US - Burlington
Burlington is coooolllll! I’ve always wanted to come here. The main drag is just like home except better! haha. Why don’t more places in the US have pedestrian malls. I just don’t get it. In Burlington they do have chains on Church Street (main street really), but every building is small enough that it feels great. There are a boatload of stores and a boatload of patios. It is truly one of the better strolls you can do.
They don’t allow smoking which is not only awesome but it also cuts down on the regular unsavories you usually find in those types of places.
We stayed in the best hotel location I think you could have, and going down the hill towards the water they have a nice lakeside path area. The commercial part of this area is meh, but it is pretty.
The farmers market on the weekends in the park just off Church is one of the better ones you will see in the US. Packed with all kinds of food and artisans.
Ludlow
Super small and charming town in southern Vermont. Like many small towns in that part of New England it is near a ski resort and a lake. The ski resort doesn’t have much of a village but the charming base of ludlow will more than suffice. The lake is pretty gorgeous and draws its fair share of multi million dollar houses.
We had breakfast at the hatchery 3 times in 3 days. Yes options are very limited but they actually do a really good job regardless. Honestly quite creative for such a small place. The restaurant in the hostel across from main and mountain had a stand out dinner as well. House made pastas along with plenty of vegetarian items was refreshing and a little more than a bit good, and surprising,
Notes to self:
-Maybe we could settle down in a place like Vermont
Hilton Garden Inn Burlington - Jul 2018
I don’t understand why anyone would ever call a hotel by such a chain name in the center of a cool town. How does the town allow that? If they have a choice the choice should be obvious. Chains use boutique names all the time when in cool places, and the ball was definitely dropped on this decision. You can’t get more central than this place. And central in Burlington is cool and hip. And while the Hilton Garden Inn is actually a nicely done hotel, the name and everything associated with it says…airport.
Hilton
Pretty meh for what you’ll pay.
Empty mini bar
No ppv
No room service
Small rooms
Mostly crappy views
Great location but the other hotels are just a few blocks down the hill
All parking is valet at 18nt
Notes
-Let’s step it up.
Main + Mountain – Ludlow - Jul 2018
This place made me want to change my profession. I don’t know how it came to be (I know a bit but there are so many things that had to happen to make this type of thing work), but I want more of it. We stayed in the 2 bedroom suite. Now the word suite and the thoughts that may invoke would not be appropriate in this setting. The rooms are very simple and there is no ppv, no mini bar, no room service, no restaurant (just a bar) and this particular room only had one air conditioner and it was in the living room, meaning the whole place never got to be the same temp, and while we were there it was hot as shit so the living room was freezing and the bedrooms were room temperature at best. If you were sharing with another couple, make sure you’re swingers because you wouldn’t be able to close any doors…
NOW, that being said, this place is fantastic. For starters, it’s spartan modern and the decor is far superior to anything you would ever find in a town this small. It’s a ski town and the baseboard heat, which is in all the rooms, supposedly works very well. There’s no check in counter and they email you your keyless door code before you arrive. Very sweet. There’s no check out either for that matter. The place has a bangin bar downstairs and their hostel and sister property across the street not only has a bangin bar, but a pretty freakin rad restaurant with surprisingly well thought out food.
For a tiny town, near a moderately sized ski resort in southern Vermont, this place was a find. A gem. Great job.
Notes
-Every town this size would be lucky as shit to have a spot like this. Well done.