Easy Romantic Weekend Getaways

By Susan Farewell

This week we’re taking you to the Litchfield Hills area—which couldn’t be easier to reach. For lots of New Yorkers and some celebrities, this little northwestern corner of Connecticut is a “have your cake and eat it too” location.

It has all the things that make New England New England—such as steepled churches, stately old houses, covered bridges, stone walls and old barns—but at the same time, is home to a surprising number of up-to-urban standards restaurants, art galleries and museums and Winvian, a dream weekend getaway.

From the road, Winvian looks like a New England farm 200 years ago. A collection of red and white buildings stands along with a saltbox house on 113 meadowed acres. Enter the grounds, however, and you find yourself in a world that's every inch New Millennium, full of fantasy and sophistication.

The accommodations are not merely places to stay, but mini-destinations in themselves. Fifteen New England architects contributed to the distinctly different eighteen free-standing cottages here. Constructed of boulders and topped with an undulating slate roof, Stone Cottage offers an upscale Flintstone experience complete with leather curtains. The Treehouse is right out of a ten-year-old boy's dreams, suspended between trees and 35 feet off the ground. Woodland Cottage brings the outdoors inside with living trees, a waterfall over a large stone slab and pedestal sinks made of tree trunks. All the cottages have at least one wood-burning fireplace, a screened porch and large whirlpool tubs with separate steam showers in the bathrooms.

The Stone Cottage guestroom

Meals are major conversation pieces here, with Executive Chef Chris Eddy, who holds the Grand Diplome from the French Culinary Institute, at the helm. One can start with breakfast on the Terrace, enjoy light snacks in the Solarium, settle into tasting menus along with carefully selected wines in the Private Dining Room. Everything is fresh and—in season—right out of the inn’s own gardens.

Executive Chef Chris Eddy

Seared Stonington Scallop

Outside The Treehouse acccommodation

In addition to lounging around your cottage, there’s lots to see nearby including the pristine New England village of Litchfield and the White Memorial Foundation, a 4,000-acre preserve of woodlands, fields and rivers where you can hike or mountain bike. In the winter months, there's snowshoeing and skiing (no need to bring your own equipment). And if you just want to stay put, the glass conservatory on-site spa at Winvian is the ultimate place to relax.

Details: Winvian is roughly between 1.5 – 2 hours from the New York/southwestern CT region.

Rates: Weekend rates start at $650. per night for two and include lodging and breakfast. Sunday through Wednesday, rates start at $499. per night for two.

Website: http://www.winvian.com/

Susan Farewell is one of our travel editors as well as the editor-in-chief and co-founder of FarewellTravels LLC, a travel concierge for discerning travelers. At FarewellTravels.com, you will find ideas and recommendations for trips all over the world. FarewellTravels also offers personal recommendations and travel advice.