America’s Coziest Inns

​

A gateway to New England’s Upper Valley, or the best excuse to hole up away from home, Snapdragon is the quintessential Vermont retreat. Getting here is a cinch for East Coasters, and staying put is even easier. Find a snug spot in the nine elegant guest rooms, in the bright red drawing room, or in the intimate library, next to the fire. You can combine lazy mornings with afternoons out exploring Windsor's eclectic Main Street and quiet Lake Runnemede.

This southern charmer has all the romantic essentials — fireplaces, four-poster beds and a handsome low-lit bar — that invite serious cozying up. The look is antebellum elegance to a tee, with Elizabeth O'Neill Verner etchings and Audubon prints in the drawing rooms, and heavy floral drapes and reading nooks in the bedrooms. For a memorable meal, start with a glass of bubbly in the Champagne bar, then head to the Peninsula Grill for award-winning New American fare and a slice of the inn's now patented Ultimate Coconut Cake.

This 24-room inn is set on 13 gorgeous lakefront acres and was made famous for its role in the 1981 film, On Golden Pond. Life at the Manor is much as the movie depicts: slow, relaxing and governed by the seasons. In winter, that means hunkering down in the classically styled guest rooms ⎯ complete with working fireplaces and Jacuzzis ⎯ and watching the snow fall across the White Mountains.

Napa does a good country inn, but this standout in St. Helena tops our list for its dreamy woodland setting and five unique accommodation options: the Grove, the Manor, the Vineyard, the Fountain and the Harvest Lofts. Manor rooms win the cozy factor, thanks to huge red brick fireplaces, English Tudor-style interiors and an ideal location between towering redwood trees. For seclusion-seekers, Manor Vineyard Fireplace & Spa rooms are your best bet and come with patios overlooking the valley, feather bedding and deep soaking tubs. Room service is available for brunch, lunch and dinner, but it's worth leaving your room for a meal at the Harvest Table restaurant or a treatment in the plush spa.

Cozy doesn't have to mean compact, as this Lake Placid favorite proves. The Old World hideaway packs in 131 rooms, a 5,000-square-foot spa and three restaurants, but retains the intimate vibe and stellar service of a countryside inn. During winter, it's all about the creature comforts: a grand living room with a roaring fireplace, four-poster beds and Mission-style furnishings in the bedrooms and meals-of-a-lifetime at the View restaurant.

The breathtaking Wyoming wilderness is on full display at this Jackson Hole inn, just five blocks from downtown. Creekside log cabins all have private decks with Adirondack chairs for watching the locals (deer, moose, elk and more), and interiors are decorated with bright textiles, wildlife imagery and traditional wood furnishings. At night, fire pits light up across the 12-acre grounds and become the evening's main entertainment, along with drinks in the bar and serious stargazing.

The classic inn gets a modern spin at Rhode Island’s knockout Weekapaug, a splurge-worthy stay overlooking Quonochontaug Pond. The roaring fires and clawfoot tubs, as well as a "no phone or TV" policy in the rooms make unplugging a top priority. What we love best: a resident naturalist is on hand for bird watching sessions and the light-flooded Garden Room has dazzling water views.

Two hours north of NYC, this award-winning inn is like a Martha Stewart spread brought to life. Think giant overstuffed white sofas and arm chairs, time-worn king floorboards, giant log burning fireplaces and an elegant grand piano. Depending on the season, you could spend your days hiking Litchfield County's rolling hills, skiing Mohawk Mountain, antiquing in Kent or fishing on the Housatonic. Book the Lakes Suite for a candlelit soak in the roll-top bath, or, for ultimate privacy, the beamed Gables Suite in the inn's original attic.

Set back from the Montauk Highway and within walking distance of East Hampton’s best shops and restaurants, Baker House 1650 is an ideal getaway for every season. The seven bedrooms and suites are individually designed in a house-envy mix of William Morris wallpaper, mullioned bay windows, 17th-century hand hewn wood beams, sleigh beds and antique pedestal sinks. Don't miss a stroll through the gardens, filled with 200-year-old wisteria trees.