Drive time: four hours.
If it’s true that every destination resort has its own personality, Winvian Farm has a multitude of them. Tucked away in northwestern Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills, the lush 113-acre property is surrounded by woods and lakes. It offers 18 individually themed luxury resort cottages and one master suite. Fifteen different architects were involved, and each accommodation is a whimsical reflection of its creator’s imagination.
The three-room Arts and Crafts cottage has gorgeous stained-glass windows and an artist studio stocked with easels, canvases and paint. The Helicopter is exactly what its name indicates—a fully restored 1968 Sikorsky with original pilot and co-pilot seats, switches and gauges, fitted out as a modern living space. The Treehouse cottage is suspended 35 feet above the forest floor, a two-story adult version of a childhood fantasy. And The Camping cottage takes glamping to new levels of sophistication, with a tented king-size bed, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, a jetted tub, and treetop views.
At this family-owned Winvian Farm, you’ll find fireplaces, jetted tubs and rainfall steam showers in many of the cottages. Five of them welcome four-legged guests. A lavish breakfast is included with your stay. Complimentary bikes outside every cottage make it easy to explore the handsomely landscaped property.
Inside the gracious 1775 manor house, the romantic Restaurant at Winvian Farm serves a creative three-course prix fixe dinner ($125 per person) with daily menu changes. Wines from 13 countries and 37 regions are available to complement your meal. For a more casual dining option, there’s Maggie’s Tavern—or have meals delivered to your cottage.
Snow or no. If you’re an aficionado of the cold white stuff, bring along your hiking boots, cross-country skis or snowshoes (snowshoe equipment is provided by the resort) to spend some peaceful hours traversing Winvian’s acreage. Then visit the property’s spa for a couple’s massage in front of a wood-burning fire, with a champagne toast. For something unique, try the Ashiatsu Massage, a barefoot treatment where a therapist uses parallel bars in the ceiling for balance. Private yoga and Tibetan sound therapy sessions can also be scheduled. Other resort activities include chocolate and wine-and-spirit tastings, private cooking and fencing classes, painting classes, and axe-throwing sessions.
A little farther afield in the nearby town of Washington, you can learn about 12,000 years of Native American history at the Institute for American Indian Studies. It features thousands of archaeological artifacts and cultural items representing hundreds of Native American communities throughout the Western Hemisphere.
February Rates: Starting at $850.
155 Alain White Road, Morris, Connecticut, (860) 567-9600
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