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Grand Opening Of The Inn & Vineyard at Chester

The Inn and Vineyard at Chester, nestled in the lower Connecticut River valley, recently underwent extensive renovation, aimed at giving guests modern-day comfort in a classic New England setting.

Renowned hotelier and spa developer Edward J. Safdie oversaw the top-to- bottom makeover of the 42-room inn which had become worn and neglected. Special care was taken to preserve the inn's historic character, while adding modern luxuries and technological advancements.

"We have spent considerable time and resources preserving and renovating this historic inn and its kitchen and dining rooms," said Safdie. "The core of the old inn was preserved, yet enhanced."

Under the direction of Carlene Safdie of Morelock Antiques of Old Lyme, Conn and Tom Vanderbeck of T.F. Vanderbeck Antiques of Hadlyme, Conn, the Inn's collection of antiques and fine reproductions were refurbished and incorporated into the overall design. "We tried to blend American and European country styles using brightly colored toiles and eclectic art and accessories," said Vanderbeck.

"We updated the kitchen, bathrooms and all the dining rooms and added pencil-post beds to most of the bedrooms. In the great hall, we added standing lamps designed by the late John Dickenson," Vanderbeck said.

For the business traveler, New England charm did not keep Safdie from including modern amenities not found in any New England Inn or, for that matter, most 4-star hotels. Throughout the entire Inn wireless internet transponders enable guests to log online anywhere, anytime, inside the Inn and out. Individual rooms are equipped with hard-line, ISDN ports, enabling users to get online without dialing in, at speed they expect in the workplace.

Safdie is known for developing such successful projects as the California Terrace & Spa in the Hotel de Paris, Monte Carlo, Monico, the Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa in Sonoma, California, the Greenhouse Spa in Dallas, Texas, and the Norwich Inn & Spa, in Norwich, Conn., among many others. He is frequently referred to as the father of the modern American spa movement.

The Inn & Vineyard at Chester is situated in a natural New England setting, and offers guests the best of both worlds - a country retreat away from it all, and the convenience of proximity to New York and Boston. The Inn is also perfectly suited for weddings and receptions and parties of various kinds as well as corporate or group meetings, outings and events.