Twin Farms Celebrates Relais & Chateaux, Launches New Website

• 
  SAVE
• 
  SHARE
• 
  TEXT SIZE
• 
  PRINT
• 
  COMMENT
• 
  PDF

. February 15, 2012

Barnard, VT - February 14, 2012 - Twin Farms, one of the most acclaimed and awarded hotels in the United States, recently expanded its presence worldwide by joining the exalted Relais & Châteaux, a consortium of the world's finest small luxury hotels, resorts, and fine dining restaurants.

“Twin Farms incorporates the standards of excellence for which Relais & Châteaux is known, both in gastronomy as well as service,” noted Brenda Homick, Director of Relais & Châteaux North America. “Moreover, the casual yet luxurious atmosphere makes each guest feel as if he or she is staying in a friend's magnificent Vermont retreat.”

Twin Farms is a small, all-inclusive resort with 20 luxurious accommodations on 300-acres of private and pristine countryside in rural Vermont. Twin Farms has been awarded the highest possible Forbes 5-Star (previously Mobil 5-Star) rating for 17 consecutive years. The discerning, independent, and highly critical Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report also gave Twin Farms its highest ranking, Grand Award Winner, while readers of the influential Zagat Survey named it the Number One Small Hotel in the entire United States. Virtuoso, a network of the world's top luxury travel agencies, named it Best of the Best, and Twin Farms routinely receives industry accolades such as inclusion on Conde Nast Traveler's Gold List, Robb Report's Top Ten, and was named the Best Small Resort U.S. by the editors of Cigar Aficionado magazine.

“We are well known in the Northeast, where we have consistently been one of the top-rated luxury properties for many years,” explained General Manager Michael Beardsley. “We want to build upon all the recognition we have received, and introduce Twin Farms to the rest of the country and the world. The latest trends reflect a surge in demand among travelers for unique and authentic experiences of the once-in-a-lifetime variety. At the same time, we have seen a substantial growth in consumers from emerging global markets who actively seek out the world's finest luxury experiences. Relais & Châteaux already has a loyal base of savvy customers in both markets with a passion for the best small luxury hotels and restaurants, and we are a perfect fit.”

Founded in France in 1954, Relais & Châteaux is the world's most recognized collection of non-chain luxury hotels, averaging less than 30 rooms each, as well as world-class fine dining restaurants. In some cases, as with Twin Farms, both superlative lodging and dining are found under one roof. The organization has very strict standards for membership, and its criteria require excellence in all of its “Five C's”: Courtesy, Charm, Character, Calm, and especially Cuisine.

“Cuisine is probably the highest bar, with many European properties earning Michelin stars,” said Beardsley, who has been with Twin Farms since it opened in 1993 and served as its General Manager since 2000. “To be accepted into Relais & Châteaux, you must have an exceptional culinary program. That appealed to us, since we have a longstanding tradition of gourmet excellence and were among the first in the country to truly adopt the now trendy 'localvore' or 'farm-to-table' movement, growing many of our own ingredients and meticulously sourcing others from local and natural Vermont farmers. Because of our very high standards and stature in the travel world, we have had a lot of success hosting the types of travelers who value cuisine at this level. So as a new member of the Relais & Châteaux community, we feel we are in good company.”

Relais & Châteaux includes the most highly regarded chefs and eateries in the world, such as Heston Blumenthal's 3-star Fat Duck in England, the 3-star Pre Catalan in Paris, Napa's Meadowood, Thomas Keller's French Laundry and Per Se, Patrick O'Connell's Inn at Little Washington, Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir Quat Saisons, and many other globally acclaimed chefs including Daniel Boulud, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Mario Batali, and Gary Danko.

Consumer interest in Relais & Châteaux properties has grown in recent years, because the expansion and cookie-cutter nature of bigger hotel chains has often diluted the service and luxury elements of the experience. “It is important to us to be part of something like Relais & Châteaux that celebrates and preserves the traditions of one-of-a-kind extravagant properties with highly individualized service and exceptional chefs,” said Beardsley. “Also, we are already a popular choice for the world's best travel agents, but some have told us that they have clients so loyal to the Relais & Châteaux collection that they will only stay in member properties. Joining the group allows all of us to nurture our relationships with these selective clients.”

Luxury leisure specialist Chad Clark, a Virtuoso agent and leader of Chad Clark Travel in Phoenix, noted that "Twin Farms has a great reputation in the luxury travel industry, but outside of the East Coast, its name is not always familiar to discerning travelers. Relais & Châteaux has a great reputation and a global presence, so it's a great fit in terms of exposing Twin Farms to a broader audience. The Relais & Châteaux membership also reinforces our message when we recommend it to clients.”

Twin Farms joined Relais & Châteaux on January 1, 2012. As part of this initiative, the resort has completely revamped its website so that travelers unfamiliar with the property can learn about it more thoroughly and book their exclusive cottages online. For more information, please visit www.TwinFarms.com, call toll-free: 800TwinFarms (800-894-6327), or email [email protected].

About Twin Farms:
Located on the former estate of Nobel-prize winning novelist Sinclair Lewis, Twin Farms is an intimate, all-inclusive hideaway on 300-acres of unspoiled Vermont forest and meadows, just outside Woodstock, VT. Most of the accommodations are in highly individualized and carefully decorated freestanding cottages, featuring king-size feather beds and sitting areas with wood-burning fireplaces and screened porches. Public areas include the Dining Room, Barn Room, Pub, Cabana, Japanese-style Furo soaking tub, and Fitness Center with the Out of the Woods Spa. The entire property, including guest rooms and common areas, is decorated with an extensive collection of museum-quality artwork. The exceptional cuisine utilizes the purest and finest locally-sourced ingredients, much of it grown specifically for the kitchen by partner farmers, and is backed by a 20,000-bottle wine cellar. On-site activities include hiking, biking, tennis, pond swimming, fly fishing and canoeing; in winter the resort has its own private downhill ski slopes, trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, ice skating, and sledding, with all equipment provided. All activities, meals, wine, and cocktails are included in nightly rates for two that range from $1300-$3100.

About Relais & Châteaux:
Established over half a century ago in France, Relais & Châteaux is now a worldwide association of the finest hoteliers, chefs, and restaurateurs that has set the standard for excellence in hospitality. The focus is on small, one-of-a-kind, and often owner-operated luxury properties, and the collection includes both hotels and resorts of distinction, as well as Relais Gourmand, standalone restaurants offering world-class dining experiences. There are 518 members in 60 countries. The collection includes many of the most famous and acclaimed hotels, restaurants and chefs. Where geographically applicable, many member properties have Forbes or AAA 4 and 5 Star or Diamond ratings, and many of the member restaurants possess One to Three Michelin Stars. To be accepted for membership, hotels must excel at all “Five C's”: Courtesy, Charm, Character, Calm, and Cuisine. For more information, please visit www.RelaisChâteaux.com/en/