The Essex Resort and Spa, Essex Junction VT

The Essex Resort and Spa in Essex Junction VT possesses many of the requisite criteria of a great full service resort -- and this type of lodging is really a rarity in the Burlington area.

One of the United States' only culinary resorts, the Essex Resort and Spa offers three public teaching kitchens! That's just the beginning, though, as the idyllic 18-acre property features two restaurants, an indoor and outdoor pool, a full spectrum spa, salon and fitness center and tennis vacations programs.

Situated between the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain, this unique resort has gained a tremendous reputation amongst guests and those in the hospitality business.  Hope you get to stay here for your Vermont vacation!

For more information, log onto the Essex Resort and Spa page through our New England Travel Luxury Hotels page.

Omni Parker House, Boston MA

Omni Parker House Boston

The Omni Parker House, located right on the Freedom Trail in Boston MA, beams with historic pride.

Listed as a member of the Historic Hotels of America, the Omni Parker House  is ideally located being central to many Boston attractions. It is also full of wonderful traditions and interesting anecdotes -- this is the birthplace of the Boston Creme Pie, Parker rolls, the term schrod as well as being the launching pad for chef celebrities like Emeril Lagasse, Lydia Shire, and Jasper White.

The Omni Parker House feels like a rite of passage into Boston traditions, but it is also a hotel filled with modern amenities like a gym, business center, coffee shop, bookstore and meeting rooms. The restaurant scene here represents the best of Boston with a fine dining facility featuring classic New England cuisine, as well as a bar and dining spot with lighter fare.

If you want to get in a Boston state of mind, the Omni Parker House is a great launching pad for your "Hub of the Universe" vacation.

For more information, log onto the Omni Parker House Boston page through our New england Travel Luxury Hotels page.

White Elephant, Nantucket MA

They say an elephant never forgets but, in this case, staying at the White Elephant in Nantucket, Mass., is a vacation you'll never forget.

This harbor side hotel that has been around since the 1920s stands as a Nantucket island tradition -- and one that has grown tremendously through the years from cottages into a first class, upscale lodging establishment (cottages are still available, too!). The waterfront location is worth the price of admission alone, but you also get light-filled guest rooms (most with fireplaces), the Brant Point restaurant with its seafood, steak and chicken selections, a library and fitness center.

You are also minutes from the heart of the beautiful Nantucket central district with its picturesque streets, boutiques, galleries, museums, cafes and restaurants.

For more information, log onto the White Elephant page through our New England Travel Luxury Hotels page.

Inn at Thorne Hill, Jackson NH

If you are looking to vacation in luxury is a classic small New England town, The Inn at Thorne Hill in Jackson NH would aptly fit that description. Drive through the White Mountains and past the famous Jackson Covered Bridge en route to this casually upscale inn with a four-star rating.

What to enjoy here: a wraparound porch, full day spa, award-winning three course meals, weekend piano music in the cozy lounge and Jacuzzi tubs in one of the main lodge guest rooms. You are also close to Wildcat Mountain for some excellent skiing as well as many scenic trails ideal for cross country skiing.

Most importantly, don't forget to breathe in the fresh mountain air and take in the northern sunset!

And the Village of Jackson is truly idyllic with its churches with tall white steeples, historic homes, little mom and pop shops, and waterfalls.

For more information, log onto the Inn at Thorne Hill page through our New England Travel Luxury Hotels page.

Stage Neck Inn, York Harbor Maine

Don't feel like driving a zillion miles up the Maine coast to vacation in luxury by the sea? Don't worry, York Harbor, Maine, is only a 15-minute drive from the New Hampshire border.

In this quaint, picturesque section of York, the Stage Neck Inn resides as a ideal spa resort hotel where the Atlantic Ocean, town beach, cliffs and harbor all come together. The beach is secluded and beautiful and The Cliff Path rises majestically above the ocean for a magnificent scenic walk -- weather permitting. The story doesn't end there, however, as The Stage Neck Inn has myriad amenities like indoor and outdoor pools, a jacuzzi tub, tennis courts, spa services, year round and seasonal restaurants (with lobster on the menu, of course!) and access to a private golf club (additional charge).

What's more, you are minutes to Long Sands Beach and Short Sands Beach in York Beach -- the former a mile and a half and the latter a quarter mile stretch) -- both beautiful beaches walkable to the amusements, shops and restaurants in this section of York. Oh, and the Kittery Outlets are about 10 minutes away for you shopping fanatics looking for a good deal!

