Winvian Reviews

Over all it was a great experience. We stayed in the tree house and loved it. Great staff and privacy. The only thing that i would say, negatively, is the price was a little high for winter.

dream restaurant and environment. such a hidden gem in litchfield hills, i cannot wait to go back soon!

Amazing venue for anything you ever wanted to host. The cottages are unbelievable and tell grounds are just exceptional.

Luxury camping...Only 17 cottages on the property, so you can expect privacy and quiet. The restaurant on-site serves excellent local fare, and service is attentive as well.

A most amazingly decadent and pristine resort. The cottages are uniquely decorated, one of a kind and luxurious. If you have kids, stay in the Helicopter cottage, they will never forget it. If your planning a romantic getaway, Charter Oak cottage or Stable cottage are perfect. There is lots to do in the area, from walking/hiking trails to amysement & wildlife parks, museums, the most antique shops in the country and plenty of excellent restaurants if you want to switch things up during an extended stay. Food is very good, service- not so much. They seem to hire mostly kids, while 2 waiters are over 22 years old (and are excellent at what they do, knowledgable, pleasant, they do their job superbly). However, if you are not lucky enough to have Ben or Walter as your waiter, don't keep your expectations high. Most of them are sloppy, unsophisticated, slow and forgetful. I've talked with several wait staff members and Sadly, the Winvian wait staff average employment is about 2 months. The reason for this is the way they pay gratuities, monthly/pooled. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, however, the management decided to have a point system for tips, basically the wait staff (when starting) makes about 25 dollars a day in tips instead of 2-300 @ 18%. Need I say more? It is sad that a AAA ~ 5 Diamond Resort, withholds about 90% of tips from wait staff. You would think, especially a place of this caliber, they would want to get 110% out of its employees, and long term employment, So guests are nothing short of ecstatic. It seems like common sense, give your wait staff 100% of tips so you get 110% out of them. Some brilliant person ( I assume the General Manager) decided to skim money from tips, which I don't understand. As a customer, I would like to see the same faces every time We go, instead, every time we go its like training day at a diner. When you do stay at Winvian, keep this in mind, Breakfast is included, however the breakfast servers do not get tipped, so if you do get good service, slip your server a tip. Head Chef Chris Eddy, an amazing talent, however, I have seen him interact with wait staff, luckily his skills in the kitchen out weigh his belligerent disrespectful attitude toward wait staff members, he is also known to have had people fired because he had a personal issue with them. This is an honest and truthful review with both positive and negative aspects. All in all, I give them an 8 out of 10. Check my other reviews for an honest opinion. I have 25 years experience in the business and a culinary arts graduate, with minor in hotel/rest. Management.

Lovely place friendliness beautiful spa excellent restaurant and fabulous cottages

I had a restaurant reservation and they wanted to charge $45 for every 15 minutes of charging on their Tesla charger. That s not how Tesla destinations work.

A great disappointment. The dining room was excellent but the hotel needs some serious improvement. Our suite cost $1300 for the night but we couldn t sleep because of the mice scampering behind the walls. I brought it to the attention of the staff but they seemed unfazed as though I wasn t the first to complain about rodents.

Fantastic! We wanted for nothing, except it would have been cool if the cottage's sound system was blue tooth enabled, but that's really a nitpick.

Amazing! Farm to table dining! Delish!!! Spa was great!

Beautiful grounds, great event space, and one of the rooms has a helicopter in it.

Beautiful, rusric, romantic restaurant and bar. Very expensive though ($115 per person)

My husband had the beef tenderloin and it was superb it was so tender that you could cut it with a butter knife. I had an appetizer with lobster that was to die for. The dining room that we were in was intimate with a huge fireplace and there was a gorgeous chandelier with the most amazing deep blue vibrant crystals in it. Although the meal is pricey it was well worth the cost. We did however have pizza the next evening. :) Breakfast was included in the price and was out of this world. We had it delivered to our room each morning.

This is an adult magical fairyland! You feel like you are in an imaginary world.We stayed in the Music Cottage and just loved it. The floor to ceiling fireplace that separated the bedroom from the living room area was so romantic. We became obsessed with keeping the fire going! One whole side of the cottage was all glass doors and windows and the other side had many small square windows from the bottom of the wall to the top. You could view nature from every angle. There were floor to ceiling curtains that opened and closed via remote control for privacy. Not that you needed it because the cottage was very secluded. The bathroom had heated floors, a large jacuzzi tub and steam shower - paradise! The decor was pretty modern and kind of over the top, which isn't our style but we just loved it! Oh, and the sound system was ridiculous! We did tour the Tree House Cottage, Stable, and Greenhouse and decided that we really liked the layout of the Music Cottage best. Although, the Greenhouse was quite tempting - very spa like with a sunken jacuzzi tub - might just have to try that out next time. This was a perfect winter retreat for a few days. We will go back in the summer or fall to experience a different season.

