A Weekend at The Weston, Vermont

Earlier this August, I checked into The Weston, a stylish countryside property in the Green Mountains of Vermont with its own regenerative farm and brasserie-inspired restaurant. This nine-room gem, opened in December 2023, is a passion project from the Sharp family—the hospitality and real estate royalty behind such iconic properties as the Carlyle, now-closed Gramercy Park Hotel and Beverly Wilshire. The takeaway from my weekend? I was most impressed by the details: the hand-painted fireplaces in my suite (No. 8); the daily delivery of home-baked treats; umbrellas, adorned with the lantern-bearing Weston Cat, waiting at my door on a rainy morning; the abundance of organic, seasonal produce, harvested just down the road, at every meal.

In proximity to ski resorts like Stratton, Killington and Okemo, and colleges like Middlebury and Dartmouth, The Weston is a hideaway to add to your arsenal in any season. Get an inside look at my stay and plan your visit online—with some of my favorite finds in the area—below.

On the main road leading into the tiny village of Weston, Vermont—where highlights include a curio general store dating back to 1946, a year-round Christmas shop and a community playhouse—a white sign embossed with a lantern-bearing, forest-green cat beckons travelers in to discover The Weston.

Opened in December 2023, this bucolic boutique project offers just nine (one-of-a-kind) rooms and suites, with a flagship brasserie restaurant, gardens with courts for bocce and croquet—and a pavilion for cocktails—and a small spa, gym and yoga studio. There is also a regenerative farm and maple sugar shack, down the road, with an additional 600 acres for future projects (a bakery is already confirmed to be in the works for spring 2025, while talk of apiaries, craft beer and more circulate). The owners of the Weston—hospitality and real estate legends the Sharp family—remain heavily involved in curating and expanding the experience. The property truly is their passion project—and it was largely inspired by their own Vermont summer home.

"Home" certainly is a standout feeling while staying here, thanks to The Weston's "back-to-basics" approach to hospitality—where said "basics" are really, really nice (the linens are Frette, the bath products are Diptyque, the snacks are homemade and organic). The hotel stretches across two restored historic buildings, with countryside-classic white shingling, bay windows, covered porches and brick chimneys (eight of the nine accommodations have gas fireplaces). The aesthetic throughout is brought to life by refined details, and understated but highest-quality materials. Thanks to the recent renovation, everything at The Weston feels oh-so-fresh—but not sterile, like other new builds; the Sharps' careful eye and thoughtful layering give the property a cozy, lived-in feeling, without the wear-and-tear that comes with actual time. Dark tones of green, maroon and navy, patterned wallpaper and textiles, dark wood and brass, and vintage accents evoke the traditional New England vibe, without being too stuffy; other writers have likened The Weston to the country home of a wealthy, well-traveled aunt—and it's an apt comparison. Postcards and prints from the Sharps' own adventures around the globe, and inside nods to their heritage (like strategically placed Carlyle Assouline coffee table books), build on this impression—and the 18th-century antiques from the Sharps' private collection, especially the Oriental cabinets, give that touch of the exotic, and the quirky. (I myself am curious to know what pieces made it here from the Gramercy Park Hotel liquidation—rest in peace.)

Of the nine guest rooms, three are suites. The largest suite, the Carriage House, offers two bedrooms and two full baths, with its own private entrance. I stayed in suite No. 8, which abuts the Carriage House and sits atop the gym and spa, in the building across from the main house. Larger than many one-bedroom Manhattan apartments, No. 8 is lush with space to stretch out, with a gloriously shareable bathroom (two separate marble vanities, two showers, and a large soaking tub—plus a Dyson hair dryer, Steamery steamer and plenty of hooks and mirrors). There's an open living and reading room, complete with luxe editions of classic board games, a smart TV above a hand-painted fireplace (a personal favorite), a tastefully stocked wet bar and a set up for in-room dining. But even the smaller guest rooms, up the stairs in the main house, feel pampering and inviting, thanks to decadent beds, Lefroy Brooks hardware, William Morris wallpaper, Feu de Bois diffusers and walk-in rain showers. Many of the accommodations also have their own decks or terraces for al fresco unwinding. The Weston is one of those special escapes where you don't feel guilty for spending the bulk of your stay just enjoying your room.

