Honeymoons: New England!

December 26th 2011
category: Honeymoons
1 Comment

There are few destinations that match the beauty, romance and splendor of New England for a honeymoon. Easy to get to from almost anywhere in the country, New England offers a host of seasonal activities and adventures for the most discerning couples.

Depending on the time of year, you can bask in the beautiful foliage of the New Hampshire mountain ranges during the fall, relax on gorgeous sandy beaches in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island in the summer and hike among the rolling green hills of the Berkshires in the spring.

Boston – the area’s unofficial capital – is only a few hours away from the pristine beaches of Cape Cod, hiking trails of New Hampshire or the wooded coastline of Maine. Beaches with sprawling sweeps of sand, dazzling dunes and amazing rock formations are everywhere while lonely light houses, weather-beaten farms and clusters of charming towns invite love-struck couples to explore and enjoy.

There are so many wonderful hotels, inns and resorts throughout New England that highlighting all of them would be next to impossible, so for this blog, we have selected Vermont, Rhode Island and Massachusetts to explore as possible honeymoon destinations. Remember that this only scratches the surface of places to spend your honeymoon. Enjoy the journey!

The Chanler at Cliff Walk

Overlooking the beach from its 5-acre perch, this small, select hotel remains the cock-on-the-block, a posh three-year-old upstart that is perhaps the most prized address for visitors to Newport.

A grand entrance and gracious gardens greet arrivals passing through the hotel’s unguarded gate. This hotel is composed of the main mansion and a few small outbuildings, which house suites. A distinguished porte cochere fronting the three-story stone manse leads into the intimate and highly ornate reception hall, where guests are seated at check-in. Exquisite antiques and reproduction appointments give the room an authentic air, and the handsome, well-mannered staff is always at the ready.

The indoor dining room is an impeccable period parlor, yet the savviest diners reserve tables outside. All meals are served here, with the menus at breakfast and lunch receiving good reviews. Breakfast is included in all rates.

The top pick accommodations are the three exclusive Ocean Villas, which take full advantage of their seaside perches. These latter units are also equipped with private whirlpools and saunas. The decor in all mixes lavish period style with updated contemporary accents and gorgeous fabrics. The latter is best represented in the sybaritic baths with dual vanities, marble and mosaic accents, plush towels, heated floors, pedestal sinks, multi-head showers and designer toiletries.

Spending your honeymoon here is romantic..a wonderful place to unwind and get to know your new spouse and begin to plan the rest of your life together.

Castle Hill Inn and Resort

Sitting high on a peninsula with lawns stretching to the rugged rocky shore, 3 miles southwest of town, this hotel melds a New York-society setting with austere New England living, drawing a romantic and well-heeled crowd.

A long, winding drive leads to the rambling Victorian main building, which holds the majority of the public areas and many of the guest rooms. Suites and studios are housed in cottages dotted about the expansive grounds.

The small reception cubby near the entrance opens into a lounge with a fireplace. Even in summer, fires crackle, warming the dark old-world lobby, and classical music drifts into the dining rooms. Attention to detail is apparent throughout:

The cheery, recently renovated dining room, warm and bright with Queen Anne appointments, affords panoramic water views. In season, guests can dine on the flagstone deck. The outdoor bar, with its large lawn chairs, is super for cocktails, and the second bar, with its nautical flavoring, warm woods and fireplace, is the inn’s most endearing corner. Sundays are busy, with an enormous buffet brunch followed in summer by barbecue and jazz on the lawn. All guests enjoy a sumptuous breakfast buffet each morning of their stay.

Bayside beaches are just down the hill. Meeting capacity in the main inn is 50 people, and outdoor parking is free. The Chalet, a former caretaker’s house on the premises, is a catering facility and supports weddings and other events for up to 100. Larger gatherings of up to 250 people can be held under a tent on the ocean-view lawn.

Accommodations vary considerably in size, exposure and decor. Of the nine in the main inn, nostalgic romantics pick the cozy Turret Room, where Thornton Wilder wrote. The bath offers 360-degree views.

The renovated Lighthouse Suite is an exceptional abode with grand views of the harbor. But the overall favorite is 6, a corner room with sweeping views and a fireplace in the bath. All rooms have king or queen beds, and most have marble baths and fireplaces, as well. Nautical knick-knacks, framed prints and themed appointments bring a touch of residential elegance to this charming manor.

Turndown service leaves chocolates on the pillow. An occupancy limit of six is strictly enforced in the cottages.

Twin Farms in Barnard, Vermont

One of the world’s premier resorts, this 300-acre estate, Sinclair Lewis’ 1928 wedding present to his wife, Dorothy Thompson, was the setting for their legendary house parties.

