Site Visit: Woodstock Inn & Resort in Woodstock, Vermont

For those unfamiliar with the town of Woodstock — imagine a historic, quintessential Vermont town straight out of Hallmark channel movies, quaint with beautiful architecture, adorable shops and covered bridges. Tucked into the Green Mountains, the town sites on the banks of the Ottauquechee River and is home to three historic covered bridges. It is located about 2.5 hours from Boston and 4.5 hours from NYC. The closest airport is in Burlington, Vermont.

Woodstock Inn & Resort is a year-round resort located in the heart of the town, along Main Street. Though it appears small and quaint from the front (in all the right ways,) I discovered it has much more to offer than beautiful rooms - with two restaurants on site, a game room, ballroom with conference center, full spa, pool and nearby gym, country club/golf course, falconry center, fly fishing pond, ski lodge and farm with a culinary studio and farm-to-table restaurant experiences. In addition to accommodation and conference services, they offer on-site weddings inside their ballroom or out on the green. One of its greatest traits, in my opinion, is that it feels “woodsy” and cozy but offers a timeless and refined elegance in its furnishings and service.

For visitors who are interested in Early American history, the inn has an interesting heritage. Originally built as a tavern in 1793, it was turned into a hotel in 1830 and was eventually purchased in 1956 by one of John Rockefeller’s children, Laurance Rockefeller, and his wife Mary (in fact, they got married on the property.)

When to visit: Woodstock considers themselves a “year-round” resort. When asked when they are busiest, they told me that June-November are likely the busiest times, though the ski season is also busy in January and February. The resort truly does offer things throughout the year - with hiking and outdoor activities in the summer, leaf peeping and harvest activities in the Fall and skiing in the winter.

ACCOMMODATIONS

The Woodstock Inn & Resort has 142 rooms, decorated in what they call a “Vermont signature style” built and decorated with sustainable materials and historic details blended with modern conveniences. All furnishings (where possible) are handmade by local artisans. It is said that the resort decor’s character takes after Laurance Rockefeller’s love of nature and historic preservation.

There are six categories of rooms:

• Garden Rooms: Traditional rooms with a king bed, hardwood floors, small sitting area and garden view. 

• Woodstock Rooms: Similar to Garden, but available with two queens or with a sofa bed. The decor is a bit stepped up, with bright colors and more central garden views.

• Tavern Rooms: Located in an extended wing of the resort, these offer distinctive architectural features such as reading nooks, fireplaces and special cabinetry. These were my personal favorite.

• The Collection: These rooms are slightly bigger and follow different themes - golfing, hiking, skiing, maple syrup, etc. Each room has unique local art or photography curated by the hotel.

• Legacy Suites

• The Morgan House is a freestanding home, down the street from the resort, where a group can stay together. It is often used to house wedding parties or family reunions.

During my visit, I saw one of the Woodstock rooms, several Tavern rooms, a hunting themed Collection room and the Mary Rockefeller Suite. All were impeccably furnished, decorated and well cared for. If I was to stay at the resort myself, I would likely choose to stay in one of the Tavern Rooms - both for space and their unique features. I especially liked the “Tavern Porch” room that offers a closed-in sunroom off the bedroom that offers views of the back garden.

 Tavern Porch Room:

Hunting themed Collection Room:

DINING

The resort has two restaurants on site. Both locations offer a relaxed and cozy atmosphere. 

• The Red Rooster is a AAA Four Diamond restaurant and offers three meals a day, as well as a bar - menus are available for download on the resort website

• Richardson’s Tavern offers lunch and dinner – menus are available for download on the resort website

The game room, located adjacent to Richardson's Tavern, offers a pool table, chess, puzzles and board games.

Off site, the resort has two additional options:

• Fairway Grill is an alfresco restaurant open during the summer at the Woodstock Country Club

• Perley’s Pourhouse is open during the Winter at Woodstock's ski lodge

I really enjoyed visiting the Woodstock Inn and would highly recommend it to people visiting the area. The resort is well cared for, appeared to have impeccable service, is walking distance to local attractions and offers far more activities than I could have imagined. It is exactly what you’d expect from an elegant, but cozy, Vermont Inn with added amenities. In the future I hope to take my family and stay there myself!

In need of further inspiration? Check out Alli Kozloff’s guide, Winter Wonderland in Stowe, Vermont.