Northeast Getaways: From Luxury to Affordable
By Andrew Collins

Especially in recent years, the Northeast has become increasingly abundant with gay-popular inns, even in small, rural towns far from big cities. You may not find lesbian and gay bars or myriad cultural offerings in the country hamlets of Vermont or Maine, but you can find an irresistibly romantic setting - perhaps an inn on a lake with an outdoor Jacuzzi, or a B&B nestled in the north woods and warmed by a roaring fire.

Here's a sampling of romantic and memorable inns in the Northeast, the first four offering cushy accommodations and appropriately upscale prices, and the second four providing a perfectly charming and inviting stay at more affordable rates.

The Luxury Inns

Hob Knob Inn - Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts
A dignified, Gothic Revival inn on quaint Edgartown's main drag, the Hob Knob contains 17 spacious and airy rooms. It's large enough to feel like a small hotel but also homey enough to feel personal and low-keyed. Fresh flowers brighten the guest accommodations, which are bathed in pastels and feature down comforters and pillows and a mix of well-chosen antiques. Most units overlook the lush gardens surrounding the property. A filling, complimentary breakfast is cooked to order each morning. The Hob Knob stays open year-round, a relative rarity on Martha's Vineyard, and the off-season rates can be a great bargain. Martha's Vineyard has developed a notable LGBT following in recent years, and although nightlife is tame and without specifically gay options, the island is highly welcoming.

Four Columns Inn - Newfane, Vermont
In southeastern Vermont, just 2.5 hours from Boston and 3.5 hours from New York City, the Four Columns Inn excels both as a top-notch accommodation and a terrific restaurant. There are 15 rooms, all with gas fireplaces and traditional Colonial or Shaker furnishings. Many of the marble bathrooms have in-room Jacuzzis, and some rooms have private decks overlooking the tranquil and stunningly landscaped grounds, which are dotted with ponds and traversed by a mountain stream. Newfane is a quiet village, and that's a big part of the Four Columns' appeal. If you do stay here, try to plan at least one evening in the acclaimed restaurant, where you might sample such creative fare as seared medium-rare breast of duck with a rhubarb-red currant-port sauce.
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