
Nestled in the heart of the historic town of Litchfield, CT, the new Abner Hotel is an ideal place for a quintessential New England weekend escape. With its modern accommodations, nod to historical significance, and central location, it’s the perfect place for a weekend of relaxation and shopping. The area’s trendy stores are filled with curated finds, making shopping an adventure all its own.
The Abner Hotel


The building in which the Abner Hotel is located was once the courthouse that served all of Litchfield County, CT. The stone courthouse was constructed in 1890 after two separate fires destroyed the former wooden structures. The new stone structure was used for courthouse operations until 2017 when it moved to nearby Torrington, CT.
Salt Hotels developed The Abner Hotel, a luxury boutique hotel with just 20 rooms, undergoing extensive renovations and sparing no details while keeping some of the original look and feel of the courthouse. The hotel opened its doors in September of 2024 and has quickly become a place to experience. In fact, Conde Nast Traveler, recently named Litchfield County, CT, as one of the best places to go in the U.S. in 2025. And, of course, the Abner Hotel is one of the main things to see and a great place to stay.
So, on a cold day in January, when we needed to get away and recharge, we booked a room at the Abner Hotel to see for ourselves. And it did not disappoint.
The guest rooms
Our room was a king deluxe flooded with natural light streaming through the windows with cafe curtains. The colors are a natural hue and provide a warm comfort, especially on a bitterly cold day in January.
A warm rug covered part of the wood floors, and there was a large leather sofa at one end of the room with Saint Frank pillows – another example of the attention to detail the permeates the entire hotel. In another corner of the room was a round, marble-top table with two comfortable chairs. Next to the table, there was even a mini-Smeg refrigerator. Upon entering the room, our weekend of relaxation and shopping had certainly gotten off to a great start.
The Parlor
The cozy parlor, with its warm colors and art collection, located on the second floor, is a great place to have a drink and some small bites to eat.
The Courtroom restaurant
Appropriately named The Courtroom because the restaurant sits in the space that was once the historic courtroom, is the hotel’s signature restaurant. Fancy enough for a special occasion, yet casual enough to be a very comfortable space in which to enjoy a gourmet meal with all locally sourced ingredients. We had breakfast there the next morning. And it was delicious.
The shopping nearby
If you’re someone who appreciates beautiful things, Litchfield County’s shopping scene is full of surprises, inspiration, and unexpected finds. With beautifully curated boutiques, vintage shops, and artisanal markets, there’s something here for everyone.
Here are a few of my favorite places to shop and browse
When I go shopping, I don’t always have to buy something. Sometimes, the inspiration I get is just as satisfying.
Milton Market (Litchfeld, CT)
Milton Market is tucked back into a courtyard called Cobble Court. It is a lovely shop with everyday necessities like dish soap to one-of-a-kind vintage items. Everything is curated by color.
They have Steele Canvas bags, which are a favorite of mine, but what’s unique is that they offer custom handpainted monogramming on the bags.
They often display a huge tree branch on the long front table, whatever is in season. This time in January, they did not have one, so the one shown is from when I visited last summer.
Plain Goods (New Preston, CT)
Plain Goods is one of my favorite shops anywhere! The items they carry are exquisite. They have new, antique, and vintage household items; upstairs, they have clothing. They feature well-made clothing and shoes with impeccable craftsmanship. Pieces that will last and are timeless.
The store is in New Preston’s historic Pavilion Hall and has been restored impeccably.
Privet House (New Preston, CT)
Privet House is just across the street from Plain Goods. They have antique furniture, beautiful linens, glass, lots of home goods, art, textiles, and books. My favorite part of the shop is a small alcove with the best home cleaning tools and products.
Pergola (New Preston, CT)
Pergola is a lovely shop featuring Japanese garden tools, pottery, incense…a beautiful shopping experience for home and garden.
I have a small stone vase that a friend bought for me from Pergola. It’s perfect for a few wild flowers, or seed pods in winter. Just one of the many special items you’ll find at Pergola.
Nearby recreation
If shopping doesn’t happen to be your thing, the Abner Hotel would be a great place to stay for a ski weekend. Just a short 20-drive from the Abner Hotel is Mohawk Mountain Ski Area. It’s actually where we taught both of our kids how to ski. But we never spent the weekend at the mountain because there wasn’t really a place to stay. Now, with the Abner Hotel so close, it would be a great place to return to after a day of skiing, have dinner, and ski again the next day.
Mohawk Mountain Ski Area
My husband and I both grew up out west in prime ski country (Denver and Salt Lake City). While Mohawk can’t compete with Vail or Park City, it is a very fun little mountain for kids and adults.
Fun fact about Mohawk Mountain
Did you know that the first documented man-made (artificial) snow was at Mohawk Mountain? Today, 95% of Mohawk’s snow coverage is man-made. And their grooming equipment is state-of-the-art, which is primarily why we started coming here and why we keep returning. Between the snowmaking and the grooming, you’re virtually guaranteed decent snow conditions almost every time you go.
The lodge
I think one of the greatest things about Mohawk is that the second you see the lodge and walk into it, it’s like a throwback to the 1970s – in the absolute best possible way.
The ski area
Mohawk Mountain has a total of 26 runs and eight lifts to get you around the mountain. They’re even open for night skiing. And if you don’t ski, they also have a tubing hill with a magic carpet that takes you to the top of the tubing area. Gone are the days of hiking up the hill for the next slide down.
Leave a Reply