Home
>
Vacation Rental
>
The Inn at Woodstock Hill: Classic New England Atmosphere in Beautiful Northeastern Connecticut

The Inn at Woodstock Hill: Classic New England Atmosphere in Beautiful Northeastern Connecticut

Many vacation spots purport to offer true relaxation, but upon closer inspection impede the promise with myriad outlet stores, souvenir shops, heavy traffic akin to the kind you were trying to ecsape, and trendy restaurants offering lots of attitude and very little food.

The Inn at Woodstock Hill, in Northeastern Connecticut's pristine town of Woodstock, avoids these modern day tourist trappings by just being itself. And, in turn, you can be yourself. Beautifuly situated in the gentle rolling hills of a town center with no traffic, gas stations and few stores, The Inn at Woodstock Hill is like meeting that special, once-in-a-lifetime love--once you meet this romantic vacation destiny, you're sure to return again and again.

Around the corner from the bustling downtown complete with a produce stand, a church and colonial homes (the town's idea of a strip mall are rows of apple orchards), the placid Inn at Woodstock Hill could convince the most hardcore business executive to slow down, breathe in the untouched air, and marvel at the old and wise tall trees. First, consider the nice, warm people who make the Inn at Woodstock Hill such a special place. They just don't tell you to have a nice time, but actually are part of that experience with nice conversation and a graciousness only known in a previous New England era. They make you feel like a part of their lives, and that is truly rare in this one-hour, fast food, drive-through society in which we live.

The Inn, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, stands majestically on Plain Hill. Built in 1816, the Inn largely consists of a Federal/Georgian style mansion with a carriage house and two barns. Later additions were built in the last half of the 19th century. In 1927, a caretaker's cottage, with three guestrooms, was built.

Everything you see here is truly beautiful, the prototype for an elegant country inn. As you drive up the circular entrance drive, you see the manicured gardens and know that you are in for a special treat. Upon entering the remarkably renovated inn, the warmth of classical archways draw you deeper into the heart of the stately establishment, to the reception desk. Surrounded by floral wall and window treatments and scattered, but well-placed thriving plants reminiscent of your grandmother's house, you are suddenly feeling more relaxed and begin eyeing the comfortable-looking seating in the sitting rooms, lined by shelves of old classics (and also a children's literature section) and newer releases.

The Inn at Woodstock Hill offers 22 beautiful rooms. We recently had the honor of staying in a room with a strikingly charming 20 foot high ceiling, antique and period reproductions and a four poster canopy king sized bed. Big windows provided wonderful views of the open land and hills beautifully framing the backyard. We later realized that modern amenities also existed such as cable television, videos, a telephone and computer jack, but none of that interested us much. We were strictly interested in doing nothing, which is ultimately everything.

So comfortable was our nap that we almost forgot about our dinner reservations downstairs at what turned out to be a truly remarkable restaurant. We walked down the elegant red carpeted, curved staircase (which was wrapped in tulle, with just the right amount of ivy and floral accents to make you feel as if you were royalty floating down to meet your subjects) straight to a charming little dining room with candlelight, a fireplace and old world furnishings. This was the smaller dining room which was long on warmth, ambience and an incredibly fine menu. We devoured some crab cakes, as good as anything we've had in Maryland. The caesar salad mixed fresh dark greens with a "just right" dressing. After finishing some wonderfully warm homemade bread, we then fell in love with the irresistablly tender and tasty Long Island duckling with a brandied lingonberry glaze. The New York sirloin steak had perhaps a little too much pepper, but that was no problem, as the quality of the steak rivaled the best steak houses in New England. For dessert, we sampled a fallen chocolate cake, which we had instantly fallen for. Not in recent memory had we tasted such a rich, yet airy chocolate, with just the right amount of raspberry sauce, ultimately designed to finish within seconds because of its incredible taste.

After dinner, we walked off some of the food by experiencing the other rooms at the Inn. The main living room has yet more stunning period furnishings, a roaring fireplace, classic hardwood floors and large, open windows to view those rolling hills beyond scenic Route 169. The main dining room is like a larger version of the smaller dining room, but probably more reminiscent of an old world hotel dining room. Candlelight, soft music, polished silver, beautiful crystal and fine linen are just a few of the touches, which complement the superb food.

