Ideas for winter fun at Captain’s House Inn, Deerfield Inn, Manor on Golden and Inn at Harbor Hill Marina

Spa packages at Manor On Golden PondWe’re winding up our blog series on five great things to do at Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) in the winter with a trifecta of ideas from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut inns.  While there are far more than … Read more

A new year’s resolution you’ll want to keep: DINE even more in 2023

making resolutions in 2017Did you make a resolution on January 1st and are finding your determination waning right about now? The Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) are here to rescue your resolution resolve. Throw out those old notions of “shoulds” and … Read more

Holiday festivities in DINE country – Part I, Massachusetts holiday events

Nautical Santa at Inn at Harbor Hill MarinaHoliday shopping season may have started before Thanksgiving, but what we like to call the Harvest to Holidays time of year is getting underway now.  The Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) embrace the holiday season with beautiful décor, festive … Read more

Green themed recipes to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day from DINE kitchens

 St Patrick's Day dogTis the season for all things green to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.  Step aside corned beef and cabbage, your friends at Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) have other ideas for the day of the leprechaun. We’re all about green … Read more

DINE inns open the door to 2022

New Year's eve celebrations at DINE innsAs the calendar turns from 2021 to 2022, the Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) get ready to open the door to a new year.  Perhaps nothing is more evocative of hospitality than a welcoming door to one of ten Read more

DINE inns offer quintessential holiday experiences – Part II – in Massachusetts

Deerfield Inn wreathThe holidays are coming and each of the Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) offers that perfect traditional New England experience.  DINE innkeepers get calls each day asking where travelers can find that perfect “Hallmark experience.”  Rest assured, Hallmark lovers … Read more

Spotlight on The Deerfield Inn, Historic Deerfield, MA

Deerfield Inn, holiday decorThroughout our series, we’ve created profiles of DINE members.  Today we will focus on the Historic Deerfield Inn, located within a living museum offering insight into colonial America.  We’re delighted to have created spotlights on each of the Distinctive Inns Read more

Update on Covid protocols, new procedures and state-mandated travel orders for Massachusetts & Maine DINE members

hand cleaningThere have been some updates, easing and changes to the travel restrictions for visitors to the six New England States since our last state by state update in June. Since then, restrictions have been lifted in every New England … Read more

Please respect and understand the new rules: Here’s why

maskThe first half of 2020 is behind us and its been one for the record books.  A history making pandemic has led to the largest drop in GDP in the history of our country. Hundreds of thousands of lives lost, … Read more

Meet the Chefs: Executive Chef Cal Hingston, Grafton Inn

Grafton Inn-outside diningTechnically, we started the Meet the Chefs series back in February with a description of the all-female “badass” kitchen staff at the Gateways Inn back in February.  Then the pandemic hit, and we had to put our chef series … Read more

Three ways DINE inns offer vacations that are all about you

hotel check inRecently we at Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) have been hearing commercials on the radio about how Westin Hotels offer stays “all about you”.  We in the innkeeping world find the notion of a hotel chain, with hundreds of … Read more

A compilation of comfort: Recipes for comfort food in 2020

Beautiful photo of Spinach Pie from Harbor Light InnWelcome to a new year and a new decade.  The Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) will start the year and the decade out with something they know well….comfort.  From the comfort of welcoming inns, to recipes for the best … Read more

Work sucks, the boss sucks – DINE will fix that

Photo of woman writing - Trust yourself - Be the boss".From time to time, every working traveler has muttered that works sucks. When you’d rather be traveling, work really can suck.  And for those who are not the boss, it’s not uncommon that the boss sucks from time to time … Read more

The one thing Mom really wants for Mother’s Day – B&B getaways

She’s the most important person in the world – to you and to your kids. Whether you’re her soul mate and she’s the mother of your children, or you’re lucky enough to be one of her kids, you want to … Read more

Green themed recipes for St. Paddy’s Day

Green Goblins at Deerfield InnAs we approach St. Patrick’s Day in New England, we can’t help but think of all those green-themed recipes being whipped up in the kitchens at the Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE).  While our first choice for you on … Read more

Winter fun in DINE country, Part 2 – romantic New England mountain getaways

Last week we covered romantic winter getaways at coastal New England inns and B&Bs – all members of the Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE). That story offered the ideal New England coastal inn-to-inn itinerary, traveling from Cape Cod to … Read more

Your guide to ringing in a distinctive 2019 at a DINE inn

Your guide to New Year's Eve at Distinctive Inns of New EnglandNew Year’s Eve is a time for celebrating old and new acquaintances and creating memories to never forget them.  There’s no place better than one of the 12 Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) to ring in the new year … Read more

A dozen great ways to beat the heat in DINE country

Recently, the temps in Southern Maine reached levels not seen for the past 107 years! New Englanders have been suffering through one of the warmest summers in decades. Yet innkeepers at the 12 Distinctive Inns of New England are taking … Read more

Going Healthy with Spinach: Breakfast pies from Distinctive Inns of New England

Spinach Pie from Harbor Light InnAs we kick off the summer season and watch the seedling spinach plants start growing into salad-sized, we thought it might be helpful to share some of our best breakfast pie recipes featuring this healthy ingredient.  After all, every romantic Read more

Ten of the best kitchen hacks ever from Distinctive Inns of New England

Bill Bagwill, breakfast chef at work at the Cliffside Inn.While the innkeepers at Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) are experts at providing romantic getaways and personalized hospitality, they’re also wizards in the kitchen with a pinch of Yankee ingenuity.  Invention rises from necessity, and for most of … Read more