Lyndy B.
Yelp
Our first visit to Windham Hill Inn was over 25 years ago for an autumn wedding anniversary get-away. We have returned about 10 times since then as the ambiance and atmosphere of both the Inn and the West Townshend VT area have 'called' to us. We have loved the historic feel of the farm, the amazing food and generous and down-home hospitality. One of the greatest charms has been the individual and very unique feel and character of each room - no two are even closely alike. The original farm house which housed the kitchen, bar, living room, and dining area also had some 12-14 guest rooms. There is a second building on the property, a 140 year old dairy barn that has been converted to an additional 8 guest rooms. It also has a shared large living room / lounge with fireplace and full kitchen in the lowest level. With wide wood plank floors, four poster beds, fireplaces and soaking tubs, these rooms range from intimate and 'cozy' to spacious and airy. The original farm-house building was struck by lightning in the spring of 2021 resulting in a serious fire that did significant damage. This main building remains closed and repairs are still being planned. The entire property closed for a while and finally reopened, but in a somewhat limited capacity. Only the rooms in the barn are currently available and they are open in a self-serve type manner. You can reserve your room online and then receive a door access code to your room on the day of your arrival. You can check yourself into the room using the door code, though during our recent visit in May/June 2024 the friendly and welcoming caretaker Jason was present to welcome us. The barn building and rooms, as well as the pool and local grounds are all being well cared for and are in very good condition. There is no on-site food service available which is still a little disappointing. The 4 star cuisine (included in the original room prices) was one of the great appeals of the Inn prior to the fire. Room rates are now much lower which should make this an even more appealing (read affordable) destination. You should consider bringing your own supply of snacks to tide you over between meals. There is a small mini-refrigerator in each room to keep bottles, cans and perishables fresh. There was no ice in the room yet Jason offered to get some for us if needed. There is a Keurig coffee machine in the common area which was stocked with some tea and bold coffee along with creamer / half and half. We took a couple small coolers with us, one in which to put a small bag of ice purchased at a local convenience store and the other to hold our crackers, cheese, nuts, and other snacks. Beds are large (Queen or King) with memory foam toppers - tending toward being a bit soft. There is a large TV in the room with many options and there is robust WiFi inside the building. There is no daily room / cleaning service currently. West Townshend is a very rural area with few dining options. If you are here on a Friday from mid-may to October (4:30--7:00 PM) you should consider visiting the West Townshend Country Store at the bottom of the hill. They have an outdoor pizza oven with picnic tables. People come from all over for a pizza with locally sourced toppings, to sip some beer or wine, listen to live music and shop the pop-up farm stands for locally made crafts and food items. If looking for a variety of dining options, you need to travel 25+ minutes back toward Brattleboro or out toward Stratton Mountain and Manchester. While the 150+ acres of the property do offer some hiking trails, there are also many other local places, a short drive away, to explore the outdoors. Our favorite go-to is Jamaica State Park and a 5.5 mile (total out and back) easy-to-moderate hike up to Hamilton Falls. If covered bridges are your thing - there are several within a short drive of the property. We truly love our visits to Windham Hill along with the beautiful sweeping vistas and very quiet and laid back ambiance. We look forward to returning here again, many more times. We hope the owners do consider renovating the original farm house and bringing back some of the additional appeal of the original operation.