COURTESY PHOTO
The Wentworth by the Sea is part of the Historic Hotels of America, with its own special story that includes hosting the diplomats negotiating the peace treaty ending the Russo-Japanese War in 1905.
By CARLEY D. THORNELL
Have you ever driven by a place for years and thought, “Some day I’ll get there”?
For me, that place was Wentworth by the Sea in New Castle, N.H. Growing up in nearby Haverhill, I always thought there wasn’t much of a reason to overnight it in a town that’s only 40 minutes away.
I was wrong. Times change and so do people — or in this case, a historic grand dame hotel that’s just having the last spritz of perfume put on a massive renovation 13 years in the making.
It’s hard not to marvel at her exterior, a stunning white façade as elegantly sculpted as a wedding cake, lauding over a bluff overlooking the ocean and river below. Her strategic position offers each guestroom and suite an ocean or harbor view.
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I’m going to admit, after a busy autumn working and serving in the wedding party of my best friend, that view is the first thing I admired from the vantage point of a remarkably comfy bed. It was one of the peak fall weekends, and sitting back to admire the rainbow of shimmering crimson, rust and ochre through the large picture windows was just what my husband and I needed to take a deep breath and reset. We weren’t the only ones — the Wentworth (www.wentworth.com) is booked solid for most fall weekends, both locals and travelers from across the country here to leaf-peep and stroll around Portsmouth, just a 10-minute drive away.
But leaving was the last thing on our minds. After admiring the earth tones and blue accents in our newly renovated guestroom (part of the last restoration project completed in the main hotel just this summer), we headed downstairs to explore some more not via our eyes, but our taste buds. Even at 2 p.m., SALT Kitchen and Bar was packed, and for good reason. It offers up the same amazing views as the guestrooms, plus a magnificent frescoed rotunda that balances a contemporary menu and aesthetic without compromising the historic feel of the property.
Sure, it’s hard to imagine ladies in girdles with parasols munching on burgers and chicken sandwiches like we did, but my husband and I were so impressed with the space and the service that we mulled putting on our holiday finery and returning for SALT’s Christmas afternoon and night dinner menu (smoked turkey, swordfish or ribeye) or the Christmas Day buffet (with brunch items and a carving station). One can check out the Winter Wonderland Brunch each Sunday this month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with Santa, lights and Dickens the “Reindog.” (Kids staying overnight are also sure to love the heated, year-round indoor pool.)
Ready to work off some calories? Though I always love a casual stroll window-shopping in Portsmouth at independently-owned music and book stores, galleries like Nahcotta that feature the works of local artisans, or at family-owned toy stores like G. Willikers, this time we opted for a full weekend stepping back in time. Dave and I spent most of the afternoon at Strawbery Banke (www.strawberybanke.org), an outdoor history museum chronicling three centuries of life in a portside city also on the “I’ll get there someday list.” The schedule is shortened to weekend-only guided tours, but there’s a magical transformation in the winter in the form of an outdoor skating rink at Puddle Dock Pond (through March).
Afterward, try warming up with some spicy flavors at one of Portsmouth’s newest haunts and be transported from one of the coolest parts of Southern New Hampshire to South Asia at Durbar Square Nepalese restaurant (www.durbarsquarerestaurant.com). With flavorful but healthy curries, savory momo dumplings and chilis featuring such unique proteins as goat or wild boar, it’s not too difficult to find yet another new experience to delight the senses here.