8 Romantic Winter Weekend Getaways From New York City
With temperatures lowering, heading indoors—and staying there—heralds another annual occurrence: peak cuffing season. The opportunity to court and be courted (apparently) spikes in the winter, and with hot toddies, cozy sweaters, and gorgeous candles aflame, we understand why. Yet, despite the need to burrow, New Yorkers tend to get a little stir-crazy when holed up in our apartment for longer than a day. Enter: the romantic getaway.
Whether your fling is fresh off the ground or you’ve been together for 30 years, there’s no better time than winter to head out of town for a weekend of quality time (even if you spend the evenings watching Netflix). Below, we’ve rounded up eight of the best hotels within three hours of New York City for a perfect, luxurious winter weekend away.
Ocean House, Watch Hill, Rhode Island
Situated directly on the gorgeous beaches of Watch Hill, Rhode Island, Ocean House is a legendary New England resort dating back to 1868, with accolades that speak for itself. As the first and only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star hotel in the state, the property’s OH! Spa and Coast restaurant were also awarded Forbes Five Star Ratings, making it one of only 13 resorts in the world with triple Five Star Resort status. And the praise is well earned: the property is stunning, the massages are exquisite—the spa’s relaxation room is a rotunda overlooking the ocean (does it get better than that?)—and the food is divine. The hotel has also quickly risen to become one of the most coveted wedding destinations on the East Coast; its trademark cheery yellow facade and beachfront real estate lend itself to particularly stunning photos.
The room accommodations are sophisticated and cozy, with blue and white color schemes and luxe additions, like soaking tubs overlooking the water (and Taylor Swift’s house). And for those traveling with littles, the hotel’s kids club is ready and waiting.
Ocean House’s customer service and activity offerings are unparalleled: during a stay last spring while celebrating our wedding anniversary, my husband and I asked the concierge if we could take a cooking class even though it wasn’t on the schedule of activities that evening. Within an hour, they had set up a private pasta making class with the hotel's chef in the Center for Wine & Culinary Arts: an unforgettable experience that ended with all of us sharing a bottle of chianti and great conversation.
You can spend an entire weekend at the hotel and never have to leave: from movie screenings to croquet tournaments and everything in between, there are myriad activities to keep everyone in your brood entertained. And if you simply want to sit in the lobby and sip on a hot toddy by the fire, fiddle with a puzzle in one of the gigantic arm chairs, and take in the mellow sounds of Bobby Darin tunes played lightly on the piano by a live jazz musician, well, you can do that too. (We know from personal experience.)
The best part about Ocean House, besides its sweeping panoramic views of the water and 650 feet of private white sand beach complete with butler service, is its proximity to the quaint and classic seaside village of Watch Hill, and the gracious nature of its staff. From the moment you check in, you feel part of a family; leaving will be the hardest part of your trip.
Blantyre, Lenox, Massachusetts
Another Forbes Five Star Relais & Chateaux resort, this Tudor style mansion and estate built circa 1902 was recently renovated from top to bottom, restoring it back to its Gilded Age splendor. One of only 12 remaining mansions of the era in the Berkshires, Blantyre is situated on 110 acres in the mountains of western Massachusetts, just two and a half hours away from New York City.
With farm-to-table restaurants, fireplaces in almost every room, a serene spa set in one of the property’s original greenhouses, and a Wine Spectator-approved cellar with over 9,000 bottles, you’d be hard pressed not to have a romantic weekend at this upstate escape.
Activities for the restless abound, from touring the gardens in the summer to snowshoeing, skiing, and ice skating in the winter. For those looking for something a bit more unique: consider maple sugaring, a trip aloft in a hot air ballon, or a ride in a horse-drawn sleigh (yes, really).
If you feel like venturing around the area, the Berkshires offer plenty of history and culture. Interior design enthusiasts must make the sacred pilgrimage to The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home, now preserved as a museum (Wharton penned the historic interior design book, The Decoration of Houses—now required reading at most design schools.) The Norman Rockwell Museum is close by in Stockbridge, as is the Berkshire Botanical Garden, one of the country’s first. Shakespeare & Company, the theater company founded by Tina Parker in 1978, is also a must-visit. If it’s modern art you’re after, MASS MoCA is one of the largest centers for contemporary visual and performing arts in the U.S.
Topping Rose House, Bridgehampton, New York
You don’t have to own a place out east to feel like you’re a local. Approximately 100 miles from New York City in the heart of the Hamptons, Topping Rose House is the area’s first full-service luxury hotel, featuring 22 elegantly appointed guest rooms in the House, Studio, and Cottages—as well as spa services, a fitness center, house vehicles from Lexus, and a complimentary shuttle to the beautiful beaches and local attractions (including to Wolffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, a must-visit for a languid midday wine tasting).
