Massachusetts Best Lodging 2012
Yankee Magazine chooses the best lodging in Massachusetts for 2012. BEST GRISTMILL B&B Old Mill On The Falls Inn, Hatfield Just as the name suggests, the big yellow building on Hatfield’s Mill River was converted to a B&B in 2006, resulting in nine bright, spacious rooms with all the modern amenities. But owner Ted Jarrett […]
Yankee Magazine chooses the best lodging in Massachusetts for 2012.
BEST GRISTMILL B&B
Old Mill On The Falls Inn,Hatfield
Just as the name suggests, the big yellow building on Hatfield’s Mill River was converted to a B&B in 2006, resulting in nine bright, spacious rooms with all the modern amenities. But owner Ted Jarrett has also created a cozy atmosphere of antiques and oriental rugs that suits the 1880 structure. For romance, request one of the two rooms directly above the falls. Rates: from $115, including full breakfast. 87 School St. 413-247-3301; theoldmillonthefallsinn.com
BEST MOUNTAINTOP LODGING
Bascom Lodge, Adams
Thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail often opt for a bunk in one of the two coed rooms here, but private rooms with double beds are also available for couples, and family rooms offer a queen-size bed plus bunk beds to boot. It’s worth staying the night to see sunset from one side and dawn from the other. Bunks: $35 per person; private rooms: from $150. Mount Greylock Summit. 413-743-1591 June-Oct., 917-680-0079 Nov.-May; bascomlodge.net
BEST MOTEL WITH MINI-GOLF
Holiday Hill Motor Inn,Dennisport
Holiday Hill has been luring duffers of all ages to play its nautically themed miniature-golf course since 1959. Meticulously maintained rooms are spacious enough for families, and the on-site video arcade, bumper-car pavilion, and ice-cream stand almost make this a self-contained resort. Rates: from $59 off season, from $95 in season. 352 Main St. 800-333-2569; 508-394-5577; holidayhillmotorinn.com
BEST B&B ART
Century House, Nantucket
As if the cliffside location and long history as an inn (since the early 1870s) were not enough, Century House invites artists in residence to schmooze with the guests and leave behind enough examples of their work to make the inn seem like a small museum of island plein-air painting. Rates: from $175, including buffet breakfast. 10 Cliff Road. 508-228-0530; centuryhouse.com
BEST NEO-VICTORIAN B&B
Belfry Inne & Bistro,Sandwich
A restored Victorian manse and a pleasingly formal Federal-era house are part of this bustling B&B complex, but the most dramatic rooms are found in “the Abbey,” a converted Catholic church on the edge of Sandwich village. A few even have stained-glass windows depicting archangels Michael and Gabriel, and most have church-pew beds. The bistro occupies the Abbey’s ground level. Rates: from $179, including full breakfast. 8 Jarves St. 800-844-4542, 508-888-8550; belfryinn.com
BEST ISLAND CAMPING
Martha’s Vineyard Family Campground,Vineyard Haven
The dappled shade of the campsites on the island’s sole campground creates an air of summer idyll for tenters and RV drivers alike. For full immersion in the outdoor experience, bring a bike and pedal everywhere on the island. Also available: a few one- and two-bedroom cabins to rent. Campsites: from $52; cabins: from $135. 569 Edgartown Road. 508-693-3772; campmv.com
BEST ESTATE STAY
Inn At Castle Hill, Ipswich
At this delightful inn, common areas have a Craftsman-style grace, while upstairs bedrooms are filled with light. The long view from the front overlooks marshes and the edge of Crane Beach, a 10-minute stroll away. Many guests come to watch birds, others to rock the day away on the broad veranda. Rates: from $195, including breakfast. 280 Argilla Road. 978-412-2555; thetrustees.org/the-inn-at-castle-hill
BEST BASE FOR FAMILIES
Pilgrim Sands Motel, Plymouth
A family visit to Plimoth Plantation is a grand idea, but after a full day of time travel, you and the kids are going to want to hit the beach. That’s where this well-maintained motel with a private sandy strand comes in. There are also indoor and outdoor pools for swimming. Rates: from $159. 150 Warren Ave. 800-729-7263, 508-747-0900; pilgrimsands.com
BEST PORCH
Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge
The world is full of verandas and breezeways and front stoops, but there’s hardly a front porch comparable to that on the old-fashioned Red Lion Inn. An army of rocking chairs stands sentinel behind columns, guaranteeing that no activity on Main Street goes unnoticed or unremarked. To sit and rock at the Red Lion is to understand precisely how Norman Rockwell saw Stockbridge. Rates: from $150. 30 Main St. 413-298-5545; redlioninn.com
BEST CHOICE OF OLD & NEW
Publick House Historic Inn,Sturbridge
Versatility is the key at the Publick House. Rooms in the 1771 inn, furnished in antique style, offer a wealth of Colonial ambience for travelers coming to town for the Brimfield antiques shows. The motel out back, on the other hand, provides more space at lower cost for families visiting Old Sturbridge Village. Rates: from $125. 277 Main St. 800-782-5425, 508-347-3313; publickhouse.com
MOST ECO-FRIENDLY LUXURY STAY
Hob Knob, Edgartown
This 17-room hotel tucked into a 19th-century Gothic Revival home has both the luxury (high-thread-count linens, Vineyard styling, organic breakfast food) and the green touches (nontoxic cleaning products, bath and beauty products made with wind energy) to stake a simultaneous claim to ecological stewardship and sheer comfort. Think of it as Jay Gatsby meets Al Gore. Rates: from $395 in season, $125 off season, including full breakfast. 128 Main St. 800-696-2723, 508-627-9510; hobknob.com