The service was great. Everyone was very friendly and accomodating. Paulo was very charming! The girls on staff were very sweet and appeared to really love working there.

One of the finest experiences I've had for celebrating a birthday. The attention to detail, the friendly accommodating staff and the epic meal made the evening magical.

my wife and I were given a gift of a day there by my chilren for a special b-day.
What an experience, the place is unique in that each cottage has it's own charm
the staff was very friendly and accomidating, the diner was not to be believed,
two of us had the duck and had to pass it around the table for a tasting it was so good. There were 8 of us at the table and everyone enjoyed their meal. The portions were more than adaquet.
the massage the next day was wonderful the studio ws spotless and the atmosphere quiet and peacefull.
It is pricey but what the hell, yoiu work all year to be able to live well and enjoy moments like this. I never go on vacation to save money and they don't have pockets in the shroud when you go out.

Most friendly, accommodating and interesting property that I've stayed in thus far. Every cabin is themed. Ours was the helicopter, to which our surprise had a full size US Coast guard helicopter in the middle of it. The staff goes above and beyond to make you feel at home paying attention to every detail, whether it be accommodations, food, the spa or any other aspect of your stay. Can't wait to go back.

A very special place to go. Staff, cottages and are the best you can find anywhere.

We were there for our 25th wedding anniversary. Stayed in the Woodlands cottage. Ate dinner in the restaurant. Every aspect of the experience was top notch. Prices reflect that.

Stayed in maritime house. It was picture perfect. Some minor issues with the bose speaker technology, bike seats being wet and unusable, dinner was amazing service could be a little more smiley and friendly... Otherwise was as perfect as perfect can be.

Amazing service, food and atmosphere. Truly a special place.

Beautiful area - restaurants , outdoors etc. If you are looking to unplug and relax, this is a great place

Amazing doesn't do justice. From the staff to the grounds first rate. Stay if it's in your budget. All the cottages are amazing.

Pretty simple. This place is amazing. We ve been here twice and can t wait to return.
The food is outstanding. The cottages are gorgeous and cozy. People are awesome and friendly.
Can t reiterate enough how fantastic of a time we ve had here. You are missing out if you haven t been.

This amazing hotel and restaurant takes you back to a time in history that s truly sensational and historical.

Absolutely beautiful and food and service were amazing. Spoke to the staff who all had amazing knowledge of the family history and property. Really great experience.

My Coast Guard hubby loved the helicopter cottage! Everyone made us feel so welcome! Thank you to Erin, who greeted us and made us feel so special!!

Absolutely fantastic dining experience. Wonderful food and fantastic service, amazing lication

The spa is beautiful and is secluded but the manager is rude !!!!! They will charge you for your appointment still if you do not get the service because of there 24 hour policy. I d like to see them investigated !

A cute place that offers a dose of nature. Their restaurants serves up some of the best food I've ever had! Bravo!

No, we didn't like it at all. My mother became ill after we stayed in a cottage. The cottage was very ugly.

The Winvian team pulled out all the stops yet again for an incredibly enjoyable evening of culinary adventures in a beautiful atmosphere.

Highly recommended, weather a special occasion or an evening with friends.

Very impressed by every aspect. Beautiful hotel and grounds. One of the best restaurants we have been too ever. The food and service was outstanding. Worth the price.

It was a great experience stayed in the Charter oak and the staff was great and food was awesome

Spa Review Only! I wish I could say something nice about this place other than "It's pretty," but I can't. The fact is, there is nothing special about it and they charge far too much for what they offer. You can get the same service at Hand and Stone for almost a quarter of the price! In my opinion this was a complete waste of time and money, and to be quite frank, their manager was terribly unprofessional. Don't waste your time coming here, it's not worth it.

I brought my husband here to celebrate his 45th birthday to unwind and relax for 24 hours kid-free. I had high expectations after reading the reviews and my expectations were surpassed! As someone who works in high profile events and conferences I've grown accustomed to what is considered white glove, 5 star 5 diamond service and amenities and Winvian hits every mark from the personal welcome when you arrive through the care and consideration given at every moment. This hidden gem in CT has no match for us and we will definitely be back to experience another Cottage! (We stayed in the treehouse-reminiscent of our treehouse on our honeymoon in NZ-and it was perfection....just what we needed for a quick kid-free getaway!)
THANK YOU WINVIAN!!!!!

