in upscale country style, in a mix of reproductions and antiques, including some canopy and sleigh beds. All units are air-conditioned, though a few still lack televisions and most don’t have telephones; about one-quarter have Jacuzzi tubs, sitting rooms, and fireplaces. The excellent restaurant and tavern (see p. 491) feature local and regional ingredients. A small day spa operates on the premises.
8 Church St. (at Rte. 30), Dorset. www.dorsetinn.com. 877/367-7389 or 802/867-5500. 25 units. $165–$485 double. Rates include full breakfast. Pets allowed by prior permission at additional cost. Children 6 and over welcome. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; spa; Wi-Fi (in all but 2 units; free).
Manchester Center
Barnstead Inn Here’s a worthwhile alternative to the steep room tariffs charged by most establishments within walking distance of lively Manchester Center. Most of the guest rooms are housed in an 1830s hay barn; appropriately, a rustic aesthetic prevails, right down (up?) to the barn’s exposed beams. The departure from country chic comes in the form of vinyl bathroom floors, office-grade carpeting, and a mix of motel-modern and antique furnishings in most rooms. The nicest units include the two above the office (with two double beds, and showing off those beams) and any of the pricier suites—including the Green River Suite, with a lovely fireplace of big, hand-laid stones, Oriental carpets, a kitchenette, and a two-person Jacuzzi. All in all, a good value and one of the closest lodgings to the outlet stores.
349 Bonnet St. (P.O. Box 988), Manchester Center. www.barnsteadinn.com. 800/331-1619 or 802/362-1619. 15 units. $109–$199 double, $270–$375 suite; foliage-season rates higher. Children 13 and over welcome. Amenities: Outdoor pool; Wi-Fi (free).
Palmer House Resort Motel Despite the name, this hostelry doesn’t quite qualify as a resort; but it’s several rungs above the vast majority of motels. Owned and operated by the same family for about a half-century, its rooms are furnished with antiques and other unexpected niceties; ask for one of the somewhat larger rooms in the newer rear building if you want more space. Ten spacious suites each offer a king bed, sitting room, gas fireplace, two-person Jacuzzi, and private deck overlooking a trout-stocked pond and the mountains beyond—these are much more expensive than regular rooms, and lack the charm of traditional country inn accommodations, but they will do as a romantic retreat when those are booked solid. The buildings are set on 16 well-kept acres, part of which constitute a free par-3 golf course just for guests (clubs are free).
5383 Main St. (Rte. 7A), Manchester Center. www.palmerhouse.com. 800/917-6245 or 802/362-3600. 50 units. $179–$209 double; $294–$324 suite. 2-night minimum stay some weekends. Children 12 and older welcome. Amenities: 9-hole golf course; exercise room; Jacuzzi; 2 pools (1 outdoor, 1 heated indoor lap); sauna; 2 tennis courts; Wi-Fi (free).
Manchester Village
The Equinox Resort & Spa Manchester’s grand resort harks back to the days when well-heeled sojourners—including Robert Todd Lincoln, before he built his own nearby summer retreat Hildene (see p. 482)—relaxed in rockers on the broad, pillared veranda. The Equinox’s earlier incarnations date to 1769, but what you’ll find today is a modern resort complete with a full-service spa, lovely indoor pool, scenic (and challenging) golf course, free business center, and extensive sports facilities. Rooms are moderately sized but have been kept up to date; the big surprise, for travelers partial to grand public spaces, is the lack of one big, welcoming lobby. This is because the hotel predates steel construction—those columns, defining smaller spaces, are there for a reason. The resort also owns the nearby B&B style 1811 House—a place of cozy rooms, authentically uneven pine floors, and antique furniture—as well as the adjacent Charles Orvis Inn. Suites in the Orvis Inn are big and modern, and use of a private billiards room is included. The resort offers plenty of activities on its 1,300-plus acres of grounds, including skeet shooting, falconry, and the Land Rover off-road driving school. Of the resort’s three restaurants, the Chop House (see p. 492) is best; The Marsh Tavern is nearly as good, serving both pubby and formal lunches and dinners, while the Falcon Bar is not to be missed—an outdoor brazier has recently been added, making it a convivial place to sip drinks beneath the stars.
3567 Rte. 7A (P.O. Box 46), Manchester Village. www.equinoxresort.com. 802/362-4700. 183 units. Main inn and Charles Orvis Inn peak season $341–$899; off season $269–$679. Amenities: 3 restaurants; bar; babysitting; bikes; concierge; golf course; exercise room; indoor and outdoor pools; room service; sauna; spa; 3 tennis courts; Wi-Fi (free).
The Inn at Manchester On the outside, it looks like a prosperous 19th-century Manchester home, but this is a special B&B. An inn since 1978, it’s just a half-mile from the outlet stores that draws so many to Manchester, and handy to the village, resort, and golf course; yet it has a true country feel. Guests arrive here from around the U.S., often booking far in advance, drawn by the location, the rooms, and the amazing hospitality that comes with family ownership—owners Frank and Julie Hanes are as helpful as can be. Rooms are in the main inn and an adjacent carriage house dating from the mid-1800s, both decorated with art and sculpture from around the world. The public spaces are whitewashed and lovely, with fireplaces, staircases, and wingback chairs tucked throughout its various corners and angles. Most of the 18 rooms and suites have televisions (no phones, though), and some also have poster beds and/or good direct views of Mount Equinox. All units feel clean and fresh, with distinctive looks—the Sage Suite is popular for its walk-out deck, sitting room, whirlpool tub, and that Equinox view. Four acres of gardens and grounds, a brook, and a lazy front porch complete the peaceful experience.
3967 Main St. (Rte. 7A), Manchester Village. www.innatmanchester.com. 802/362-1793. 21 units. Main building, $165–$315; carriage house and celebration barn, $235–$315. Rates include full breakfast. Amenities: Outdoor pool; Wi-Fi (free).
The Reluctant Panther A quick walk from the Equinox, this property began life as a somewhat funky ’60s B&B, but after a 2005 fire destroyed the main house, it was reborn as a true luxury inn. All rooms now sport a fireplace (one in each room, in the deluxe suites), whirlpool tub, thick duvets, fluffy robes, and flatscreen TVs. In the main house, the woodsy Akwanok room is furnished with Orvis nightstand lamps and a birch headboard handcrafted in the Adirondacks, while Lady Slipper sports a claw-foot Jacuzzi and king poster bed. Other rooms are decorated according to themes, too: horses in the John Morgan Suite; flowery murals in the Florist Suite; green hues in the Fallen Spruce Suite. In the outbuildings, standouts are the Garden Suite’s living room and see-through fireplace, as well as the expansive Panther Suite’s four-poster bed, grandiose bathroom, and regal, columned Jacuzzi. The Pond View Suite, in the carriage house, is bigger than many Vermont cottages. The dining room (see p. 492) is outstanding; a pub menu is also served on a patio (weather permitting) and in the Panther Pub.
