"Getting away" from New England, while staying in New England, in March
March 6, 2014 10:23 AM Subscribe
Mr. Llama's birthday is coming up and I'd like us to get away for a night or two. We're in New England, and we can't travel far. Can you recommend possible destinations that meet our criteria?
We would like to somehow be warm. Outdoor hot tubs in shitty weather are awesome, so an outdoor hot tub would be good. Fireplaces are nice.
Fresh towels in the morning are nice. We are not 'bed and breakfast' people (we're introverts, too much intimacy with strangers over breakfast muffins makes us jumpy. We could be persuaded if other criteria were met.)
"Romantic dining" or simply "really awesome comfortable place with good food and interesting beer where we can talk and talk and talk" is a must. It's a plus if we can get drunk and then walk back to where we're staying.
Scenic is important.
We've been very stressed out for a very long time, and rarely get to be just together. A nice restaurant and nearby bar in which we can drink good beer or scotches, plus some place we can do something novel like sit in a hot tub while being rained on would be really nice. (I have a memory of doing this in northern California that I have never really been able to let go of.)
Any ideas for these specifications?
We would like to somehow be warm. Outdoor hot tubs in shitty weather are awesome, so an outdoor hot tub would be good. Fireplaces are nice.
Fresh towels in the morning are nice. We are not 'bed and breakfast' people (we're introverts, too much intimacy with strangers over breakfast muffins makes us jumpy. We could be persuaded if other criteria were met.)
"Romantic dining" or simply "really awesome comfortable place with good food and interesting beer where we can talk and talk and talk" is a must. It's a plus if we can get drunk and then walk back to where we're staying.
Scenic is important.
We've been very stressed out for a very long time, and rarely get to be just together. A nice restaurant and nearby bar in which we can drink good beer or scotches, plus some place we can do something novel like sit in a hot tub while being rained on would be really nice. (I have a memory of doing this in northern California that I have never really been able to let go of.)
Any ideas for these specifications?
The Trapp Family Lodge is hosting the U.S. Junior National Cross Country Ski Championship through Saturday night. I don't know when your birthday is, but right now the resort might have lots of 15-20 year-old cross country skiers who are away from home.
posted by Area Man at 10:50 AM on March 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Area Man at 10:50 AM on March 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
Porches in North Adams, MA fits the bill. It's got the hot-tub-in-the-cold experience, a couple good restaurants nearby along with local bars. MASS MOCA, a first class modern art museum is walkable from Porches. North Adams is not your traditional steepled New England town, but a partially resurrected industrial New England one with its own appeal. Williamstown is a short drive away if you need the white church steeple experience. Check out Trip Advisor. Check out Massachusetts Sugarhouses which are boiling maple syrup as I type. A bunch of them serve breakfasts during the sugaring weekends in March to mid-April. Gould's on the Mohawk Trail is one of them, though busy.
posted by Elsie at 11:33 AM on March 6, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by Elsie at 11:33 AM on March 6, 2014 [4 favorites]
I hear that Portland, ME, is awesome. I have a friend living there and he reports that the craft beer is excellent.
I was looking into it as a quick vacation for us last summer (from Rhodey), and I learned that you can go quiet, outdoor places, or simply sit inside and read and chat quietly and soak up the suds. Which, to me, sounds like heaven if someone will look after my kids.
posted by wenestvedt at 11:42 AM on March 6, 2014
I was looking into it as a quick vacation for us last summer (from Rhodey), and I learned that you can go quiet, outdoor places, or simply sit inside and read and chat quietly and soak up the suds. Which, to me, sounds like heaven if someone will look after my kids.
posted by wenestvedt at 11:42 AM on March 6, 2014
"Romantic dining" or simply "really awesome comfortable place with good food and interesting beer where we can talk and talk and talk" is a must. It's a plus if we can get drunk and then walk back to where we're staying.
Greenfield, MA. While away the hours at The People's Pint then walk/cheap cab back to the the Bradnt House. This could be a stop on a further trip as Brandt House is a B&B and lacks a hot tub (but their muffins are worth a bit on convo).
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:45 AM on March 6, 2014
Greenfield, MA. While away the hours at The People's Pint then walk/cheap cab back to the the Bradnt House. This could be a stop on a further trip as Brandt House is a B&B and lacks a hot tub (but their muffins are worth a bit on convo).
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:45 AM on March 6, 2014
Seconding Porches. We just went for the second time, love it.
posted by schoolgirl report at 11:47 AM on March 6, 2014
posted by schoolgirl report at 11:47 AM on March 6, 2014
Portland, ME is awesome! Unfortunately I don't think there's an in-town hotel with the outdoor hot tub experience. If you're willing to forgo that, any of the, IDK, 6 hotels in the Old Port section of town would give you easy walking access to way more restaurants than you can shake a hungry mouth at. Plus bars. And there are a bunch of craft brewers in town, some of whom offer tours.
I'm happy to talk more about Portland (or you can search past threads, of which there are several), but only if you think it sounds like a possibility. And frankly, Porches sounds like a great fit.
posted by that's candlepin at 1:38 PM on March 6, 2014
I'm happy to talk more about Portland (or you can search past threads, of which there are several), but only if you think it sounds like a possibility. And frankly, Porches sounds like a great fit.
posted by that's candlepin at 1:38 PM on March 6, 2014
I understand not being "B&B" people but I must recommend a B & B in Vermont. The Inn at Weathersfield. The breakfast in the morning just feels like you at a little restaurant. My husband and I had no interaction with staff & owners other than what would be typical in a good restaurant/inn. It has a restaurant that is just terrific. It's a bit of a foodie destination. There is a tiny bar. There is also a fire pit and it is in a lovely area in Vermont.
There are rooms with both fire places and whirlpool tubs.
The thing i LOVED about it and thought was so relaxing was there seems to be nothing more relaxing than having dinner and drinks and knowing there's no drive or walk to the hotel. You are THERE. It seemed to make it easier to linger, knowing there is really no next step.
Having breakfast and dinner decided also just takes 2 other things off the list of things to decide/negotiate. Somehow it makes it just feel more relaxing.
My B&B hating husband loved it.
posted by beccaj at 5:22 PM on March 6, 2014
There are rooms with both fire places and whirlpool tubs.
The thing i LOVED about it and thought was so relaxing was there seems to be nothing more relaxing than having dinner and drinks and knowing there's no drive or walk to the hotel. You are THERE. It seemed to make it easier to linger, knowing there is really no next step.
Having breakfast and dinner decided also just takes 2 other things off the list of things to decide/negotiate. Somehow it makes it just feel more relaxing.
My B&B hating husband loved it.
posted by beccaj at 5:22 PM on March 6, 2014
Thirding Porches in North Adams. Their outdoor hot tub and excellent lounge area, a visit Mass MoCA, and a sugarhouse brunch sounds like a perfect weekend to me.
posted by chowflap at 8:41 AM on March 7, 2014
posted by chowflap at 8:41 AM on March 7, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by stripesandplaid at 10:39 AM on March 6, 2014 [1 favorite]