The Shire Woodstock

I do not understand the negative reviews here at all. For its price, this hotel is exceptional! clean big rooms. The rooms have a large refrigerator. There is a common area open 24 hours with a microwave, tea and coffee and a vending fridge. my room had patio with direct walk access to the river. ample parking and you can park directly in front of your room at least for the first floor.. multiple coffee, shops in walking distance and a grocery store right across the street. And the best part this is just a perfect walking distance to Woodstock downtown. Just 10 minutes so you’re away from the downtown noise, but you can quickly get there whenever you want. This hotel is perfect!

A perfect spot for our quick get away in Vermont. They were very accommodating for our late arrival with all instructions on how to get in to our room The room was very clean, and comfortable. The fireplace was going as we walked in which was nice on a cold night. It’s a perfect spot to stay if you’re skiing Killington, my new go to spot Affordable, great location, clean, great staff. Can’t recommend it enough!

I went to the Shire wanting to like it, based on the name alone. What I experienced however had some glaring issues that should be remedied for what a room costs here. Firstly our check in did not go smoothly, the key provided did not open the room we were assigned and we had to go back and be reassigned to another room. Many of the door handles are very beat up, loose with the fitting plates hanging off. The wifi network is completely unsecured. In the year of 2026 this is a huge security issue. Someone obviously cared about the network infrastructure. It is wifi 6, speeds greater than what I have come to expect from a hotel, I believe I saw a ubiquity unifi access point so good high quality equipment. But I do not recommend you to use the internet unless you also have a VPN service. No excuse for this. Other security issues noted include no pinhole on our room door so you are unable to see who is at your door before opening it. The door also does not have a lock that can only be activated when in the room. A chain, or folding plate lock like others have. This is simple stuff, every room should have. We stayed on the second floor of the river house. The wall facing the river is 90% window. Great view. Unfortunately this is also a huge privacy concern, most of our time spent here we kept the blinds closed since the balcony is shared between the three rooms. No dividers on the balcony, so your neighbors can easily walk right up to your window and look in. This also allowed our neighbor to co opt all the chairs on the balcony, including the one I was using intermittently. The walls are thin, sound is easily heard from others in the hallway or on the balcony. At least 3 of the electrical outlets were taped over, fix them or remove them please. One of the three light bulbs above the bathroom mirrors was out. The ceiling light in the bathroom was out. The toilet paper was single ply, seriously? No hand soap is provided. A bar of something is present, but it is not soap, it is a “skincare bar with moisturizing aloe”. Again really simple here, I should be able to wash my hands with something that will actually clean them. Soap, bar or liquid I don’t care, but actual soap please. Another thing that would have been nice to have would have been plastic utensils at the coffee stations, this would have come in handy. Things I did like. The bed was comfortable. Sheets, towels, and other linens were accessible via a shelf in the hallway. The location was good for the wedding we were going to. Overall however I can not recommend you stay here unless it is your cheapest option, and you just absolutely have to be in this location for an event. To the owners of the Shire, you can do better, most of the things I have listed are small easily fixed things. I seriously hope you take them under consideration.

We were celebrating our 25th anniversary and booked a “premium river view King room with balcony or patio” on the website. I requested 2nd floor due to other guests’ feedback that 1st floor rooms had people often walking by. When we checked in, they had put us in what I would describe as a partial or side view room, no balcony. Of course they were fully booked so no option to change. If you want a specific amenity (like balcony), call to confirm after booking. That said, the staff was very kind and apologized for the mistake and we had a great stay. They compensated us a discount for the mixup. The room we had was beautifully decorated with a flower and note with cookies for our anniversary. The location is superb, walkable to all of Woodstock. Coffee machine just down the hallway. The grounds are beautiful and we enjoyed sitting by the fire pits and the river. A superb place to stay.