Before retiring for the evening, we chatted for a while with a manager who told us of the virtues of the Woodstock area, also known as part of the "Quiet Corner" of Connecticut. He, as well, as other Inn personnel are either happy transplants or lifelong residents. It was touching to hear someone speak from the heart on the place they have chosen to live, instead of uttering cookie cutter promotional talk. Just like the leisurely look of the Inn, the personnel talks in a most relaxed and friendly tone. You never feel an aura of pretentiousness, which could be the case at such an elegant, historical setting.

We slept so well that night in one of the most comfortable beds known to us. Refreshed the next morning, we walked down that memorable staircase one more time to have a fine continental breakfast, with fresh fruit, muffins and bread serving as quality offerings.

We then rested a little more in our room, hesitatingly signed out, and promised to come back soon. Traveling home on scenic Route 169 -- one of the most beautiful bucolic drives in New England -- gave us some great last memories of this underrated region, but in our minds, we wanted to turn around and head back to the Inn at Woodstock Hill. Just hours after leaving the Inn, we missed it greatly, indeed like meeting that special someone for the first time, and then eagerly awaiting that second date. We can hardly wait for that second date, with an eye to commit ourselves, forever, to frequenting this classic New England inn.

The Inn at Woodstock Hill, 94 Plaine Hill Road,Woodstock, CT 06281-2912. Phone: (860) 928-0528

Visiting New England.com (http://www.visitingnewengland.com) is a lively travel and vacation web site, focusing on travel essays, reviews, resources and gift ideas. From dining and lodging to discovering the best tourist destinations (well known and hidden gems), Visiting New England.com is written by native New Englanders, having an inside scoop on the wonderful six state region.

Kalamazoo taxi o'hare .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Experts say hackers who used to focus on Windows operating systems are increasingly targeting Apple IDs as part of a new phishing campaign.

Unitree, a Chinese robotics company that developed a backflipping robot, has now introduced a humanoid robot capable of doing a side flip.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

According to the FBI, cybercriminals are sending extortion letters, threatening to release victims' sensitive information unless a ransom is paid.

FireSat is a satellite project designed to detect and track wildfires early, aiming to detect a fire that's the size of a classroom within 20 minutes.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reports that researchers have uncovered a Chrome vulnerability used in a cyber espionage campaign.

Preserving voicemails securely on Android: Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals easy methods to keep memories alive forever.

This phishing kit bypasses 2FA via session hijacking and real-time credential theft. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers four ways to stay safe from Astaroth phishing attacks.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic planning to launch 200-mph U.K. air taxis linking airports and cities.

Fake Apple virus warnings, security alerts and messages are tactics used to prompt you to call a number or click on a malicious link. The CyberGuy explains how to protect your devices.

The combination of artificial intelligence and neuroscience allows a paralyzed man to manipulate a robotic arm by using his brain to imagine movements.

With the help of artificial intelligence, sophisticated fraud techniques emerging today are virtually undetectable to the untrained eye.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents

If you need to free up space on your Mac, consider deleting duplicate photos in your image library. Apple makes it easy to do, and the CyberGuy explains the process.

Microsoft is discontinuing Skype in May after 22 years of service. Kurt the CyberGuy addresses other options for internet-based phone and video service.

Tron 1, a Chinese company's two-legged robot, is versatile and can walk, roll and pivot, even on rough terrain. Tron 1 stands 33 inches tall and weighs 44 pounds.

Hackers are tricking people into installing password-stealing malware by making them press keyboard shortcuts under the pretense of proving they're not bots.

Saving the voices of loved ones can be a comforting way to keep alive memories. Kurt "the CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to preserve voicemail messages.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The FBI warns that some free online document converters load malware onto people's computers, making their private information vulnerable to attack.

Toyota's compact electric FT-Me is designed to tackle challenges of city living while offering an accessible and eco-friendly transportation solution.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 23andMe's bankruptcy raises data privacy fears: Opt out, download and delete data now.

UBTech and Zeekr unite with AI robot swarms to make car manufacturing faster and smarter. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how the process works.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Apple's Passwords app had a three-month phishing flaw from iOS 18 to 18.2 patch.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how this super-small electric mini-truck takes a big step toward production.

The Inn at Woodstock Hill: Classic New England Atmosphere in Beautiful Northeastern Connecticut

Vacation Rental