The sitting room has a queen size pull out sofa and a second bathroom with a radiant heated floor and an indulgent soaking tub. Other amenities include: flat screen TVs in both rooms, a refrigerator stocked with soft drinks and bottled water, and a Nespresso machine. We have carried our signature chic, modern style through the furnishings and decorations, pairing clean lines with finishes and fabrics that are delightfully soft and comfortable. The Serenity Suite is located on the second floor of the main house and has a private entrance, promising a peaceful oasis for a romantic getaway. We invite you to come seek serenity on the beautiful coast of Maine.

We have also had our Roasted Tomato Soup recipe featured on the Tiny Green Mom blog and our Gourmet Hot Chocolate recipe featured on the Think Tasty blog.

Tiny Green Mom is an informative online magazine written expressively for parents interested in all things “green,” from tips on living a healthier lifestyle to the latest organic products available for the entire family. Written by a former educator and massage therapist who is dedicated to sensible, green living for her family, Tiny Green Mom offers fresh content to today’s eco-conscious family in one convenient location. To visit the blog click here.

Think Tasty seeks to provide readers of its online magazine with recipes, restaurant reviews, news, and interviews that provide food for thought. For all people, food is what sustains the body. But for others, food is also what sustains the soul. The editor and writers at Think Tasty are part of the second group. Although they aren’t professionals in the food industry, they have a penchant for delicious food and, even more than that, they love sharing it with others. To visit the blog click here.

Gourmet breakfast on the patio

We are excited to announce our new Guest Rewards Program. The more times you stay, the closer you are to earning a Gift Certificate that can be used for a future stay or given to someone else as a gift. Who doesn’t like to be rewarded for doing something that is enjoyable all on its own.

Here is how it works: each time you have stayed at The Inn at English Meadows for ten nights we will reward you with a Gift Certificate that is worth 10% of the total of those ten nights.

For example, if you stayed ten nights in a room that costs $249.00, the total from your ten nights would be $2,490 which would earn a Gift Certificate valued at $249 (taxes not included). The ten nights are cumulative and do not have to be completed in one stay. The Gift Certificate is transferable.

As an added incentive, if you stay with us in 2013 your stays from 2011 & 2012 will be added to your total, which means you might be closer to earning your Gift Certificate than you think! Your loyalty deserves to be rewarded, get started earning your 10% bonus today by escaping the everyday and wrapping yourself in luxury at our Kennebunk / Kennebunkport bed and breakfast.

On February 28, 2013, The Examiner featured The Inn at English Meadows in an article in their travel section. The theme of the article was that women need not despair during the basketball fueled frenzy of March Madness. Our inn is one of several properties mentioned as great destinations for a Girl’s March Madness Getaway.

We are always happy to custom tailor a stay to include elements that will personalize and enhance the experience of escaping to Kennebunk / Kennebunkport and the beauty of southern Maine. To read the complete Examiner article click here

We will be announcing a March Madness special soon but in the meantime, be sure to check out our Cabin Fever Special. The rate discounts for March are sure to cure your cabin fever and offer an attractive opportunity to plan that Girl’s Weekend getaway!

2013 marks the 5th year for Maine Restaurant Week. Over 70 restaurants are offering special prix fixe three-course dinners and some are also offering special $15 prix fixe lunches. Maine Maple Sunday is another upcoming event that is sure to please anyone who has affection for all things maple. The Portland Flower Show is a showcase event for anyone interested in gardening or landscaping. Rounding out the events in March are the Portland Boat Show and the Maine Boatbuilders show. The Inn at English Meadows is the perfect place to use as a base to take advantage of all of these great happenings. We have compiled details about each of these events below:

Maine Restaurant Week – March 1 -10, 2013 – Maine’s reputation as a foodie destination is well deserved. Maine Restaurant Week celebrates the ingenuity and innovation of our favorite independent, locally-owned restaurants. More than 70 restaurants are participating this year, offering customers three-course prix fixe dinners priced at $22, $32, or $42. Customers love it because dining on special 3-course menus at these prices feels downright decadent. Some restaurants are also featuring prix fixe lunches for $15. Through annual fundraising, local non-profit organizations also benefit from Restaurant Week. For 2013, the target is the United Way. Check out the lineup of fantastic restaurants at the Maine Restaurant Week website.

Maine Maple Sunday – March 24, 2013 – The Maine Maple Producers Association welcomes you to join Maine’s Maple Syrup Producers, statewide, as they celebrate Maine Maple Sunday. Most sugarhouses offer free maple syrup samples and demonstrations on how pure Maine maple syrup is made. Many farms offer games, activities, treats (including pancakes, maple sundaes, maple coated nuts, maple whoopie pies, maple butter, maple baked beans, and maple candy), sugarbush tours, music, and much more. This is a great opportunity to indulge your sweet tooth while peeking into the interesting process that syrup producers undertake to create their delicious amber product. The Maine Maple Producers Association has a great, interactive map that details the sugarhouses that are participating in Maple Sunday: Maple Sunday Map.

The Portland Flower Show – March 6 – 10, 2013 – Northern New England’s only annual flower show. The event features spectacular garden themed exhibits, vendor booths and informational seminars. This year’s theme is “Timeless Gardens.” Check out the Portland Flower Show website.