We only stayed for 1 night but it was a good experience. Nice staff, good room, bed was very comfortable. The room had a frig but no microwave. However, there was a microwave in a community coffee and snack space. This is really a motel as entrances were from the outside in. Still, it was quiet and very close to the historic district, an easy walk. A small grocery store was across the street. We would be very comfortable staying there again.

I cannot express how wonderful our experience was at The Shire. The views from our balcony were an absolute winter wonderland to wake up to each morning. The location is perfect, parking was easy and always available and the staff were so kind beyond words. Dave, the owner and his staff went above and beyond to fix a flat tire that really would have put a damper on our trip. I went outside just to check on the tire and Dave and his staff were literally outside in the winter cold and patched it up so we could drive safely again. Talk about THE best customer service imaginable. My wife and I felt like we were in a Hallmark Christmas movie. The people in this town are truly special. What an amazing place.

Beautiful room. Fabulously comfy beds. The view was gorgeous. We were warmly welcomed. Perfect location. I loved it!

Honestly pretty disappointed with the service. My boyfriend’s car broke down on thanksgiving day (our check-in was that day) and we were not able to make the drive to VT from NY and after letting the staff know immediately, there was nothing other than a “we cancelled the reservation, have a good day” (which felt inappropriate since it was actually a disastrous of a day?) i had to email them a couple times to inquire about the cancellation fee, hoping they would work with me since it was an unplanned emergency, but nope. The cancellation fee was $20 cheaper than the room rate, but that fee has yet to be adjusted and its a couple weeks now. Overall, it’s not a terribly big issue, but I guess it is just disappointing when businesses (especially local) don’t go the extra mile for customers anymore and treat them like people; everything has felt very transactional and not very welcoming or personal. Ironically, hilton has always given us a much better experience both from staff and room standards/cleanliness (looking at other reviews). We already rebooked our trip to Woodstock(which will be next weekend!), but this impersonal and disappointing experience with the shire has made us not want to book with them again.

My wife and I had a wonderful one night stay at The Shire. The staff is friendly, hospitable, and attentive, and we were particularly grateful to Jenny at the front desk for her terrific recommendations on sights to see and places to eat. It was our first time to Woodstock, and we were happy to find that the shops and restaurants in the village were an easy 5-10 minute walk from the hotel. Our premium king in the River House was spotlessly clean, quite comfortable and very well appointed. The river views from our room were beautiful and, upon returning from dinner, we thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to relax by one of the fire pits as the sun set on the the bucolic Woodstock countryside. We're looking forward to making another visit sometime soon!!

Do not stay here. Honestly this place is a mess. They promote it as a beautiful hotel with gorgeous grounds to walk on. It is not that. First of all the pictures are deceiving. The hotel is a glorified motel with a nice backyard. Which by the way, we didn't even get to see. We had a view of the parking lot with zero privacy. Nobody even instructed us how to find the yard. We had to search for it. Second, two different people walked into our hotel room with keys. Thank goodness we were just sitting on the couch, but an hour after we checked in someone came in and an hour before we checked out someone came in. That is so unacceptable it's shocking. Third, when we tried to check in they had no idea how much I owed and talked to me about someone else's credit card info. I had to tell them what I owed. We gave them a card and instead they charged the one on file for incidentals. Not only did they hold money on the wrong card, but they did it three times! So instead of $100 hold on the wrong card, we had $300 on the wrong card. The room is about as basic as a room could possibly be. No perks and barely even any art or anything. The room has a paper thin blanket on it and the wall ac/heating unit smells like fire when it's working and is very loud. The bathroom is so stark white and boring with a giant crack in the wall. Had we paid $100-$200 for this night we'd let this all go, but we paid $420 for this absolute scam of a hotel. Not to mention, the hotel is under construction and remodeling so there are workers everywhere and every room is open and being worked on. If you want a peaceful trip to Woodstock, pick a different location. If we weren't only staying one night, we would have asked for a refund on night two and left. The only two pros: 1. It's walking distance from the cute city. 2. The people working are very kind and friendly, albeit unhelpful.

