Victorian Comfort in Brandon Inn, VT

Traveling around New England for fall foliage can have its ups and downs. You might miss the best foliage, but you might come across a gem in the rough to stay at. We were in Vermont at mid-week, you might have a whole Inn all to yourself.

We had driven down Route 2 on the Champlain Islands and onto Route 7 heading south. Down in the southern part of Vermont, near the end of Lake Champlain is the little town of Brandon. Driving through town was rough going since they were doing an intensive street modification. I’m sure it’s going to look great when they are done, but it made finding our way around a little crazy. But there in the center of town stood the diamond, the Grande Dame, The Brandon Inn. The place has been around for a long time, welcoming guests far and wide.

Brandon Inn in Brandon Vermont (Road work is completed now)

We stepped into the lobby and we were transported to another era. Much like the Rangeley Inn in Maine and Thayer’s Inn in Littleton, New Hampshire, the old-world charm has been maintained. It’s not original to the 1800s like the others since it suffered a fire in the early 1900s but when it was rebuilt, it was done so with an eye for the history of the place.

Brandon Inn Vermont, sitting room in lobby

Speaking of old-world charm, the inn was taken over by a European couple a few years ago, and they do not disappoint in providing that European flair to the inn. We were the only guests during that mid-week stay and had a pleasant visit with the owner and chef, Louis Pattis.

The huge common rooms are welcoming with warm wood and upholstered furnishings. We did not get to sit on the terrace, but it appears to be a lovely place to have breakfast on a warm morning.

bedroom in Brandon Inn — Brandon Inn Vermont, our room

Our guest room was a large double room which gave us an enormous amount of space to spread out. There is no television, but there is wifi. There are games and books in a small room next to the great room downstairs. You can spend your time there just like they did in the 1800s, reading, playing board games, and if you are not alone, socializing. There is also a small pub on the property, but was not open when we were there. (this is also a wedding venue)

We hope to visit again.

The next morning after taking breakfast in the large sitting room (seen above) we headed out on Route 73. It was the 23rd of October and the colors were mostly gone but we did see many beautiful vistas from Blueberry hill in the Green Mountain Forest we found the Chittenden Brook trail which we drove over but it dead ends so you have to turn around and revisit where you just traveled.

Jeff Foliage Folger

Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage

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