Feature Stories  | California - Napa Valley, St. Helena Ink House Inn: For Kings (& Queens)
The King lives! Enjoy “Wild in the Country,” Elvis Presley’s 1961 Twentieth Century-Fox film on DVD and relax in the movie’s actual setting. No, this is not virtual reality. This is the real McCoy; at least for the lodgers at what is today the Ink House Inn. The only northern California location for an Elvis film, the anything but “wild” Napa County wine country is where sophistication salutes its rural agricultural roots. The inn, a private residence in St. Helena at the time, was a principal film location as well as Elvis’s temporary sanctuary, leaving his ....
● View Article |  | Virginia, Lexington Area, Steeles Tavern Alpine Hideaway Cottages: “Thoreau-ly” Tranquil
No human in sight; wild turkeys strut and doves croon a somber “coo-ooh.” “Fee-bee-fee,” the black-capped chickadee sings. On the highest point in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley with an 80-mile panorama of the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains, simplicity takes precedence over frazzled lifestyles. In this “Thoreau-ly” tranquil backdrop, the Alpine Hideaway Cottages impart a perfect marriage between comfort and sophistication. According to innkeeper Eileen M. Hoernlein, who operates the venture in Steeles Tavern with her husband Bill, one of the most frequent comments in the guestbook is that the website does not warrant the property justice. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: www.alpinehideaway.com |  | Alaska - South Central, Sutton
Matanuska Lodge: “No Moosing Around” Romance
Nestled in the jaw-dropping milieu of the Saddlenotch Mountains and Matanuska Glacier, the 60-acre originally homesteaded land includes a 100-mile lake, core-sampled at 14,500 years old, two minutes from the recently built log cabin quarters; stunning views and thoroughly thought-out amenities define Matanuska Lodge. Although innkeeper Brenda Goldberg, who operates the property with her business partner Rodney Johnson and one staff member, prefers to avoid the over-used word “eclectic,” but nothing better expresses what she says is “definitely different than your traditional Alaskan lodge.” ● View Full Story & Photos Web: www.matanuskalodge.com |  | Netherlands, Gelderland, Arnhem Get Fantastically Lost at Landgoed Hotel and Restaurant Groot Warnsborn “It is easy to get lost on Landgoed Groot Warnsborn,” says its hotel and restaurant owner Lammert de Vries. He and his wife, Sjoukje, operate the enterprise, which is located in Arnhem, about 50 miles southeast of Amsterdam, Netherlands, on the edge of De Hoge Veluwe National Park, a 130,000-acre nature preserve that houses the Kroller-Muller Museum, internationally known for its Vincent van Gogh collection. The 17th-century country mansion, situated on approximately 1,800 acres, had been a domain of barons and baronesses through the 19th century. If one must get lost to escape the world, the hotel and grounds are the place to do it; a sweet surprise at every turn. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: www.grootwarnsborn.nl |  | Washington, DC, Kalorama Guest House Country Traditions in Washington, DC Lemonade and cookies on warm afternoons. Apple cider and cookies on chilly days. Evening sherry, all season. Home sweet…guestroom. Why book a traditional hotel when you can experience a lifestyle? These are the sentiments of the many couples who arrive home…ummm…visit The Kalorama Guest House, two properties located about 20 minutes from each other in Washington, DC. Comprising a total of 47 rooms in turn-of-the-century Victorian townhouses, one in Kalorama Park, the other set in Woodley Park, both are the mimesis of quaint, tidy neighborhoods, worlds away, yet close to the City buzz. Describing the Kalorama Park address in northwest Washington's Adam's-Morgan trendy residential enclave, General Manager Kurt Haraldson says, ● View Full Story & Photos Web: www.kaloramaguesthouse.com |  | Maine, Mid Coast, The Youngtown Inn and Restaurant