Lovely grounds and comfy pet friendly rooms. The landscaping is beautiful. The outdoor furniture is comfy with firepits and inner tubes for floating down the river. Complimentary Kerig coffee with many flavors and a variety of teas. In the lobby there is yummy cookies and lemonade even! It's those little things that make The Shire so nice. We have come some three times over the years, and each time it gets a bit better. They are definitely updating their hotel along the way. Wonderful walkable location and Sunny clean rooms.

Excellence in hotel rooms; stunning view of the Ottauquechee River, great service, easy parking, & perfect location near Woodstock, Vermont town center. Grounds are gorgeous year-round, with riverside relaxation: barbecues, comfy chairs, fire pits along river. Walk to everything in town: easy drive to Quechee (Gorge; VINS Nature Center; Killington; Billings Farm; many restaurant & unique shops options. Service was warm and welcoming. Despite ice and snow, parking lot & all walkways were perfectly cleared. Beautiful light in rooms during to large windows facing lovely Ottauquechee River. The town of Woodstock has many activities year-round, too: we accidentally and joyfully booked Wassail Weekend, with holiday lights, bonfires, beautiful decorations everywhere, & a fine local parade. Great atmosphere, the town and The Shire. Virtual no-contact, safe check-in and departure. Very Covid-safe. Loved our December weeklong stay and plan many more!

I. LOVE. THE SHIRE. Not only are the accommodations perfect, the staff is also exceptional! After a mix-up where my semi-handicapped mother's reservation was on the second floor (she cannot climb stairs) Sandra in the front office let us have an even nicer room in the River House for the same price! THANK YOU for making our trip to Woodstock (Mom's happy place) perfect!

What an absolutely perfect place to stay. We stayed here in October and we were extremely happy with the room. Very comfortable, extremely clean and the staff was beyond friendly. You can walk out your back door and walk out to their fire pits by the river Stunning scenery.

Extremely clean and efficient motel. Very comfortable for solo travelers as well as families. I really appreciate the virtual check in/check out options and friendly service. Conveniently located across the street from a local supermarket and walking distance to cafes/restaurants. This is an excellent lodging option for the area. Very pricy for a motel but this is my second stay this summer as it's the best option I've found.

I spent a couple of nights at this place last month. The exterior is cute and it's evident they are spending money on renovations. That said, they need to focus on their rooms - interior before exterior. Mine was facing the street and their old wooden and glass door did nothing to deaden the sound - so it was very hard to sleep. The shower was a flimsy, drop in one piece type, that is too small and the shower head didn't have a 90* bend so it was impossible to clean your legs and feet properly without wetting your hair. The shower door doesn't really close right and it opened in the wrong direction in what is already a very small space. Their floor in the shower and bedroom were nice, however the hallway floor between the two wasn't finished yet so they glued a runner down and that was curled up on one end, so it wasn't all that safe at night walking to the bathroom. The portion of the floor that wasn't completed yet had openings between the floor boards and who knows what could get in, but we killed two spiders when staying there. They don't have someone on sight at night and won't post the emergency number to call until leave leave, so you don't know who to call IF you could call - no AT&T celular service in the room. The keys they use are standard home keys, so who knows how many people have these keys and there was no inside bolt to feel secure at night and - no fault of theirs - but since AT&T celular doesn't work in the unit (only SOS), there is no way to call anyone should someone decide to come in - with an old key or just before a piece of glass on the old front door. It really didn't feel safe, particularly if your an older female. I feel the place should advise poor or no celular service on their website so people know that before they commit. If I knew that when I was searching, I would not have selected The Shire, particular when there isn't 24hr desk service. I tried calling the establishment to discuss these to recommend improvements, but their phone goes directly to an answering machine, where you have to select what you are calling about and none is to speak with a human. I tried leaving emails as well, asking for a call back, to let them know, but none were answered, so posting this was my last resort.

Would give zero stars. Rooms don't actually look like the pictures online on hotels.com or Expedia.

