New Hampshire’s Romance Season Blends Fire and Ice
Romantics will find lots of fire and ice combinations in New Hampshire this winter, and not just on Valentine’s Day. In fact, the official New Hampshire Travel and Tourism website — www.VisitNH.gov — provides dozens of suggestions for “Relaxation and Romance” packages. Many inns and hotels are offering special packages that provide a better deal off-season and “off-weekend.” From the website homepage, select ”Seasonal Packages” then simply choose the region and the theme.
New Hampshire’s iconic poet Robert Frost wondered “if the world will end in fire or ice;” but for romantics, there’s no denying the allure of a crackling fireplace contrasted with New Hampshire’s winter ice palace. The combination of breathtakingly chill air and a warm fireside warms the heart and soul. Perhaps that’s why those fiery crystals — diamonds — are the ultimate symbol of romance.
Romantics will find lots of fire and ice combinations in New Hampshire this winter, and not just on Valentine’s Day (which this year falls on a Monday). In fact, the official New Hampshire Travel and Tourism website — www.VisitNH.gov — provides dozens of suggestions, from virtually every region of the state, for “Relaxation and Romance” packages. Many inns and hotels are offering special packages that provide a better deal off-season and “off-weekend.” From the website homepage, select ”Seasonal Packages” then simply choose the region and the theme.
Plus there are Winter Carnivals in Franconia, Mount Washington Valley and Keene that feature bonfires to keep fairgoers warm. Dartmouth College in Hanover started it all in 1939 with ice sculptures and a giant bonfire and now Dartmouth’s Winter Carnival (www.dartmouth.edu/carnival/) features snow sculptures, a polar bear swim and other collegiate winter fun.
And whether you’re shopping for more logs for the fire, an antique fireplace tool set, or a multi-carat diamond, set in a ring designed by a member of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, remember, there’s no sales tax in New Hampshire!
Here are some fire and ice inn suggestions for stoking romance:
The “Couples Day Inn” package (starting at $479*) at the new Church Landing at the Inns at Mill Falls provides fireside relaxation within view of the iced-over Lake Winnipesaukee. Enjoy a side-by-side 50 minute massage in the VIP Spa Suite at the inn’s Cascade Spa then relax by the fireplace with dinner from the Lakehouse Grille, served in your room. Freshly baked pastries, juice and coffee are also delivered to the room the next morning. Includes 1 night superior accommodation, Cascade Spa couples treatment massage, dinner (choice of menu) and continental breakfast delivered to your room. For information, www.millfalls.com or 800-622-MILL.
The Lighthouse Inn Bed & Breakfast in Laconia offers a “Romantic Getaway” starting at $180.* The Whitehead Light room beckons with a fireplace, a whirlpool tub, a queen-size bed and a bottle of champagne or box of chocolates. The rate includes a full gourmet breakfast and discounts at area restaurants. A nearby spa can provide a his and/or her in-room massage (extra charge), or discounted prices. For information www.lighthouseinnbb.com or tollfree 977-543-5432.
Ashworth By the Sea Hotel in Hampton provides the romantic option of dining and dancing five nights a week. Their “Winter Escape” package starting at $129* is available Sunday through Thursday nights. After a brisk walk along the icy Atlantic shore, warm up in the indoor heated pool (kept at 82 degrees), then relax over a fireside dinner in the restaurant. Package includes overnight accommodations, dinner and breakfast. For information, www.ashworthhotel.com or 603-926-6762.
The Woodstock Inn’s “Romantic Getaway” at $207* per person, double occupancy, for two midweek nights covers accommodation in one of the inn’s Grand Rooms, featuring two-person Jacuzzis and fireplaces, fresh flowers and champagne, a candlelight dinner in the Clement Room Grille and full breakfast. For information, www.woodstockinnNH.com or call 800-321-3985.
The 1784 Historic Lovetts Inn in Franconia offers great savings on non-weekend nights. Choose a Sunday through Thursday stay and your second night is 20 percent off. If you stay a third night, the second night is 25 percent off and the third night, 50 percent off. The Inn has thirteen cottages with fireplaces, three with both fireplaces and whirlpools. The Inn offers fireside dining as well. For more information visit www.lovettsinn.com or call 800-356-3802.
Also in Franconia, Sunset Hill House — which Yankee magazine cited as “the best view with a room” — has fireplaces throughout its public spaces, from the Dining Room and Tavern to the Library and Gameroom. The inn’s Master Suites and Grand Rooms have fireplaces, two-person whirlpools and king-sized beds. The “Valentine’s Getaway” starting at $249* (per night, three night minimum on weekends) includes a full bottle of champagne and a box of chocolate truffles on arrival and a 5-course candlelit dinner each night. One night, at no additional charge, the Chef presents a very special 7-course “romantic tasting dinner.” Also includes full breakfast each morning and a “Free Money” $10 coupon for each night stayed, good on any retail, food or gift certificate purchased, or on future lodging. For information, www.sunsethillhouse.com or call 800-786-4455.
