When planning your New Hampshire getaway vacation at the Chesterfield Inn, experience a little chocolate heaven in nearby Brattleboro, Vermont.  Tom and Sally’s Handmade Chocolates has it all, chocolate, chocolate, and a little more chocolate!  Nine vats of melted dark and milk chocolate churn 24 hours a day.  A machine with a long conveyer belt creates luxurious European-style bonbons by coating creams, caramels, and ganache with Belgian and French chocolate.

Tom and Sally’s Handmade Chocolates goes toe-to-toe with the best chocolatiers in the world and have won 14 national awards.  They have been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, and in food magazines such as Bon Appetite.  Their true love is clearly zany and unusual and they offer everything from European bonbons to tongue-in-cheek and slightly risqué chocolate treats.  Their best-selling product is chocolate body paint – Belgian chocolate in a cream base with an instruction label that reads:  “Heat the jar to 98.6 degrees, apply liberally and let your imagination run free.”  Or maybe you would like to try cow pies – two ounces of milk or dark premium Belgium chocolate funneled on top of cashews or almonds!

Factory tours are available Monday through Saturday, from 10 A.M. until 2 P.M.  It is recommended to call ahead to let them you know you are coming.  The guided tour takes about one hour and of course includes samples of the delectable chocolates!  The tour costs $7.00 for adults and $2.50 for children up to the age of 18.  Sally is very informative and a lot of fun!  She will explain the whole process from where the cocoa bean originated from to where they import their chocolate and how each piece is carefully handmade.  However, if you just want to stop by the store and check it out, they are open from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Monday through Saturday and during peak seasons they are also open on Sundays from noon to 5 P.M. 

Wine enthusiasts unite!  The Inn at Thorn Hill in Jackson, New Hampshire has a wine cellar that is beyond compare and that is why they are the only New Hampshire restaurant that holds the Award of Ultimate Distinction for their wine cellar.   With over 3,000 wines in their cellar, they make it very easy to enjoy the very best wines available and all are resonably priced.

When dining at the Inn at Thorn Hill, menu offerings are thoughtfully paired with wines by the glass and also flights of wine.  Currently, they are offering 25-30 choices of wine by the glass, as well as a rotating top fifty list of staff selections, favorites, and reasonably priced bottles.  They also offer a Wine Club which is enjoying tremendous growth and popularity, with over 200 members.  These members dine often and enjoy the benefits of quarterly wine tastings and hors d’oeuvres.   

The Inn also hosts wine dinners throughout the year and the upcoming wine dinners are scheduled for July 22nd & September 16th, 2010.  July 22nd wine dinner will feature Joseph Mellot Portfolio, presented by Wineberries Company.  The vineyard is in the center of the Loire region and the winery is well known for their viticultural and vinification methods.   September 16th will feature Michael Burke from Vias Imports/MS Walker.  The dinner will feature an Italian Harvest style dinner that, weather permitting, may be held on the outside deck.  Please inquire directly with the Inn at 603-383-4242 for details on both wine dinners.

If you are seeking a romantic getaway with access to an excellent wine cellar, plan a trip to visit the Inn at Thorn Hill.  You will not be disappointed!

By Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

On your next romantic getaway to New Hampshire, be sure to experience a beer and dessert pairing at the Manor on Golden Pond.  The beer and dessert pairing is offered in their Three Cocks Pub and features local Artisan Beer and luscious desserts.  So beer and dessert?  Sounds like an interesting combination and is sure to surprise even the most skeptical of taste buds.

One of the new beer and wine pairings feature Hazelnut-Mocha Crème Brulee and Smutty nose Old Brown Dog Beer.  Rich chocolate and coffee custard with a hint of hazelnuts and a crusty caramel crust which is served with whipped crème, cocoa dusted nuts, and a Nutella-shortbread sandwich.  Pair this with a Smutty Nose Old Brown Dog beer and it is the ultimate in pairings.  The deep, dark flavors of coffee and chocolate will underscore the roasted malts of Smuttynose’s smooth-drinking brown ale.  Aromas of toasted nuts and caramel are echoed in both the beer and in the dessert.

A sampling of other featured local Artisan famous draft beers available for pairing will include Woodstock Inn Golden Loon Ale and Smutty Nose Old Brown Dog.  If you prefer champagne like beer, then try the Allagash Curieux or an Ommegang Hennepin beer.  Once you have enjoyed your first pairing, it is bound to be addictive!

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality    

When visiting the Camden Maine Stay, make sure to take a day trip to Monhegan Island.  Monhegan Island is located 10 miles off the mid-coast of Maine and is known for its beauty and wonder.  Monhegan is scarcely a square mile in area and offers about 12 miles of trails, often steep and strenuous, leading through wooded areas and over rocky ledges up to the highest ocean cliffs on the Maine coastline.   A fairy village can also be found deep in the woods while hiking one of the trails that cross the  island.

Monhegan Island is accessible only by boat and there are no cars or paved roads on the Island. Since long before the explorer John Smith visited it in 1614, it was known to Native Americans as a prime fishing area, and today its economy is still ruled by those who make their living from the sea, fishing and lobstering. The year-round population has seldom exceeded 65 in recent times.  For more than 100 years, Monhegan has been a summer haven for artists and other visitors who appreciate its isolation, the beauty of its wilderness areas, its quiet relaxed atmosphere, and its unhurried pace.

Monhegan Island is lovely and truly a unique Maine experience.  Boats leave from Boothbay Harbor, New Harbor, and Tenants Harbor daily and advance reservations are suggested.

by, Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

The seventh annual Cape Cod Jazz Festival kicks off the 2010 season on June 29th at the Wequasset Resort and Golf Club.  This season will feature some of the most innovative and dynamic blues, jazz, and Latin bands to the Cape Cod shore.  The Cape Cod Jazz Festival will be in full swing from June 29th through September 1st with weekly performances on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and is just a perfect way to enjoy a summer’s evening on Cape Cod!

The schedule is set and a sampling of this year’s performers include Julliard Jazz Assemble, Athene Wilson and Friends, Ray Greene and Innervisions, Mercedes Hall, Lisa Jason, Amanda Carr, String of Pearls, Suede, The White Heat Swing Orchestra, and many others.  Performances begin at 8:30 P.M., just as the sun is setting.  So, enjoy the day at the beach, settle into a relaxing dinner and then plan to end the evening at with a performance of the Cape Cod Jazz Festival. 

Plan to make a reservation at the Captain’s House Inn and enjoy the Cape Cod Jazz Festival in style.  It will soon become a yearly tradition!

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality Group

La Terrazza at the Gateways Inn in Lenox, MA will be hosting another in their series of Single Malt Scotch Pairing Dinners in June!  The date for this six-course pairing dinner will be Saturday, June 19th, 2010. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception at 7 p.m., followed by the dinner featuring Single Malt Scotches from Glenlivet …”the Single Malt that started it all”. We are privileged to have Glenlivet Ambassador, Ricky Crawford, as our presenter and speaker for the evening.  For those that do not enjoy Single Malt Scotches, wine will also be available.

 A special Single Malt Pairing Dinner menu has been created for the evening and features: Read the rest of this entry »

Summer comes early to DINE…GetAway in June!!  The airlines JUST added a summer premium surcharge of up to $ 40 per trip….why bother? When DINE members offer you a few better incentives:
 
Book just one night Sunday – Thursday – from 6/1-6/30 and mention this DINE offer – and get 30% off the regular rate..
Book TWO nights Sunday – Thursday – from 6/1-6/30 and get 40% off both nights.
 
This discount does not apply to existing resevations and is available at these participating properties:
 
Deerfield Inn
Gateways Inn
Cliffside Inn
Chesterfield Inn
Manor on Golden Pond
The Inn at Thorn Hill and Spa
Camden Maine Stay
 
This offer won’t last long and some restrictions apply – so call your DINE Inn NOW because this offer is good only till 8pm on June 4!!
 

The Distinctive Inns of New England invites you to become a facebook fan!  Once you become a fan, you will then be eligible to receive a $25 credit at each of The Distinctive Inns of New England.  If you stay at each of the Distinctives of New England, this would total $225 in savings!  When reserving your room, advise the inn you are a new facebook fan and you will receive a $25 credit on your stay.  Members of the Distinctive Inns of New England Include the Captain’s House Inn, Gateway’s Inn, and Deerfield Inn in Massachusetts; Rabbit Hill Inn in Vermont, Chesterfield Inn, Manor on Golden Pond, and Inn at Thorn Hill in New Hampshire, Cliffside Inn in Rhode Island, and Camden Maine Stay in Maine.      

Of course, we ask not to combine this with any previously scheduled reservations and it may not be combined with other discount packages.  One $25 credit may be used with each reservation. 

We look forward to having you as a facebook fan and having you as a guest at the Distinctive Inns of New England!  

Have you ever experienced the cliff walk in Newport?  Recently we had a Distinctive Inns of New England meeting at the Cliffside Inn and I realized that the cliff walk was just about 100 yards down the street.  Of course we had an early morning meeting, so at 6 A.M. I jumped out of bed and threw on my shoes and wandered down to the cliff walk to enjoy an early morning walk.  The sun was rising over the ocean and the sounds of the waves hitting the rocks created a peaceful way to enjoy an early morning.  The smell of the ocean permeated the air and everything was just perfect, including an abundance of sunshine.  I had the choice of walking to towards the beach or going in the other direction and exploring the walking path.  Since I had already been at the beach, I decided upon exploring the cliff walk instead. 

As the path wandered along the ocean’s edge, I quickly realized that if I lived in the area this would become a daily walk to enjoy the morning.  Along the 3½ mile walk I encountered other walkers, joggers, and some very happy dogs on a morning jaunt with their owners.  Everyone seemed to be in a happy mood and I attributed this to the beauty that they were all enjoying.  If the ocean was not enough, a short way along the cliff walk I soon began to also encounter the many mansions located along the cliff walk overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.  Just lovely!  My goal was to cover the 3 ½ mile walk, but I knew with time constraints that I would probably only get half way and sadly I had to turn around before I reached the end.  So, I will save the rest of the cliff walk for another visit to the Cliffside Inn. 

If you have a bucket list, make sure to add this to the list.  It is what the coast of New England is all about…rocky cliffs, dramatic ocean views, and the smell of ocean air.

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

Distinctive Inns of New England is proud that five of its members have once again received their AAA Four Diamond Award for the 2010 year!   Each year, 65 tourism editors evaluate over 58,000 hotels and restaurants.  Of those, only about 3% are awarded the coveted Four Diamond Award.   Join us in congratulating the following Distinctive Inns of New England members for receiving the AAA Four Diamond Award. 

Captain’s House Inn of Chatham, Massachusetts – 24 years for lodging – Located in the picturesque seaside village of Chatham on Cape Cod prides itself on its sixteen sumptuously appointed guestrooms housed in a Greek revival style sea captains home built in 1839 coupled with exceptional service, gourmet breakfasts, and authentic English afternoon tea. 

Rabbit Hill Inn of Lower Waterford, Vermont – 18 years for lodging and restaurant – Romantic Northern Vermont Bed and Breakfast Inn located in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.  Rabbit Hill Inn is known for pampering their guests and always offers a special welcome hug from its owners, Brian and Leslie.

Inn at Thorn Hill in Jackson, New Hampshire – 12 years for lodging and 11 years for restaurant – 1895 Stanford White-inspired Inn is situated grandly on a knoll overlooking Jackson Village.  Enjoy their award winning wine cellar or a visit to the spa.

Cliffside Inn of Newport, Rhode Island – 7 years for lodging – A luxury bed and breakfast located in Newport, the Cliffside Inn was the first Newport bed and breakfast to ever be awarded AAA Four Diamond status in Rhode Island.

Manor on Golden Pond, Holderness, New Hampshire – 13 years for lodging and restaurant – A lovely New England manor house overlooking Squam Lake.  The Manor is an idyllic countryside getaway in southern New Hampshire.

Congratulations to everyone for a great job!

Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality