One of our Distinctive Inns of New England just keeps racking up awards from noteworthy travel publications; and no wonder!  Our own Rabbit Hill Inn, in Lower Waterford, Northeast Kingdom, Vermont, has been named to the Top Five Best Romantic Winter Experiences by Boston Magazine, and Most Romantic Place to Stay in New England 2010 by the venerable Yankee Magazine.  One of the clear reasons for these accolades is the incredibly scrumptious food produced by their chefs, especially their breakfast offerings.  Now they have divulged one of their favorite recipes, recently published on the web by InntheKitchen.com. 

Here is a fantastic and easy recipe for Cheddar Egg Strudel with Spinach Cream Sauce.  Made up of eggs, cheese, puff pastry, spinach, and cream, among other ingredients, this recipe is designed to make any home chef a winner in the culinary department.  Innthekitchen.com is the website made popular by Chef Rachelle Lucas, innkeeper and travel blogger.  Rachelle personally selects and tries all recipes on this site, and each one is displayed with great pictures and sometimes with video.  In this case, the recipe is broken down into really easy to follow steps, and the result will amaze you. 

So try this great breakfast dish out on your own, or better yet, come to Rabbit Hill Inn for the real deal, plus romance to spare.  This is one great place to stay at any time of the year, but we think it is best in the quiet time of winter.  Enjoy and bon appétit.

by Howard, Quantum Hospitality

Distinctive Inns of New England knows that there are niche Inn getaway packages for all types of wonderful experiences, but a “Babymoon Package” is a new one for us.  One of our Distinctive Inns of New England, The Captain’s House, located in quaint Chatham, MA, has now developed such an event.  Calling it a pre-baby vacation package for expecting parents, this unique Inn offering at one of our finest AAA Four Diamond rated Bed and Breakfast Inns is sure to be a must visit for all people embarking on the parenting experience.  Here is what it is all about.

This incredible Babymoon Package includes two nights in Winter and four nights in the Summer in one of the Inn’s fantastic rooms, a couples massage at one of the local Spas (for pregnant women prenatal massages are available), chocolates in the room on arrival, ice cream sundaes after dinner delivered to the room, for pregnant women, a comfy, specially designed pregnancy pillow, a copy of: Good Night Cape Cod (a spin-off on the children’s classic, Good Night Moon), a full gourmet breakfast each morning with room service optional, and afternoon cream tea served daily, with dinner reservations and activities available from the Inn’s concierge staff.  Wow, what a great package!  Do you have to be expecting to sign up? 

Whether you are expecting a baby through adoption or pregnancy, it is essential to get away one last time, just the two of you.  Indulge yourself for your last adult vacation (for awhile) and let the Captain’s House Inn pamper you before you embark on your parenting adventure.

by Howard, Quantum Hospitality

While many of our Distinctive Inns of New England feature fine dining as a part of their offerings, one of our most luxurious destinations, AAA rated Four- Diamond, Cliffside Inn located in Newport, Rhode Island, is a Bed and Breakfast Inn.  Not to be outdone by its epicurean friends in Distinctive Inns, this celebrated property has developed one of the most respected dining guides for Newport restaurants called The Best Restaurants of Newport.  This wonderful restaurant guide is designed to make your stay at Cliffside Inn a gourmet dining experience to be remembered forever.

Current top picks in the Restaurant Guide include Tucker’s Bistro, a romantic and funky, Parisian-style bistro, and 22 Bowen’s Wharf Wine Bar and Grille, Newport’s acclaimed wine bar and steakhouse, located right on the harbor.  Also included in anyone’s list of fine dining in Newport is the perennial favorite, the White Horse Tavern, probably one of the best overall dining experiences in Newport, or anywhere!  Finally, one of our long-term, more casual favorites, the Mooring Seafood Kitchen and Bar, also located on the docks, with spectacular views of Newport harbor.   Have the “chowdah” at the Mooring, and you will return again and again.  These are all part of the many culinary experiences listed in the Restaurant Guide, all a quick jaunt from Cliffside Inn. 

The celebrated Cliffside Inn, former home of legendary artist Beatrice Turner, has earned a worldwide reputation as one of New England’s most distinguished Bed & Breakfast luxury Inns. Known for seamlessly blending today’s finest deluxe amenities — whirlpools, steam baths, fireplaces, grand beds, fine linens — with Victorian elegance and antiques, refined design, and stunning artwork from the Turner collection, Cliffside is a magical hideaway.  With its Restaurant Guide to recommend the finest Newport gourmet dining, it is the perfect place for a getaway visit!

by Howard, Quantum Hospitality

If you are thinking about a New England getaway with your pet this year, you should consider visiting the Chesterfield Inn in West Chesterfield, New Hampshire.  This fabulous member of Distinctive Inns of New England is one of the few truly luxury Inns that really welcomes pets; and in their 22 years of hospitality, the doors of this Inn have always been open to guests who travel with their pets.