Portland Boat Show – February 28 – March 3, 2013 – For boating enthusiasts, people interested in checking out the latest boating accessories, or folks looking to jump into purchasing a new boat, this event features the largest display area of any of the local boat shows, with exhibits including center console & walkaround fishing boats, bowriders, cuddy cabins, cruisers, pontoon boats, wakeboard boats, and tournament ski boats. For details, visit the Portland Boat Show website. Boating season is right around the corner.

Maine Boatbuilders Show – March 15 – 17, 2013 – The Maine Boatbuilders Show brings the best in Maine marine craftsmanship together with some of the most discerning boat enthusiasts. The show includes everything from a 50-foot day sailer displayed by Brooklin Boat Yard to Rangeley Boats’ rowboats, as well as all the equipment and components in between – with each booth manned by a company owner. The show draws exhibitors from around the country and customers from around the world. Check out the Maine Boatbuilders Show website for more information.

Glorious chocolate

To celebrate the idea of romance that many people tie to chocolate, this month we have shared a recipe that creates rich, decadent hot chocolate. The recipe came to Liz from a French chocolatier. The story behind the recipe is that we were researching opening a chocolate cafe and found a French chocolatier who wanted to open in the U.S. We studied the French chocolate business for a while but couldn’t find a location that was quite right so we decided on opening a B&B instead. That turned out to be a wonderful decision, but we are still are quite passionate about the chocolate cafe idea….you never know.

From a delicacy for kings to everyone’s favorite treat, from a sacred and revered heath food to a modern scientific wonder, the history of chocolate is rich, varied, and never boring.

Chocolate has long had a reputation as an aphrodisiac, starting with the Spanish conquistadors who assumed the emperor Montezuma was said to consume the bean in copious amounts to fuel his romantic trysts. Casanova, the famous lover, considered it his “favorite breakfast dish.” His memoirs reveal that he used chocolate as a bribe for the chaperones and guardians of the women he loved as much, if not more, than as a love potion.

The two elements in chocolate which scientists ascribe the aphrodisiac qualities of chocolate to are tryptophan and phenylethylamine. Tryptophan is a building block of serotonin, a brain chemical involved in sexual arousal while phenylethylamine is a stimulant related to amphetamine, which is released in the brain when people fall in love.
Despite the persistence of the myth that chocolate is an aphrodisiac, most researchers believe that the amounts of these substances in chocolate are too small to have any measurable effect on desire. However, numerous studies have reflected what many researchers believe: if chocolate has any aphrodisiac qualities, they are probably psychological, not physiological.

The health and science worlds are abuzz about chocolate’s antioxidants which support good health. All plant foods contain antioxidants, some more than others. Cacao is especially rich in them, and antioxidants can be found in abundance in dark chocolate and natural cocoa. As more health studies come out, there seem to be more and more reasons why the Mayans, Aztecs and early physicians were right in believing in the health value of chocolate.

With all of these benefits, who can deny that chocolate is more than just something delicious that appeals to our taste buds? So go ahead, indulge, you can feel good about eating something with proven health benefits and who knows, it might also help set the mood for romance.

The Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington, DC

The Martin Luther King memorial in Washington, DC celebrates a man of conscience; the freedom movement of which he was a beacon; and his message of freedom, equality, justice and love. Liz and I were very moved and inspired by our visit to the memorial last year. In honor of the upcoming Martin Luther King Day holiday we should all remember that freedom and liberty are priceless gifts.

Martin Luther King Day Special

Celebrate Martin Luther King Day weekend with a relaxing getaway in our luxurious and cozy inn. Stay with us January 18th and 19th and receive the 20th for free! Escape the winter doldrums. Visit our quaint waterfront village. Slip off to snowshoe, cross country ski, or ice skate. Walk the dramatic shoreline. Attend a wine tasting on January 18th at Bel Cibo da Cherie. Or maybe just snuggle into one of our plush robes and read by your in-room fireplace. Maine is spectacular any time of the year no matter where your interests lie. Take advantage of our three nights for the price of two offer over Martin Luther King Day weekend by calling us today!

The cozy Sunset Room

Cross Country Skiing – In southern Maine you can cross-country ski alongside the ocean, across golf courses and through scented pine forests. Check out the trails at Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm or the lovely Bridal Path. L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools offer inexpensive “Walk-On Adventures” in cross-country skiing and snowshoeing right from their retail store in Freeport. Some other resources for cross-country skiing include:

• Harris Farm XC Ski Center - Dayton, (207) 499-2678, www.harrisfarm.com - This 1,000-acre center has 40 kilometers of trails for novice, intermediate and advanced skiers, with skating lines. Snowshoeing also available. Amenities include a day lodge with woodstove, snack bar, rentals, and ski shop.
• Smiling Hill Farm - Westbrook, www.smilinghill.com – 34 kilometers of trails for novice, intermediate and advanced Nordic skiers and snowshoers, as well as marked nature trails. Amenities include rentals, a farm building with snack bar, woodstove, changing area, gift shop and dairy store.
• Five Fields Farm - Bridgton, (207) 647-2425, www.fivefieldsski.com – This 70-acre orchard offers 27 kilometers of trails for novice, intermediate and advanced skiers and snowshoers. Of special note is the unlimited backcountry terrain to the top of scenic Bald Pate Mountain and the surrounding 450-acre land preserve. Other amenities include a warming house and rentals.

