In New England the leaves are turning and the weather is cooling which means fall is near. We all have our familiar activities that ebb and flow with the seasons. Normally for our family fall means Saturday tailgates before Dartmouth Football games. We’ve been hosting them for the last 15 years. But this year, no tailgates and no games. So I must look elsewhere for fun and connection with friends. For me that means hikes, college visits with my high school junior and adventures, including getting out on my SUP and mountain bike for as long as possible.
And of course, I want to travel. Six months of going nowhere is definitely a record. Last week I took a trip to visit 9 Rhode Island hotels in 2 days. It was a whirwind and it felt great to be out in the world again. Fitting in so many visits was made easier by the close proximity – mainly in Newport and Westerly. I’ll share more details about those soon. There are so many beautiful places and each one is a little (or a lot) different.
Today I’m trying out a new format I’ve been working on. You’ll see four New England hotels described below and I distilled down some of the highlights into a cheat sheet of sorts. I welcome your feedback!
TROUTBECK
Just over the NY border from CT is an ideal destination for when you have the desire to getaway to a rural location to both relax and be active outdoors. Their excellent service and incredible dining add to the appeal.
What’s unique about Winvian Farm? A lot! Out of the 19 different whimsical cottages, one of the most exceptional is the two-story luxury treehouse. It’s 780-square-feet, stilted 35 feet above the ground with a fireplace on each floor, fully stocked minibar, steam shower, and Jacuzzi. Sounds incredibly cozy, right? Each cottage was designed by a different architect, but they all have in common bikes waiting by your door for you to ride around the property.
The Mayflower Inn & Spa, remotely set in the idyllic town of Washington in western Connecticut, just completed a full renovation. The 30 rooms are decorated in a traditional style with luxurious touches – Frette linens, Tabriz rugs, feathertop mattresses and four-poster canopy beds.
Wheatleigh was built in 1893 by Henry H. Cook as a wedding present for his daughter who married a Spanish Count. Cook was a New York financier, banker, director of railroads and real estate tycoon. This “summer cottage” was designed to replicate a Florentine palazzo.
The +1… WEEKAPAUG INN
You may think a beach resort is just for summer, but I would definitely consider Weekapaug for fall too. The setting is so beautiful, and if you get a warm sunny day, going in the heated pool is enjoyable. As the weather turns cooler taking out an SUP or kayak or going out on the hotel’s boat for a tour of the pond is a relaxing way to spend the day. This hotel is very family friendly and the fairy houses sprinkled throughout the property are part of a scavenger hunt for kids. Highly recommend it! More details coming in the Rhode Island update. 
Lastly, as a reminder, if you’d like to look at a map of the best hotels in New England, check it out here.