For more information, log onto our Stage Neck Inn page through the New England Travel luxury Hotels blog.

Castle Hill Resort And Spa, Cavendish VT

Cavendish VT is not exactly a household name vacation destination, but it is certainly beautiful country with superb mountain views close to Ludlow -- best known as the home of Okemo Mountain ski area.

Since many travelers book rooms in Ludlow, they might overlook a gem of a lodging spot in Cavendish: the Castle Hill Resort and Spa. This stunning early 20th century former governor's mansion features an English Country House atmosphere combined with modern amenities. With a grand staircase and lots of unique woodwork, an outdoor pool, a spa, fitness center, tennis courts and French influenced American cuisine, the Castle Hill Resort and Spa offers first class luxury accommodations in the Green Mountains of Vermont..

For more information, log onto our Castle Hill Resort and Spa page through our New England Travel Luxury Hotels page.

Providence Biltmore Hotel, Providence RI

If you prefer one-of-a-kind luxury hotels over the standardized kind, the Providence Biltmore in Providence RI is probably for you.

This classic traditional urban hotel has undergone extensive renovations through the years without compromising its innate charm. It's a big hotel with 292 rooms that includes 138 junior suites and 24 premium suites, but the attention to detail and personable service from what a few colleagues have told me is absolutely first class.

In many ways, the Biltmore mirrors Providence. Both the city and hotel seemed to be on the decline around 25 years ago. Having casually witnessed the transformation on this city and the hotel is nothing short of miraculous! Providence now has a skyline, but that's just the beginning. Providence Place Mall has brought back the vibrancy of an urban downtown shopping center that has seemed to be on the decline for a while in many American cities. Waterplace Park combines cobblestone pedestrian walkways and Venice-like bridges, boat rides on the Woonasquatucket River and bonfires lit on the river set to the sounds of Classical and World music. The old Providence still resonates majestically with the mile of beautiful old Colonial homes on Benefit St., the academic ambiance around Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Art and Design, and Federal Hill with its Italian neighborhood vibe (and some amazing Italian restaurants and pizza places!).

Great that the Providence Biltmore is walkable or just a short drive to so many of wonderful Providence attractions.

For more information, log onto the Providence Biltmore Hotel page through our New England Travel Luxury Hotels blog.

Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa, Whitefield NH

The Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa in Whitefield NH rises mountains above your typical White Mountains of New Hampshire resort.

What you have here is the best of both worlds: a grand restored 1865 resort with the charm of yesterday and modern amenities of today. In the winter, the resort offers a winter activity center with lighted skating rink, snow-tubing with tube rentals, sleigh rides, 28km of groomed cross-country and snow shoeing trails, and snowmobile rentals. The summer brings you a golf course, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, tennis, croquet, lawn games and swimming in the heated Olympic-size outdoor pool.  The Mountain View also offers upscale and casual dining restaurants,.

The real story here, though, are the spectacular, sweeping White Mountains of New Hampshire views. What a wonderful scene that forces one to relax and gain sustenance in what has to be one of New England's most scenic resort settings.

For more information or to book a room online, log onto the Mountain View and Grand Resort and Spa page through our New England Travel Luxury Hotels blog.

Cliff House Resort and Spa, Ogunquit, Maine

Nothing scientific here but when discussion comes up amongst friends about their go-to coastal Maine getaways, The Cliff House Resort and Spa in Ogunquit, Maine, almost always comes up in conversation.

No surprise here! What's not to like about a reasonably priced upscale Maine resort in business since 1872 with an oceanfront spa, two adult pools, two family pools, meeting rooms, a fitness center, and a restaurant and room balconies with cliff and ocean views? Add the pleasing sound of the ocean's roar, and spectacular sunrises against the distant horizon and, voila, you have an instant favorite Maine resort.  Additionally, you're only about 90 minutes from Boston, Mass.

What more, The Cliff House affords close proximity to golf courses, shopping (charming Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, quaint downtown Ogunquit, the Kittery Outlets, Dock Square in Kennebunkport, etc.), the Ogunquit Playhouse for cultural events and amazing beaches like Ogunquit Beach, Wells Beach in Wells and Short and Long Sands Beach in York Beach.

For more information on The Cliff House Resort and Spa, log onto the Cliff House Resort and Spa page through our New England Travel Luxury Hotels blog.