Vermont Is Famous for Summer Retreats. This New White-Glove Resort Wants You to Stay Year-Round.

Tori Latham
·3 min read

What happens when hoteliers behind iconic properties like the Carlyle, the Gramercy Park Hotel, and the Beverly Wilshire head for family-oriented, occasionally crunchy Vermont? Can a 5-star boutique hotel dripping with urbanity survive in a seasonal snow village that had just 77 residents as of 2020? Meet the petite grand experiment called the Weston.

Set within the Green Mountains, the property opened in late 2023 at 630 Main Street in its eponymous town. And the scientists behind this ambitiously white-glove, nine-key inn are the family Sharp. Helmed today by Peter Sharp, the son of the late Peter Jay Sharp, they not only once owned the Carlyle, but also ran Delmonico’s and apartment towers such as the Ritz Tower and the Stanhope in Manhattan—even the brokerage Douglas Elliman.

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A bed at the Weston
The plush bed in room No. 8

So does the Weston live up to the family name? Robb Report arrived at the hotel—where dogs are allowed but children under 12 are not—and checked in to the best room: room No. 8. The second-floor suite includes a separate living room and bedroom, each with its own fireplace, and an enviably large bathroom. The wet bar was stocked with drinks, snacks, and liquor, as well as the appropriate glassware for Martinis, highballs, or whatever other concoction you felt like whipping up.

The hotel spreads across two buildings, and the section that houses the suites also includes a small but workable gym, with an even smaller yoga studio off to the side. While the Weston isn’t hosting group classes, it’s the perfect space for a private session, either as an individual or a couple. We followed our vinyasa flow with services at the spa across the hall where massages and facials are performed. The menu of services isn’t as lengthy as what you would find at a 200-room hotel in Midtown, but the expansive soaking tub in your suite helps to make up for it.

A soaking tub at the Weston
The aforementioned soaking tub

Likewise, there is only one dining room at the Weston (as well as room service), but it’s now the town’s best. Dubbed the Left Bank, it’s a quintessential French restaurant, where you can chow down on oysters, caviar, steak au poivre, and duck confit courtesy of executive chef Brett Combs. The red-wine-braised beef cheeks were especially tender. For dessert, take a cue from the French and order the cheese plate, featuring the best of Vermont’s most well-known product.

While the hotel itself isn’t exactly buzzing, the Left Bank is open to the public and roars with activity. Less than a year old, regulars already post up at the bar to chat with the bartender. Nearby, a group celebrated a 50th birthday in the wine cellar, which also serves as a private dining room. Weston’s surrounding cities are abundant with family eateries patronized by big groups on skiing holidays—making the Left Bank’s fine dining and intimate atmosphere a rare and welcome addition to the region. Thankfully, the restaurant is only open to hotel guests at breakfast.

Beef cheeks from the Weston
Beef cheeks from the Left Bank

Unlike many of the area’s ski-centric seasonal hotels, the Weston hopes to capture this consistent customer base with summer-weather activities. There are bocce courts, fire pits, and agreeable porch space that begs to be enjoyed with a book and a cup of coffee. But during the freezing months, the Weston team recommends outings and curated excursions. They work with local business owners, like Andrew Weill at Manchester Hot Glass, where you can learn to blow your own glass objects (while Weill regales you with stories about the time Paul McCartney stopped by).

So is the Weston like checking into one of the world’s best urban haute hotels? Is the experience old-school signature Sharp? Of course not.

But with exacting standards, superior service, and luxe amenities, it’s now the best little thing going on in Vermont.

Rates start at $450 on weekdays and range from $550 to $3,000 on weekends.

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