Haute hospitality is alive and well at Connecticut’s top-class inns, spas and resorts. For groups in search of a discrete getaway, following are four perfect picks.
- The luxurious Spa at Norwich Inn (860.886.2401; www.thespaatnorwichinn.com) has been a connoisseur’s haven since 1929, offering privacy and peace in a wooded setting close to Mystic Seaport. Specializing in high-level retreats, the inn is a celebrity and Fortune 500 favorite. Fear not the biting agenda—the inn’s custom-tailored service, fine-tuned on guests from Sinatra to Streisand, easily turns business into pleasure. Equanimity flows throughout, from the meeting spaces to the award-winning spa and deluxe guest rooms and villas. Gourmet meals, golf at the affiliated Lake of Isles and facilitated team building complete the mind and body renewal.
- Million-dollar river views are just part of the appeal at the idyllic Saint Clements Castle (860.342.0593; www.saintclementscastle.com) in centrally located Portland, 25 minutes south of Hartford. Also known as the Connecticut River Castle, this elegant, 82-acre estate blends 16th century castle, French Tudor and Bavarian architectural styles for an authentic Old World ambience. Soon to include a full-service marina, Saint Clements welcomes social and corporate gatherings with 12,000 square feet of flexible space and a multipurpose ballroom. Period furnishings and grand chandeliers provide a royal flourish, while corporate training partners Fusion Associates and Operation Explore provide experiential- and adventure-based team building.
- Midway between New Haven and Mystic and two hours from either Boston or New York, the secluded Water’s Edge Resort and Spa (860.399.5901; www.watersedge-resort.com) in rustic Westbrook offers a quintessential coastal Connecticut experience. Set on 20 beachfront acres, this 169-room, multiterraced resort has room for 350 attendees in 12 spacious meeting rooms, including regal ballrooms overlooking the Long Island Sound. There is space aplenty for relaxing, too, from the marine-inspired spa to bonfires on the beach. For bonding with a competitive edge, on-site team building includes volleyball, kayaking and scavenger hunts.
- To really show your team the ropes, head for the 163-room, IACC-certified Heritage Resort and Conference Center (203.264.8200; www.heritagesouthbury.com), located in Southbury amid the bucolic Litchfield Hills of Northwest Connecticut. Featuring a tiered amphitheater and two computer labs, the 25,000-square-foot, 25-room conference facility takes care of business for up to 225 attendees—and then it’s time to hit the ropes. The high-strung course from Heritage partner Operation Explore sends the office up the PowerPole and across ziplines in search of team unity and trust. Groups can enjoy other customized activities, as well as the Tres Jolie Spa and the onsite 9-hole, USGA-rated golf course. Local antiquing and skiing round out the resort’s four-season appeal.