Located in Southwest New Hampshire, this Inn is nearby the Monadnock Region and both Keene, NH and Brattleboro, Vermont.  With its extensive gardens and grounds, this Inn is perfect for strolling and walking your pets.  The Inn has set aside six rooms for guests with pets, each outside its main building with separate entrances.   

The Chesterfield Inn even has a Pet Package complete with terrific fireplaced room, and a multi-course gourmet dinner (for the human guests) with special North Woods Animal Treats for the four-legged varieties.  While there are some policies that guests need to consider when visiting, the Chesterfield Inn goes out of its way to welcome pets.  For those who just cannot travel without their little friends, this is a really great place to consider.

by Howard, Quantum Hospitality

The New Hampshire Sled Dog Club hosts the 81st Laconia World Championship Sled Dog Derby on February 12th-14th and it is sure to be exciting!  If you have not seen a dog sled race, you will be entertained as they compete for the title.  The first sled dog races in Laconia took place in 1929 as part of a series of weekend events.  Now the Lake City Dog Sled Races have become a major winter sporting event.   Dogsled racing, more accurately referred to as sled dog racing, is a winter dog sport involving a timed competition of teams of sled dogs that pull a sled with the dog driver or musher standing on the runners. 

Mushers from Canada and the Unites States travel to take part in this championship competition, and at times are also joined from Mushers from Europe.  The New Hampshire Lakes Regions Dog Sled Race will have multiple classes of Mushers competing for a piece of the $15,000 purse as events start ane they draw for the line-up on February 11th.  The schedule for races start on the morning of February 12 and spectators are welcomed to join along in the fun!  

During your visit, stay at the Manor on Golden Pond and take advantage of their February special.  Book a three night stay during the month of February and receive a 50% discount on the third evening.

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

This is a unique way to spend Valentine’s Day weekend in Deerfield, Massachusetts.  The seventh annual American Heritage Chocolate Celebration will be exploring everything chocolate including a sumptuous array of gourmet chocolate desserts, foods, and beverages provided by the Deerfield Inn.  Step back and learn the history of chocolate and enjoy this chocolate-filled weekend that will delight chocolate lovers of all ages.   

 In addition to the tasting of chocolate treats, there will be demonstrations and lectures on learning on how cacao grows, open hearth cacao roasting, and American Heritage Chocolate tasting as you learn about the history of chocolate.  The Historic Division of Mars, Inc. will be recreating chocolate the way it was done by early New Englanders and it will also be featured in a wide variety of dishes.   Then attend one of the many demonstrations including an experienced silversmith as they recreate a silver chocolate pot.  This is only a sampling of the days events, but just think chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!    

The Celebration begins at 10:00 and continues until 4:30 on Saturday, February 13.  Tickets can be purchased the day of the event and are $12 for adults and please note that food tickets are additional.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

Romance is in the air as Valentine’s Day approaches and romantic New England getaways can be found at the Distinctive Inns of New England!  The ten inns of the Distinctive Inns of New England are all distinctly different, but share the common thread of outstanding hospitality and luxury lodging, just perfect for celebrating Valentine’s Day or any special occasion.  Now is the hard part, deciding which Distinctive Inn to visit for Valentine’s Day? 

If you are considering a coastal getaway, consider the charming town of Chatham, Massachusetts which is the home of the Captain’s House Inn.  Newport, Rhode is always a year around favorite and as is the Cliffside Inn.  Or, if you want a cozy Maine town, try the Camden Maine Stay in Camden, Maine.  All of the Inns are within walking distance to the ocean and there is nothing more romantic than the ice blue sky and sparkling waters of the ocean during the winter months.

A romantic getaway to New Hampshire or Vermont will present endless possibilities of outdoor recreation include cross-country and downhill skiing, snowshoeing, sleigh rides, and the list goes on!  The Inn at Thorn Hill in Jackson, New Hampshire; Manor on Golden Pond in Holderness, New Hampshire; Chesterfield Inn in Chesterfield, New Hampshire; or the Rabbit Hill Inn in Lower Waterford, Vermont are sure to be great locations!  Each Inn also offers romantic fine dining so if it is a cold winter night, you can snuggle up in your room and then go to dinner without having to brave the outdoor elements after a day of playing in the snow. 