The 1785 Inn & Restaurant in North Conway has put together a special “Romance Package” for $199* per night for two. The package includes accommodations, dinner in the Wine Spectator award-winning restaurant voted “the most romantic in the area” (it has a fireplace), breakfast for two, and champagne and flowers in your room on arrival. Both of the Inn’s living rooms have fireplaces original to the 18th century building. For information, www.the1785inn.com or call 800-421-1785.
In Littleton, the Beal House Inn & Restaurant is offering a “Body & Soul Romance” package starting at $295* per night, double, for the “Garden” and “Flume” guestrooms that feature two-person jacuzzis and gas fireplaces. The package includes lodging, full breakfast, one three-course dinner for two, a bottle of wine in-room on arrival and a bath amenities kit. The inn can provide breakfast in bed for $10 additional (with 48-hours advance notice). Their Rumba Bar is famous for its 252 different martinis. (Note: add $25 per night for accommodations on Valentine weekend and $50 per couple for the special 4-course champagne Valentine’s dinner.) For information, www.bealhouseinn.com or call 888-616-BEAL.
The Glynn House Inn, Bed & Breakfast in Ashland is the setting for a three-night “Winter Romance” getaway that includes accommodations, champagne on arrival and dinner in Foster’s Steak House for $569* (available Sunday through Thursday nights.) The Valentine’s Day package starts at $449* and includes includes chilled champagne waiting on arrival, two chocolate truffles and two luxurious monogrammed “Glynn House Inn” terry cloth robes to take home. All but one of the inn’s thirteen rooms have a fireplace. The five deluxe suites have both fireplaces and double spa tubs. For information, www.glynnhouse.com or 800-637-9599.
At the Hancock Inn in Hancock (Monadnock Region), if you stay two nights, the third night is free. Rates start at $215* per night and include full breakfast. The Norway Plain room, Bell Tower room and Ball Room have fireplaces and whirlpools. An additional four guestrooms have fireplaces, including the Rufus Porter Room featuring an 1825 mural by that painter. The highly-acclaimed Dining Room offers fireside dining. For information www.hancockinn.com or 603-525-3318.
For some, romance means “less is more.” If so, the Tamworth Inn in Tamworth offers exactly that. The “Do Nothing Retreat” package starts at $440* for two nights accommodations, with breakfast and afternoon tea. Ask for The Romance Room: #29, which features a king-sized bed and two-sided fireplace: bask in its warmth from the sitting area, or from the bathroom while soaking in the two-person hydro-massage tub. For information, www.tamworth.com or 800-642-7352.
The Victorian Nestlenook Farm on the River in Jackson offers both rooms with fireplaces and ice skating or sleighrides complete with bonfires. Named one of the “10 most romantic inns in America,” Nestlenook Farm’s rooms are named for 19th century painters of the White Mountains School. The William Paskell room has a gas fireplace and the “Romantic Retreat” package includes two nights with dinner starting at $549 midweek. Visit www.lmgnh.com/nestlenookfarm or call tollfree, 877-LMG-STAY .
For name alone, the Three Chimneys Inn in Durham (Seacoast Region) suggests the perfect marriage of fire and ice. Located, appropriately, on Valentine Hill overlooking formal gardens and the Old Mill Falls, the inn proposes a ”Build Your Own” package, starting at $514* midweek ($572* on the weekend), covering two nights’ accommodations, two breakfasts and a three-course dinner in your choice of Maples dining room or the ffrost Sawyer Tavern, both boasting large original fireplaces. Four of the guestrooms in the c. 1795 carriage house feature two-person soaking tubs and gas fireplaces. Chef Rebecca Esty commands the culinary team which the Phantom Gourmet commended for “the best inn dining in New England.” For information, www.threechimneysinn.com or 888-399-9777.
Wentworth By the Sea Hotel & Spa, on the Seacoast, offers fireside dining in both the Wentworth Dining Room and the intimate Roosevelt’s Lounge. On Sunday through Thursday evening from 5 to 7 pm, the Wentworth Dining Room presents a $27.95 prix fixe, three-course “Winter Fireside Dinner.” Frugal romantics will opt for the “Seascape Romance” package, also available Sunday through Thursday nights (except holidays) for an additional $115* per person, including breakfast. The Wentworth “Valentine Package” ($189* per person, based on double occupancy) is available February 11, 12, 13 and 14 provides all the details for that perfect moment: luxurious accommodations, a Spa massage for each, bottle of champagne and New England buffet breakfast for two. Wentworth Executive Chef Daniel Dumont is preparing a special Valentine Dinner, as well. The restored grand hotel features 18 junior suites with gas fireplaces in the main hotel and an additional 18 bi-level suites with gas fireplaces in the waterfront Little Harbor Marina Suites. For information, www.wentworth.com or 866-240-6313.
