"Rosie" , my eight pound dachshund, loves Winvian. We have visited three times this year and each time we stayed in a different "dog friendly" cottage. Our favorite is Connecticut Yankee as it is cosy and located in a meadow which is perfect for chasing squirrels! On our last visit rosie and I ate a delicious dinner outside on the upper deck of the main house. Rosie sat very primly in my purse for the first half of the meal, and then on my lap for the second. This did not appear to upset the staff at all. The food at Winvian is remarkable and Paulo, who oversees the dining room , makes certain all one's wishes are fullfilled. There is an excellent gym and Maggie, the owner , is considering putting in a pool which would make it just about perfect in my opinion.It is very expensive, yes, but happiness is made up of deliightful experiences and a visit to Winvian is one of them. Feel free to travel here alone as it doesn't matter to the staff and the service is prompt, courteous and discreet.

From its jaunty hat insignia to the amusingly named cottages, Winvian is a place to indulge your inner-- but still sophisticated-- child.

We stayed in the Treehouse, which I LOVED! Just up the wooden stairs we found typical treehouse stuff-- flashlights, old license plates and oddly shaped "hiding spaces". But it's also got Moroccan lanterns, a stocked bar, a huge Waterworks bathtub, and a crackling fireplace. From the windows, we had a pretty bird's eye view of the woods and other cottages.

This is a place that really wants you to enjoy yourself. There are hiking trails, canoes and bikes for outdoor types. If the fully stocked open bar in the main house doesn't do it for you, maybe the New American cuisine will. The spa has superb Eve Lom facials. My hubby and I also had a couples massage in the Forty Winks suite in front of a roaring fire. The champagne, chocolates and strawberries afterward were a definite plus.

The staff is attentive, but leaves you alone if that's what you want. They delivered a decadent chocolate mousse cake to the treehouse for my birthday-- a nice touch and very much enjoyed!

Winvian, which is a combination of Winthrop and Vivian (Smith; he was a founder of Merrill Lynch), is tucked in the rolling hills of Litchfield County, and comes across as the folly of a rich eccentric WASP. It is VERRRY pricey, but it is the pinnacle of playful chic.

I can't wait to go back!

We stayed at the Winvian in September in the Woodlands. We found the entire experience to be wonderful. The cabins were above & beyond what you would expect. We were fortunate that we met several other couples that showed us their cabins etc. So we were able to see about 4 cabins. I have to say the best are: The Beaver Lodge (#1), Charter Oak (#2) & The Woodlands (#3).

When we first arrived I went to the spa & my husband later told me that he thought that there wouldn't be enough to do. Between dinners, picnics, bike riding & spa treatments we both would have loved another night. The food was beyond amazing. We had been told ahead of time to try anything that was in front of us (which I usually do not do) & found everything delicious. The spa was beautiful & if you are going for a massage make sure you book Stanley. If you have time, we recommend going into Litchfield, as it is a beautiful New England town. We had lunch at the West Street Grill that was quite nice.

The only negative I found was that the staff whom was incredibly accomodating, tried to be so discreet that it sometimes appeared that they were aloof. The resort is small, so I do think they discuss the guests & the goings on each evening, which we felt a little put of by.

The price tag is quite hefty, so I would save it for a special occasion. We found the fall was a perfect time in the Litchfield Hills.

Overall, we could not have been more pleased with Winvian. The sense of history, the food & the surroundings were second to none. I highly recommend this resort.

We stayed at Winvian for 2 nites in the cabin named "Log". We have stayed at a number of inns that are comparable in price range and self described luxury. Winvian is among the best (Twin Farms, Post, The Point). Architecturally the cabins are truly wonderful: both whimsical and comfortable. We stayed in "Log" and enjoyed the cabin. The staff was very friendly and tried to do their best to address our wishes. Unfortunately in some instances they do demonstate a lack of professionalism. This was especially true in trhe dining room where the quality of the staff ranged from excellent to bumbling (although well meaning). The grounds are beautiful and perhaps with the passage of time (I believe it opened this past year) the rough edges will be smoothed.