2018 World's Best Resort Hotels in the Northeast

Courtesy of The Chanler at Cliff Walk

This year, many of our readers’ favorite properties in the northeastern United States come with a storied pedigree. The Chanler at Cliff Walk, for example, occupies a classic Newport mansion built in 1873. With only 20 rooms, it conveys the intimacy of a Gilded Age residence. The staff is helpful and outgoing, and its main restaurant, the Spiced Pear, has a special chef’s table where diners can watch the team prepare dishes such as lobster tortellini with fennel and orange. “We were treated like royalty,” praised one reader. Another added: “The food, natural scenery, and architectural surroundings inspired the mind.”

Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities.

Related: The 2018 World's Best Awards

The Nantucket Hotel & Resort has a façade that dates back to 1891. But the hotel, which opened in 2012, boasts fresh and bright rooms. The family-friendly vibe extends to childcare, so that grown-ups can spend date night at one of Nantucket’s stellar restaurants. Lake Placid Lodge is a luxurious retreat where one can go kayaking, hiking, and skiing in New York’s Adirondack Mountains — an area made popular in the early 1900s by the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts, who would vacation at their “Great Camps.” First opened in 1946, the lodge has been newly renovated, but continues to charm with its four-poster beds, fireplaces, and deep soaking tubs. “It takes you back in time,” said one reader.

And, like New England winters, some things never change: resort hotels in Vermont continue to be popular with our readers. Rabbit Hill Inn is set in a picture-perfect village — the tradition of hospitality dates back to 1795, when a tavern was built on the site. The public spaces have a cozy, familiar feel (a number of readers commented on the large collection of Stave puzzles) and the dining room evokes the wayside inns of an earlier century. Many readers praised the innkeepers, Brian and Leslie Mulcahy, who “strive to create a destination where you feel that you are the center of a loving hearth,” as one voter commented.

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10. Harborside Hotel, Bar Harbor, Maine

Courtesy of Harborside Hotel

Score: 91.17

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9. Hidden Pond, Kennebunkport, Maine

Courtesy of Hidden Pond

Score: 91.43

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8. White Elephant, Nantucket, Massachusetts

Courtesy of Nantucket Island Resorts

Score: 91.71

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7. Inn at Hastings Park, Lexington, Massachusetts

Courtesy of Inn at Hastings Park

Score: 91.73

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6. Lake Placid Lodge, New York

Courtesy of Lake Placid Lodge

Score: 91.91

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5. Wequassett Resort & Golf Club, Harwich, Massachusetts

Courtesy of Wequassett Resort and Golf Club

Score: 92.17

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4. Nantucket Hotel & Resort, Massachusetts

Courtesy of The Nantucket Hotel + Resort

Score: 93.50

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3. Chanler at Cliff Walk, Newport, Rhode Island

Courtesy of The Chanler at Cliff Walk

Score: 93.76

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2. Rabbit Hill Inn, Lower Waterford, Vermont

Courtesy of Rabbit Hill Inn

Score: 93.89

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1. Twin Farms, Barnard, Vermont

Courtesy of Twin Farms

Score: 95.36

Imagine the creature comforts of a Vermont farmhouse with the no-detail-overlooked attention of the finest luxury resorts, and you’ll get a sense of what makes Twin Farms so special — and why so many visitors return year after year. This all-inclusive property, the former home of writers Sinclair Lewis and Dorothy Thompson, is set on a quiet and discreet 300 acres. The cottages are all uniquely decorated: Meadow features Moroccan-inspired interiors, while Treehouse takes inspiration from England and China. “Exceptional in all respects,” wrote one T+L reader. “Amazing food, an intimate atmosphere, unparalleled service, unique architecture, and a beautiful setting. All your cares are anticipated and addressed.”

See all of our readers' favorite hotels, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World's Best Awards for 2018.

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The Top 10 Resort Hotels in the Northeast in 2018