Even though the holidays are all but over, there is still plenty of time for a winter season getaway. And while Vermont might be best known for having some of the best ski resorts in the Northeast, there are also a growing number of upscale boutique hotels popping up that offer the perfect setting for a quick but relaxing escape from city life.
Among them is The Weston, a country-style retreat nestled in Vermont’s Green Mountains, not far from state borders with New York and Massachusetts, just a few hours drive from either New York City or Boston.
Formerly the Inn at Weston, the bespoke property recently reopened with nine, individually-designed, one-of-a-kind guest rooms and suites, with each design element and space carefully curated and considered.
Many of the design notes, from coffee table work to wall art, reflect the Weston’s new owners: the Sharp family, whose other properties include some of the best and most famous hotels in the world, including the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City and the Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles. The aesthetic of the guest rooms, in particular, are inspired by the luxurious hospitality experience of New York’s legendary Carlyle and Gramercy Park hotels blended with the calmness of staying in a grand country home.
All of the master baths are adorned with spacious vanities, featuring Dyson hairdryers, Lefroy Brooks hardware, Ortigia toiletries imported from Italy, walk-in showers, and inviting soaking tubs. Each suite features a private deck for al fresco dining (or sunbathing during warmer months), and all guest rooms have the space and option for in-room dining experiences.
The Weston’s dining program is also one of the best and most popular in the area. The kitchen is overseen by the accomplished Executive Chef Brett Combs, whose resumé includes tenures at the restaurants of celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse and Cat Cora in New Orleans and San Francisco, respectively.
The Left Bank, the hotel’s restaurant, is regularly packed at dinnertime with both hotel guests as well as locals and other tourists in the area, so it’s wise to make a reservation in advance. The bar and bistro feels transportive to an evening in the French countryside, with familiar and classic dishes made with locally-sourced produce, seafood, and proteins.
Recent seasonal dishes include vegetable scampi with linguini, slipstream farm mushrooms, broccolini, garlic, parmesan, and meyer lemon zest; the Left Bank burger with a short rib blend, brie, shallot jam, and bordelaise sauce, served on a farmhouse bun with truffle fries on the side; and espresso crème brûlée with a scoop of egg nog ice cream. The Left Bank also offers room service and à la carte breakfast for guests, with plans to launch brunch in 2024.
For a more intimate and exclusive dining experience, the hotel has an elegant wine room available for private dinners with plans to expand programming for educational wine tastings. The restaurant’s wine program was curated in close collaboration with Vermont Artisanal Cellars. And while the list is vast enough to be able to please virtually any wine palate, it does lean toward the more adventurous wine drinker, with an emphasis on wines that convey the nuances of craftsmanship and the opportunity to taste bottles not ordinarily available. The Left Bank also boasts an extensive “By The Glass” menu for those looking to explore diverse varieties alongside their dining experience, and the restaurant’s dining staff is happy to provide a pairing recommendation for any dish on the menu.
Part of what makes The Weston so enjoyable is that it does feel like a self-care weekend at home, just on a more luxurious level. One could easily spend the weekend onsite without doing much else other than enjoying the scrumptious food, delicious wine, and cozy rooms (all of them also have fireplaces and Internet-connected HDTVs pre-installed with Netflix, YouTube, and many other popular programming apps).
But it doesn’t get much easier and relaxing than being able to walk a few steps from your room to the spa. Open five days a week (Wednesday through Sunday), Le Spa at The Weston is overseen by Spa Director Jennifer Warner, whose has previously worked for the Equinox Hotel’s Luxury Fitness Center and Spa in Manhattan and Glenmere Mansion, a Relais & Chateaux premier hotel and spa in upstate New York.
Using Natura Bisse skin care products, Le Spa offers a number of different massages and facial treatments, each carefully designed to foster rejuvenation, inner healing, and a greater sense of well-being. The 60-minute sessions include an antioxidant vitamin C boost facial to even out skin tones and offer a more radiant, refined complexion; the diamond radiance anti-aging facial for minimizing fine lines and boosting collagen and elastic production; and and a detoxifying sports massage to reduce inflammation and soreness through stretching techniques. Additional amenities include steam and sauna rooms for enhanced relaxation as well as luxurious shower facilities.
The hotel also has a few other helpful amenities, including a fitness center and yoga studio (private classes are available upon request) and a bocce court when weather permits. The concierge can also point guests toward local trails, ski resorts, and nearby towns for further exploration.
Room rates start at $450 per night on weekdays and range from $550 to $3,000 per night on weekends.