At a Glance
The countryside inn glistens on bright, sunny days or with a fresh layer of snow covering the property, but the beauty of the property is that you don't particularly need perfect weather to enjoy your stay.
Review
The 142-room Woodstock Inn, which was built by Laurence Rockefeller in 1969, provides a variety of diversions that will keep guests of all ages occupied. When the weather is nice, there’s no limit to the way guests can fill their days. The Inn owns Billings Farm, which was inherited through Mary Rockefeller’s family. Billings raises sheep, cows, horses and chickens. Families can both tour and participate in the daily workings of the farm, from milking a cow and visiting the calf nursery to touring the 1890 farm house to see how a rural family would have lived in the 19th century. Woodstock also owns their own ski resort, the alarmingly named Suicide Six. Despite the frightening moniker, the small mountain is family-friendly and a great place for kids to get a their first taste of skiing. More serious skiers can spend the day at Killington, just a 25-minute drive away. In warm weather, the resort’s Robert Trent Jones golf course is a big draw, as is the area’s hiking, kayaking, fishing and horseback riding.
Of course, it’s easy to forget about these off-property activities when cocooned in the 10,000-square-foot spa, or enjoying the sports club with indoor and outdoor tennis, an indoor pool, squash and racquetball courts and a variety of fitness classes. Younger guests tend to flock to a downstairs rec room where a big-screen television, Nintendo Wii and Ping-Pong table sit amongst comfy couches.
All rooms feel like a friend’s comfortable country home, with four-poster beds, cushioned window seats and plush bedding as well as the requisite plasma TVs, marble baths and free WiFi. The most charming accommodations, however, are in the tavern wing, where suites on the top floor feature dormer windows and charming peaked ceilings and ground-floor porch suites offer an additional sun room just off the bedroom.
Read a member postcard about a two-family stay at Woodstock Inn.
Who Should Stay
Unlike most of New England's five-star properties, which don't allow children, the Woodstock Inn is ideal for a family visit. The farm delights kids, the rec room keeps teenagers happy and there are mini suite options with a pullout couch that are perfect for small kids and don't carry the higher price of a larger suite.
Written by Henley Vazquez