Let me start first with a huge applause for Lauren, the GM. Went way out of her way to make sure we were taken care of. The booking could not have been easier via their website. After we booked the same day stay, instantly received a text and was able to communicate with the hotel. Even checked on us later in the day to assist in with our arrival. The room as very clean and in great condition. Staff staff staff make your stay. Thank you

One star is too much for this review. We chose to stay here because it was local to where we needed to be . When we checked in , we put our bags down and left. we came back late showered and went to bed. We thought we smelled something in the room , but we figured it was just because all the windows were shut. upon doing a little research, we found the smell. A rotten banana under the bed , tops of champagne bottles and wrappers. After further investigation, we also found dead bugs behind the nightstand stand and garbage etc. I was so grossed out thinking that we probably jus slept on dirty sheets also. When I brought these findings to the Doug, (the general manager ) I was shocked at his response. He said that he would use it as a learning experience for his staff and they are human and they make mistakes. This did not warrant a refund he said. He was so generous to give us a $47 credit. ?? where that amount came from???The owners of this place should be ashamed of themselves. This place is NOTHING like on the website They claim that they take the upmost care and keeping the place clean. I didn't realize that it was my responsibility to do a thorough walk-through of a hotel room before I chose to stay there. What is this world coming to when people can't own up to a mistake and then do the right thing. Bad business practice I would be happy to share pictures.

I checked in without an issue. My room is large and clean. The bed is very nice and large. It is comfortable. The gas fireplace in my room is not working. It is a decent looking property from the outside. Do not be confused.. this is not in the same league as Woodstock Inn & Spa. But it has been a comfortable one night stay for me. I would come back.

Had the most wonderful weekend here. Skiing was 5 minutes away, delicious food right down the street and lots of family friendly activities (kids science museum 20 minutes away and an outdoor sanctuary just down the road). The room was immaculate and beautifully decorated!

If you are not expecting the Ritz or the Woodstock Inn, this property is just fine. The location is walking distance to downtown Woodstock and many fine restaurants. The property overlooks a river with outside seating and a fire pit. The TV is streaming only and we had difficult trying download any station. The window with view was a little dirty with dead bugs, but we were in the woods. Bathroom is adequate. A little rusting on the shower faucets and could use a facelift. There is a room on the second floor with a Keurig and microwave. There is no breakfast or food. The guest room has a fridge only. We did need an extra blanket at night, and none to be found. This is a three star hotel. Clean and close to downtown.

It was ok, there are better choices like the 506 on the River. There was no phone in the room, normally not an issue except our cell service in Woodstock was non functional. Once we went about 6 miles out of town our cell phones started to get reception. Hardly any furniture in our big room, it would have been nice to at least sit on a couch to watch TV. No room service unless you ask for it, not a problem for us except there was just 2 tiny trash cans so we were constantly running trash to the big can outside (stayed a few days). The gas fireplace was broken, not a big deal since we stayed during Aug. There was a very loud family above us for 3 nights, it sounded like they were running laps and wrestling each other every night until midnight. Safe to say we will not be staying here again.

I'm not sure how this place has earned 4 stars on this platform, unless there has been a recent change in management/ownership or I just got the worst room in the whole place. To start with, the front door had obviously been kicked in, as evidenced by the broken door frame, broken door trim, and cracked paint along the door jam. Then, I saw similar signs of forced entry with the bathroom door! In the bathroom the sink was spider cracked and the paint in the shower was chipping. All in all I felt like I stayed in a Motel 6, but I paid for a Hilton, so I can not recommend this place.

It was lovely. Beautiful spot. The place was very clean Convenient to shops and restaurants

Very welcoming staff when we first arrived at The Shire Woodstock! The room was very clean, convenient location, and easy parking. They have a text message service where you can send any questions which came in handy when we had a question about a local store. The pictures on the website didn't exactly match the real thing, but I guess that is normal for most hotels. Overall the stay was enjoyable and we'd go back!