Washington
Connecticut


The Experience

This is the closest you can get to staying in an English manor in the United States. Restored in 1992 by a Manhattan couple, the estate, two hours north of New York City, has had everything purposefully chosen for its grounds -- each individual tree, every tapestry, all the antiques. Blanketed with snow in winter, ablaze with color in the fall and lush with green the rest of the year, this formal inn is heaven for nature lovers and anyone who dreams of living in classic Connecticut -- or any city slicker in need of an indulgent spa escape.

The Rooms

All of the rooms and suites are individually decorated with restored antiques, but most lean heavily toward the flowery -- a look that isn't for everyone. It's difficult to pick a favorite, since most are similarly outfitted with four-poster canopy beds, fireplaces and balconies. The best ones are in the main house (like the Eaton Suite) overlooking Mayflower Mountain and the woodsy backdrop (a knockout during fall foliage season), or in the three cottages spread around the property (Billington Suite in one of the cottages has its own private library). For seclusion, try the Allerton Suite, a spacious retreat with two bathrooms, two fireplaces and two balconies that's farthest from the main house (and conveniently located next to the Spa House).

The Service

Because the entire property feels like you're staying with a wealthy relative in bucolic Litchfield County, the service is personalized and friendly, with anything you need just a phone call away. The inn specializes in unusual requests -- it even has a spa-mobile to bring treatments to you wherever you are on site.

The Highlights

The spa is an entity unto itself, with a heated indoor pool, domed whirlpool and scented steam rooms, along with treatments and five-night programs. No expense has been spared (note the Willem de Kooning painting in the waiting room), and every detail has been well conceived, with Wellingtons in every size for rainy-day walks, a staff astrologist and Cary Neff in the kitchen (creating spa-worthy chocolate desserts). In the inn itself, organic lamb and produce are served in the more formal dining room, while salads and light fish dishes are presented in the Terrace overlooking the Shakespeare Garden. The garden and the rest of the 58-acre property begs for strolling, through its meditation maze, past its specimen trees and along its serene New England river.

-- Heidi Mitchell

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