Middlebury Inn

This historic hotel has been welcoming visitors since 1827 and has a place on the National Register of Historic Places that draws mostly couples and a few families. The property comprises three buildings: the original inn, neighboring Porter Mansion (built in 1825), and a motel-style annex constructed in the 1960s. The original buildings embody the classic red-brick colonial architecture that’s quintessentially New England, though the annex is a squat, wooden building with all guest rooms entered from the outside. Interiors in the main buildings, including the lobby and library, blend colonial and Victorian elements, with antique hardwood furniture, overstuffed couches, and classic armchairs gathered throughout a series of connecting rooms with hardwood floors and oriental carpets. Morgan’s Tavern, the on-site restaurant and bar, attracts a mix of hotel guests, tourists, and locals, and embraces the same elegant, antique ambience.

Located across from a park in downtown Middlebury, Vermont, the hotel is perfectly situated for strolls throughout the picturesque little town. There are plenty of local restaurants and cafes within a five- to 10-minute walk of the hotel. Vermont is known for its microbreweries, and Otter Creek Brewing Company is one of the most popular in the area, a five-minute drive out of town. Middlebury College, one of the nation’s oldest liberal arts colleges and home to a great little art museum, is also a five-minute drive from the hotel. There are plenty of hikes and outdoor activities in the area as well, including the Breadloaf section of the Appalachian Trail (the trailhead is just 10 miles out of town) and Branbury State Park on the shores of Dunmore Lake, a 20-minute drive from the hotel. Killington Mountain ski area is just over an hour away by car and the closest major airport is in Burlington, Vermont, also about an hour’s drive.

Rooms come in a wide array of configurations across the three buildings here, and though the buildings look different from the outside, room quality and decor are essentially the same throughout. Certain details are finer in the older buildings, and the decorative fireplaces in some guest rooms in the Porter Mansion building lend them an elegant touch. Overall, though, the dark wood or white furniture has antique lines and is set about brown or green patterned carpets that have seen fresher days. Off-white or cream walls are hung with still lifes, portraits, or landscape paintings, and many of the relatively spacious guest rooms have generous seating areas, from attractive striped couches in Luxury King Rooms to retro leather chairs in Deluxe Rooms. We noticed a good deal of wear and tear on furniture, especially the desks, and details like window-unit air conditioners and outdated mini-fridges aren’t the most appealing. All rooms also include flat-screen TVs and bathrobes. Bathrooms are clean, though the more attractive vintage bathrooms are in the older buildings. All bathrooms have tiled floors and bathtub/shower combos as well as high-end Gilchrist & Soames bath products. 

For being such a historic property, the hotel offers plenty of modern features, including Waterfalls Day Spa, which offers an array of spa and beauty treatments, though price tags can be expensive. On-site Morgan’s Tavern serves excellent breakfast, lunch, and dinner with an emphasis on farm-to-table cooking, though no meals are included with a stay here. Guests are entitled to free morning coffee and afternoon tea, though, and the hotel offers many types of booking packages that include local tours of breweries and historic sightseeing. The hotel has an on-site business center as well as space for meetings and events, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. Though there is no on-site fitness center, the hotel has an arrangement with a local gym for free guest access, and pet-friendly rooms are available. There is also a gift shop in the hotel’s lobby that sells local items and the front desk is staffed 24 hours a day, while on-site parking is free for guests.