The holidays are behind us; the hazy, hot, and humid days of summer are all but a distant memory; and spring seems like it will never get here. But there’s no need to wait until Memorial Day weekend to take a break from it all, when several charming, cozy B&Bs and inns are open and ready to pamper you for a weekend (or longer). Better still, they’re far enough from Westchester to give you that much-needed change of scenery, but not so far that you have to fly or spend all day in your car. Just pack an overnight bag and enjoy!
Rustic Respite
Fern Lodge
Chestertown, NY
(518) 494-7238; thefernlodge.com
Driving Time from White Plains:
3 hours, 45 minutes
The quintessential Adirondack experience, Fern Lodge is nestled on the edge of Friends Lake, not far from Lake George. With only five guest rooms—all with sweeping lake and mountain views—Fern Lodge boasts an exercise room, indoor sauna, outdoor hot tub, bar and wine cellar, pool table, and a nine-person theater, and is the perfect destination for getting away from it all while being doted on by owners Sharon and Greg Taylor. The lodge’s Mission-style great room sports a huge stone fireplace and a log ceiling. In the winter, you can cross-country ski and snowshoe on the lodge’s 70-plus wooded acres. Room amenities include king-size beds, fireplaces, Jacuzzis, refrigerators, and Wi-Fi.
The Nitty Gritty: Wintertime accommodations run $350 and up per night, breakfast included. Packages are available, and include in-room massages, gift certificates to area restaurants, and all-day lift tickets to nearby Gore Mountain.
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Some of the art displayed throughout The Artists Inn and Gallery - Advertisement -
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Dutch Treat
The Artist’s Inn and Gallery
Terre Hill, PA
(888) 999-4479; artistinn.com
Driving Time from White Plains:
3 hours, 15 minutes
In the middle of lush Amish farmland, the 163-year-old Artist’s Inn and Gallery overlooks the main street of Terre Hill, a quaint town in the northeast corner of Lancaster County (aka “Dutch Country”), where one-room schoolhouses, covered bridges, and horse-drawn buggies abound. The main, Federal-style inn features three rooms and suites, while two cottages (the Carriage House, next door, and the Olde Stone Cottage, down the street) are also available for rental. The rooms are decorated country-farmhouse-style and offer modern amenities, including HD TVs, DVD players, gas fireplaces, and whirlpool tubs. A four-course breakfast—including dessert—is served by candlelight. In the wintertime, guests can shop at the many antique shops and outlet stores nearby (including the 5,000-plus vendor Antiques Capital, USA), cross-country ski in nearby Nolde State Forest, visit the many Amish and Mennonite attractions, or take in the fresh country air with a sleigh ride. And, for some furry feline companionship on cold nights, cat lovers can “borrow” Callie, Sweetie, and Pongo—the owners’ cats. The inn was named the Best Undiscovered Bed and Breakfast in Pennsylvania (whoops, not any more!) by bedandbreakfast.com.
The Nitty Gritty: $125 and up per night for rooms; $235 and up per night for suites and cottages.
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Federal Inn delights guests with its homey country charm |
Berkshires Break
Federal House Inn
South Lee, MA
(800) 243-1824; federalhouseinn.com
Driving Time from White Plains:
2 hours, 30 minutes
Originally the home of local paper mill magnate Thomas Hurlbut, Federal House Inn, built in 1824, features wide-plank pine floors and oversized windows from which to take in the surrounding scenic beauty—while its central location in the middle of the Berkshires makes a great jumping-off point to take advantage of the region’s myriad cultural attractions. Innkeepers Kolleen and Brian Weinrich treat their guests to a three-course candlelit breakfast, afternoon brandy, coffee, and chocolates, and an evening cocktail hour (as a prelude to dinner). Most of the Inn’s eight rooms feature poster beds and gas stoves or fireplaces. The inn’s largest room, the Skylight Suite, occupies the third floor and features a private staircase, two beds, two bathrooms, a sitting area, fireplace, and, oodles of natural light. Ski at nearby Butternut, Bousquet, and Jiminy Peak; shop at the Premium Outlets in Lee; or go antiquing up and down the Route 7 corridor.
The Nitty Gritty: $175 and up per night. A variety of themed and seasonal packages are available, including free ski passes at Butternut for midweek stays.
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Berkshires Shirakaba Japanese American Guest House brings a bit of the East to western New England |
Eastern Enclave
Berkshires Shirakaba Guest House
New Ashford, MA
(413) 822-9399; berkshires-shirakaba.com
Driving Time from White Plains:
3 hours
Want a taste of Japan on your quick getaway? In the northern Berkshires, you can be transported to a secluded, Japanese-inspired oasis. Shirakaba (Japanese for the white birch trees that line the guest house’s long, winding driveway) sits atop a bluff in the middle of 21 wooded acres, and has a whopping total of two guest suites. (Some guests elect to rent both, and have the entire place to themselves.) Built in 2000 and designed by Japanese architect Yoshihiko Sato, the guest house features a meditation and yoga room, an indoor heated pool, a six-person hot tub, a cliff-top gazebo for stargazing, Wii, Wi-Fi, and a DVD library. (Oh yes, leave your Western sensibilities at the door along with your shoes; guests are given slippers and Japanese cotton robes to wear upon arrival.) The Pine Suite, furnished with a king-size Tempur-Pedic bed, offers direct access to the swimming pool, and its balcony connects with the hot tub deck and the footpath to the cliff-top gazebo. The two-bedroom Bamboo Suite overlooks the pond and waterfall. Both Japanese and American fare is served at the complimentary breakfast presented in the house’s tearoom, and owners Louise Palmer and Sadao Yagi offer a six-course, made-to-order Japanese dinner for an additional fee.
The Nitty Gritty: Both the Pine Suite and the Bamboo Suite are $345 and up each per night ($325 and up each, if both suites are booked)
Couples Retreat
Stone Hill Inn
Stowe, VT
(802) 253-6282; stonehillinn.com
Driving Time from White Plains:
5 hours, 30 minutes
The Stone Hill Inn was built and conceived as a romantic destination for couples. While the Inn’s nine guest rooms (many furnished with sleigh beds and poster beds) encourage plenty of private time (à la carte concierge services and in-room extras range from chocolates, rose petals, and Champagne to massages, professional photo shoots, and even proposal planning assistance), Stone Hill also provides luxurious common spaces, e.g., a billiards room and sitting room with fireplace. Outdoors there’s a starlit hot tub and snowshoeing and tobogganing, although Stowe is one of the region’s preeminent destinations for skiing. Even non skiers will enjoy themselves, as the village offers great shopping and dining, while the surrounding area includes plenty of fun all-weather attractions, including the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Vermont Teddy Bear factories.
The Nitty Gritty: $375 and up, depending on additional in-room amenities requested. Special themed packages are available for proposals, weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries—even foodie vacations.
