The Best Bed and Breakfasts to Book in Connecticut

Simsbury 1820 House is a country estate that has been immaculately restored to its period glory | Courtesy of Simsbury 1820 House / Expedia

Anna Laird Barto

13 December 2021

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This state embodies all the historic charm of New England – red barns, white steeples and colonial country estates – just a short train ride from New York City. By staying at the best bed and breakfasts in Connecticut, which are generally small and owner-operated, you experience the local culture in a way no chain hotel can recreate. From the storied seaports of Westbrook and Greenwich, to the Farmington Hills and the Connecticut River Valley, each of the properties on this list has its own unique character and story to tell. Book your preferred place with Culture Trip.

Simsbury 1820 House, for historic elegance

Luxe period room with four-poster bed and blue and white table lamps and wallpaper at Simsbury 1820 House

Courtesy of Simsbury 1820 House / Expedia

Step into a real-life regency romance at this 1820 country estate. Built by Revolutionary War hero Noah Phelps, this Connecticut bed and breakfast has been immaculately restored to its period glory. The 32 rooms and suites showcase hand-picked antiques and reproduction 19th-century furniture, mahogany canopy beds draped in Belgian linen and pastel blue damask patterned wallpaper and drapes. Dine by the fireplace at the Soma Grille, or al fresco on the veranda with views of the Farmington Hills.

Rocking-chair relaxation at the Captain Stannard Country Inn

The pretty exterior with wraparound porch of the 19th-century Captain Stannard Country Inn in Connecticut

Courtesy of Captain Stannard Country Inn / Expedia

After voyages to Europe and Asia, Captain Elbert Stannard returned to his hometown of Westbrook in 1872 to build his dream house. Now home to one of the most beloved bed and breakfasts in Connecticut, the Captain Stannard House is a short walk from the beach and all the top shopping. Sit down every morning to breakfast prepared by innkeepers Jim and Mary. The rocking chairs on the wraparound porch are as irresistible as the homemade sweets waiting at your bedside when you return from the day’s activities. Settle in and sip something chilled as evening falls.

The Bevin House, for delicious breakfasts

Victorian library with floor-to-ceiling shelves of period volumes at the Bevin House in Connecticut

Courtesy of the Bevin House / Expedia

The Bevin House in East Hampton has everything you need to live out your Victorian fantasy – four-poster beds, 12ft (3.7m) ceilings, stained-glass chandeliers, a formal parlor and a library with floor-to-ceiling shelves of period volumes. The breakfast is almost as decadent as the mansion itself – caramel-glazed French toast, local eggs and homemade waffles slathered in maple syrup tapped from trees on the property. Don’t forget to visit the friendly goats in the barn out back.

Luxury suites at the Stonecroft Bed & Breakfast

Idyllic yellow inn with surrounding foliage at Stonecroft Bed and Breakfast in Connecticut

Courtesy of Stonecroft Bed and Breakfast / Expedia

Surrounded by acres of conservation land and 200-year-old stone walls, the Stonecroft Bed and Breakfast is an idyllic retreat just minutes from the busy Mystic seaport. Detox from the modern world in the 1807 House, where TV-free rooms have wide plank floors and wood-burning fireplaces. The adjacent Yellow Barn has been converted into six luxury suites, preserving the original post-and-beam construction and adding modern flourishes like whirlpool tubs, gas fireplaces and, in this instance, big-screen TVs.

The Stanton House Inn, for true romance

Luxurious downstairs interiors with ornate fireplace, parquet floors and antique furniture at the Stanton House Inn in Connecticut

Courtesy of the Stanton House Inn / Expedia

Built in 1843 and renovated by notorious (just Google his name) architect Stanford White in 1900, the Stanton House Inn Bed and Breakfast has ties to Greenwich’s original European settlers and the American suffragette movement. Today, its laid-back luxury draws travelers from nearby New York City and around the world. Join the tradition with a weekend sojourn in one of the Stanton House’s romantic rooms and suites, many featuring private balconies, whirlpool tubs and original fireplaces. In summertime, make a splash in downtown Greenwich’s only hotel pool.

Modern comforts at the Boardman House

Cozy bed with plump pillows and windows to greenery at Boardman House in Connecticut

Courtesy of Boardman House / Expedia

Return to the Gilded Age at the circa 1860 Boardman House in the riverside village of East Haddam. As much a boutique hotel as a bed and breakfast, the Boardman invites you into a bygone world of crystal chandeliers, silk curtains, hand-carved marble fireplaces and oriental rugs. You’d forget you’re in the 21st century except for the flat-screen TVs, walk-in glass showers and heated marble floors. As if all that weren’t enough, the Boardman is also only a short walk from the Connecticut River and the Goodspeed Opera House.

Heavitree of Griswold B&B, for a Christmassy ambience

Antique-filled rustic living room with wood-beam ceilings and dark wood floors at Heavitree of Griswold Bed and Breakfast

Courtesy of Heavitree of Griswold Bed and Breakfast / Expedia

Experience the ultimate New England hygge at the Heavitree of Griswold, set on an actual working Christmas-tree farm in rural eastern Connecticut. Look out over rows of fir trees from the window of your authentic 18th-century bedchamber, with heirloom pine chests, hand-woven wool coverlets and crewel bed hangings – the whole look has been crafted by innkeeper Charlotte Geer, whose family has farmed this land since 1635. Order an ale or cider in the ground-level tap room and watch the game on the big-screen TV, cleverly concealed behind the raised wood paneling.

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