Organic coffee and tea service kicks off leisurely mornings here. After a hike to nearby Lye Brook Falls or a fly-fishing session in the Battenkill River, warm up with a glass of wine or Vermont craft beer during the evening social hour.

A heated pool and in-room spa services are decidedly modern luxuries.ĭiscovering Manchester is all about getting outside. That history’s on display inside the hotel, from country inn-inspired art to comfy leather sofas and crisp linens. Grab a wooden rocking chair on the broad, shady porch of the Kimpton Taconic to watch the afternoon unfold in Manchester, a Vermont community that’s drawn travelers seeking refuge from city life for centuries. Don’t forget to ask for a s’mores kit to bring out with you they’re stocked with marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate, and toasting sticks. Gas fireplaces light up after sunset here, so pull up an Adirondack chair and watch the first stars appear above mountains. Yoga and some fitness classes are included for overnight guests, or you can rent a bike and ride the Stowe Recreation Path into the nearby village. Onsite spa services celebrate local ingredients: think Vermont maple sugar scrubs followed by goats’-milk body cream, or a total hops massage that starts with hop-infused body oil and ends with a craft brew from nearby Ten Bends Beer. Guests can grab a loaner set of bocce balls for afternoon tournaments on the lawn, and since the resort is pet-friendly, you can even bring your pooch. The 120-acre property means lots of privacy and space for exploring, from an onsite hiking trail to a long list of outdoor games. Here are some of my favorite spots to escape in my home state.Ī slope-side perch high above Mountain Road gives Topnotch Resort a bit of perspective-the outdoor pool, backyard fireplaces, and many of the rooms look straight towards the summit of Mount Mansfield. Whether spa-hopping in Stowe or reading Robert Frost in Bennington, there are plenty of places to get away from it all in Vermont. For me, those combine for a trip that really feels like getting away-even if I’m not going far. It’s got all the essential ingredients of the perfect weekend getaway: Plush accommodations, luxe spa treatments, and easy access to a maze of mountain trails. Today, my destination is a pool-side spot at Topnotch Resort, where umbrella-shaded loungers look out at the wide-open slopes of Stowe Mountain Resort. Stowe is under an hour from my Vermont home, a place I come to hike past tree line, drink craft beer, and ride mountain bike trails with big views of the nearby Worcester Range. Summer foliage blankets the rounded peaks on both sides of the road, following the slow curves of the Little River all the way to the Stowe village center. Valley walls climb skyward as I drive towards Stowe, where Vermont’s Green Mountains reach their apex on the 4,393-foot summit of Mount Mansfield.

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