The Equinox Resort
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Hotel Details
Location
The Equinox Resort · Manchester Village, United States
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Key Highlights
- ✓Guests consistently laud The Equinox for its wide array of activities and its stunning location. Key highlights include:
Expert Review: The Equinox Resort
The Equinox Resort, a Michelin Key Selected property nestled in Manchester Village, Vermont, offers a blend of historic charm and modern luxury, serving as a four-season destination in the Green Mountain National Forest.
1. Overall Rating & Sentiment
The general consensus for The Equinox Resort is largely positive, often described as a beautiful, historic, and grand hotel that is well-maintained. Guests frequently praise its character, extensive amenities, and picturesque setting, with some reviews calling it a "dream" and highlighting an "excellent historic vibe". It is recognized as a "Superior First Class" resort. However, some recent feedback indicates areas that feel "dated" and mentions issues with staffing.
2. Key Highlights
Guests consistently laud The Equinox for its wide array of activities and its stunning location. Key highlights include:
- Activities: The resort boasts an 18-hole championship golf course, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, a full-service spa, and unique experiences like the Land Rover driving school, the British School of Falconry, and Orvis fly-fishing and shooting schools. There's also an indoor pool, a seasonal outdoor pool, a hot tub, and various seasonal pursuits such as hiking, kayaking, cross-country skiing, and ice skating.
- Location: Its setting in the heart of Manchester Village, surrounded by the Green Mountains, is a significant draw, offering breathtaking views and easy access to outdoor adventures.
- Design & Ambiance: The historic nature of the resort, with buildings dating back to 1769, provides a "refined colonial style" and a classic New England feel. The grounds are expansive, offering ample space for relaxation.
3. Room Quality
Guest rooms at The Equinox are designed in a traditional New England style, many of which have been recently refurbished. They are generally spacious and equipped with modern conveniences, including air conditioning, cable TV, and internet access. Some rooms offer scenic mountain or garden views. While beds are often cited as comfortable, some recent reviews suggest that rooms might benefit from minor maintenance, such as updating caulking in tubs or addressing loose toilet handles. In colder weather, some guests experienced chilly rooms, though space heaters were provided.
4. Dining Experience
The Equinox offers a diverse dining experience with several on-site restaurants and bars:
- Marsh Tavern: A historic landmark serving regional New England cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Chop House: An upscale steakhouse providing a warm and comfortable setting for dinner with elevated classics.
- Falcon Bar: A spot for craft cocktails, an extensive wine and champagne selection, lighter fare, and often live music.
- Dormy Grill: A seasonal outdoor venue at the golf clubhouse, offering casual lunches, cocktails, and snacks with golf course views. The resort also provides 24-hour room service and a breakfast buffet. While the food itself generally receives positive comments, some guests have reported slow service and long waits for breakfast.
5. Service & Staff
The service at The Equinox is frequently praised as "excellent" and "impeccable". Guests often highlight the staff's friendliness, warmth, and helpfulness, contributing to a welcoming experience. However, recent feedback includes criticisms of understaffing, leading to slow service, particularly at breakfast. There have also been isolated reports of some staff being unfriendly or "nasty". Wedding coordinators, in particular, are noted for their responsiveness and attentiveness, though one review mentioned occasional disorganization with details.
6. Location & Accessibility
The Equinox Resort is ideally situated in the Manchester Village Historic District, at the base of Mount Equinox and within the Green Mountain National Forest. This central location allows guests to walk to attractions like the Golf Club at Equinox, Green Mountain National Forest trails, and the American Museum of Fly Fishing. The Manchester Designer Outlets are also a short drive away. For travel, the resort is approximately a 70-minute drive from Albany International Airport (ALB) and 30 minutes from Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport (RUT). Major cities like Boston, Montreal, and New York City are within a 3.5 to 4-hour drive.
7. Value & Pricing
While specific average pricing isn't universally provided, room rates can vary significantly, ranging from approximately $130 to over $1,300, depending on the room type, season, and demand. The resort notes that prices can be higher during peak seasons, such as summer and winter (due to skiing and school vacations). For events like weddings, starting prices for receptions are around $1,500 and ceremonies $500, with couples typically spending about $35,000, not including service fees, taxes, and gratuity. Discounts may be available for AAA members, corporate groups, and government/military personnel.
8. Common Complaints
While generally well-received, some recurring issues and criticisms include:
- Dated Aspects & Maintenance: Despite refurbishments, some guests find parts of the hotel or rooms to be "dated" and needing minor maintenance like updated caulking or fixed toilet handles.