Ideally situated near the halfway point of Montauk Highway, Topping Rose House is equidistant from the best shopping, cafés, museums, galleries, and restaurants that the East End has to offer. The on-site, 75-seat Jean-Georges restaurant is a standout; truly farm-to-table, it features produce grown on the property’s one-acre Topping Rose Farm and honors the best ingredients from other local farmers and fishermen. Local resident Ina Garten also happens to be a frequent diner. (I just so happened to meet her there when my husband and I went on our own romantic getaway at Topping Rose House a few weeks ago—I almost fainted.)
In the winter, fireplaces roar in the Main House. Try to snag a room on the third floor for ultimate peace and quiet. You’ll feel like you’re tucked away in your own home for a weekend of rest and relaxation. Head to Wolffer Kitchen in Amagansett for brunch (the banana French toast is not to be missed), before taking a relaxing drive out to the Montauk Lighthouse. Walk down the path to the rock beach or sit on one of the swings overlooking the bluff; there’s nothing more calming than the ocean, especially for a tightly wound New Yorker.
For dinner, 1770 House and the Maidstone hotel (with a kitchen helmed by Chef David Standridge of West Village staple Café Clover) both offer hearty menus and dining rooms lit by the glow of a fireplace. At 1770, don’t miss the meatloaf on the Tavern menu. Baron’s Cove in Sag Harbor is another cozy spot for a burger and a beer, and on Friday nights the bar downstairs offers live music. If it’s culture you’re after, the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill offers a wide array of rotating exhibits; the Whaling Museum in Sag Harbor also houses some interesting Moby Dick–era history, as does the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center, once home to artist Jackson Pollock.
Glenmere Mansion, Hudson Valley, New York
Originally fashioned as a 35-room Tuscan villa for a financier in 1911, Glenmere Mansion underwent a painstaking restoration to return to its original beauty. Situated in New York’s Hudson Valley, the boutique hotel is approximately two hours from the city but feels like a world away once you drive up its long, stately entrance. Upon arriving, guests are greeted with cocktails, homemade cookies, and a handwritten welcome note; the fireplace in your room will also most likely be ablaze. Sumptuous terry robes hang in elegant white-marble bathrooms, and claw-footed tubs beckon. The interiors of the space are visually stunning: Original architectural details were preserved throughout, and the landscape offers panoramic views of the surrounding hills and tranquil Glenmere Lake. But what you really come here for is the spa: It’s one of only a handful of true Turkish Carrara marble bathhouses and hammams in the United States, so the experience is unparalleled.
The hammam routine involves mixed use of the herbal steam room, dry heat sauna, stimulating Swiss shower, cool mist room, aqua massage vitality pool, and a warm marble belly stone; not to mention a vigorous body scrub followed by a purifying cleanse and 60- or 90-minute massage. Couples treatments here are not to be missed; a lavish duet suite boasts side-by-side soaking tubs and treatment tables. Plus, each ritual in the spa includes pre- or post-treatment tapas and a selection of organic teas, juices, or water infusions in their stunning Relaxation Library, complete with a fireplace.
With two dining options onsite (one casual and one a bit fancier), plus breakfast included in the gorgeous dining room, there’s no need to leave to explore; but, if you’re curious, consider heading over to Brotherhood Winery, the oldest vineyard in America, for a wine tasting or tour. The Dia:Beacon art museum and Storm King Art Center are also only a quick ride away, as are the antiquing towns of Warwick and Sugar Loaf. Plus, Woodbury Common, one of the largest luxury retail outlets in the country, is a stone’s throw away. (It boasts a Tom Ford and a Shake Shack, if that piques your interest.)
Castle Hill Inn, Newport, Rhode Island
The first Rhode Island hotel to be invited to join the prestigious Relais & Chateaux hotel group, in 2008, Castle Hill Inn is a luxurious seaside escape steeped in rich New England history. A stunning waterfront town, Newport has played vacation home to everyone from Grace Kelly (her favorite private beach is actually on Castle Hill’s premises; she used to frequent it while filming High Society) to Taylor Swift, and with good reason: Its classic elegance mixed with beach-town charm draws you right in from the start.
Castle Hill’s unique layout includes an original 19th-century lighthouse refurbished into a guest room, as well as recently constructed bungalows hidden away on the beach for a more private feel. Stay in one of 33 upscale rooms or beach cottages while enjoying complimentary breakfast and afternoon tea as well as private beach access, and be sure to ask for a room with a gas fireplace and heated floors.
Don’t pass up a couples massage in the hotel’s signature spa, The Retreat, complete with local products from Rhode Island–based natural skincare company Farmaesthetics, and make sure to dine in one (or both) of the hotel’s restaurants: The food is impeccable. With board games and hot toddies offered next to the lobby’s wood-burning fireplace, you might never want to leave, but if you get the itch, ice skating at Bowen’s Wharf is a fun and wintry experience worth having. Top it off with some hot chocolate and lunch harborside at The Mooring, or have a romantic Italian dinner for two at local spot Mamma Luisa.
