We’ve been talking about staying at The Mayflower Inn & Spa since the inception of Unlocking Litchfield (our original name). The Mayflower is known for being luxurious and old-school charming; not to mention magical and decadent! Here’s our visit…which was everything and then some!
Post sponsored by The Mayflower Inn & Spa
The Mayflower Inn & Spa
Our stay at The Mayflower Inn & Spa was all that we’ve been dreaming it would be. It lived up to its reputation for excellence and we felt like complete princesses for the 24 hours we were there. Take us back in time!
The crazy thing is, The Mayflower is practically in our backyard, just a few towns over in Washington Depot (the most charming of charming CT towns)…and yet we felt like we were worlds away…
But before we go on…
We wanted to remind you that you don’t have to be an overnight guest to enjoy The Mayflower magic! Do you want to escape the world for a few hours? (Oy!) Go have a drink in the Tap Room, enjoy a bite at the restaurant, or experience a cooking or cocktail class! Maybe you need a spa day, or just to catch up with a friend for a coffee in the library.
20 seconds of history
The Mayflower’s original 28 acres of land was occupied by the Ridge School, built in 1894. It was a private school for boys that closed its doors to learning in 1919. In 1920, Harry Van Sinderen, a former student of the Ridge School, converted the school into the Mayflower Inn.
In 1990, the property was acquired by Washington residents Adriana and Robert Mnuchin after the Inn had fallen to years of neglect.
And then in October 2018, Auberge Resorts Collection took over management of Mayflower Inn & Spa. Since then, Auberge Resorts Collection has been working to bring the Mayflower to 5-star caliber through a focus on service and an upcoming enhancement to the guest rooms, suites, public space, plus the addition of a 3,500 square foot event tent.
The rooms & suites
Sought after interior designer Celerie Kemble is currently heading up The Mayflower refresh. She’s preserving timeless pieces (the trademark 4 poster beds remain), while introducing modern interior elements.
Lora was in one of the newly renovated rooms (incredible!!), and I was in a suite so big I considered leaving breadcrumbs to find my way around! We both considered never leaving.
The guest rooms and suites are sophisticated and fashionable, and basically the refined country home of our dreams.
The amenities, i.e., the above and beyond extra bits!
↑ This snack greeted us in our rooms. Bijou goat cheese from Vermont Creamery. Wild yeast sourdough bread from Wave Hill Bakery. Neighboring Averill Farm apples. And a chunk of fresh honeycomb. Perfection.
Also…
- The most heavenly smelling designer toiletries
- Plush robes and slippers
- Humongous bathtubs
- Gas fireplaces
- And goodies left on the nightstand in the evening!
The Spa, or heaven’s waiting room
The fitness center in the 20,000 square foot spa & fitness building is newly renovated and the spa is breathtaking! The Garden Room is where you wait for your service, chill out all afternoon reading a novel, or sip herbal tea after a swim in the pool. We can’t emphasize enough how amazing the light and energy is in this room!
The spa provides spa slippers and robes, as well as many other amenities. In fact, you could forget your entire toiletry bag and they’d have you covered. If you get hungry during all the relaxation, there’s a selection of complimentary healthy organic snacks and beverages available.
They recommended enjoying the steam room, whirlpool, indoor pool, and thermal sanctuary during our stay. So we did. We also rode a Peloton for the first time. (It’s all in the video!)
As we anticipated, our Pure 02 facial (Bev) and The Mayflower Blend massage (Lora) was nothing short of incredible. The large glowing treatment rooms are impressive, the services exemplary, and the effects lasting! We felt good for days after!
Try the hydrotherapy circuit! Hot – cold – rest – repeat. Apparently, it increases blood circulation, flushes toxins, boosts immunity, and induces deep relaxation.
Fine dine time
The Mayflower offers guests and visitors a fine dining restaurant experience and a casual, yet refined, Tap Room with a neighborhood pub atmosphere. We enjoyed a beautiful meal in the dining room prepared by Executive Chef Lacey Lou Franklin.
Partnering and collaborating with local farms, purveyors, and producers, Chef Lacey is capturing New England’s bounty and creating memorable seasonal dishes.
Pastry Chef Jamie Caudy literally had Lora thinking the above was an apple (she speed reads). Should have seen her reaction when she discovered green apple mousse on the inside!
Experiences
Ok, one last thing about The Mayflower Inn & Spa; they offer experiences as you’ve never experienced before. There are private guided hikes, apple pie & bourbon pairings, meditative journeys involving fencing and archery, and so many more that we so want to do! Check them all out here.
Couples, check out Write Your Love Story. OMG!
And there’s more…
And that friends, is the end of our stay at The Mayflower. Sniff, sniff. If you want to really treat yourself and really get away from it all, this is the place.
A special shout out and thank you to all the AMAZING staff we met during our stay. Never have we ever enjoyed such service!
118 Woodbury Rd, Route 47, Washington, CT 06793
Words: Bev Canepari / Pics: Lora Karam