Hotel at a Glance: The Dorset Inn

The Dorset Inn is one of Vermont’s oldest continuously operating inns, having welcomed its first guests to the Green Mountains in 1796. More than 200 years and several renovations later, its Old-World, New England charm is still intact. Inside, you’ll find period furnishings and wide-plank floors in the living rooms and dining room. Outside, regal columns and stark black shutters add to the colonial air.

• Uniquely decorated rooms exude the comfort of a country cottage while keeping you connected to the modern world via wireless Internet access.
• Contemporary bistro fare is served in the dining room for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; ingredients are supplied by local farmers and Atlantic fishermen.
• Grab dinner at the inn’s sister restaurant, Barrows House. At this gastropub, you can pair Prince Edward Island mussels and pork tacos with a craft beer or classic cocktail. It’s a few blocks away from the inn.
• Awards and accolades: a place on Yankee magazine’s list of New England’s Best Historic Inns in 2011, a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2013, and a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2014
• Pamper yourself with a massage or facial at the onsite spa.

Dorset, Vermont: New England Town Surrounded by Forested Mountains

If you’re looking for the quintessential New England village, look no further. The town of Dorset—which Boston Magazine aptly compared to a Thornton Wilder play come to life—has all the necessary elements: clapboard homes, a central town green, a forested backdrop of mountains and valleys, and not a skyscraper in sight. Browse the local stores and you’ll likely come away with an armload of fresh cheese, maple syrup, and warm woolens.

About 20 minutes south of town stands Hildene, a Georgian Revival mansion built by Robert Todd Lincoln, the only child of the 16th president to survive to adulthood. Tours of the home include access to a restored Pullman train car and a herd of nubian goats. Drive just a few miles to the west and you’ll find the Merck Forest & Farmland Center, a beautiful, 3,000-acre stretch of countryside in the Taconic Mountains. Visitors can explore numerous walking trails or take part in farming demonstrations.

The slopes of nearby Stratton and Bromley mountain resorts fill up with skiers in the winter and hikers in the summer. At Stratton, you can ride a gondola to the top of the mountain, which rises to nearly 4,000 feet. On a clear day, the view spans four states and several mountain ranges, including the Berkshires of Massachusetts and the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

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