A Visit to Berlin with Kensington Tours
Guest Post and Photo by Amy Perry Basseches
Guest Post and Photo by Amy Perry Basseches
Conveniently located halfway between Boston and New York on the I-95 corridor, Mystic has always been a popular stopover to see the beluga whales at the Mystic Aquarium and the former whaling vessels at the Mystic Seaport, a re-creation of a 19th-century seaside village. Then there’s B.F. Clyde’s, the oldest steam powered cider mill in America, Mystic Pizza, and Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream, where homemade ice cream has been served at the same site for over a century. Lodging, however, has always been geared toward families, not adults who crave a bit more sophistication. That will change on May 4 when management of the acclaimed Relais & Chateau property, Ocean House, and Weekapaug Inn in nearby Rhode Island open the Spicer Mansion. A landmark since 1853, the building will return to its Victorian splendor. Expect the same level of service that one finds at the Ocean House, afternoon tea in the grand salon, cocktails at Room No. 9 Speakeasy, and a new restaurant that will offer a seasonal six-course tasting menu. Guests at the Spicer Mansion also gain access to the other two properties and their beaches and spa facilities.
Now that Columbus Day has come and gone, along with much of the fall foliage traffic in Vermont, it’s time to hit my favorite mountain bike trails in New England. Uou know how much I cherish the Kingdom Trails. They’re even sweeter when the last maple leaves are clinging to the trees before the first snowfall. That would be right now! Spend the night at Burke Bike Barn. Located on the White School Trail, just outside the village of East Burke, this timber frame barn first went up in the 1840s. Recently renovated, it now features two units, each with full kitchen. The larger unit has three bedrooms and sleeps 6 (starts at $150 a night), while the smaller unit has 2 bedrooms and sleeps 4 (starts at $120 a night).
Last January, we spent my wife’s birthday at one of my favorite places to stay in the Portland area, the Pomegranate Inn. The 8-room B&B is run by Lark Hotels, who manage seven boutique properties in New England, with an 8th on the horizon. The newly renovated Whitehall, which originally opened its doors to vacationers in 1901, will drop the “inn” from its name and welcome guests back to its rambling front porch in May 2015. Similar to the Pomegranate, art will play a vital role in the interior design, with a revolving collection of works by local Maine artists found in the 36 rooms. Anchoring the property will be Pig + Poet, a restaurant whose menu will be crafted by acclaimed chef Sam Talbot. Focusing on Maine’s farmland, fisheries and game, the restaurant will feature a raw bar and Talbot’s fresh take on lobster rolls, chowder and blueberry-sweet corn cobbler just to name a few items. A charcuterie bar will also offer sausages and cheese selections.
If you want to visit New York at a discount, then head to the city during their Seventh Annual Hotel Week in early January. Gansevoort Meatpacking, the Refinery Hotel, Library Hotel, James New York, Viceroy Central Park, and Archer New York are just a handful of top-tier properties that will cut their rates considerably during this time. For example, the Paul Hotel NYC will only be $100 a night, more than 50% off their usual rate. Hotel Week NYC™ was created by PR maven Nancy J. Friedman in 2010 to address the occupancy dip most hotels experience after the holiday season. It’s a perfect time to visit Manhattan without the crowds and see the new David Hockney show at the Met.