By Cherise Forbes, Vermont Country Magazine.
WESTON — It’s a rare thing to feel one with a community yet far and away — but The Weston manages to do just that. In the Southern Vermont town that shares its name, The Weston has keyed into what makes Vermont great, while earning its reputation as a luxury destination.
What is it that makes Vermont great, exactly? A sea of travel blogs will top the list with foliage, maple syrup and craft beer. Though those Vermont standbys are not to be missed, it’s something simpler that exemplifies our state’s unique character — it’s the connections to the heart formed along the way.
At The Weston, that bond begins almost immediately upon arrival. From the front lawn, one feels that they are simply part of Weston’s historic neighborhood. The establishment’s two buildings appear at first to be any other stately residence, and that hometown feel permeates through every inch.
As soon as you walk through the door, you’re reminded of The Weston’s luxurious lineage. Owned by the Sharp family, multi-generational hoteliers best known for New York City’s famed Carlyle and Gramercy Park Hotels, the Vermont experience is elevated by The Weston.
The carefully curated aesthetic, encompassing everything from the decadently patterned wallpaper to the lavish aroma of LAFCO’s Feu de Bois, envelops the senses immediately. The interior grandeur pays tribute to the wilderness enveloping it (Southern Vermont is situated within a national forest, after all) with fine art, antiques and patterns evoking the natural world. Sturdy, centuries-old pine floorboards in the main building give a sense of the region’s — and this property’s — rich history.
The Weston’s staff conveys a family atmosphere, without making themselves too familiar. If it’s a getaway you’re looking for, there’s no better place to indulge in room service, take advantage of a modern yet timeless bar (stocked with Vermont-made spirits and snacks, of course), or enjoy other amenities like Diptyque toiletries.
Want to escape your room without going too far? Indulge in a facial and massage at the spa, or book a private lesson with a local yoga teacher in the adjoining studio. If you’re feeling more social, hang out on the lawn for a game of croquet or bocci, or a good conversation by the fire pit.
Just a short jaunt down the road by foot is Weston’s best-of-the-best. The iconic Vermont Country Store, which traces its roots back to 1946, offers handcrafted goods, nostalgic toys and tasty treats that feel endless. The Weston Theater Company, a gem among Vermont’s performing arts establishments, sits right across the town green (where it’s worth stopping for a takeout coffee in the gazebo or under the trees).
Never far are opportunities in the outdoors including hiking, skiing and once-in-a-lifetime experiences like exploring off-road in a Land Rover or trying your hand (or should I say forearm?) at falconry. Weston’s location near larger but still quaint towns like Manchester, Middlebury and Woodstock creates a rich landscape for shoppers and antique hunters as well.
One thing you won’t want to travel for is dinner. While Vermont’s culinary landscape is bustling with top-notch restaurants, it’s hard to beat The Left Bank’s combination of truly farm-to-table cuisine and an intimate atmosphere.
The restaurant’s maximum capacity of 50 guests leaves you enlivened rather than overwhelmed, and regulars greeting their friends at the bar contributes to that feeling of finding a home away from home. Warm and knowledgeable servers stand at the ready to recommend a favorite dish, identify ingredients from The Weston’s farm or garden, and determine the best wine pairing, helped by The Left Bank’s collaboration with Vermont Artisanal Cellars, which connects the restaurant with hard-to-find labels made by small, low-impact producers.
Executive Chef Bretton Combs brings a sensible yet sensational approach to his menu, incorporating local and in-season ingredients from The Weston’s farm just down the road. There, rows of organic and often heirloom crops meet seasonally smoking sugaring shack and the green mountains beyond. Farmer Toni Kessler works in close collaboration with Combs to grow ingredients that amplify the menu without taking too much from the land itself.
While farm-to-table is popular everywhere, the direct connection between earth and plate at The Weston is a unique and delicious expression of the Vermont agricultural tradition: small-scale, hyper-seasonal and local. A menu spanning bistro fare, nostalgic dishes and New England flavor allows Chef Combs to infuse the skills he earned at San Francisco’s SPIN and Cat Cora’s Kitchen. Don’t skip dessert — especially the homemade ice cream with inspired flavor combinations like saffron and cinnamon.
By the time you find yourself enveloped in the lush linens of your hand-carved poster bed, you may not need a blanket for warmth — but you will wake up feeling right at home.
Cherise Forbes is an independent writer, photographer, and designer based out of Southern Vermont. She currently serves as Communications and Marketing Manager for The BOMA Project, a non-profit organization empowering women entrepreneurs affected by climate change.