Food & Wine Lovers Getaway in Downeast Maine
The rural allure of the southern Maine coast, about midway between Portland and Mount Desert Island, is what snatched Manuel and MaryAnn Mercier’s fancy. For two years, early in their marriage, the then New York City residents had hit the Interstate-95 North stretch and spent hours searching for what Manuel describes as “a place of our own.” Ultimately, the Mercier’s newfound treasure would become the Youngtown Inn and Restaurant, which fulfilled their dream to run a restaurant outside of the city. Manuel has an accomplished hospitality and culinary career that started at the age of 16. His wife, on the other hand, comes from an impressive financial service profession on Wall Street. Facilities: Full Service Restaurant, Wedding Facilities, Internet Access, Fireplaces ● View Full StoryWeb: www.youngtowninn.com |  | Switzerland, Caux-Sur-Montreux, A Capell'Art Hotel A Beacon for the Arts: A Capell'Art Hotel What do you get when a musician and painter fuse their talents and enter the hospitality business? Voila!Switzerland’s A Capell’Art Hotel is nothing less than a masterpiece with magical dimensions. Four miles above Montreux, the Swiss Riviera represents a golden frame of additional splendor. Pristine Lake Geneva at its feet, in the distance Mont Blanc reigns over the storybook effect of the Alps; those in search of a romantic utopia…look no farther. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: www.montreux-hotel.ch/e/index.php |  | California, Santa Barbara Area, Solvang
European Luxury in California's Wine Country Vision was not enough to renovate an old motel stifled by a concrete parking lot. Fortunately, when Mark R. Davis purchased the property in November 2005, he also benefited from the artistic flare of his wife Kristin. Between the couple and an expert team of professionals, Mark says that Hadsten House Inn and Spa, centrally located in Solvang in California’s Santa Ynez Valley, represents an “instantaneous transformation.” Facilities: AAA 3 Diamonds, restaurant, Meeting Facilities, Day spa, Indoor Pool.
● View Full Story & Photos Web: hadstenhouse.com |  | Georgia, Coast, Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island Club Hotel Rated among the top 500 resorts in the world by Travel & Leisure, the Jekyll Island Club offers superb resort accommodations, outstanding service, and an unforgettable landmark experience. Nestled amid live oak trees draped in Spanish moss, this Victorian landmark enjoys a setting of unspoiled natural beauty on Jekyll Island. The island is protected from extensive development by the state of Georgia and has miles of beaches and forest waiting to be explored. Facilities: 157 guest rooms and suites in five historic settings, three restaurants, golf, weddings, meetings. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: jekyllclub.com |  | Maine, South Coast, Ogunquit, Cliff House Resort & Spa
Southern Maine's Grand Dame “It is the only property on the south coast of Maine with sweeping views of the vast Atlantic. If you squint, you could see Spain. It is very high on 70-something acres, so there’s nothing in your way. You can see the cargo ships that anchor way, way, way away,” says Joan Dow, the former advertising director, who has been a frequent guest at the Cliff House since 1987. Amenities: Balconies with spectacular ocean views. Weddings, meetings, restaurant, spa.
