Vermont has been a tourist destination since the beginning of the modern tourism industry in the mid-1800s. Many inns in Vermont are well over one hundred years old and have a long tradition of serving visitors.
There are historic Vermont inns in every part of the state. Many inns in Vermont are much smaller than an average hotel, with a dozen rooms or less. This makes a stay in a Vermont country inn a more intimate affair than a visit to a large hotel or motel. In many cases, there is little difference between a Vermont country inn and a bed and breakfast.
Many inns in Vermont are located near the big ski resorts:
Killington, Stowe,
Okemo, and others. One
of the coziest hotels near Killington is the Inn at Long
Trail, a small lodge situated on the famous hiking
route. This unusual Killington accommodation draws its
décor from the outdoors: there are large boulders
inside the hotel! The inn offers special rates to hikers
completing the entire Long Trail or Appalachian Trail.
The Stone Hill Inn near Stowe is a good example of the
romantic inns Vermont has all over the state. Its secluded
location close to Stowe ski resort means you could enjoy
a romantic getaway and a energetic ski vacation on the
same trip.
Some of the best romantic inns Vermont are on the Lake
Champlain islands in northern Vermont. Unlike other Vermont
inns, some of these are accessible only by boat. Another
example of romantic inns Vermont is the small Battenkill
Inn on historic Route 7A near Manchester
Vermont. Battenkill was built in 1840 as a wedding
present and the rose bushes that surround the property
pay tribute to this romantic beginning. This lovely Vermont
country Inn is situated on one of Vermont’s most
famous fishing streams.
Several larger Vermont inns near Burlington have provided reliable, well-rated lodging for many years. The Inn at Shelburne Farms is an elegant but expensive Tudor-style inn on the banks of Lake Champlain. In the Vermont spirit, part of the inn’s profits fund educational programs. The Georgian-style Inn at Essex combines the best in Vermont country inn with a state-of-the-art conference center. The staff at the hotel’s restaurants are from the New England culinary institute, so this is a great place to taste updated New England food from the chefs of the future.
Whether you stay in an intimate 10-room Vermont inn in a rural small town or one of the larger inns in Vermont near Burlington or another big town, you are likely to see hotels in a whole new way. After staying in a Vermont country inn that was built in 1810, sits on the side of a mountain, and overlooks a scenic valley with changing fall foliage, you’ll never want to lay your head in another roadside motel again.