Converted barn dining room. Amazing service locally sourced food . The perfect place to impress your date. Great wine list One the best meals in CT

We just had my daughters wedding here, and it could not have been better.
The property was beautiful, the staff were professional and friendly and anticipated your every need. The cottages were different, cozy and just fun. It was the perfect weekend.

A very unique resort. Helicopter is certainly one of the top contenders. (Please note that I am bias because of my fascination for aviation)

Stayed in "The Library" and had a wonderful time. Staff was accommodating without being obsequious. Food was amazing and there was lots of fun poking around to do in town. Keep in mind this is a place to relax. Try some games on the porch or in the game room coupled with a bulleit old fashion plus rabbit ears....it worked for me.

Incredibly unique cottages. Each one is special and it's own way. From the tree house to the secret society house. Some seemed very cool other seemed very weird. Overall there's no way to justify the prices they are charging.

An excellent stay, an excellent meal, and an excellent experience. Top notch quality and prices will reflect that, but well, well worth it

Nice place to relax and yet to have unique activities.

The Winvian is a very special getaway location, tucked away deep in the wilderness, but not far from many city centers. The farm to table restaurant is the main draw, with superbly fresh food and a great wine selection. Every cottage is private and unique, with truly special attention to details. We have stayed in the library and music cottages, and both are very special. The music cottage is becoming a little dated though with only semi-functioning motorized blinds and entertainment technology, which should be updated for the prices being charged. The spa is also a special treat (pre-Covid), as well as walks of the gardens and nearby hiking and kayaking.

Gorgeous, inside and outside. And, there was Nadeau Farm Goat Yoga class, there!

I'm pretty sure any review I write, no matter how glowing or gushing could ever even come close to doing the Winvian justice. I almost don't even want to try, but instead just leave it as a hidden gem that just needs to be experienced. I've now eaten here a couple times, and always for special birthdays. Not only is the food some of the best, but the service is impeccable. I have frequented many restaurants of this caliber around the country and this is easily in my top 2. And it's not to say it's a short drive for me. It's about a 2.5 hour drive with no traffic, and yes....I would drive back tonight of I wasn't afraid of bbn overdoing it. The rabbit on the current menu is probably the best I've ever had. It pushed out the rabbit that I was eating on a daily basis through the Piedmont region in Italy. It really is that good. I didn't think I'd find this quality in the states ever. The vegetables, all of which come from their gardens danced in my mouth. They were amazing. Yes, this is a special place. I look back on these dinners with my family and feel lucky that I was able to share such an amazing experience with them at a place as special as the Winvian.

I planned my elopement here where a few members of our immediate family joined us, and I could not have dreamed of a better wedding. We wanted an intimate wedding where the focus was on the ceremony. It was a wedding out of a storybook where everything went as planned without any of the stress that comes with the big day. I had really high expectations for this beautiful venue, and it was above and beyond anything I could imagine! The wedding planner, Elizabeth, on the property was attentive and helped every step of the way. My husband and I had a seven-course dinner for two and every plate was so unique and well-presented. This restaurant gets so many awards every year for a reason! The farm to table breakfast also stole the show, it was the best breakfast I've ever had! My husband tried the CBD oil Deep Tissue massage and it is 100% worth the price, the spa facility is beautiful. I HIGHLY recommend utilizing every part of this property, from the swimming pool to the complimentary bicycles to the spa facilities. The cottage we stayed in, Charter Oak, was perfect not only for a small wedding to utilize but it had every amenity we needed for our stay. We blasted music as we were waking up in the morning and enjoying their massive shower/tub room with their great stereo system, and enjoyed champagne on the silo-deck. If you are looking to really WOW your girlfriend/wife, please do her a favor and book at Winvian Farm! It is a guarantee that she will love it and forget all about why you were fighting!!!! Also if you haven't married her yet, definitely do it here!

The service was impressive and our overall experience was very enjoyable.

Add Winvian to your post-pandemic plans. This is a unique place in a great part of Connecticut.

Absolutely one of the most unique experiences my husband and I have had during our New England travels. Actually, throughout the country.
It s genius! The property is gorgeous. The concept behind the cottages is pure brilliance in every way. Dining farm to fork is always preferable for us.
Incredibly attentive staff.
I cannot Say enough about Winvian Farms except my new goal is to stay in all 18 cottages.
Sustainability, creativity and authenticity are things most other resorts lack.
You nailed it!
Cannot wait to be back to this hidden gem
Very well done Chef Chris Eddy and staff

2.5 week vacation in Boston, Cape Cod etc and our 5 days here made the trip. What a phenomenal hotel. We stayed in Stone Cottage with our two kids (9&11) and we couldn't fault it. The staff were exceptional and made us feel very special. Despite being a very high end resort, it felt very welcoming of families. I'd love to return one day, perhaps Helicopter or Treehouse though!