● View Full Story & Photos Web: cliffhousemaine.com |  | Maine, Lakes Region, Naples
Love is Spoken at the Augustus Bove House Sparkling lakes. Sweet mountain air. A charming New England village. Visitors who travel to Naples, Maine, nestled in the Sebago Lakes region, and stay at the Augustus Bove House, have a double advantage: place and place! Not only is the western Maine inn smack in the middle of it all—coastal Portland on the southeast and Mount Washington Valley and North Conway, New Hampshire, on the west, but the establishment, as many of the repeat guests will attest to, is a homey destination designed for relaxation. The lakeside inn was built as a farmhouse in 1820, only to become the Hotel Naples from 1850 to 1939, gaining a reputation as one of the finest “summer hotels” in the vicinity. Many luminaries, like ... ● View Full Story & Photos Web: www.NaplesMaine.com |  | Massachusetts, Berkshires, Lee, Devonfield Country Inn
Romantic Delights in the Massachusetts Berkshires Imagine popping the question while sojourning at the Devonfield Country Inn and being chauffeured in a Model A 1931 Ford, the inn’s official automobile, through the idyllic setting of Lee, Massachusetts. Haven’t set a date yet? Who knows, upon encountering the 200-year-old elegant English country inn nestled on 29 acres, guests may be coaxed to do all sorts of madcap things in the name of amore! Amenities: Set on 29 beautiful acres. Luxury rooms and suites, Jacuzzis, fireplaces, weddings, meetings. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: devonfield.com |  | Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Chatham/Orleans Area, A little Inn on Pleasant Bay Bay Views at a Cape Cod Bed & Breakfast “Everywhere you sit, you can look over the bay, over the gardens, over the cranberry bogs,” says innkeeper Pamela Adam. “It’s a special world here.” The main house of the inn dates back to 1798 and was probably part of the Underground Railroad. A trap door in the foyer leads to a small space that might have been used as a hiding place during that time. On a hill overlooking Pleasant Bay, the inn has a small sandy beach and its own dock. Amenities: Magnificent ocean view. Wedding Facilities. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: alittleinnonpleasantbay.com |  | Michigan, New Buffalo, New Buffalo Inn & Spa
Snug Harbor Romance “Our mission is to create a peaceful, relaxing, private environment that will be spiritually rejuvenating for all of our guests,” explains Lisa Werner, who has owned and operated the inn with her husband, Gary Ramberg, for the last ten years. Located in the heart of downtown, six blocks from Snug Harbor and Lake Michigan beach, the inn, praised for its luxury guestrooms and suites, is a refuge. “We offer onsite couple’s massage. Each unit is private, they each have their own individual entrance,” says Lisa, describing some of the inn’s amenities. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: www.NewBuffaloInn.com |  | Michigan, Southwest, Jones, Sanctuary at Wildwood
Where Indoor Luxury Meets the Great Outdoors “We are very blessed, I will tell you that,” says innkeeper Dick Buerkle. “This is a pretty unique place and we really enjoy sharing it with people.” In fact, the name says it all. The Sanctuary at Wildwood is a place to get away from the world’s bustle and contemplate the true meaning of life amid the joys of the great outdoors. Amenities: Eleven Jacuzzi/fireplace suites on 95 beautiful acres. Romantic setting, cottage suites. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: sanctuaryatwildwood.com |  | New Hampshire, Merrimack Valley, Bedford, Bedford Village Inn
New Hampshire's Bedford Village Inn No Stranger to Fame Bedford Village Inn is no stranger to fame. First, the inn’s “Walls of Fame” exhibit the awards and accolades that have been amassed over the years. Here’s a brief (again, brief) rundown: a recipient of AAA Four Diamond Awards for 21 consecutive years, 11 Awards of Excellence from Distinctive Restaurants of North America, and 17 annual Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence (while dining at the inn’s restaurant, patrons can choose from approximately 700 wine selections). Amenities: AAA Four Diamonds both lodging and dining. Weddings, meetings, restaurant, spa. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: bedfordvillageinn.com |  | New York, Western, Chautauqua, Spencer Hotel
Literary Fantasies in Western New York More enchanting than an engaging picture book, bibliophiles are not the only ones to fall head over heels in love with the Spencer Hotel. Respite at this literary-themed boutique hotel, located on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, a gated resort community in the hamlet of Chautauqua, New York, means pleasant encounters at the turn of every page—corner, that is. Even the hallways harbor “color and interest,” says proprietress Helen Edgington. Amenities: Charming Victorian hotel with luxurious rooms and suites. Weddings, meetings, spa. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: thespencer.com |  | Blowing Rock, North Carolina Inn at Yonahlossee Resort
Commanding a prominent stance at 4,000 feet in the heart of western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, guests at the Inn at Yonahlossee Resort will discover in these 300 bucolic acres not a mere pot, but a paradise of honey. As a matter of fact, “Yonahlossee” is the Cherokee word meaning “Trail of the Bear,” and nothing less than sweet is the tapestry in these parts defined by mountain ranges and lush green valleys.
