Where To Stay

Ways To Stay: 5 Manchester Lodging Styles That Just Get You

By Adam LouisJun. 2, 2025

This lodging guide is brought to you in partnership with the Manchester Business Association, connecting you with the businesses and experiences that make Manchester, Vermont a premier destination.

Here's the thing about choosing where to stay in Manchester: it's all about finding the experience that feels right for you. Some travelers are drawn to that perfect intersection of history and hospitality. Others want every modern convenience wrapped in mountain views. And then there are those who just want to feel completely at home, like they're staying at their most stylish friend's place.

The beauty of Manchester is that it gets all of you. Whether you're the type who appreciates historic stories embedded in century-old walls or you're all about sleek efficiency with a Vermont twist, there's a lodging style here that speaks your language. We've matched Manchester's best stays to the personalities they serve best - because the right room can make your whole trip all the more perfect.

The History Seeker: When Stories Matter Most

The Dorset Inn Exterior Summer

You know who you are: You read historical markers. You choose restaurants in buildings with backstories. You believe that staying somewhere with genuine heritage makes everything more meaningful.

Your Manchester match: The Dorset Inn, where, since 1796 travelers have tethered their horses at the front door before passing an evening by the fireplace - or in more recent times parked their horsepower. This isn't just historic charm for show - the Green Mountain Boys planned their exploits against the British right on the Dorset Green in 1775, and guests still gather in rooms where travelers have been welcomed for over 225 years.

Equinox Resort and Spa Exterior Main Street Flowers and Church Steeple

The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa brings a different scale of history - welcoming guests since 1769 and hosting four U.S. presidents including Theodore Roosevelt, Ulysses S. Grant, William Howard Taft, and Benjamin Harrison. With over two centuries of stories embedded in its walls, The Equinox has served as everything from Marsh Tavern to various inns before becoming the grand resort that has helped shaped Manchester's identity.

What really sets this apart: At The Dorset Inn, you feel history in the marble steps quarried from nearby Dorset, the wide pine board floors, and the restored tavern where for the first 100 years, chefs relied on the inn's backyard chickens, cows, and vegetable garden for every meal. Inn proprietor Amy Ann Lapham's 1918 expansion - raising the roof over the ballroom to add guest rooms - still houses visitors today. The Equinox reveals secrets like hidden passageways discovered during renovations, connecting rooms across different parts of the building.

The Modern Comfort Seeker: Efficiency Meets Elegance

Kimpton Taconic Lap Pool in Summer

You are: The traveler who wants Vermont charm without sacrificing the conveniences that make a stay seamless. You appreciate thoughtful design, sophisticated finishes, and that perfect balance between local character and contemporary comfort.

Your Manchester match: Kimpton Taconic Hotel brings boutique sophistication to Manchester Village with a "free-spirited take on a New England escape that's both classic and highly curated". Inspired by Vermont's grand inns but executed with modern hospitality precision, The Taconic greets guests with luxurious Frette linens, plush bathrobes, and curated local artwork - plus thoughtful touches like complimentary bike rentals for exploring the surrounding areas.

Hampton Inn and Suites Manchester Exterior Dusk

Hampton Inn & Suites Manchester delivers reliable modern comfort with Vermont farmhouse aesthetics - designed to resemble a historic New England farmhouse but with contemporary sensibilities and all the amenities business and leisure travelers expect. Located right on Main Street in downtown Manchester, you're within easy walking distance of local shops and farm-to-table restaurants.

What makes the difference: These properties understand that "charming" doesn't have to mean "inconvenient." The Taconic's Copper Grouse restaurant exemplifies this - regional New England cuisine executed with precision, local craft spirits, but also the kind of service that anticipates your needs. Hampton Inn & Suites offers that perfect blend of traditional architecture with modern functionality - spacious rooms, outdoor seating areas with fire pits, and a complimentary hot breakfast to fuel your Manchester adventures.

The Home-Away-From-Home Seeker: Space to Spread Out

Explore Manchester - Vermont Vacation Rentals - Sanctuary I & II-16

This is you: You want more than a room - you want a base camp. Whether you're traveling with family, friends, or planning an extended stay, you need space to cook, gather, and live like locals do.

Your perfect fit: Vermont Vacation Rentals offers meticulously curated luxury homes with fully equipped kitchens, spacious living areas, and private outdoor spaces. These aren't just rental properties - they're homes designed exclusively for vacation rentals, with uncluttered spaces and everything from ice cream scoops to high-speed internet.

What sets this experience apart: Picture this - your whole group under one roof instead of throughout multiple rooms. Multi-generational families can give grandparents the master suite while kids claim the bunk room. Girls' weekends become more intimate with shared morning coffee in pajamas and late-night conversations around the kitchen island. Multi-couple trips mean everyone gets their privacy but you can all cook dinner together, play games in the living room, and actually spend time together instead of just meeting up for meals.