33 Main, Lenox, Massachusetts
A recent addition to the Berkshires, 33 Main is a labor of love from designer Annie Selke, founder of the eponymous textile line and a native to the Berkshires. Named after its address, 33 Main is located at 33 Main Street in the heart of historic downtown Lenox, just minutes from Annie’s home and a short 20-minute drive to her company’s headquarters in Pittsfield.
With just eight rooms, the inn, housed in a historic, 4,320-square-foot, Federal-style building, is welcoming and intimate. The en-suite guestrooms—two of which are dog-friendly—feature Annie Selke headboards, bedding, rugs, lamps, furniture, and artwork that are all available for purchase through menu cards located in each room. The space feels new and fresh while still remaining inviting and supremely cozy.
Guests are greeted with freshly baked cookies in each room along with bottled water, and a full gourmet breakfast is included each morning of your stay. Handmade herbal apothecary products are available in each bathroom, and a cocktail hour with nibbles in the front parlor gives off a joyous feel in the afternoons.
If you feel like venturing around the area, the Berkshires offer plenty of history and culture. The Norman Rockwell Museum is close by in Stockbridge, as is the Berkshire Botanical Garden, one of the country’s first. Shakespeare & Company, the theater company founded by Tina Parker in 1978, is also a must-visit. If it’s modern art you’re after, The MASS MoCA is one of the largest centers for contemporary visual and performing arts in the U.S.
Grace Mayflower Inn & Spa, Washington, Connecticut
The Grace Mayflower Inn & Spa is one of the foremost destination spas on the East Coast. Located in the idyllic town of Washington, Grace Mayflower Inn & Spa is an exquisite country retreat, nestled on 58 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and woodland. Just two hours driving distance from New York, the 30-room luxury hotel is a member of the renowned Relais & Châteaux association of the world’s finest hoteliers, chefs, and restaurateurs.
Surrounded by 3,000 acres of nature preserve and boasting a 20,000-square-foot spa, there is no shortage of relaxing activities here, be it yoga, hiking, or simply sitting in front of a fire with a good book and a warm cup of tea. Private lessons are also available for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and other wintry outdoor activities, as are specific couples retreat packages tailored to the season’s best offerings.
Guests can choose from 30 different accommodations in four charming buildings: Mayflower House, Speedwell Cottage, Standish Cottage, and Allerton Cottage. All accommodations are cozily appointed with feather-topped mattresses, antique oriental rugs, enormous (and romantic) marble bathrooms with brass and Limoges fittings, as well as gas fireplaces and plump oversize pillows and linens by Frette on antique four-poster beds. A distinguished collection of 18th- and 19th-century art can also be found throughout the hotel.
If the itch to explore strikes, downhill enthusiasts should try the 23 slopes of nearby Mohawk Mountain; lessons for both experts and beginners are available. Additionally, the nearby Woodbury Ski Area offers excellent tubing and cross-country skiing. Other available activities include hiking, car races, countryside car tours, and horseback riding, which the concierge will handily arrange for you. And if you’re looking for a more mellow activity, the hotel’s surrounding area, Litchfield Hills, is known as “America’s Antiquing Capital.” Connecticut’s oldest art house movie theater, the Bantam Cinema (circa 1927), is also nearby and features mostly independent films.
Rivertown Lodge, Hudson, New York
For those seeking a Brooklyn-esque escape, Rivertown Lodge, a 27-room hotel located in Hudson, is upstate’s answer to understated cool. It‘s located along the town’s main historic thoroughfare, Warren Street, which is home to an eclectic mix of antique shops, galleries, restaurants, and performance spaces.
Designed by Brooklyn-based design firm Workstead, the space has a vintage, utilitarian feel, highlighted by cozy elements like wood-burning fireplaces and a built-in lobby library. Originally constructed in the 1920s as a movie theater, the original facade of the building remains, along with many architectural details; the interiors have been transformed to embody the aesthetic culture of Hudson Valley with a chic, minimalist twist.
Guest rooms contain natural bath products by 2 Note Botanical Perfumery and Hudson Made, while beds are swathed in Frette linens and 100-percent-organic Keetsa mattresses. Much of the furniture is crafted by local artisans, such as the tables by Sawkille Co., while the art in the room is by local artists, including Melissa Auf de Maur.
A quiet, cultured town in upstate New York, Hudson is filled with antique stores, art galleries, and award-winning restaurants. Be sure to hit the famed Phoenicia Diner for some legendary pancakes. If a spa day is what you’re after, Mohonk Mountain House, a nearby resort housed in a Victorian castle, offers an extensive selection of treatments. Brunette, a gorgeous little natural-wine bar in Kingston, is the perfect spot for a light bite or after-dinner drinks.