“Absolutely divine,” are the two words that Marketing Director Mary Jane Rice chooses when she describes the property that she began managing in the early 1990s. Her husband John, a developer, began renovating Yonahlossee in 1986. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: www.yonahlossee.com |  | Ohio, Northeast, Berlin, Donna’s Premier Lodging
Heart-Shaped Jacuzzis in Northeast Ohio “Water comes down over the rock and it goes into a stream in front of their rose-colored heart-shaped Jacuzzi...,” Donna Marie Schlabach explains. When an innkeeper lends her name to a lodging facility, chances are, she will live up to it! The telltale sign of accomplishment at Donna’s Premier Lodging - consisting of cedar cabins, chalets, villas, cottages and bridal suites - are the guests who are enamored of the lap of luxury, the best in Holmes County, Ohio. Amenities: luxurious accommodations. Jacuzzis. ● View Full Story & Photos
Web: donnasofberlin.com |  | Ohio, Southeast, Hocking Hills, Getaway Cabins Romantic Dinner for Two in a Luxury Ohio Cabin Magic awaits at Getaway Cabins in the beautiful Hocking Hills of scenic southern Ohio. Enter the tranquil beauty of the woods and leave the world behind as you reconnect with nature.“It’s hard to explain but there is something magical about the cabins,” says innkeeper Jennifer Mitchell. “They are a wonderful place to rekindle, refresh and spend time with each other.” Amenities: Private, unique cabins and cottages. Fireplaces, outdoor hot tub, Jacuzzi.
● View Full Story & Photos Web: getaway-cabins.com |  | Pennsylvania, Pocono Mountains, Hawely, Woodloch Resort Pocono Resort Attracts Couples and Families The 250-acre Woodloch is located on a private lake in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania. A four-season resort, Woodloch provides year-round spectacular sights courtesy of Mother Nature. Accommodations at Woodloch are immaculate and tastefully decorated with a variety of choices to suit any size family or group. The Classic Standard rooms are the most affordable and popular, with some overlooking the lake. Nicely decorated with cedar paneling, the rooms have divided living/sleeping areas and feature a queen bed and a pullout sofa. Private lake, entertainment, golf course, weddings, meetings, restaurant, spa. Phone: 800-572-6658 ● View Full Story & Photos Web: woodloch.com |  | Pennsylvania, Pocono Mountains, South Sterling, French Manor South of France in the Pocono's Romantic to the point of being downright intoxicating—the French have a way with words. Ah!...Now imagine a secluded backdrop in the south of France where couples cannot resist handholding, dreamy glances and …fill in the blanks! Fortunately, for American and Canadian travelers, this sort of very provincial, utterly European experience is not an ocean away. “The French Manor is like a fairy tale castle on top of a mountain. It’s a very romantic setting for couples. It’s more of an intimate and elegant atmosphere,” says Bridget Logan Weber, Director of Sales and Marketing, describing the stone château perched upon Huckleberry Mountain. Amenities: Mountaintop setting, spacious accommodations, AAA 4 Diamonds, weddings, meetings, restaurant. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: thefrenchmanor.com |  | Deer Harbor, Washington (San Juan Islands, Puget Sound), The Place at Cayou Cove No Place Like The Place at Cayou Cove
Guests reach The Place at Cayou Cove on Orcas Island, Washington - the largest and most diverse of the enchanting San Juan Islands of Puget Sound - by ferry, yacht or plane. The planes remind innkeeper Charles Binford of Fantasy Island, the popular 70s and 80s television sitcom. He, along with his wife and co-innkeeper Valerie, may not fulfill every visitor’s fantasy, but in many respects they come close. The numerous repeat clients that revisit the inn attest to this fact. For starters, the proprietors’ restoration of the guest cottages as well as of their own home, leaves a definitive statement that conveys their style par excellence. ● View Full Story & Photos |  | Washington, North Cascades, Mt. Baker Area, Mt. Baker Lodging Mount Baker: Volcanic Burst of the Great Outdoors Mt. Baker Lodging, covering a 10-mile radius, custom fits the most finicky overnighter’s agenda by offering cabins, cottages, condos, chalets, executive vacation home rentals, and two bed and breakfasts. A new day, a new adventure, and there are oodles more that entice the trekker than just Mount Baker’s powder in the winter. Apart from winter adventures, this babe, boasting a 10,778-foot elevation, beguiles backpackers, hikers and four-season nature lovers. Amenities: Cozy cabins for two, and family cabins, to spacious group chalets.
