operator view: new england stays

operator view: new england stays

We asked three operators to name their favourite places in New England. Here is what they said:

goshen

Country life: the region will appeal to many who enjoy the great outdoors

John Dixon, deputy managing director, Prestige Holidays

“My wife Cheryl and I drove 2,000 miles on our first New England tour – we loved the open roads and the supremely helpful and likeable people we met. Then there was the scenery, high standards of service and the quality of the food.

“One very memorable experience was arriving at the 1813 Blueberry Hill Inn in Goshen, Vermont, where we were expected for dinner by the owner Tony Clark. We sat down to the meal with him and another family staying from New York.

“We had a superb meal of scallops followed by tenderloin of beef, and as the inn was unlicensed, we remembered to take along some California wine which we shared with our new friends.

“The next morning the sky was clear and blue and the last of the Fall foliage was in its full glory.

“Breakfast was very substantial and we were presented with blueberry blinis made by a Russian student who was working there for the season. The blueberries had been grown in the garden just outside the window.

“The inn was beautiful, warmly decorated, cosy and casual, and ideal for guests who like their comforts indoors, while enjoying the outdoor life too.

“There are also plenty of walking trails, lakes, ponds, forests and alpine features to traverse in this romantic rural retreat.”

vermont

Kareen Flavell-Smith, marketing manager, Osprey Holidays

“New England is a great playground for outdoor pursuits and Vermont is one of my favourite states. The village of Manchester offers amazing scenery with the backdrop of the Green Mountains and miles of endless countryside.

“Activities include hiking trails, kayaking and canoeing, not to mention golf and tennis. I even managed to have a go at fly-fishing in the Batten Kill River, which at the time was teeming with trout of all sizes.

“I also joined a bike tour which was perfect for me – not too hilly but still quite an adventurous way to explore some of the areas of Vermont that I may not have seen either by car or on foot.

“However, my favourite activity in Manchester was the shopping. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven when I arrived at Manchester’s 120 factory outlet stores. Although the name might suggest a sprawling, modern shopping centre, the reality was a quaint street packed with stylish shops, with discounts available on Ralph Lauren, DKNY, Armani and Versace labels.

“Manchester also offers great places to stay. I visited the four-star Equinox Hotel, which had superb facilities including the 6,422 metre Gleneagles golf course, a fitness centre and several swimming pools.

“Another favourite of mine is the three-star West Mountain Inn, in Arlington, six miles from Manchester. Situated on a hillside overlooking the Green Mountains, the property is famous for its traditional New England country-style cuisine.”

massachusetts

Debbie Goffin, US product manager, PremierHolidays

“Massachusetts is my favourite New England state, partly because it contains my favourite US city, Boston, and partly because it has so many varied attractions, such as a number of beach resorts, many quaint villages, fabulous restaurants and some great shopping.

“There is a huge range of fantastic seafood restaurants in Boston, plus hundreds of simple ones in coastal towns where you can enjoy the freshest fish ever.

“I love putting on a bib and getting stuck into lobster, while looking out to sea.

“A good way of building up your appetite for this is to take a whale-watching excursion or other boating trips from Cape Cod or Martha’s Vineyard. There are some wonderful old inns here too offering traditional New England hospitality.

“My favourite places to stay are the Island Inn at Oak Bluffs on the Vineyard, and Coonemassett Inn at Falmouth, Cape Cod.

“Other quirky places are Provincetown on Cape Cod, which is blessed with many unique shops and boutiques, and Salem, with its spooky history of witchcraft.

“Don’t even get me started on the shopping – most of my wardrobe comes from Massachusetts. There are great bargains to be had if you’re into fashion, it’s worth checking out Filene’s basement store in Boston and in the outlet malls at nearby Worcester Common, to name but a few.”

sample

latest 2001 options

Unijet: has introduced New England to its new inclusive-tour programme for the first time, featuring five hotels in Boston, which can be sold as either a single centre or twinned with a stay in an inn at Cape Cod.Three-night prices in Boston start from £499 including flights, withone-week stays from £749. Seven-night two centres cost from £649. Three and seven-night prices for just Cape Cod cost from £499 and £679, including flights and car rental.

British Airways Holidays: the operator will beoffering £40 per person early-booking discounts on selected flights to Boston when its US brochure is launched in the next few weeks. Its most popular self-drive tour this year is the Classic New England two-week itinerary. The Grand New England coach tour and the fiveself-drives offered this year will remain in the 2001 programme.

New England Country Homes: the specialist property rental operator is expanding its portfolio throughout New England and New York State, and will have some 220houses in its 2001 brochure. Its best-sellers are self-catering houses in Massachusetts, especially on Cape Cod.

Premier Holidays: next year the tailor-made specialist is introducing stays in the historic maritime towns of Mystic in Connecticut and Falmouth on Cape Cod. The operator said most of its clients will take in at least five if not all of the six New England states while on holiday in the region. Most popular choices for visitors are Cape Cod, the Green Mountains in Vermont and New Hampshire’s White Mountains area.

Vermont: offers a range ofadventurous activities to keepvisitors occupied

Cape Cod: a popular choice

factfile

NEWENGLAND

Region: includes the states of Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Gateway: Boston, Massachusetts. Also good connections from New York, and Montreal in Canada, to Boston and other New England towns and cities.

Climate: spring and autumn can be mild but with cool nights, while July and Augusttemperatures range from 21-29C. New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine offerskiing, with the season usually running from mid-December to April.

History: in 1620, the Pilgrims sailed from the UK across the Atlantic to settle the firstpermanent European colony in the US. This later led to the establishment of the New England colonies, the Revolutionary War and Independence.

Who flies there: carriers include British Airways which flies up to three times daily from Heathrow to Boston. Virgin Atlantic flies daily from Gatwick to Boston. American Airlines has a twice daily service from Heathrow to Boston. United Airlines flies daily from Heathrow to Boston.

Trade support: the Discover New Englandmarketing consortium has supplies of maps, travel planners for each of the six states, and offers regional and product training for agents.

The UK trade helpline is 020-8891 1999 and agents can refer customers to the dedicated consumer line, 0906 5588555, for further information and brochure packs on destinations throughout the New England region.

Boston: great for restaurants and shopping