Outstanding. Food was incredible and excellent service.

Love this place. Truly a five star hotel. Staff is incredibly attentive and courteous. The hotel is set up as private cottages with different themes. Restaurant is truly amazing. Wine list is great. A lot of vintage wines from Napa. Had a 91 Montelena that was impressive. The beaver Lodge and the charter oak are highly recommended.

The property and the cottages were beautiful and the staff constantly went above and beyond to make sure you were comfortable and happy.

The Winvian is an amazing venue. I look forward to scheduling my upcoming wedding with them.

Spectacular. Stylish. Gracious. Inviting. A true delight.

Perfect getaway, luxury accommodations and great food

The most wonderful exclusive Restaurant & Country Inn in Connecticut.

The Winvian is a magical place for a very special romantic getaway. Each cottage is very unique and will exceed your expectations. The food and service is superb, and as soon as you drive onto the property you are transported to rest and relaxation!

Beautiful place and atmosphere, exceptional dining and service!!!! Wonderful experience. Thank you Winvian!!

We celebrated valentine's day dinner here, and the food and service were great. The food came promptly, and it was rich and flavorful.

I wanted to go to Winvian for YEARS so I was thrilled when my boyfriend took me there for my 40th birthday. I couldn't have been more excited. But once we were there, things immediately started going wrong. First, half the Log Cabin cottage we spent $1k night on was blocked off, so really it was just in a a glorified hotel room. There was an entire upper loft that they explained used to be accessible, but was no longer. Online it had said we were getting a 950 sq. ft. room, but being from NYC, I am very aware of square footage, and without that loft, this was not 950. After spending the entire day and night festering, I finally called in the morning to see if they would switch our room. They were very nice about it and upgraded us to Woodlands, which was definitely nicer, although they could stand to do something about the cobwebs that were everywhere.

We had booked two dinners during our stay. The first night we were supposed to do the chef's tasting menu, and the second night just the regular dinner menu. The day before we arrived, the hotel called to see if we could switch the two around, saying that we would end up having to wait a long time if we wanted the chef's tasting on the first night because they were going to be very busy. That was strange since we had made the reservations months in advance. Why would WE have to be the ones to wait? But ok, we were going to be there both nights anyway, so no big deal.

The first night, we went to have our regular dinner, which was delicious. We were full and decided we wanted to take the dessert back to our room. The server said they could deliver it to the cottage. We said no, we were there anyway so we could just take it. He insisted, so we said ok. The dessert came, and we were charged for the delivery!!

The dessert came with a note saying to dial 0 to get our plates picked up, which we did. We waited for more than an hour, but no one ever came to pick up the plates. When i went outside the next morning, they were still there. And they were still there when we left for our new cottage at 1pm.

At dinner the first night i had asked another server if we come to the same dining room for the chef's tasting menu the following night. She looked completely confused and said the chef does a tasting class on Mondays, but not a chef's tasting dinner on Sundays, which is when we were coming. We let it go and figured that she was confused. This would be a good time to mention that the "chef's tasting" is $100/per person more than the regular dinner.

The next night we showed up for our chef's tasting, and they handed us the regular menu. We were confused, but at that point, so much of the weekend was already ruined, so we decided to just go with the regular menu. All of a sudden, our server rushes out and snatches the menus away and apologizes, saying the chef has prepared a special meal for us. Great! We can't wait to see what it is. It was the same exact menu as the one he had handed us. Only smaller portions.

Each night there is a prix fixe dinner and you choose a dish from each section. The night before we each chose different dishes so we could taste more. That is exactly what happened - they gave us each a half portion of two dishes from each section - which is what we would have done ourselves anyway. And then charged double for it. It was absolutely ridiculous.

I will say the food was delicious again. And, Lindsay who upgraded our room was sweet and very helpful. But both my boyfriend and i left super disappointed and felt it like we had been duped several times during our stay. If this weekend had cost 50% of what it did, i would say it was a good weekend. But the money they charge at Winvian is absolutely not in line with the service, professionalism or attention to detail that even a 4 star hotel should have, and they are charging 5 star prices. I am happy to spend on extraordinary experiences, but that is just not what this is.