The Authentic Experience Seekers: Where Local Character Shines

Barnstead Inn Summer Bedroom Bright and Airy

You're the traveler who: Wants to stay somewhere that could only exist in Manchester. You're drawn to family-run places with personality, where the owners aren't just hoteliers but locals who genuinely love sharing their corner of Vermont.

Your people are at: The Barnstead Inn, where the owners have created a unique boutique experience for "outgoing and social travelers". This isn't just accommodation - it's 23 beautiful rooms and suites tucked into restored 1830s New England buildings, plus three new patios with fire pits where guests naturally gravitate for evening conversations.

The Inn at Manchester delivers that quintessential Vermont bed & breakfast experience on immaculately maintained acreage, where pleasures are genuinely simple - rocking chairs on the classic front porch, fireplaces perfect for book reading, and a secluded pool for afternoon swims.

Mountain Resort Living: All-In Vermont Adventure

For the traveler who wants: Everything in one place. You're here for mountain activities, resort amenities, and that feeling of being completely immersed in Vermont's outdoor culture.

Your basecamp: Stratton Mountain Resort sits at 3,875 feet offering breathtaking Green Mountain views and a full slate of summer adventures. From Stratton's 10+ mile downhill Bike Park to scenic gondola rides ascending to the summit, this is mountain living at its finest. Take a UTV Mountain Tour through rugged terrain, strike a pose during Mountain Top Yoga at the summit deck, or serve it up on the tennis and pickleball courts.

What makes this different: Stratton transforms into a summer playground with events that capture Vermont's spirit. Kick off Memorial Day Weekend with the Stratton Doggie and Me 5K (yes, you can run with your pup), celebrate Fourth of July with "Mountain Friends and Freedom" featuring family-friendly activities, live music, and fireworks over the mountains. The summer music series brings tribute bands like Badfish (honoring Sublime) and Red Not Chili Peppers to outdoor stages with mountain backdrops.

The resort's dining scene keeps pace with the energy - from Fire Tower Restaurant & Tavern with its rustic Vermont comfort fare to Village Pie's authentic Italian pizzas made with fresh local ingredients. Green Door Pub offers that authentic après-adventure atmosphere with pool tables, foosball, and locally-made craft beer selections.

How to Make Your Choice

The Manchester advantage: Every lodging style here puts you within walking distance of local shops, farm-to-table restaurants, and seasonal attractions, while keeping you close to outdoor adventures at Bromley, Stratton, and Magic mountains, plus historic landmarks like Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home.

What you'll discover is that your lodging choice shapes your entire Manchester experience. Stay at a historic inn, and you'll find yourself lingering over breakfast, swapping stories with other guests, taking evening walks to appreciate architecture. Choose a vacation rental, and you'll start shopping at local farmers markets, cooking with Vermont ingredients, living like a temporary local. Pick a boutique hotel, and you'll discover that perfectly curated cocktail hour where fellow travelers become instant friends.

The right stay doesn't just give you a place to sleep - it gives you the Manchester experience that matches exactly who you are as a traveler.

This lodging guide is brought to you in partnership with the Manchester Business Association, connecting you with the businesses and experiences that make Manchester Vermont's premier destination.

By Adam LouisJun. 2, 2025
Live Like a Local.
Get The Scoop.
Sidebar Signup

Vintage-Sugarbush-Ski-Slopes-Snowy-Winter
Foliage-Flannels-Riddell-Plaid

Further Field Guides

Where To Stay
Vermont Vacations with Small Children
By Linda WarnerJan. 20, 2016
Taking a ski vacation in Vermont can be tremendous fun for the whole family.  But when your children are young, skiing all day might not be an option.  That doesn’t mean that Vermont can’t offer plenty of activities to entertain you and your children. Many of the winter resort properties provide a large selection of […]
Live Like a Local.
Get The Scoop.
Sidebar Signup

Vermont-Vibes-Time-to-Book-It-Danby-Winter-Cabin
Where to stay

BOOK DIRECT IN VERMONT This Summer: 
FEWER FEES, Better VIBES

Ditch the big booking engines and tap into Vermont’s best-kept stays - direct from the source. Our new guide delivers unique rentals, mountain cabins, cozy cottages, and one-of-a-kind homes you won’t find anywhere else. Skip the fees, support locals, and stay somewhere that actually feels like Vermont.
Sponsored by Vermont.com
Check it out
Loons Call Cottage Summer Dock and Kayak
Where To Stay

BOOK DIRECT IN VERMONT This Summer:
FEWER FEES, Better VIBES

Ditch the big booking engines and tap into Vermont’s best-kept stays - direct from the source. Our new guide delivers unique rentals, mountain cabins, cozy cottages, and one-of-a-kind homes you won’t find anywhere else. Skip the fees, support locals, and stay somewhere that actually feels like Vermont.
Sponsored by Vermont.com
Check It Out
Sign Up For 2025 Summer Updates
New Newsletter Signup

Featured Events

View All
magnifiercross