PRICE:
Frommer's Very Highly Recommended

Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996, a 1902 Victorian-flavored mansion of a steel magnate is at the center of this multistructure property directly on the Long Island Sound. One of the outbuildings is the Looking Glass Salon & Day Spa, providing facials, massages, and private fitness training; another is a large carriage house suitable for families. Eleven units are suites with views of the sound; the Waterview Suite was apparently actress Joan Crawford's favorite when she visited. The inn has a private beach with chairs and umbrellas available, and says it's the only hotel in southeastern Connecticut with private access. Chef Timothy Grills ensures that the several dining rooms are forever full. Meals are also served in the atmospheric tavern, which has live jazz on Friday and Saturday nights.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's New England, 14th Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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