Information & Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
June 2006

Contact: Amy Jordan
802-253-6282
stay@stonehillinn.com

STONE HILL INN ANNOUNCES "FUN FOR FOODIES VACATIONS" FOR EPICURIOUS TRAVELERS

STOWE, VT (June 6, 2006) — Food-loving travelers looking to take more than a souvenir home from their next vacation will relish in afternoons spent hand-dipping chocolates, crafting artisan cheese, or sharpening their skills in the kitchen with a private cooking lesson on a Fun for Foodies Vacation at Stone Hill Inn. Capitalizing on the growing trend of experiential vacations, Stone Hill Inn is among six Select Registry inns in New England that have launched Fun for Foodies Vacations. These epicurean experiences take guests well beyond tourist attractions and popular restaurants into the world of boutique and artisan food producers, and into the kitchens of some of the region's most celebrated chefs.

Stone Hill Inn has chosen foodie partners that are real treasures," said Keith Kehlbeck, Executive Director of Select Registry. "Guests looking to get off-the-beaten path will delight in intimate, behind-the-scenes classes with chefs, and hands-on experiences with local, specialty food producers that most tourists will only see on the menu at a good restaurant."

The vacation packages are divided into three categories: Extraordinary Epicurean Experiences, offered year round (or nearly so); Seasonal Selections, offered seasonally; and Everyday Bites, a selection of foodie-favorite places that individuals visit may independently. Stone Hill Inn's Extraordinary Epicurean Experiences include becoming an artisan cheesemaker for a day, a chocolatier for a day, a visit to a maple sugarhouse with the owner cooking up maple cream just for the occasion, and private hands-on cooking classes with Chef Michael Kloeti of Michael's on the Hill Restaurant. For the cooking classes, guests may choose the theme of their class: A Taste of Vermont (preparing a 3-course lunch featuring some of the finest ingredients from Vermont), An Extravagant Lunch (creating a memorable 3-course lunch that would delight any gastronome), Decadence (preparing a 3-course all-dessert meal for the lover of desserts!), Hors d'oeuvres (preparing four of Chef Michael's favorites, or tailoring it to the guest), The Art of Gnocchi (a hands-on class to learn to make this delicate Italian treat), or The Dinner Party (for which the menu is fully customizable and will teach the host how to prepare as much as possible in advance so time with party guests is maximized). All classes include a chance to dine on their creations with Chef Michael, and wine pairings are optional. Stone Hill Inn's Seasonal Selections include a snowshoe tour followed by a fondue dinner and a paddle down the tranquil Lamoille River that culminates in a winery tour and tasting at Boyden Valley Winery. The Inn's Everyday Bites list allows guests to add foodie-favorite places to their itinerary to visit as desired. Over 30 suggestions are offered, along with a full color map to lead guests along the way. Suggested opportunities include a tour of the original Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory, local farmers' markets, a micro-brewery tour, an artisan bread bakery visit, picking your own apples at an orchard overlooking Lake Champlain, touring the Cabot factory to see how famous Vermont cheddar is made, and great places to stock a picnic basket with a gourmet lunch.

The participating Fun for Foodies inns are all members of Select Registry, an association of innkeepers representing unique and distinguished properties in North America. Culinary travelers can plan a Fun for Foodies Vacation at just one inn or all six. Each participating inn will stamp a Fun for Foodies Trail Map along the way. Guests who visit at least three inns receive a free insulated wine bag, while those who visit all six will get a Select Registry gift certificate for $150 to use at any Select Registry inn. For more information, please visit www.selectregistry.com/funforfoodies/.

Stone Hill Inn is Vermont's premier romantic getaway and was created by owner/innkeeper Amy Jordan as a place for couples who treasure their time together. Located in the state's most famous historic village, every elegant detail of the Inn and its nine guest rooms have been designed with the goal of offering the ultimate luxury bed and breakfast. Stone Hill Inn has been featured by The New York Times, USA Today, The Montreal Gazette, The Boston Globe, Frommer's, Fodor's, and SKI Magazine, among others, and was chosen one of the Top 12 B&Bs in North America by Forbes.com. For more information, or to book a Fun for Foodies Vacation, please visit www.stonehillinn.com/fun-for-foodies.htm or call 802-253-6282.