Luxury Travel Advisor - December 2007 - (Page 40) TAKEOVER HOTELS BEAVER LODGE, featuring de- tailed woodwork, is one of 18 cottages at Winvian. WINVIAN All 18 cottages at Winvian (www.winvian.com) have porches, wood-burning fireplaces, oversized Jacuzzi tubs, steam showers and the latest technology. They’re also all themed; we hear that the most popular are those called Woodland and Camping. In Woodland, guests won’t feel a divide between indoors and outdoors, as sinks are made of tree trunks and clients can meditate on the trickle of the stone waterfall as they relax in a sunken tub facing the wooded landscape. Floor-to-ceiling windows in Camping also let the outdoors in; guests looking to recapture their sleepaway-camp days can roast marshmallows in the outdoor fireplace. Other cottages include Beaver Lodge, with detailed woodwork and masonry, a waterfall tub and loft sitting area with views of a pond through the trees; Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, where subtle medieval touches include a mini-knight fireplacetool holder, tapestried wing chairs, a stone fireplace and a Stonehengelike bathroom; and the Greenhouse Cottage, with high ceilings and scores of windows allowing sunlight to bathe its many plants. Helicopter is the standout; the centerpiece of which is an actual 1968 Sikorsky HH37 Sea King Pelican, where the cottage’s flatscreen TV and mini-bar are. In the main building of the resort, the Hadley Suite has a four-poster bed, library and living room, all with 20-inch chestnut floorboards throughout and many original furnishings. The bathroom, however, matches the cottages’ in its modernity. Tip: When guests need a lift, a car from a fleet of Mercedes GL 450s is dispatched immediately. A game room allows guests to compete in foosball, tabletop shuffleboard and pool. After dinner, they can gather around the fire pit on the patio. Staff need to sign confidentiality agreements as a prerequisite for employment, which testifies to the resort’s high-caliber clientele. We couldn’t get names, but we did recognize fashion designer Patricia Field during our stay. Dining is a highlight at Winvian. Executive Chef Chris Eddy has worked with Alain Ducasse and Daniel Boulud and his pedigree shows in perfectly cooked meat and fish dishes complemented by subtle, yet flavor-packed, sauces. Service also is impressive—we hear that a senior staff member was poached from La Posta Vecchia, outside Rome, by Winvian’s owners when they were impressed by his knowledge, manner and attention to detail. The six-room spa at Winvian is in high demand; recommend a couple’s massage in the Forty Winks Suite, which has a sitting area, fireplace and mini-waterfall. Luxury travel advisors sending VIPs should contact Managing Director Heather Smith (hsmith@ winvian.com; 860-567-9600) or Guest Services Coordinator Rebecca Harnish (rlharnish@ winvian.com; 860-567-9600). Getting there: Winvian is in Morris, CT, three miles south of Litchfield. Driving time from New York City is about two hours; from Boston two and a half. The nearest commercial airport is Bradley International Airport (www.bradleyairport. com/home) in Windsor Locks, CT, about an hour’s drive, and there’s an airstrip for private planes at Waterbury-Oxford Airport (www.ct.gov/dot), 35 minutes away. A helicopter landing pad is just down the road. —Anastasia Mills Healy 40 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | December 2007 http://www.winvian.com http://www.winvian.com http://www.bradleyairport.com/home http://www.bradleyairport.com/home http://www.ct.gov/dot
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