When you do leave your room, though, life at The Weston operates on a country-club rhythm. After a hearty farm breakfast, with French Press coffee and the daily pastry to-go, guests can occupy themselves with the season's active diversions—hiking, biking, skiing, golfing—or the surrounding villages' array of artisan boutiques, antiques galleries, craft breweries and historic oddities. (Anyone interested in blown glass, ceramics or wood-working can easily fill a suitcase with treasures in a day's work.) While the village of Weston is within walking distance of the property, a car is necessary here if you want to explore further afield (though you can catch a ride in one of the Weston Land Rovers, if you're lucky). Guests who prefer to stay put can break a sweat in the small but airy gym or yoga studio, or book a specialized facial or massage at the spa. There is also a sauna and steam room, accessible at your leisure, and a calendar of holistic wellness pop-ups. But no matter how you choose to spend your day, you won't want to miss the kickoff of cocktail hour in the heart of the property, The Left Bank, where guests can lightly mingle over signature martinis and even a game of croquet on the lawn, if the weather's nice—and in the summer, "Oyster Hour" is served under the covered pavilion, on Thursdays.

Prior to the dinner service (which runs from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and is also open to outside guests, and popular among locals), you may catch a glimpse of executive chef Brett Combs, hurrying outside to snip a garnish from the fresh herb garden, or collecting a special delivery from resident farmer (and former schoolteacher) Toni Kessler. This dynamic foodie duo partners daily to craft The Left Bank's menu, sourcing nearly all of the produce from The Weston's one-acre regenerative farm (alongside meat, fish and dairy from other regional suppliers; they have their own chickens and pigs). At the farm, Toni cultivates a greenhouse and garden year-round, planning for the changing seasons and employing ancient agricultural techniques, with new-age learnings (though when I asked how she keeps her beds pest-free, Toni responded that she does so manually—plucking the worst offenders off her seedlings on a daily basis). With over 50 seeds, from heirloom tomatoes to blackberries and the Three Sisters, what grows here is as organic as it comes—and Toni's composting process is particularly inspiring (here, you can spot the previous night's oyster shells, breaking down and imbuing future plates with calcium).

The impact of the farm is what makes The Left Bank most memorable, from the homemade jams and herbed butters to infused cocktails and custom-blend teas. (Plates at The Left Bank pull from all the best elements of brasserie cooking, sans heaviness, thanks to that local bounty: steak frites, roasted chicken, a brie and shallot jam burger, cod with lemon caper butter, escargot and oysters—alongside beets, cucumbers, rainbow carrots and leafy heads of lettuce, with opportunities to indulge in caviar, fries and cheese services, and a lovely list of sweet treats.) A tour through the farm with chef Brett and Toni is a master-class in sustainability and farm-to-fork creativity—and a reminder of all the things we shouldn't take for granted, including that wellness begins with what we put into our bodies.

For all the fun that can be had here, it's this chance to restore and reconnect that makes The Weston a place you'll want to return to. Here, you can slow the pace down, check back in, soak in the beauty of your surroundings, have a game of cards by the fire. And it's always nicest to do that in a Frette robe.

Top Shops

• Local Treasures & Fun Finds: The Vermont Country Store
• Home, Gifts & Wellness: Regional Character
• Handcrafted & Pops of Color: Lasser Ceramics and Manchester Hot Glass
• A Regional Icon: Simon Pearce

Eat & Sip

• Lunch, Dinner or Drinks: The Crooked Ram
• Coffee Break: Ungrounded Coffee Roasters
• Local Hops: Long Trail Brewing and Valley Craft Ales
• Something Sweet: Mildred's Dairy Bar

Explore

• For Hiking: Tackle the ski trails at Okemo or Stratton mountain resorts (a 15- or 40-minute drive from The Weston, respectively)
• For Swimming: Take a nature walk to the swimmable pools at Buttermilk Falls, Pikes Falls or Emerald Lake (a 20-, 25- or 35-minute drive from The Weston, respectively)
• For Culture: Catch a performance at the Weston Theater Company