, 45 minutes
Experience the picture-perfect Green Mountain state at this charming historic inn, a recent member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux hospitality association. Located at the end of a dirt road midway up a mountain, this luxe 21-room hostelry started life more than two centuries ago as a family farm. Set amid 160 acres of rolling hills, its secluded setting and what it doesn’t have—high-speed Internet, televisions, and cell service—adds to its allure. (BTW: going BlackBerry-free is surprisingly liberating.) The ambience, while decidedly elegant, is certainly not stuffy—except, that is, for the sweet stuffed moose, the property’s mascot, that you’ll find over a four-poster bed. Each of the individually designed guest rooms—in both the Main House and the ingeniously renovated White Barn—is furnished with antiques and locally crafted furniture. Add in the private porches, oversized soaking tubs, seductive fireplaces, and you might be hard pressed to leave. But do consider hiking the property’s four miles of trails winding through pine and maple forest and rock-wall-edged meadows, hitting on the native Vermont clay tennis court, or heading nearby to golf, bike, fish, or antique shop. No matter what, come sundown, you’ll be treated to an outstanding meal of classic New England and European dishes with seasonal, locally sourced organic ingredients—many from the Inn’s own herb, vegetable, and edible flower gardens. And its extensive international wine list has been recognized repeatedly by Wine Spectator.
The Nitty-gritty: Peak room rates (September 19 to October 16) range from $305 to $545 and include a three-course, gourmet country breakfast; afternoon tea featuring such goodies as home-baked scones and house-made garden jam; and seasonal beverages throughout the day.
—LY
