I've found one of the best ways to get puzzlers hooked on Stave puzzles is to let them “test drive” one, and what better place than luxury hotels and inns. We have learned over the years that “small is beautiful” when it comes to Stave puzzling. An intimate luxurious setting best matches the quality experience of our wooden puzzles. Relaxed guests are often surprised at how much fun they have together over the puzzle table. In addition, in smaller venues we can connect with the hotel staff and they’ll watch over the puzzles with loving care. We have been very fortunate to win the affections of such fine establishments as Twin Farms (Barnard, Vermont), The Point (Saranac Lake, New York), Blackberry Farm (Walland, Tennessee), and the Wickaninnish Inn (Tofino, Vancouver Island). See below.
Steve Richardson, Chief Tormentor...for 35 Years!
The Point
www.thepointresort.com
The Point is a vibrant and exclusive house party, an elegant hideaway, the essence of rustic splendor, luxury and whimsy amid Adirondack Mountain wilderness. Built in the tradition of a Great Adirondack Camp, The Point Resort marries opulent authenticity with epicurean amenities and a secluded, relaxing wilderness. Lavishly expressed and painstakingly constructed on the original site of William Avery Rockefeller's Camp Wonundra, The Point continues that tradition of the Great Adirondack Camp era; with the Elegance and opulence of today.
Stave Puzzles Connection to The Point
Way back in 1995, we received a call from the owner of The Point inquiring about having Stave Puzzles in their pub. This was in the very early years of our Inn partnerships and the intimate size of The Point was very appealing. Over the years we have entertained a number of prominent guests there.
Blackberry Farm
www.blackberryfarm.com
In 1940, Mrs. Florida Lasier of Chicago snagged her silk stockings on a wild blackberry bramble while exploring the idyllic Smoky Mountain foothills, and Blackberry Farm was born. Thirty-six years later, the Beall family invested their hearts and souls in the same romantic site that became their family home and lifelong passion. Today, one of America's most celebrated intimate luxury hotels beckons discerning guests who aspire to escape modern-day frenzy and slip into a Blackberry state of mind. Situated on a pastoral 4,200-acre estate in the Great Smoky Mountains, Blackberry Farm will show you the many reasons why the 2004 Zagat Survey rated it as the #1 Small Hotel in America.
Stave Puzzles Connection to Blackberry Farm
About 8 years ago Stave Puzzles was approached by a Blackberry Farm manager who had visited Twin Farms and noticed the popularity of our puzzles there. He wondered if we would like to provide similar puzzling entertainment to Blackberry Farm guests. We had heard wonderful things about Blackberry Farm so we were thrilled to establish a puzzling arrangement with them. Many of their guests have become satisfied Stave Puzzles' customers.
Twin Farms
www.twinfarms.com
Twin Farms is a unique country estate getaway for all seasons situated on over three hundred acres of wildflower meadows, hardwood forests, ancient gardens and private ponds in Barnard, Vermont, just ten miles north of picturesque Woodstock. The original 1795-era farmhouse and lodge have been converted into gracious living and dining rooms, plus six elegant guest suites. Ten freestanding guest cottages, each with their own interior design style, are dotted about the property, The Farmhouse at Copper Hill provides an additional four suites.
Stave Puzzles Connection to Twin Farms
17 years ago Stave Puzzles was approached by the owner of Twin Farms, a Stave customer, and asked to help provide entertainment for their guests in the form of small, entertaining wooden jigsaw puzzles. Stave is only 45 minutes from Twin Farms so many guests at Twin Farms, upon becoming hooked by a Stave puzzle, often drive over to Stave Puzzles to have a tour of our workshop. This is when we really hook them.
The Wickaninnish Inn
www.wickinn.com
The Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino Canada, has become a landmark - the enchanting and critically acclaimed destination on the awesome western edge of beautiful British Columbia. No trip to BC - and indeed, Canada - should be made without experiencing this remarkable Tofino hotel destination. The Wickaninnish Inn is the only resort on beautiful Chesterman Beach.