This is an all-inclusive property and rates cover all meals, beverages (including wine) and recreational facilities. Recreation is unlimited, and those looking for that perfect, peaceful ambiance, can hide away in one of the many nooks and crannies, a Perfect spot for a Honeymooner. With a two-to-one staff to guest ratio, an elite culinary team and endless recreational opportunities, you will discover why Honeymooners appreciate the Twin Farms experience.

Ten lavish cottages surround the farmhouse, barn and main inn. In any season, vistas are superb and expansive, taking in glorious Vermont mountains, a valley bursting with wildflowers or fiery-hued leaves, apple orchards, patterned perennial gardens, old stone walls and a covered bridge spanning a pond and waterfall.

This wonderful property even has an activity director who arranges hiking, tennis, croquet, golf and riding, and offers instruction in all. The large pond invites afternoon dips, fly-fishing, boating and ice skating. Bonfires complete with s’more makings magically appear in the evening. If a winter honeymoon is in you plans..there is a private ski hill that offers six runs and avoids the crowds at commercial offerings.

Mountain bikes are provided for the downhill ride to Woodstock—pick-up in town eliminates the tiring uphill climb. Soothing spa treatments range from facials to massages, but are not included in the rates.

The most desired and perfect room for your Honeymoon is The Chalet, a 3,000-sq-ft cabin with a glamorous birch-beam living room warmed by a blue, rough-slate fireplace, a separate bedroom with a rare, blue marble fireplace, his-and-hers bath, private hot tub and deck that boasts views that span almost 30 miles.

Honeymooners can have a picnic lunch of lobster salad sandwiches and champagne waiting for them at the top of the hill after a hike, or ski in and out of their private cottage on the 300-acre property.

Special romantic touches can be arranged, such as Champagne and Artisan Chocolates for the Honeymoon couple upon arrival. Also, in room spa services such as couples massage can be arranged as can private dining in the ultra-romantic Wine Cellar, or perhaps a picnic lunch in a canoe on the pond.

This is a Wonderful Choice when considering your Honeymoon spot.

Blantyre, Lenox Ma

At the end of a winding drive through well-landscaped grounds, this early 20th-century Tudor mansion surveys pristine countryside from its hilltop perch.

Little has changed here, though the owners now freeze the tennis courts in the winter for ice skating, and a cabin with a fireplace provides warm, intimate shelter for games and relaxation indoors.

In the main hall, grand coffered ceilings, a hearth and a massive 17th-century table conjure up an exotic Gothic world. The creamy-hued music room, with a gossip chair and another fireplace, showcases a 1760 harp and an 1850 Steinway piano.

The exquisite restaurant is one of the finest in the state, with a celebrated chef and old-world elegance. It is dressed in antique glassware, bone china and its own fireplace. It is closed Monday, but a moire-clad dining room provides an alternative with intimate surroundings, a china chandelier, gold-touched stemware and needlepoint table linen. Jackets are required, a harpist aids digestion each evening, and the schooled English chef tops off the Anglo fantasy here. The sunny breakfast room, set in an atrium, surveys the grounds.

All recreational facilities are offered to guests at no charge, including a pair of bent-grass croquet lawns. Four tennis courts supplement a classic pool, sauna and uninspiring whirlpool, and duffers can head to Cranwell next door and to other area fairways. A basic exercise room is hidden away in a potting shed, but its main draw is the ice cream and lemonade provided as an after-workout snack. Massages and beauty treatments can be arranged in the day spa. A jogging trail loops behind the property.

Rooms is individually decorated, dominated by American and Victorian antiques ranging from draped tables and spindled bedposts to Queen Anne tables and stands. Fresh flowers abound here, adding splashes of color to every room, and high-speed Internet access keeps guests connected.

The largest choices in the main house—the Cranwell, Laurel and Paterson suites—are also the most lavish and expensive. All three are magnificent and inspire romance with their wood-burning fireplaces and plush accoutrements.

A perfect place for the honeymoon couple.

Thank you Arlene, for all the great recommendations for our Newport Wedding Glam readers! Glam readers… please feel free to email Arlene at Arlstravel@aol.com (direct cell 305-804-8334) if there is a destination that you want to hear about or book with her fantastic travel services!! Keep in mind, Arlene does not charge you a fee and can get you just as great deals as you see online & what she does do is steer you in the right direction, gives you great recommendations from past travelers and her own experience, not to mention has amazing relationships with many of these places to get you special deals you can’t find online & insurance at great prices! Be sure to call Arlene if you are booking your honeymoon!