If you’re looking to turn this Valentine’s Day into a Valentine’s Day weekend and whisk away your sweetheart for a romantic getaway, look no further than the North Shore, which is home to several chic hotels. Sip on champagne next to a fireplace, enjoy dramatic ocean views or the history of a quaint New England inn offering all the amenities found in a larger hotel, and remind that special someone what they mean to you.
The Merchant, a Lark Hotel
“Rum, pepper, and a little bit of mystery.” Located in the heart of downtown Salem, this boutique hotel’s name and tagline pays homage to Joshua Ward, the post-Revolutionary War sea merchant and privateer who commissioned the stunning federal style building that houses the hotel today. The Merchant offers large, luxurious guest rooms retaining much of the original woodwork, while offering such modern-day amenities as heated bathroom floors, gas fireplaces, USB outlets, and smart TVs.
148 Washington St., Salem, 978-745-8100, themerchantsalem.com
Blue – Inn on the Beach, a Lark Hotel
Sitting right on Plum Island beach, this boutique hotel is about as oceanfront as you can get and a stone’s throw from downtown Newburyport, offering a luxury vacation cottage experience featuring plush beds, comfortable furnishings, breakfast baskets, and hot tubs.
20 Fordham Way, Plum Island, Newbury, 978-463-6128, blueinn.com
Lark Hotels is celebrating love all month long this February. Book two or more nights and receive a decadent box of truffles from Black Dinah Chocolatiers and a book of Pablo Neruda love poems. Plus, if you book before January 31, you’ll automatically receive a room upgrade, if available at time of check-in.
Beauport Hotel
Blending coastal elegance with contemporary comfort and amenities, this 94-room boutique hotel—the North Shore’s newest and most exciting—is the quintessential New England seaside getaway.
55 Commercial St., Gloucester, 978-282-0008, beauporthotel.com
Yankee Clipper Inn
This 1929 art deco mansion sits on a rocky bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean featuring 15 guest rooms—eight in the main inn and seven in the Bulfinch House— is an 1840 historic home situated on elevated grounds with ocean views. Join such famous celebrities as John F. Kennedy, John Lennon, Paul Newman, and Bette Davis, as this Rockport inn’s guest and book your stay today.
127 Granite St., Rockport, 978-546-0001, yankeeclipperinn.com
Harbor Light Inn
Located in the heart of Marblehead’s harbor district, this 20-room inn offers quick access to the harbor, shops, galleries, historic homes, and restaurants. Chandeliers, brass work, hand carvings, finely tooled furnishings, paintings, etchings, and prints make up the 18th century architecture but it’s the bedside fireplaces, the warm and honest welcome on arrival, and a bountiful breakfast buffet that keep guests coming back.
58 Washington St., Marblehead, 781-631-2186, harborlightinn.com
Hawthorne Hotel
A Salem landmark since 1925, this timeless and iconic hotel boasts 93 rooms, each revealing its distinct and elegant historic character. Located in the heart of downtown Salem, this tastefully decorated boutique style hotel has hosted such well-known personalities as Walter Cronkite, Bette Davis, Colin Powell, former president George Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush.
18 Washington Square W, Salem, 978-744-4080, hawthornehotel.com