Venture a little further south to Massachusetts and there is the Gateways Inn in Lenox and the Deerfield Inn in Deerfield.  Antiquing, shopping, visiting Historic villages, or just taking a moment to stop and enjoy a romantic getaway with a special loved one!  Check out the single malts at the Gateways Inn or over 100 martinis at the Deerfield Inn before you join them in the dining room for a truly special Valentine’s dinner. 

Now the choice is yours!  Just where will you spend your romantic getaway for Valentine’s Day?

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

New Hampshire Wine Week is happening January 22nd – 31st  and the events are numerous!  This is the 7th Annual New Hampshire Wine Week and proceeds will benefit Easter Seals of New Hampshire.  The events are numerous and will vary daily.  Popular wine enthusiasts will include Richard Sanford, Steele Wines, Author Kevin Zraly, Joseph Carr an award-winning Sommelier, and many others that are too numerous to mention.  Through out the week there will be wine dinners, wine tasting, wine and food pairing seminars, seminars on how to taste wine, guest bartenders, recording artists, bottle signing events, and wine and cheese workshops.

A highlight of the week will be a Wine Tasting on January 28th at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester.  This is the largest Wine Tasting north of Boston and will feature over 1,400 wines.  Tickets can be purchased on-line and the wine tasting will take place from 6-9 P.M.  Tickets vary in pricing from $60 to $150 depending upon which tasting you select. 

The Inn at Thorn Hill will also be participating in New Hampshire Wine Week and have a spectacular Wine Dinner being planned for January 27th.  They will have the honor of working with RP Imports who will be joined by Peter Merriam, Owner/Winemaker of Merriman Vineyards and Mark Neal, Owner/Winemaker of Neal family Vineyards.  The menu is just being finalized and it will be available shortly.  If you would like inquire about the wine dinner, please contact the Inn at Thorn Hill at 800-289-8990. 

There is so much wine to taste and things to learn in one week, that it will be hard to know where to begin! 

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

Winter fun is in abundance at the U.S. National Toboggan Championships in Camden, Maine.  The Toboggan Championships happen every February in Camden, Maine and this year they are planned for February 5th-7th.  The rules are simple.  Get 2 or 3 friends together, dress in an outrageous costume, grab a toboggan, and get ready for the thrill of your life.  We did this last year and it was a blast.  Just imagine the adreline rush as your toboggan reaches speeds of over 30 miles an hour as your toboggan plunges down an ice chute and comes to rest on the lake below. 

Toboggan teams of all levels compete in this three day event and all participants should register in advance.  There are the diehards with their custom made toboggans and then there are others that just use the toboggans which are furnished as part of your registration.  Test runs begin on Friday and the real competition happens on Saturday and Sunday with 2, 3, and 4 person teams.  There are awards for best costume, oldest team, fastest team, fastest women’s team, fastest children’s team, fastest high school team, and fastest college team.  Between taking a toboggan run, warm up while tasting the Chili and Chowder Competition and vote for the winner of the season. 

Even if you think that tobogganing is not for you, this is a great spectators sport as well!  It is just as much fun to watch all of the madness from the bleachers and cheer on your favorite teams.   Food, fun, friends, and snow make this a delightful winter weekend.  Once you visit the Maine Stay Inn to enjoy this weekend, it will be added to your winter “must do” events!   

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

Mt. Washington Valley Ski Touring Association has access to over 65 km of cross country ski trails which connect the Intervale Resort Loop to the Village of North Conway.  Whether you are new to cross country skiing or have been doing it for years, you are sure to enjoy their trails.  Along the trail, you will have access to wonderful views.  From scenic vistas of Mt. Washington to the forests of the White Mountains, views are breath taking.  

The trails have three defined sections which include Northern, Central, and Village.  They offer a map which provides a great overview of the trails, and we encourage you to plan accordingly.  Trails take you from scenic vistas, or along the Saco River, through the Whitaker Woods, to the village of North Conway, and into Intervale.  

Of course, this is just one of the cross country ski centers in the North Conway area.  Cross country skiing can also be enjoyed at Bear Notch, Bretton Woofs, Great Glen, Jackson, and King Pine.  After a day of cross country skiing, relax at the Inn at Thorn Hill and enjoy a relaxing massage or perhaps a peaceful Jacuzzi.  A lovely way to end a day in the great outdoors!   

Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality