Nestled into 113 wooded acres in the Litchfield Hills of northeast Connecticut is the most unique resort we have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Winvian is a Relais & Chateaux, AAA Five-Diamond property featuring eighteen cottages and one suite. As both The Restaurant and the accommodations are rated Five Diamonds, luxury is a given. But it is the uniqueness of the accommodations – and the welcoming staff’s unparalleled attention to detail – that truly sets Winvian apart.
The guest experience
Rejecting the “corporate way,” owners Maggie Smith and Heather Smith Winkelmann are a mother-daughter duo intent on continuing the family’s commitment to providing guests elegant hospitality while focusing on their individual desires. Resort hosts, having inquired of guests’ interests prior to their arrival, attend to their desired activities and will arrange a personalized schedule for them. Our convivial host, Ilaria, welcomed us with glasses of champagne and proceeded to orient us to the resort and our schedule of activities. Family-owned since 1948, Winvian is one of the only award-winning U.S.-based resorts that is women owned and operated. The resort’s name is a combination of the original owners’ names – Winthrop and Vivian Smith.
Unique accommodations
The eighteen cottages are the incarnations of the visions of fifteen architects commissioned to create their versions of all things Connecticut and woodsy. Ranging in size from 900 – 1,200 square feet, the cottages feature oversized jetted soaking tubs and rainfall steam showers, radiant heated floors, at least one fireplace (wood burning or gas), and private screened porches offering peaceful views of the resort’s wooded acres. (Five of the cottages are dog-friendly.)
What makes Winvian so unique – so unlike any other luxury resort – are the clever, sometimes whimsical, and certainly ingenious design features of each cottage. Charter Oak Cottage for example, features a massive white oak tree that separates the living room and main bedroom and rises up to and through the roof. The tree is a nod to the state legend of the tree that hid Connecticut’s charter during the Revolutionary period.
Helicopter Cottage is unlike any accommodation you’ve ever slept in, as a fully restored, full-sized 1968 Sikorsky HH37 Sea King Pelican helicopter dominates the cottage’s interior. This Coast Guard helicopter, manufactured by Sikorsky of Stratford, Connecticut, houses the wet bar and entertainment center.
Advancing the “woodsy” theme, Beaver Lodge is a recreation of a beaver’s den. Featuring hand-crafted woodwork and intricate stone masonry, the cottage offers a dual-sided fireplace and a bathroom with a unique waterfall tub, pebbled floors, and stone steam shower. Above the king size bed in the sleeping area is a ceiling cleverly crafted to resemble the interior of an actual beaver lodge. An Iron spiral staircase leads to a lofted sitting area with views of the pond and woods. Beaver Lodge also has a number of live trees stretching their way up through the cottage.
Another cottage reflecting the state theme is Connecticut Yankee Cottage – a nod to Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. (Twain lived in Hartford, CT from 1874 to 1891.) This cottage, fit for royalty, has regal red hues in fabrics and décor, a herringbone fireplace, and an exposed wood-beamed ceiling. The stately bathroom features imposing granite slabs (think Stonehenge) and a steam shower with twin ceiling mounted rain shower heads with individual controls.
Each of the remaining cottages reflect the Connecticut or “woodsy” themes in creative ways. Camping Cottage, The Treehouse, Woodland Cottage, and Log Cabin offer all sorts of twists on living close to nature. For example, Woodland Cottage has sinks crafted from tree trunks. Or get above it all in Treehouse, a two-story cottage suspended ten meters off the ground. Stone Cottage is built entirely of Connecticut boulders, while Maritime Cottage suggests the flavor of the Connecticut shoreline. We stayed in Maritime and found it very comfortable, as we enjoyed the many nautical touches, especially the lighthouse-inspired bedroom replete with a ceiling mural of the sky.
A nineteenth accommodation is located on the second floor of the historic Seth Bird House built in 1775. The Hadley Suite’s three rooms feature 20-inch chestnut floor boards and are furnished with many of the family’s original possessions.
Guest activities
Although you might be tempted to remain in the luxury of your cottage (we were told that room service meals were very popular), take advantage of the various activities, both onsite and off. Take a stained glass workshop, a fencing lesson, a private painting session, or a cooking, mixology, or candle crafting class. Enjoy a wine or spirits tasting. Get active by hiking or snowshoeing either on Winvian’s own trails or the neighboring 4,000-acre White Memorial Foundation Park. All of these activities – both onsite and off – can be arranged by your ever-attentive personal guest host.
In the warmer months enjoy Winvian’s 40-foot garden side pool beautifully situated in the estate’s meadow. Or venture offsite for a more adventurous cool down with a Farmington River Tubing float trip. Maybe soar in a hot air balloon which departs from the Resort’s meadow. How about a little biking? No need to bring yours, as each accommodation has two complimentary bikes provided. Other offsite activities include fishing excursions, horseback riding, and golf.
A serene spa experience
Address your wellness with a private yoga class, a private Tibetan Sound Therapy session, or any number of the many body and facial treatments offered by The Spa at Winvian. The 5,000 square-foot Spa is currently the #2 Best Resort Spa in the U.S. in the 2024 Conde Nast Readers’ Choice Awards. Six treatment rooms (two of which are couples suites with wood burning fireplaces) and the sunny relaxation area provide a serene, relaxing ambiance. Spa offerings include a wide array of body and facial treatments and massages, including Ashiatsu.
Dining excellence
Winvian’s culinary experience doesn’t take a back seat to the Five-Diamond accommodations of the Cottages or the #2 Best Resort Spa, as Executive Chef Chris Eddy reveals his vision of a sustainable, agriculturally-centered approach to fine dining at AAA Five-Diamond awarded The Restaurant at Winvian. The Resort boasts a three-acre farm and four greenhouses – perfect sources for Chef Chris’ seed-to-table menus. Prior to working at Winvian Chef Chris honed his craft working beside some of Europe’s most celebrated chefs.
The Restaurant at Winvian, which has earned the prestigious Relais & Chateaux recognition, offers a three-course or four-course prix fixe menu crafted with many fresh ingredients harvested that day from the estate’s farm and greenhouses. The menu changes daily. Dinner is served in one of the five dining areas of the Seth Bird House. Dine in front of the massive stone fireplace or in the elegant Green Room. Weather permitting, dine al fresco on the Seth Bird Patio while enjoying the wonderful view of the gardens and estate grounds. A complimentary breakfast for house guests is served in The Restaurant.
Maggie’s Tavern offers a more casual dining atmosphere, yet does not sacrifice the appropriate sophistication. Serving lunch and dinner, Maggie’s Tavern is a perfect gathering spot to enjoy a hand-crafted cocktail and scrumptious snack, whether sitting at the bar, in front of the fireplace, or on the sunny terrace.
Winvian is just two hours north of New York City and 2.45 hours west of Boston. But you will feel worlds away at this unique, splendid retreat in the tranquil Connecticut countryside.
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