When only the poshest digs with the best views will do, these fabulous hotel rooms will welcome you home.
By Kim Knox Beckius
May 10 2023
Each of the Farmhouse Suites at Twin Farms has a soaking tub with a view.
Photo Credit : Courtesy of Twin FarmsNot all rooms are created equal, even at a luxury lodging property. So, where will you stay if you’re traveling through New England on an unlimited budget or with the urge to splurge? Whether it’s called the presidential suite—a term that’s been with us since Woodrow Wilson made exacting demands on properties that hosted his junkets away from the White House—or something more reflective of its location or theme, these luxury suites at extraordinary New England hotels and resorts are simply over the top thanks to their expansive space, exceptional amenities, designer decor, scenic views, or all of the above.
Greenhouse at Winvian Farm in Morris, CT
For lovers of architecture and design and cravers of pampering and privacy, Winvian Farm’s cottages and the 113 acres of woodlands and fields that envelop them are the ultimate escape. While options like Treehouse, Beaver Lodge, and Helicopter are fantastically whimsical, the restyled, dog-friendly Greenhouse is our choice for a summer steal-away. Steps from the spa and pool, and with its own jetted bathtub and stonewalled patio, it’s a space where nature seeps into your psyche. The Great Room’s high glass ceiling lets a little starlight magic in, too.
Elsie Weare Suite at Cliff House in Cape Neddick, ME
Binge watch the dancing sea spray from your glass-railed balcony or a snug armchair by the double-sided fireplace. Named for Elsie Jane, wife of Cliff House founder Captain Theodore Weare whose descendents owned this Maine resort for four generations until 2014, this 1,750-square-foot suite even has ocean views from its deep soaking tub. The sun makes an early appearance on the coast, but you can pull your king-sized, Maine-made Cuddledown comforter up over your eyes.
John Adams Presidential Suite at Boston Harbor Hotel in Boston, MA
Arrive by land or sea, duck into your private elevator, and foil the paparazzi. Boston’s most exclusive suite—a 4,800-square-foot, natural-light-kissed designer’s dream inside Boston Harbor Hotel’s iconic rotunda—comes with unmatched amenities including a stocked bar and theater-caliber media room, plus personalized chef and dedicated concierge services. Through a window wall 20 feet tall or from your 1,000-square foot heated, open-air terrace, historic Boston Harbor is ever in view.
Overlook Suite at Mill Falls at the Lake in Meredith, NH
Climb stairs to your own lodge-style retreat looking out over soothing lakewater. The luxury here is being able to launch your kayak or paddleboard right onto Lake Winnipesaukee. It’s having exclusive access to a stone-rimmed plunge pool for two on sticky summer days. It’s tucking kids into their own beds, then sitting out on the deck or screened porch, listening for loons. Then, when the air temperature cools, lighting a roaring fire in the floor-to-ceiling fieldstone fireplace.
Tower Suite at Ocean House in Watch Hill, RI
With a polished spiral staircase and four levels to explore including a rooftop deck, you’ll feel atop the world yet anchored in the most splendid of seacoast settings. Fir paneling and a crow’s nest lend a ship-like aura, while Greenwich-based designer Cindy Rinfret’s graceful styling, in shades of sea and creamy clouds, takes a cue from ocean views. Stand by the slate fireplace, and you can see three states through arched windows.
Farmhouse Suites at Twin Farms in Barnard, VT
Whether you’re splurging on an all-inclusive getaway or merely dreaming of staying in the lap of rustic luxury, take a look at the suites in Twin Farms’ pond-view Farmhouse, designed by gold-medal architect Peter Bohlin. Your mind couldn’t conjure a more stunning country retreat: The only thing lacking is the option to never check out. These four, 1,000-square-foot sanctuaries, each with a private, enclosed porch and deep soaking tub, share a lounge and library with a two-story fieldstone fireplace and a stonework terrace and hot tub outside. You can reserve just one, but gathering family or friends and reserving the entire place will save you the chore of finding words to describe how unforgettable it all was.
Kim Knox Beckius is Yankee Magazine's Travel & Branded Content Editor. She is a Connecticut-based writer and photographer whose passion for New England inspires everything she does, whether it's riding a giant inflatable lobster in her wedding gown, naming her daughter so she shares initials with L.L. Bean or sending free fall leaves in the mail to autumn lovers around the world. She’s the author of six books on Northeast travel, including New England’s Historic Homes & Gardens, and has been the voice of New England travel for About.com since 1998. GoNewEngland.about.com
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