5 minute read
Get Away
College Class
Opened in April on the University of Virginia campus, Kimpton’s The Forum Hotel is a study in both Jeffersonian-era architecture and state-of-the-art design. Its parklike setting, tucked between UVA’s law and business schools, includes a serene 5-acre botanical garden complete with an amphitheater, waterfall, bridges and walking paths with native and globalthemed plantings.
Inside, the contemporary decor includes plenty of cozy seating areas. The navy-blue-walled library room, “The Case Study,” has cognac-colored leather sofas, a long working table and built-in shelves displaying a selection of intriguing books, including Annie Leibovitz’s Wonderland.
The hotel’s 198 guest rooms and 10 suites feature comfortable beds and a chair (or sofa), minibar with local treats, yoga mat and an LED smart TV. If you neglected to pack something, a “Forgot It? We’ve Got It!” list includes everything from a cellphone charger to a curling or straightening iron, lint rollers and more.
Complimentary coffee and tea are served each morning in the lobby living room (or enjoy your cup from a plump-cushioned chair on the adjacent balconies overlooking the gardens). Don’t miss social hour, held each evening, for a glass of wine or beer and a savory snack (complimentary). The hotel’s craft beer bar, The Good Sport, serves brews and a delicious smashburger. Birch & Bloom, a steak and seafood restaurant, offers seasonal menus that draw from Virginia’s orchards, vineyards and farms.
While dogs are tolerated at many hotels, The Forum all-out welcomes them, with plenty of space for pooches in the outdoor dining areas, plus an in-room dog bed, food and water bowls (no extra charge) and complimentary dog treats for the duration of your stay. Order a “barkuterie” board at Pups on the Patio night (Mondays). Rates begin at $289 per night and include the complimentary use of bikes, binoculars and bird-watching materials.
Kimpton’s The Forum Hotel, 540 Massie Road, Charlottesville, Virginia; 434-365-2600; forumhotelcharlottesville.com
Art Pairings
Visit Pennsylvania for wine pairings of another kind. Launched in October 2022 in collaboration with the Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County, the Bucks County Wine & Art Trail showcases outdoor artworks ranging from colorful botanicals to landscape paintings, created plein air style among the vines.
Sip—and savor the art—at seven vineyards and wineries. Trail stops include Bishop Estate Vineyard and Winery, home to a popular Dark Bishop cabernet sauvignon and, often, live music and food trucks (bishopestatepa.com); Wycombe Vineyards, a place to glamp among the vines with a private picnic (wycombevineyards.com); and Crossing Vineyards and Winery, which hosts live music on Sept. 1, 8 and 15 (crossingvineyards.com).
Get the free mobile “passport” at VisitBucksCounty.com/WineandArtTrail for detailed vineyard information and addresses, plus an opportunity to win one of the outdoor art reproductions. Check in digitally at three or more trail stops and receive a set of fine art note cards (gratis), featuring works created along the trail.
Bucks County Wine & Art Trail, 215-639-0300, visitbuckscounty.com/ wineandarttrail
Pastoral Pleasures
Set on 35 acres of lush landscaping, meadows and woodsy paths, the historic Brampton Bed and Breakfast Inn on Maryland’s Eastern Shore has an array of new offerings. David and Hilari Rinehart acquired the Chestertown property in August 2020, retained many on the talented staff (beloved by guests) and got to work elevating the inn’s outdoor spaces to include an expansive pergola-covered deck, a terrace overlooking the grounds for alfresco dining, and a beautifully landscaped circular patio with a large firepit surrounded by Adirondack rockers. A shore-to-table feast prepared over a cauldron by acclaimed Eastern Shore chef Kurt Peter is one of the new experiential offerings (check Brampton’s website for details and dates).
Relax indoors in the manor house’s living room, stocked with books and games, or in one of the seven spacious rooms and suites. Six private cottages (two are pet-friendly) dot the property. At edge-of-the-woods Mulberry Cottage, you can nap in a hammock for two, take a soak in the tub on the screened-in porch and read on the front porch swing (or in the king-size bed with a view of the fireplace). Each guest accommodation includes luxury linens, custom bath products and cozy robes; some have a jetted or soaking tub, and/or a gas (or wood-burning) fireplace, available for use Nov. 15 through March 31.
Savor treats galore, from fresh-baked cookies and pastries to breakfasts such as croissant French toast or frittatas with homegrown asparagus, plus afternoon small bites with tea (all included). Better still, you can enjoy a new setting each time, whether it’s in the two-sided glass dining room, on the peaceful front porch, or delivered to your cottage.
The inn is a 2-mile drive to artsy Chestertown, home to galleries, restaurants, shops, history and art exhibits at Kent Cultural Alliance’s new Raimond Cultural Center (kentculture.org). You’ll find 20-plus public art sculptures scattered throughout town. Brampton rates begin at $229 per night. Brampton Bed and Breakfast Inn, 25227 Chestertown Road, Chestertown, Maryland; 410-778-1860; bramptoninn.com