Stave Puzzles Connection to The Wickaninnish Inn
During September, 2008 Martha and I (owners of Stave Puzzles) traveled to the Pacific side of Vancouver island to specifically stay at The Wickaninnish Inn to see what all the hoopla was about. For years we had been reading about this wonderful resort and we wanted to check it out. We were not disappointed and during our stay we approached the Managing Director of The Wickaninnish Inn, Charles McDiarmid, about providing them with puzzling entertainment (as we had done for Twin Farms and Blackberry Farm) for their guests during their famous ‘Storm Watching’ weekends.
Rabbit Hill Inn
www.rabbithillinn.com
Chosen as a "Romantic Hideaway" by "Discerning Traveler" and often featured as a chosen New England destination by the "Boston Globe", Rabbit Hill Inn sits in the charming little town of Lower Waterford, VT. This Northern Vermont inn exudes an ambiance of bygone days when Lower Waterford was the perfect midway stopping point for folks traveling from Boston to Montreal.
Beautiful vistas of the White Mountains of New Hampshie and the hills of Vermont can be seen from the front porch and lawn of the Northeast Kingdom Bed & Breakfast.
The 18th and 19th century architecture of this Northern Vermont inn invites you to linger, to slow your pace to that of another less hurried era. This feeling will be reinforced as you take your breakfast and dinner in the welcoming Vermont restaurant dining room or afternoon tea and refreshments in the parlor, part of the common area at Rabbit Hill Inn.
Stave Puzzles Connection to Rabbit Hill Inn
Over 20 years ago a Stave employee and her husband stayed at the Rabbit Hill Inn, one hour north of Staveland. She said it was a beautiful inn whose owners loved jigsaw puzzles. So we contacted the inn owners and bartered our puzzles for their rooms. Over the years most of our employees have enjoyed staying at this wonderful inn while numerous Rabbit Hill Inn guests have loved working the numerous Stave puzzles furnished for them and many have become hooked on Stave.
Pitcher Inn
www.pitcherinn.com
The Pitcher Inn (Warren, Vermont) was recreated after a fire in 1993 burnt the original 1800s structure to the ground. It was intentionally recreated by a nostalgia mirroring Vermont’s beauty and simplicity. Hence the Inn’s nine rooms and two suites are each an adventure in the state’s history. In addition, now a member of Relais & Chateaux, the Inn’s philosophy emphasizes the 5 Cs: calm, cuisine, character, charm, and courtesy. The Pitcher Inn’s eleven rooms are patterned to reflect the individual designers’ interpretation of a particular Vermont theme (Mallard, Trout, Calvin Coolidge...). From the whimsical to the classical, each room is a spectacular display of talent and taste lavishly manifested in unique motifs.
Triple Creek Ranch
www.triplecreekranch.com
Triple Creek Ranch is a small, intimate resort designed for adults. Situated among the towering pines on the side of Trapper Peak, the highest mountain in Western Montana, this unforgettable retreat offers the merging of unmatched natural beauty with the height of comfort and personal service. From the beautiful, welcoming main lodge, a world-class restaurant and paramount wine cellar, to the deluxe private guest cabins nestled in the trees throughout the property, it's the attention to the smallest details that make the Triple Creek Ranch experience so memorable. In 1995, Triple Creek Ranch became a member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux Association.
Stephanie Inn
www.stephanieinn.com
The Stephanie Inn in Cannon Beach, Oregon, is Oregon's premier oceanfront destination. With wonderful views of majestic Haystack Rock, the vast Pacific Ocean and the awesome Oregon Coastal Range, the oceanfront Stephanie Inn combines the charm and casual elegance of a New England country inn with the sophistication of a boutique resort hotel. The four-star Stephanie Inn Dining Room serves a complimentary breakfast buffet each morning in an intimate country setting. Each evening our menu features a choice of five entrees and a selection of á la carte dishes – including starters, soups and desserts.
