The Green Mountain Inn is a great place to stay right in the center of the village of Stowe, Vermont.  The Inn has a lot of amenities and within walking distance is shopping and dining in the village.  In addition, hiking and skiing opportunities are all over just beyond the village, with the Stowe ski area less than 20 minutes away, Smugglers Notch nearby and the Green Mountains all around.

We sort of stumbled onto the Green Mountain Inn.  Our friends were getting married there and we ended up spending two nights to attend the wedding.  While I used to live in Vermont, I never spent much more time in the village of Stowe than driving through.  With our stay at the Inn, we discovered that not only is the Inn a great place to stay, Stowe is a nice place to spend a day or two shopping, dining and enjoying the natural beauty that surrounds the area.

Where is the Green Mountain Inn?

The Green Mountain Inn is located on Main Street right near the center of the village of Stowe, Vermont.  It is located about 10 miles north of Exit 10 on Interstate 89.

Parking is located behind and adjacent to the Inn and can be tricky on a busy night.  We arrived on a Friday evening and it took us several passes through the parking and a bit of searching on nearby streets until we finally got a parking spot in the Inn’s lot.  The rest of the weekend though we had no trouble coming and going.  Parking is free for Inn guests.

What kind of Inn is this?

The Green Mountain in is kind of a collection of several different kinds of hotels.  The main Inn which fronts of Main Street is very much in line with what you would expect for an older, Vermont Inn.  Behind that is an addition that is much like a motel, with rooms that open to street level or a porch on the 2ndlevel.  Beyond the main building and the addition, are a series of townhouses and condominiums that are also part of the Inn and which can be rented if you have a large group or family.

We stayed in the older portion of the main Inn and it was a great experience.  Each room seems to be pretty unique as they all seem to just be fitted in where they could be.  Our room was located on the third floor, down several hallways and actually on its own slightly lower level.  We never heard anything from other rooms and it was a quiet, relaxing experience.

Beyond rooms, what is there?

I was kind of surprised at just how many amenities the Green Mountain Inn offers.  There is an outdoor heated pool that is open year round (very cool in the winter), a fitness room, a massage center, the Whip Bar & Grill for lunch and dinner, and their main dining room, which serves breakfast every morning. 

The pool and fitness areas are clean, well maintained and I have to say it was kind of novel to be swimming outside in Vermont in December.

We did have some drinks at the Whip Bar & Grill but not a meal.  We did have breakfast in the dining room.  For the price, it was an excellent breakfast buffet.  A nice touch is that much of the food served is locally grown and sourced so you are supporting local farmers and getting the freshest ingredients possible.

The wedding we were attending was also held at the Inn.  The ceremony was held in one of the Townhouses in a large formal room and the reception was held in the Inn’s main dining room.  The whole event was wonderful and the staff was amazing.

Checking in and finding your room

The most interesting part of our stay I think was finding our room.  We parked out back and then came up to the 2ndfloor where the main desk is.  Check in was a pretty easy process as we already had a reservation.  They explained all the amenities and then gave us directions to our room along with a map.  We were offered bag service, but we turned it down.  The part that made finding the room interesting is that this is an old Inn and the hallways are narrow, winding and there are often a few steps here and there as you make your way through the building.  Our room was probably one of the most interesting to get to as it required a couple of hallways, turns and stairs.

Our Room

We had what the Inn calls a Green Mountain Inn Deluxe Room with a Queen Bed.  These rooms offer gas fireplaces, King, Queen or two double beds and a whirlpool tub in the bathroom in addition to what the standard rooms already have (coffee maker, TV, cable, etc…).  Our room had a Queen-sized canopy bed that was in front of the gas fireplace.  Our bathroom was quite large and the whirlpool tub was just like heaven when we used it.

We had a sitting chair and a small table in our room, but no desk.  Wi-Fi is available in the rooms and you can use the phones to make free local calls.

We had a large LCD TV with cable.  The room also had a DVD player with movie rentals available through the front desk.

The gas fireplace was operated by a switch on the wall and it could quite easily heat the entire room.  We ended up turning the heat off in the room and just leaving the fireplace on while we were in the room.  It kept the room warm and it added a nice ambiance to our stay.

The bed was wonderful for those of us who enjoy a somewhat soft bed.  It felt like you melted into it.  I slept well both nights we stayed there, as did my husband.

Beyond the Inn

The Inn is located in downtown Stowe, which means you have access to several different restaurants and a number of different stores within a short walking distance.  Next door is a country store that also has a deli/take-out counter that offers, breakfast and lunch items.  We had some great freshly baked cookies from there.  There are other restaurants nearby should you want to eat outside of the Inn.  When we were visiting, Stowe was having their Christmas Weekend, so we were able to walk from store to store as there was caroling on the street and Christmas activities at almost every corner.  I told my husband that it was so quintessentially Vermont that it almost hurt.

Outside of the village center, the Stowe ski resort is about 15-20 minutes north from the village.  Smuggler’s Notch is just beyond that (the road through the notch is closed in the winter months).  There are a number of shops, stores and restaurants on the road between the village and the ski resort, but you will need your car to reach them.  Off to the east a bit is the Trapp Family Lodge – of the Sound of Music Fame.  And south, back towards Interstate 89 Ben and Jerry’s ice cream factory offers tours, as does the Green Mountain Coffee headquarters.

Staff

The staff members at the Inn were amazing.  From check-in, to check-out, they made sure every guest was happy and taken care of.  We received a warm welcome when we arrived and through meals, visits to the pool, our attendance at the wedding, a night at the bar and checking out, they could not have been more helpful.  I think this is really where the Inn shines and made for us having a really enjoyable experience.

Checking out
 
Check out was really easy, though there was a bit of a line when we were there.  Since we had a credit card on file, the final charges were made at that point and once we reached the desk, we were on our way out to the car in about 2 minutes.

Cost
 
One downside to staying in Stowe in general is that it is expensive and the Green Mountain Inn is no exception.  We paid $179 a night for our room and that was with a discount as we were with the wedding.  I think full price is just over $200 a night.  The standard rooms are slightly less expensive and there are also luxury rooms available that cost more.  That said, you are in the center of Stowe, you have access to a lot of amenities at the hotel, the rooms were good, the staff was amazing and you have a base to go out and explore the skiing and outdoor recreation of the Stowe area so I can understand where the costs come in.

Coming back…

While we do not have the money to visit that often, we both agreed that we would like to go back and spend a few more nights at the Inn, most likely in the summertime, so we can enjoy some of the hiking trails in the Green Mountains that surround Stowe.  I was wowed by the service and loved the ambiance and setting of the Inn.  Really, if you want Vermont, you cannot get much more Vermont than this.

Final Thoughts

I loved the Green Mountain Inn.  It was a bit pricey, but you do get what you pay for.  After I save up some pennies, my husband and I will definitely be back.  I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a place to stay in the Stowe area.

Recommended: Yes