Illinois retreat - Resorting - The Herrington - Brief Article

Travel America, May-June, 2002

Tucked away an hour west of Chicago, The Herrington is an AAA Four Diamond hotel fronting the tranquil Fox River in Geneva, Illinois, a town of 20,000. Blending the intimacy of a French country inn with the amenities of a grand hotel, the historic limestone building, a former creamery dating back to 1874, was restored in 1993 and named after the area's first settlers--James and Charity Herrington. A recent 23-room addition has upped the room count to 63.

Spacious guest rooms feature four-poster beds, fireplaces, wet bars, private balconies, and oversized marble baths with deep whirlpool tubs. Nightly turn-down service includes fresh-baked cookies and chilled milk, reflecting the property's previous life as a dairy. Menu favorites at Atwater's restaurant, which also claims AAA Four Diamond status, include the sweet potato halibut, apricot salmon, and 16-ounce veal chop. Room rates include a European buffet breakfast in the lobby.

A short walk from The Herrington, Geneva's charming specialty shops purvey fashions, jewelry, crafts, art, antiques, home furnishings, and gourmet foods. Recreation options include workouts in the hotel's fitness center, fishing, and riverside biking. The gazebo at river's edge houses a spa.

Contact: The Herrington (TravelAmerica Magazine), 15 South River Lane, Geneva, IL 60132; (800) 216-2466; www.herringtoninn.com.