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As we shift gears into the chilly days of winter, what could be better than a luxe weekend escape at one of our time-tested New England winter resorts? We’ve rounded up three of our favorites for the perfect blend of adventure and coziness this season.

Sunday River Resort, Maine

I’m partial to a quiet Main Street with a town green and an old inn updated for comfort, right below a snow-topped mountain. Sunday River Resort in Maine is one such experience. Well-known for its snowmaking and efficient lifts, Sunday River (Ikon Pass) offers 139 trails and glades and 19 lifts (five high-speed including the new Barker 6) on 884 acres.

Photograph courtesy of Sunday River

With all this to choose from, it’s easy to find terrain suited to your particular skill level. Each of its six peaks has a way down for novices if you don’t want to knock yourself out on the double-black White Heat or contend with the bumps and glades at Oz and Aurora. Three Mile Trail with Agony and Ecstasy in between offer a leisurely descent. Warm up on the Jordan 8 bubble chair, and ski to the Igloo and ice bar in Jordan Basin for drinks and music.

The nearby quaint village of Bethel has many congenial lodging and dining options in graceful old buildings reimagined as inns and restaurants. Cross-country or snowshoe on nearly 22 miles of terrain at the Woods + Trails’ location at the Bethel Inn (Dog Days loop is paw-friendly). Dine at some of the locals’ favorites—the Elizabeth (Creamy Garlic Wild Mushroom Pasta, Spanish Braised Lamb) for fine dining or The Suds at the Sudbury Inn (pub grub and 29 beers on tap plus open-mic Hoot Night). In town, visit the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum (meteorites from Mars). Get a scone or raspberry brownie at the popular Gemini Café & Bakery (formerly a bank). Pick up noshes at Bethel Provisions.

sundayriver.com

Where to stay

In Bethel, retreat to the 15-room Elizabeth Guest House and Restaurant on Main Street, built by a lumber and cattle merchant in 1895 and full of original fireplaces and woodwork. Think Victorian décor with a contemporary vibe. Breakfast is included and you can go to dinner in your slippers. The Elizabeth also rents out a nearby six-bedroom guest house. theelizabethmaine.com

The Grace Note Inn and Spa on Route 2 is a newly renovated elegant white-clapboard classic that has six spacious high-end rooms. Claiming to cultivate its guests’ best inner selves, they offer a truly gourmet breakfast, fine dining three days a week for guests only, and a spa with a heated saltwater pool, a private infrared sauna room, a massage and facial treatment room, and a space to exercise or do a personal yoga session or meditation. The 11-passenger van takes guests back and forth to the mountain whenever they like. gracenoteinn.com

Or stay slope-side. Sunday River Resort offers two ski-in ski-out hotels The Grand Summit Hotel and The Jordan, both with outdoor heated pools and hot tubs. The Jordan has a full spa. For condos, consult Four Seasons Realty. sundayriver.com/resort-lodging; fourseasonsrealtymaine.com

Trapp Family Lodge | Photograph by Chadwick Estey

Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont

Stowe Mountain Resort (Epic Pass) is another big mountain anchored by a classic New England village. Skiing or snowboarding on 116 trails served by 12 lifts is akin to being at a big party. Working their way across the mountain, guests circulate on intermediate cruisers like the Lord and Ridgeview down from the top of the Forerunner Quad or plunge down the seven-turn Nose Dive. Then it’s onto the eight-person Gondola for favorite cruisers like Perry Merrill and the Gondolier, plus swank summit dining at the Cliff House. After lunch, move over to Spruce Peak’s sunny slopes for a fast cruise down Sterling or Main Street.

Spruce Peak Village is pedestrian paradise, with a luxury slope-side hotel and restaurants, heated walkways, an ice skating rink, a performing arts center, the Stowe Mountain Club with VIP privileges, and the kids’ Adventure Center. The Spruce Camp Base Lodge offers a tasty food court in the Great Room and Grill. The Easy Over gondola gets you back to the main Mansfield parking area.