The Mount Washington Resort’s grand stone fireplace greets arriving guests with the warming flicker of its hearth year round and the fireplaces in both the Conservatory and the Princess Lounge are great gathering spots for afternoon tea or pre-dinner cocktails. Deluxe, and some Corner Vista rooms have working fireplaces. The “Romantic Winterlude” package contrasts an icy sleigh or carriage ride around the hotel’s magnificent grounds and a romantic candlelight dinner, starting at $150* per person, per night (based on double occupancy; two-night minimum). Package includes a bottle of sparkling wine with keepsake Mount Washington Hotel glasses, fresh flowers in the room, sleigh or carriage ride for two, candlelight dinner each evening in the Dining Room and full country breakfast each morning. The Mount Washington also affords guests access to a variety of icy winter sports at neighboring Bretton Woods. For information, www.mtwashington.com or 800-314-1752.
At the Mountain View Grand Resort, Juliet’s Restaurant is the place for romance, offering intimate rooms, each with unmatched views of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. From the fireplace, to the beamed ceilings, to the sparkling chandeliers, the rooms exude the warmth and comfort of a fine country manor. The “Romantic RendezVIEW” package, starting at $309* midweek includes two nights’ accommodations (automatic upgrade to Majestic Room if booked 30 days prior to arrival), champagne and fresh fruit on arrival, hearty New England breakfast each morning, casual dinner on check-in night at Nicky Finn’s, romantic dinner for two in Juliet’s, and special turndown service with massage oils from the Tower Spa. For information, www.mountainviewgrand.com or call 800-438-3017.
For that heady combination of an outdoor bonfire served with your ice:
Nordic Village Resort offers townhouse-style accommodations starting at $99* per night. The lodgings all feature fireplaces and jacuzzis and the resort hosts nightly bonfires by their skating pond. For information, www.lmgnh.com/NordicVillage, or call tollfree 877-LMG-STAY.
The Atkinson Resort & Country Club in Atkinson is open to the public seven days a week for cross-country skiing and ice skating on its grounds throughout the winter, weather permitting. On Friday and Saturday evenings, skaters can warm up around a bonfire on the resort premises. Skating is available free of charge to day visitors and guests at the resort’s hotel, the Fieldstone Suites. The public is also welcome at the resort’s Stagecoach Grille and Merrill’s Tavern, offering seasonal specials, including a wide variety of coffee drinks and “make-your-own S’mores.” For more information about skiing and skating conditions, call (603) 362-8700.
For romantic sleigh rides that wind — and warm — up with a bonfire at the end, Keene seems to have cornered the market. Three different farms in Keene offer the experience: Charmingfare Farm, Point of View Farm and Punch Brook Farm. Visit www.keenenh.com/seasonal/winter/familyfun.asp for more information.
And what better than ice and fireworks for a family winter getaway?
2nd Annual Mt. Washington Valley Winter Carnival, North Conway (February 25 – March 6, 2005) offers 10-days of unique festivities combining food, music, entertainment, and fun for all ages. More than 30 events, located throughout the greater Mt. Washington Valley include the Second Annual Chilly Chili Cook-off, Snow sculpture, Ice Carving, Ski and Snowmobile events, Ice Skating, Fireworks, and Shopping/Dining Specials. Buttons are $5.00 per person providing admittance to all entertainment venues. For more information, email: info@mwvevents.com
Frostbite Follies Winter Carnival (February 4, 5, 6, 2005) encompasses the communities of Bethlehem, Bretton Woods, Franconia, Lisbon, Littleton, Sugar Hill and Whitefield, plus the unique facilities of the Mount Washington Hotel and Resort and the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa. Events over this exciting weekend include all winter sports, rides, tours, entertainment, bonfires, snow sculptures, parade and fireworks. “Bentley,” the Frostbite Follies snowman mascot appears at Carnival activities promoting fun and folly and passing out goodies to kids. Information from Littleton Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information, call 603-444-6561 or email: info@frostbitefollies.com
On the Seacoast, Somersworth’s Winterfest is celebrated the first weekend in February, Friday night through Sunday afternoon. The free, family-oriented weekend of indoor and outdoor winter activities includes games, adult and kids dance, skating and a giant bonfire. For information, contact the Greater Somersworth Chamber of Commerce, http://www.somersworthchamber.com/ or (603) 692-7175.
Loon Mountain in Lincoln celebrates Independence Day Weekend (January 15-17, 2005) as “the designated long weekend to celebrate Loon’s independence from Mother Nature.” Enjoy special events, including Snowcat rides, a torchlight parade, and a massive fireworks show. Also, a ten-foot-tall Uncle Sam character skis with the kids. For more information, call 800-229-LOON or visit www.loonmtn.com
Over in the Monadock region, try Keene’s Annual Ice and Snow Fest (February 12, 2005) Downtown Keene becomes a winter wonderland of frosty fun and festivities, including professional and amateur ice carving, a one-mile “go-at-your-own-pace” snowshoe race open to people of all ages (snowshoes will be available for use), snow sculpting, sidewalk vendors and much more. www.keenechamber.com Phone: (603)352-1303.
A full listing of events and travel information can be found at www.VisitNH.gov A free New Hampshire Guidebook for year round reference can also be obtained on the website, or by calling 1-800-FUN-IN-NH, ext. 100.
January 5, 2005
Posted in: United States NorthEast