Travel Planner: Westfield, MA

This sprawling resort has a modern Colonial look and extensive facilities. Guest rooms have neutral-tone color schemes, dark wood furniture, and modern amenities; some have river or golf-course views. Drop by Schadrack's Tap Room for light fare or a drink after a day on the greens. Pros:

extensive recreational facilities, equidistant to both I-84 and Woodbury's antiques shopping, attractive and contemporary rooms.

adjacent to a sprawling retirement condominium community, independent travelers may not appreciate that it's extremely popular with groups and conventions. www.heritagesouthbury.com. 163 rooms, 5 suites. In-room: Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, golf course, pool, tennis courts, gym, spa. Credit cards accepted.

This posh Georgian-style inn is on 42 rolling acres right by the Thames River. The spa, the state's finest, provides an entire spectrum of skin care, massages, body treatments, and fitness classes. You'll find four-poster beds, wood-burning fireplaces, CD players, and a complete galley kitchen in the luxe villas as well as comfy country furnishings in the guest rooms. The inn's elegant restaurant serves tasty, yet health-conscious, fare. The top-notch seafood scampi with fresh Maine lobster, sea scallops, and Gulf shrimp over linguine has just 425 calories—and you'd never know it. Pros:

one of the best spas in the state, short drive from casinos, beautiful grounds.

oriented toward spa guests, so less appealing if that's not your interest. www.thespaatnorwichinn.com. 49 rooms, 54 villas. In-room: Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurants, golf course, pool, tennis courts, spa. Credit cards accepted.

The rambling Victorian-era hotel—a jumble of towers, chimneys, porches, and turrets—sits at the edge of a mountaintop lake. The resort's 2,200 acres encompass private woodland and elaborate gardens and overflow with options for recreation, including 85 mi of hiking trails. Antiques fill the guest rooms, which are luxurious and spacious. Choice accommodations in the towers have original Victorian woodwork, wood-burning fireplaces, and balconies. Your room rate includes three meals daily, plus afternoon tea and cookies. Breakfast and lunch are buffet-style; dinner is a formal affair (men may want to wear jackets). Four self-catering cottages, which sleep four to six people, are also available and include full kitchens. Pros:

all-inclusive plan; tons of activities; great for kids.

grounds can be packed with day-trippers; not for those looking for quiet getaway. www.mohonk.com. 265 rooms, 7 suites, 4 cottages. In-room: safe, no TV (some), Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurants, bar, golf course, pool, tennis courts, gym, spa, water sports, children's programs, laundry facilities, business center. Credit cards accepted. Cottages closed mid-Oct.-mid-May.

This 1925 Georgian-revival mansion sits at the end of a regal circular drive, overlooking 6 acres of lush lawns and apple trees. The Greenock Golf Course is across the road. The inn has been exquisitely decorated: one room has a spacious steam shower and a fireplace, another contains a French reproduction sleigh bed with fireplace and stunning views over the grounds to the mountains beyond. A carriage house contains two plush suites with stereos and wet bars; chocolates and crystal decanters filled with brandy and liqueurs add a touch of class. Owners Len and Gloria Friedman have attended to every detail. Pros:

charming dining room, delicious breakfast, complimentary cognac and chocolates.

some traffic noise. www.applegateinn.com. 6 rooms, 5 suites. In-room: Wi-Fi. In-hotel: pool, some age restrictions. Credit cards accepted. Rate includes: Breakfast.

The best rooms in this 380-acre, five-building complex are in the century-old Tudor mansion; they're furnished with antiques and have marble bathrooms. Two smaller buildings have 20 rooms each, and there are several small cottages, each of which has a kitchen. Somewhat marring the property is an abundance of tightly spaced condos behind the hotel buildings. Most of the facilities are open to the public, as are the resort's restaurants, where you can dine formally or informally. There's also a full golf school. The 35,000-square-foot spa has a full complement of women's and men's treatments, plus several types of massage. This is a good option for families, since there's so much to do on-property (and since so many inns in the Berkshires aren't child-friendly.) Pros:

good golf course, lots of activities, nice swimming pool.

extra cost for amenities like tennis and bike rentals, some complaints of housekeeping issues. www.cranwell.com. 113 rooms. In-hotel: restaurants, golf course, pool, tennis courts, gym, spa. Credit cards accepted. Rate includes: Breakfast.