Ice Skating – Close by, the Park at Crow Hill in Kennebunkport offers a skating pond and a former gas station in downtown Kennebunk has been transformed into an outdoor community ice skating rink. West Brook Ice Rink in Biddeford is also a popular outdoor skating destination. When the conditions are right, the pond in the middle of the beautiful 52-acre Deering Oaks Park in Portland is considered by many to be one of the best ice skating spots in Maine. City crews make a special effort to keep the ice cleared and its surface well groomed for skating. Up for a bigger challenge? The ice goes on for miles at Sebago Lake and other lakes of the nearby Lakes Region.

Skiing – Some of the finest skiing in the east is to be had at Maine mountains. Located less than two hours away are Shawnee Peak in Bridgton and Lost Valley in Auburn. Sunday River in Bethel is close enough for a day trip, as are numerous ski areas in the White Mountains of New Hampshire like Cranmore Mountain Resort, Bretton Woods, Black Mountain, Wildcat and Attitash.

Snowmobiling – Northeast Snowmobile Rentals, with locations in Gorham and Fryeburg can set you up with everything you need for an adrenaline-filled adventure over miles snow-covered trails and open fields. (800) 458-1838 or www.northeastsnowmobile.com.

Go for a sleigh ride – Enjoy snow sprinkled pine trees and frost tipped fields while you glide leisurely in a horse-drawn sleigh. Rockin’ Horse Stables offers horse-drawn sleigh/carriage/wagon rides. 245 Arundel Road, Kennebunkport 207-967-4288.

Bowling – The classic indoor sport is a favorite of young and old alike! Vacationland in Saco is a quick drive away, offering candlepin lanes and a billiard room. At Bayside Bowl in Portland’s revitalized Bayside neighborhood, you can bowl in an intimate, upscale alley and enjoy excellent food served right at the lanes.

Catch a game – The Portland Pirates tear up the ice at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland – look for their home games all winter long as well as those of Maine’s D-league basketball team, The Maine Red Claws.

Relax in a spa – What better way to unwind in winter than by pampering yourself at a day spa. Treat yourself to massage, a facial and aromatherapy; it’s the perfect antidote to the mid-winter blahs. Cottage Breeze Day Spa is right around the corner and numerous other spas are mere minutes away.

Take in a cooking class – Schedule a personal cooking class here at the Inn at English Meadows. Alternatively, at Stonewall Kitchen’s company headquarters in York, classes are held almost daily on such savory topics as bread making, holiday menus, ethnic specialties and seafood delights. 877.899.8363 or www.stonewallkitchen.com. Wine lovers can often find a tasting at Down East Wine Imports in Lower Village Kennebunk or at Browne Trading Company or LeRoux Kitchen in Portland’s Old Port.

The Kennebunk River dressed in its fall finest

New England is famous for its glorious foliage as billions of leaves change from green to a kaleidoscope of colors. The air is crisp and cool – perfect for hiking, biking or a classic drive along back roads, where farm stands are piled high with crunchy apples and orange pumpkins.

The leaves started turning colors in the northern regions of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire around late September and will probably peak around mid-to late October. Along the coast of New Hampshire and southern Maine, color starts later and often lasts up until November.

Maine’s official tourism website has put together a particularly interesting driving route that begins in Kittery and loops up along the southern coast through York, Ogunquit, Wells, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough, CapeElizabeth, Portland, and Freeport. After checking out the iconic L.L. bean flagship store, the route heads west through the Sebago Lakes Region and includes a covered bridge and an historic Victorian village before looping back to Kittery. The route offers myriad vistas of woods, water, and mountains while pointing out great opportunities to take in some of the most interesting cultural, historic, and scenic spots in Southern Maine. To check out the route, click this link: Antiques and Boutiques.

For those more inclined to explore on foot some excellent spots to get in a quick hike are listed below:

• The Kennebunkport Conservation Trust preserves tracts of land that have helped maintain the scenic and idyllic charm ofKennebunkport Maine and the surrounding areas.  The Trust maintains large parcels of land with excellent trails. In particular, the Smith Preserve is well known for its trees and unique wildlife.
• Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm features seven miles of easy to moderate trails that cover a variety of habitats and offer rich opportunities for discovery.  Take the beach trail down to the ocean, passing trees and grasses reaching their peak of color.
• The North Loop Trail at Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park in Freeport presents an exceptionally bright yellow display that normally peaks in mid-to-late October.
• Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal provides views of surrounding forests and Casco Bay’s Calendar Islands. The foliage color peaks usually occur in late September to mid-October.

Regardless where your interests lie, Maine in Autumn offers a beautiful destination rich with tradition and endless entertainment opportunities. We will gladly offers suggestions to help you tailor the perfect visit to Maine and Kennebunk / Kennebunkport.