Storied Inn and Spa in the Heart of New England

If walls could talk, these would recite passages from the classics of American literature. Maxwell Perkins, the celebrated editor who elevated Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald to fame, once lived in what is now Snapdragon Inn, a brick home originally built in 1815, now renovated as an elegant small luxury inn and spa. The hotel preserves its literary roots with a wood-paneled library and en suite book collections, and chic décor throughout the property recalls the glamour of the Great Gatsby era.

Each of the nine available bedrooms espouses the updated décor lauded by Food & Wine magazine, which named Snapdragon Inn as one of America's best bed and breakfasts in 2011. Soft pastel walls are broken up by large colonial windows, allowing the sun to pour onto custom-upholstered armchairs and Victorian-style bed benches. Set against otherwise muted décor, vibrant throw pillows and contemporary rugs add bursts of color. The cozy vibe continues in adjoining bathrooms, where radiant floor heating eliminates the need for hot-cocoa footbaths, and, in some rooms, a red brick fireplace tempers the chill of blustery nights.

Steps away from the guest rooms, the Snapdragon Spa augments a soothing ambiance with organic products and lush spa robes. With the second spa option, guests can choose between two spa treatments, either an Herbal Aromatherapy and Relaxation Massage or a Farmaesthetics Sweet Milk and Lavender Buds Anti-Wrinkle Facial. The spa package also includes a Farmaesthetics Facial To-Go kit to maintain skincare regimens. An amble through Paradise Park, an adjacent lakefront nature preserve, completes a relaxing afternoon.

Windsor, Vermont: Charming Town Steeped in History

Located on central Vermont's New Hampshire border, Snapdragon Inn nestles comfortably on Windsor's Main Street among quaint antique stores and notable historical buildings. The Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge stretches nearly 450 feet across the Connecticut River—making it one of the longest covered bridges in America—and provides a picturesque place for jogging or biking. A restored 18th-century tavern called the Old Constitution House now showcases a museum and looks nearly just as it did some 200 years ago, when the first state constitution prohibiting slavery was signed. Nearby, a popular brewery offers tours and tastings every day of the week, and an upscale glass-blowing factory showcases its labor-intensive craftsmanship to studio visitors.