Sleep in a Helicopter

Why we're itching to stay at the (charming, secluded and magical) Winvian.

Set amidst 113 acres in the middle of LItchfield Hills, Connecticut lies The Winvian: a quiet, yet understated, getaway. Owner Maggie Smith and her daughter, Heather, enlisted fifteen architects to bring life to their original idea: to own and operate a hotel of 19 different "mini-hotels." Consisting of 19 cottages, The Winvian hosts a variety of eclectic buildings, each with a different theme and design concept surrounding the hotel's hub: an antique-filled, colonial-style farmhouse.

A few of the aptly-named cottages? Secret Society, Treehouse (below), Beaver Lodge, Charter Oak and Helicopter are just a few of the titles created for travelers seeking an innovative departure from the norm. We have a soft spot for the Helicopter suite, which is carved and inspired from a 17,000 pound Connecticut Coastguard chopper.


Of course, a stay at The Winvian comes with a high price tag. Expect to pay between $1,450 and $1,950 a night, which includes all meals and drinks, as well as personal accessories (even wellies, snowshoes and cross-country skis are provided!). The price is a bit steep for my budget, but then again, I've never slept in a helicopter. Tempting, isn't it?

For more design-driven hotels, read on:
-A Candy Land Hotel Suite
-10 Hotels We Wish We Could Spend the Night In