Why travelers still flock to Vermont’s oldest hotel after 250 years

Planning a vacation to Vermont? Whether it’s a charming small-town inn or a top-rated ski resort, there are plenty of highly-regarded hotels in the state to choose from.

If you want historical New England vibes, there are also lots of Vermont hotels with colonial ties. In fact, the state’s very first hotel opened in Manchester over 250 years ago. While it has undergone many changes in ownership and name, The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa has been a staple in Vermont lodging for thousands of visitors since it opened in 1769.

Here’s everything to know about the history and lodging at the state’s oldest inn.

History of The Equinox

The Equinox first opened as The Marsh Tavern under owner William Marsh in 1769, according to the hotel’s website. The original inn played an important role in the country’s revolutionary history, hosting the meeting of the Council of Safety where Ira Allen proposed confiscating Torie property to raise money for the Green Mountain Boys during the Revolutionary War.

The hotel continued to attract historical figures in the years that followed, hosting former presidents William Taft, Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore Roosevelt, along with the family of Abraham Lincoln.

Marsh Tavern changed owners and names multiple times until 1853, when the Orvis brothers established the hotel as The Equinox. In 1972, The Equinox closed for 13 years, re-opening as the restored resort hotel it is known as today in the 1980s.

Today, the 200-room Equinox provides a resort experience for all four seasons, offering activities like tennis, pickleball, golf, ice skating and shuttles to nearby ski slopes, as well as amenities like a spa, a fitness center, live music and four on-site restaurants.

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How to stay at The Equinox

Guests at The Equinox can choose between elegant, historical rooms in the Main Inn and rustic rooms in the Orvis Inn, with accommodations ranging one-bed rooms to multi-room suites.

Reservations can be made online, and the hotel is located at 3567 Main St. in Manchester Village.