The Vermonter Motor Lodge

Worst motel in town

This motel was booked sight unseen over the internet for a last-minute trip to see the fall colour and was the only place available at the last minute. It was a very long way out of town, and given the price we paid, I was expecting some far better. The yard was unpaved and full of junk. The reception area smelled strongly of what I gather was Indian food. The first room we were shown smelled strongly of smoke, even though we had booked a non-smoking room. We objected and were given a stand-alone "cottage" that was small and shabby. When I reviewed my online booking, I saw that, for our rate, this is what we should have been given in the first place. Overall the whole place was cheap and nasty, and it seemed that the staff didn’t really care. They were shabbily dressed and you just wondered what they were doing in the hospitality business. Had I not been committed to the room through having booked and pre-paid online, we would have left as soon as we saw this place and found somewhere else, perhaps in another town, even though it was late in the day. From now on, we are sticking to chain properties which have established standards. This place had very few standards at all.

Quaint old motel needs refurbishing

This motel is situated well outside Bennington, which is nice for the scenery and quiet pastoral surroundings; however, it takes 10-15 minutes to get to downtown Bennington if that’s where you are going. The property has a pond and a very nice view. The cabins are a relic of an earlier age, and as such are a great idea, but are in need of repairs and updates. The bed was very comfortable, but the room was less than efficiently laid out. The toilet/shower was extremely cramped, with very little room to move. The shower curtain did not come all the way down, so every shower produced a flood. We were there during an unusually hot spell for early June, and the window air conditioner tended to freeze up and stop working. The staff was friendly and helpful though; free Internet access from the office was a plus.

Traveler's tip on dining

The Blue Benn Diner has THE best breakfasts I’ve seen in a long time. My wife and I had to share items because there were so many things we wanted to try. The homemade donuts, the muffins (order them grilled), and the pancakes are all outstanding. The whole business is a museum piece, an original prefab 1940’s diner. Next time we check out the lunch/dinner menu as well.

Very clean and pleasant. Breakfast was disappointing but it was off season.

Older motor lodge - beautiful views and very clean. Friendly staff.