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Web: mtbakerlodging.com |  | British Columbia, Kelowna, A Vista Villa B&B Spa Resort "Honeymoons Are Our Specialty" For a romantic getaway to remember, reserve your double Jacuzzi suite swathed in candlelight, romantic background music and a shower of silk rose petals on the bed leading up to the bubble bath for a magical night. A Vista Villa Bed, BBQ & Spa in the heart of the Okanagan Valley wine country is an upscale adult resort perfect for honeymoons, anniversaries and romantic getaways. Amenities: luxuriously appointed suites, fireplaces, spa. ● View Full Story & Photos
Web: avistavilla.com |  | British Columbia, Vancouver Island Area
Vancouver Island's Spa Hideaway - Sooke Harbour House Sooke Harbour House has garnered many awards over the years. To name a few: “One of the Top Three Hotels in Canada" and "One of the 100 best hotels in the world," Travel and Leisure Magazine, Readers’ Poll; “Grand Award: One of Canada's five best wine lists and one of the top 86 in the world,” Wine Spectator, and “Corporate Environmental Award: Leader in environmentally responsible tourism,” Tourism Victoria. What defines such award-winning accomplishments? Certainly amicable innkeepers like Sinclair and Frederique Philip. Amenities: Exquisite cuisine, water views, fireplaces, private decks or balconies and wet bars. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: sookeharbourhouse.com |  | Caribbean, Belize, Cayo District
Lodge at Chaa Creek, Adventure Centre and Spa The award-winning Chaa Creek has pioneered natural history travel to Belize since 1981 and is Belize’s premier destination for a wide range of adventures. The 365-acre nature reserve on the Macal River hosts an internationally recognized Natural History Centre, Butterfly Farm, Rainforest Medicine Trail, miles of trails for walking, birding, mountain biking or horseback riding, a fleet of canoes, exquisite spa, conference centre, and access to Belize’s Maya archaeological sites. Amenities: A 365-acre Nature Reserve, meetings, wedding, restaurant, spa, canoeing, kayaking. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: chaacreek.com |  | Caribbean, Jamaica, Negril, Beach House Villas A Jamaican Beach House to Call Your Own
Whether booking a romantic escape, reunion, wedding or any special celebration, there’s nothing like these tropics to get you into the “Don’t worry, be happy!” Caribbean groove. Swing open the French doors leading to your own patio or deck and breathe in the lush-cious scent of a Jamaican Shangri-La. A beach house to call your own is not only a priceless experience, but the price is right too! Imagine to-die-for, oversized accommodations designed by the best Kingston, Jamaican architects ● View Full Story & Photos
Web: negriljamaicavillas.com |  | Switzerland, Graubünden, Engadin, Guarda, Hotel Meisser Swiss Innkeeping Since 1658 For the ultimate, out-of-the-way holiday that can inspire travelers to believe they are the lone sojourners in the world, few places can hold a candle to Hotel Meisser. Actually, candlelight dinners and romantic rendezvous that stretch well into night are the fashion in a setting perfect for a romantic historical novel! Couples seeking to celebrate an anniversary, honeymoon, second honeymoon, engagement or simply to rekindle a relationship can create their own storybook memories. Nestled in the heart of the Switzerland village of Guarda. Amenities: Since 1658. 5th generation of innkeepers. Everything is small-scale and cozy. ● View Full Story & Photos Web: hotel-meisser.ch |
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