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Lodgings with Distinction

Nothing says New England in winter like a historic inn with a roaring fire – and an excellent restaurant.  All these top-rated Connecticut lodgings fit the bill, making them ideal for romantic retreats and girlfriend getaways. 

Built in 1756 as a judge’s resident, the Bee & Thistle Inn in Old Lyme sits on five riverside acres.  Almost all of the rooms have four-poster beds and several have views of the sunken English garden.  The inn is filled with art from the town’s many galleries. 

A few minutes from Mystic, the Stonecroft Country Inn in Ledyard once belonged to sea captain Shubel Smith.  Choose from traditional rooms in Smith’s 1807 Georgian Colonial mansion or bunk in the newly renovated post-and-beam barn.  Stonecroft’s chef formerly cooked at the Four Seasons in London and Brennan’s in New Orleans. 

No slouch in the culinary department, the dining room at the Stonehenge Inn in Ridgefield was voted Best Continental Restaurant in Connecticut by the Zagat survey.  Just an hour north of Manhattan, Stonehenge charms with manicured lawns and white clapboard buildings. 

Roxanna Wentworth Bowen, heiress to the Pullman train fortune, had the four-story Mansion at Bald Hill built in Woodstock in 1892.  Guests can browse a formal library with floor-to-ceiling books and stroll grounds planned with thousands of maple, beech, pine and oak tees. 

Located near the boutiques-filled villages of the Connecticut River Valley, the 1890 Copper Beech Inn in Ivoryton offers 22 guest rooms and suites decked out with period antiques, oriental rugs and richly texture fabrics.  The on-site Brasserie Pips won a Wine Spectator “Best of Award of Excellence” as well as numerous kudos for its food. 

Winvian, situated in the Litchfield Hills, is an unconventional and extraordinary getaway located on a 113 acre private estate adjacent to 4,000-acre White Memorial Foundation. The property includes 18 cottages and suites designed by 15 architects.  It features the Winvian Spa, a 5,000 square foot structure that includes six treatment rooms, the Gordon-Brown House and the Boardroom Cottage.  It is a member of Relais & Chateaux. 

The Mayflower Inn & Spa in Washington offers a delightful choice of 30 rooms and 9 suites, each of which is a private haven of luxurious furnishings, 18th and 19th century art, a private library, fireplaces, and stunning New England views. Mayflower spa cuisine, its signature spa dining experience, is a seasonal celebration of taste.  At the heart of Mayflower’s 58 acre estate is the Spa House, a luminous 20,000 square foot relaxation resource that provides an intimate number of guests a serene haven for activities and spa treatments.