Winvian Resort :

Expect the unexpected at Winvian. This charming country resort, nestled on 113 acres in the Litchfield hills of Connecticut, is unlike anything you have ever seen. Whimsy meets “wow” at this playground for architects and travelers. Don’t let the surrounding scenic horse farms and quaint cottages fool you into thinking that Winvian is a typical country Connecticut spot. This resort may have a historic farmhouse as its centerpiece, but its eighteen individually designed cottages turn tradition on its head.

A Gentleman’s Estate
Built in the late 1770s by Dr. Seth Bird, this county estate was once home to several different families, including Winthrop and Vivian Smith, who renamed it Winvian as a nod to their first names. The Smiths were wealthy New Yorkers (Winthrop was a founding member of Merrill Lynch) who headed for the hills of Litchfield whenever possible. Life on their gentleman’s farm was restful and restorative; something today’s generation of Smiths offers privileged guests.

Architectural Renaissance
Maggie Smith and her daughter Heather, who serves as Managing Director, painstakingly restored the Seth Bird House, but it was their unique approach to the rest of the property that will bring tears to the eyes of most architects. Many clients enforce their own, often rigid, design ideas, but the Smiths gave the ultimate carte blanche to a team of fifteen architects. Build whatever you want, in any style or design you want, with the only stipulation being that it had to be rooted in Connecticut history or culture. The result? Winvian is an imaginative collection of cottages that offers everything from a tree house to a restored Sikorsky Coast Guard helicopter-cum-guest suite.

The Seth Bird House, the original farmhouse, now serves as the nerve center of the resort. It is not only where you will register for your unforgettable experience, but it is also where you will find yourself dining at a book on the terrace, or perhaps playing a game or two by the fire.

Should you prefer the ease of staying within the main building, the Hadley Suite is the resort’s only non-cottage accommodation and offers a traditional New England look and feel. The eighteen cottages are scattered amidst the property, but don’t worry, the staff will always give you a ride or you can hop on one of two bikes that comes with each cottage.

Selecting the cottage that will be your temporary home is the hardest decision you will make at Winvian. The surprising collection has something to suit your every whim, and while it may seem like picking one is like choosing your favorite child, there’s always a next time. The Artist Cottage honors the Arts and Crafts movement with its stained glass windows and custom art tiles, and an adjoining Beaver Lodge: Exterior, Master Bedroom and Bath light-filled studio equipped with easel and canvas delights the artist in all visitors. Set near Beaver Pond, Beaver Lodge is a naturalist’s dream. Handcrafted woodwork defines the style, while pebbled floors, a waterfall tub, and a dual-sided fireplace are among the unique features.

There’s even a beaver dam from the property that has been preserved and refocused as an object d’art above the bed. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame unobstructed views of the woods in Camping Cottage, but it’s the star-lit ceiling and the tree-lined walls that ensure you’ll never sleep in a tent again. While all individually designed and decorated, several other cottages employ a rustic approach.

Log Cabin is true to its name, while Woodland Cottage’s interior wood siding, tree trunk sinks, and natural stone waterfall highlight nature’s beauty. Charter Oak Cottage, with its classic red barn and silo, overlooks the orchard and meadow and is one of the resorts largest. Inside the traditional exterior lies a surprise – a large live oak tree!  It pays homage to the oak that held Connecticut’s charter during Revolutionary times. CT Yankee Cottage celebrates the work of Connecticut’s own Mark Twain and his Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. It is a medieval masterpiece – rich, regal colors, exposed beams, a roaring herringbone fireplace, and even a bathroom crafted with large granite slabs echoing the design of Stonehenge. The written word is proudly honored at the Library Cottage, where double-story shelves and a wrap-around second-level balcony houses volumes of books. Tucked into the trees, constructed entirely of CT boulders and capped off with a curving roof, the Stone Cottage looks like it could be straight from the pages of a classic children’s book.

There’s no mistaking the theme at several of the resort’s cottages: Golf Cottage is complete with a green undulating floor leading to an outdoor putting green; Greenhouse Cottage indulges the fantasy of any gardener; Stable Cottage is a multi-level tribute to the equestrian life; and Maritime Cottage ....