The season of mittens and hot chocolate is upon us and if you’d rather spend a tranquil afternoon beside a fire than brave the crowds at a big ski resort, these snowy getaways are for you. Picture yourself in a luxury treehouse in the woodlands of Vermont, or a quiet cottage in the Catskills, or a retro motor lodge near Grand Teton National Park. Consider a new boutique hotel in Rhode Island from which you can tour Gilded Age mansions trimmed for the holidays. Or check into a stately newcomer in Germany and browse Christmas markets in places you thought existed only in fairy tales. From Bavaria to Wyoming, winter wonderlands await.
Barnard and Weston, Vt.
Twin Farms
This luxury estate in Barnard, Vt., about 15 minutes north of Woodstock, recently added eight places to stay that are likely to capture the imaginations of travelers in search of quiet and perhaps a bit of childlike wonder. Known as the Treehouses — the first new accommodation category the property has introduced in 30 years — each is around 800 square feet and cantilevered about 14 to 20 feet above ground. Observe birds from your private balcony, have a soak in the oversize tub, savor breakfast with ingredients from the farm in the dining nook, curl up with a book by the fireplace and, come evening, drift off in the king bed.
The eight Treehouses — each is reached via its own wood-and-metal pedestrian bridge — were designed to blend into their natural surroundings and are in addition to the intimate property’s other accommodations, which include four rooms in the main house, 10 cottages, a two-bedroom lodge and a four-bedroom farmhouse. When you descend from your aerie, take your cues from the season. Spend a few hours with a puzzle, or settle in for a game of chess or checkers. Visit the Furo, a bath house with salt water heated to 104 degrees, amid the woods. Work out at the fitness center. Explore the property’s more than 300 acres where you can try winter activities such as ice fishing, snowshoeing and fat-tire biking. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, don’t hold back: Your meals and drinks are included. There’s no set menu in the main dining room, while at the redesigned Twiggs, an à la carte menu changes monthly and may include pastas, stews, soups, pies and Vermont cheese.
Twin Farms allows guests ages 14 and older. Rates include all meals, beverages, cocktails, wine and use of the on-site recreational offerings and equipment. Treehouse prices are from $3,500 a…
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