Best of Boston

Mirbeau’s lush gardens and French-style manor were inspired by the impressionist painter Claude Monet, so it’s no surprise that a stay at this 50-room retreat feels like an escape to the French countryside. The inn delights with in-room fireplaces, French fare made with local ingredients at the Bistro & Wine Bar, and a 16,500-square-foot spa boasting eucalyptus-infused steam rooms and a year-round outdoor terrace with hot tubs and a bar. There’s that joie de vivre we’ve been lacking.