A mere 40 minutes from Manhattan, tucked along one of the area's many winding country routes, Richard Gere's lauded, Bedford Post, an intimate, 8-room country Inn in Bedford, N.Y offers just the backdrop for an elegant and bucolic Valentines Day celebration. For those who's eyes alight at the combination of 'easy' alongside Valentine's Day plans (yes, I'm talking to Dudes, here), Bedford Post is a no-brainer, particularly for those time-pressed Manhattanites that want to impress, but have little time to investigate nor travel far.
Having just spent the night myself, I can assure you that Bedford Post is sure to delight any princess or prince who favors manicured surroundings, delicious, well-executed dining and fresh, fireplace-adorned guest rooms with excellent linens and fresh and spacious bathrooms.
Dinner at the Inn's pleasant, leather-accented restaurant, the Farmhouse, where white-clothed tables surround a roaring fireplace and each table is looked after by at least three waiters, will certainly appease your Valentine. In honor of cupid's holiday, the chef is offering a special, three-course Valentine's Day Menu ($90 a head) featuring such treats as oysters, black-truffle risotto, steak tartare with pecorino (yum!) and of course, the decadent chocolate torte with passion fruit caramel. Ask for either of the corner banquets, preferably the one just to the right of the fireplace for extra canoodling space.
Tell your Valentine to enjoy his or her gastro-indulgence because your overnight stay includes complimentary yoga classes, to which my sore hamstrings can attest, are not your average hotel-yoga stretch-fests. Instead, the yoga roster at the the Bedford Post offers invigorating Vinyasa and Hatha-style practices led by competent and encouraging teachers. Further, the classes are taught in an inspiring, light-filled studio refashioned from an old Barn where the angled ceiling, exposed beams and Asian light-box lanterns allow for, again, an easy, zen-like experience. The majority of the classes are filled with local regulars who have made Bedford Post's Yoga Barn the in-town studio for devout yogis. Of course, the Inn's freshly baked breakfasts and organic lunch menu served in the Barn restaurant just below the studio may also play a role. The location and occasional waft of cinnamon and sausage make the Barn an ideal after-practice hangout. As an overnight Guest your stay also includes an assortment of the Barn's tempting, home-cooked pastries, coffee/tea and juice, which is best enjoyed fireside in the cozy, country-style cafe where complimentary wifi keeps those iPad users (and HuffPost readers) happily entertained. Bedford Post Inn; Rates start at $395 a night.