GETAWAYS
the holiday that has it all:
NEW HAMPSHIRE by Donna Martin
When you get one‘ big’ holiday a year, one chance every 12 months to quench your wanderlust, it’ s no easy feat deciding where to jet off to. With the world so accessible and choices galore at our fingertips, you’ d think selecting the perfect place to spend our precious seven days would be easy. But, easy it is not.
We want it all – beaches, mountains, lakes, cities, countryside, history, sunshine, culture, glamour, views, adventure, friendly locals, easy access, relaxation, rustic appeal, the‘ wow’ factor – whew, that’ s quite a list. Not too much to ask, is it? Ok, it is a lot to ask, but it isn’ t impossible. I’ ve found just the place: New Hampshire, USA( with a side order of Boston).
How to get there
New Hampshire is more accessible than you think; flights from London Gatwick to Boston take around seven hours, and are surprisingly affordable on Norwegian( starting from £ 135 one-way Economy and £ 399 Premium).
On Premium, you get inclusive luggage, fast-track security and can chill out in Gatwick’ s airport lounge pre-flight. While in the air, enjoy complimentary drinks, dinner, and your own in-seat entertainment system.
I began my trip in the comfortable Premium cabin of the Norwegian 787 Dreamliner – my first flight on
Norwegian – and was pretty much sold after I landed in the States and felt less jetlag than I’ ve ever felt after a long-haul flight. This is due to the lowered cabin pressure, intelligent interior lighting, tinted windows( think transition sunglasses) and of course the cushy seats and ample personal space( and the leg room!) in Premium.
I’ ve always been a die-hard Virgin flyer, but Norwegian may just give Richard a run for his money. www. norwegian. com
Spend a few days in Boston …
Our ninth-floor room had a fabulous view of one of the city’ s most famous skyscrapers – The Prudential – and included an oh-so-comfy super-king bed, multi-speaker sound system, 42” TV, fireplace, and one of the most impressive mini bars I’ ve ever seen( of course I had to take advantage, I was on holiday, after all).
Top it off with impeccable service, a stunning roof terrace, an award-winning restaurant, and of course location, location, location, and you have the perfect hub for your stopover in‘ Beantown’.
Where to stay:
Not one to fancy long transfers after long flights, we made the most of our trip and stayed in Massachusetts’ capital city for a few nights.
There are hotels of all shapes, sizes and flavours in the city, but if you’ re doing Boston, do Boston right and stay at Hotel XV Beacon( www. xvbeacon. com), a luxury boutique hotel recently named # 2 Best Hotel in the United States in the Travel & Leisure World’ s Best Awards. Out of over 50,000 hotels and B & Bs, this place got number two. That’ s a pretty sweet bragging point if you ask me.
Elegant and modern, this 63-room hotel is housed in a turn-of-the-century 10-storey Beaux Arts building right across from‘ the Common’, Boston’ s beautiful tree-lined public park, and the oldest public park in America.
Things to do: Where do I begin? There’ s so much to do in Boston I couldn’ t possibly fit it all into two days, so here are just a few of my top picks( and don’ t forget to grab a bowl of clam chowdah along the way)…
The Freedom Trail The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile marked route that takes you to 16 historically significant sites in Boston, from museums to meetinghouses to churches. Do the trail on your own or join a tour, either way you’ ll learn the rich history of the American Revolution. www. thefreedomtrail. org
The New England Aquarium With over 1.3 million visitors each year, the New England Aquarium is one of Boston’ s must-see attractions, combining education, entertainment and action including the famous 200,000-gallon Caribbean Coral Reef exhibition. www. neaq. org
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