Since 20 percent of Vermont is farmland, the Stowe chefs make good use of local sources for fresh and creative farm-to-table meals. Trapp Family Lodge even has its own chickens and beef. Other places worth a visit in this venerable ski town include The Matterhorn, an apres-ski hot spot; Harrison’s Restaurant downtown; Piecasso’s pizza or Sushi Yoshi for the whole family; Shaw’s General Store with clothing to survive in style; and Stowe Mercantile for just about everything.

stowe.com

Where to stay

The Lodge at Spruce Peak has 250 rooms, suites, and penthouses that allow you to ski, relax, recharge… and repeat, a mere 200 feet from the Spruce Peak Double chair. The concierge heats your boots and rolls your skis or boards out in the morning. A fitness center, all-natural Spa & Wellness Center, on-site restaurant, and parking mean you don’t need to budge once you’re here. Alpine Hall’s chef Sean Blomgren combines the best local ingredients (sourced from Triple J Pasture or Jasper Hill Cellars) with a hand-crafted ethos. sprucepeak.com/stay/the-lodge

Topnotch | Photograph by Savannah Brown

At Topnotch, just off the Stowe Recreation Path, the 120-acre wooded getaway is a place to recharge and refuel in a soothing environment. Feel your blood pressure drop the minute you swing open the large wooden front doors and are greeted by the friendly staff. The attractive, minimalist hotel has just 68 rooms, plus two restaurants. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the trails at Mt. Mansfield. Take the resort’s free shuttle up to the Spruce Peak parking area. The pièce de résistance, however, is the 35,000-foot spa. You have absolutely no excuse to skip the slopes the next day due to sore muscles. topnotchresort.com

Trapp Family Lodge combines comfy lodging with cross country, snowshoe, and backcountry trails on a serene spread of 2,500 wooded acres. Rooms in the main lodge offer Austrian décor overlooking the Worcester Range instead of the Alps. Halls are lined with family photos. Relax in living room-style common areas perfect for tea and cookies, set out every afternoon. Farm-to-table dining in The Dining Room, the more informal Lounge, and on-site Von Trapp Brewing Bierhall (sample batches of von Trapp Brewing Lagers) are all dining options. Guests have full use of the trails, fitness center with an indoor pool and outdoor hot tub. Other offerings: yoga daily at 9 a.m., Meet the Cows, wine tastings, s’mores. trappfamily.com

Photograph courtesy of Mount Sunapee

Mount Sunapee, New Hampshire

Mount Sunapee’s convenient location just two hours from the North Shore and the scenic appeal of the area’s lake and mountain make it a place to linger. It has four peaks, 1,510 feet vertical, and nine lifts including two high-speed quads. A mid-sized area, Sunapee (Epic Pass) has 67 trails that are full of character. Lap the Forerunner Quad (two minutes base to summit) on fun intermediate trails like Ridge, Blast-Off, Bonanza, and Skyway, often voted best ski view in New England. Drop into the Sun Bowl in the morning. Meander on the woodsy ungroomed Williamson Trail. Skip through the trees in Sunrise Glades. Try your moves in the terrain park. Of the three lodges, my favorite is the summit lodge, a cozy refuge with its roaring fire and hot chocolate.

Nearby New London is anchored by the New London Inn, which has been serving meals since the horse-drawn Concord Coach barreled through. The Millstone at 74 Main is one good dining option. Locals and visitors alike have their favorite casual spots—Bubba’s Bar & Grille in Newbury, Peter Christian’s Tavern in New London, and The Flying Goose Brew Pub & Grille (The Goose) where snow sports enthusiasts mingle for brews and burgers. New to the scene is Suna restaurant about two miles from the Newbury Rotary. The friendly Bob Skinner’s Ski & Sport at the Rotary and Hubert’s Family Outfitters in New London provide winter wear and gear. Dexter’s Inn (another former stagecoach stop) has miles of backcountry trails to explore.

mountsunapee.com

Where to stay

The Mountain Edge Resort (also a timeshare property), just a half-mile from the ski area parking lot, has spacious rooms with one- and two-bedroom suites and comfy beds, leather couches, a kitchenette, and a propane fireplace. An indoor pool, hot tub, and sauna provide respite after a day outdoors. Pooches are allowed in some rooms by prior arrangement. The staff is very friendly and attentive, and some guests have actually said they could live here. mountainedgesuites.com

Farther afield, The New London Inn is a graceful old establishment right on the town green. It serves an upscale menu at The Elms and is within walking distance of shops and restaurants. The Inn at Pleasant Lake (same owners) is another good option. It has 10 rooms and a well-regarded restaurant, The Oak, overlooking the lake. thenewlondoninn.com; innatpleasantlake.com