- Staffing & Service Speed: Frequent complaints revolve around understaffing, leading to slow service, particularly noticeable during breakfast. Some guests have also reported unfriendly staff.
- Room Comfort (Temperature): In very cold weather, some rooms were reported as chilly, though the hotel did provide space heaters.
- Cleanliness (Isolated): One recent review mentioned "dirty sheets/comforters/mattresses" and sticky floors, though this appears to be an isolated and significant complaint.
- Noise: The "heaviness of the room doors and the rudeness of people slamming them at all hours" was noted as an issue by one guest.
Sources
Points to Consider
- •While generally well-received, some recurring issues and criticisms include:
- •Staffing & Service Speed: Frequent complaints revolve around understaffing, leading to slow service, particularly noticeable during breakfast. Some guests have also reported unfriendly staff.
- •Cleanliness (Isolated): One recent review mentioned "dirty sheets/comforters/mattresses" and sticky floors, though this appears to be an isolated and significant complaint.
- •Noise: The "heaviness of the room doors and the rudeness of people slamming them at all hours" was noted as an issue by one guest.
Google Reviews
1,078 reviews
Recent Guest Reviews
Eric Andreoli
Great place to stay, loved the history, you can still sense the old bones of the building. Great location , close to everything and they offer a lot of amenities on site. The bar/restaurants were good but tended to be easily stressed when busy often turning hotel guests away because the kitchen couldn't keep up. We were there during a busy time, but we were disappointed there wasn't basic take ...
Response from the owner
Eric, thank you for spending time with us. It’s wonderful to hear your visit gave you a chance to soak in the charm and history of The Equinox. Our team works hard during busy weekends, and we truly a...
Tosca DiMatteo
I took my BFF for a spa experience on her birthday in Dec 2025 not knowing what to expect. Would the staff be welcoming? Helpful? Yes - the staff were fantastic and accommodated a last minute request to add on a facial. While the facility is past its heyday - the option to go into the sauna and other facilities is a nice bonus if you want to make an experience of it. My friend walked away feeli...
Response from the owner
What a beautiful way to celebrate your best friend! A birthday spa day is always a favorite around here. We love that our team could step in with that last minute facial and help you both ease into a ...
Curtis Elsis
Where do I start immediately? Upon entering the resort you will quickly notice how rundown it is. We were instructed to park in the rear of the facility where we found a completely frozen parking lot. The walk was treacherous. We got to our room and felt an immediate draft. All windows were closed but both had broken window panes. It was so cold in the room that the inside glass had ice all over i...
Response from the owner
We appreciate you taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We truly regret that your experience did not reflect the care we put into our property or the attentiveness we strive to provide at a...
Giamichelle
This hotel is absolutely beautiful from the moment you walk in ,you truly embrace the Gilded Age from yester years. From the Decor to the staff , everyone makes you feel very special and welcomed. When walking around , Each area / room is inviting & speaks for itself. So happy we had the pleasure to meet a lot of the staff and I must say the gentlemen ,John and Matt are incredibly hands-on and w...
Response from the owner
Giamichelle, thank you for such a heartfelt and glowing review! It’s wonderful to hear that every corner of The Equinox helped make your stay so special. Knowing that the warmth, attentiveness, and ca...
Robin Mangini
We ABSOLUTELY loved our stay at The Equinox and cannot wait to return. The property was BEAUTIFULLY decorated, creating such a warm and memorable atmosphere, and the staff were truly exceptional - especially Maxine (dining), the bartenders (can't remember their name) and Taria at the front desk, who was absolutely amazing. The rooms were a great size, and we loved the multiple dining areas, the co...
Response from the owner
Your words are a joy to read, Robin! We're so glad your first stay at The Equinox wrapped you in warmth and charm. Our team will be grinning knowing they helped make your experience shine. We can’t wa...
Harper Hunt
Wonderful history, lots of amenities, love the wood burning fireplace. The weekend stay was as advertised. Felt like a perfect place for families and kids. The overall hotel could use some upkeep. But preservation and historic guidelines likely impose steep financial challenges. Hotel worker, Debra, was extremely kind, full of knowledge about the hotel and local history, great conversation. The ho...
Response from the owner
Harper, it’s lovely to hear that the history and little touches of The Equinox made your weekend feel special. Our hearts are in preserving this property’s character while sharing it with guests who a...
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