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★★★ Burlington · Vermont ★ 4 · 632
Fairfield Inn by Marriott Burlington Williston

Fairfield Inn by Marriott Burlington Williston

from $158

Good to know

Class
3-star
Area
Burlington
Guest rating
4 (632)
from
$158

Where to stay

Best time to visit Vermont, month by month

Peak foliage runs roughly 25 September to 15 October, and hotel rates in Stowe, Woodstock and Manchester double or triple against summer — expect $500-900 for rooms that cost $200 in August, with two-night minimums standard. Ski season peaks from Christmas week through February at Killington, Stratton, Jay Peak and Smugglers' Notch, with the last week of December and Presidents' Day weekend the two most expensive dates on the calendar. March is still skiable and 30% cheaper than February at most mountains.

April and early May are 'mud season' — many country inns in Grafton, Waitsfield and the Northeast Kingdom close entirely, and those open discount heavily. June through August is warm, quiet and the best value outside the ski towns, with lake rooms in Grand Isle County and Burlington around $180-280. Late May, early June and the first three weeks of November are the cheapest windows overall; November is when locals travel.

Getting around Vermont: car, train and bus

You need a car. Amtrak’s Vermonter runs once daily from Washington DC through Brattleboro, White River Junction, Montpelier and Waterbury to St. Albans, and the Ethan Allen Express reaches Rutland and Burlington from New York, but neither gets you to Stowe, Woodstock village, Killington base, Jay Peak or anywhere in the Northeast Kingdom without a further drive. Greyhound and Vermont Translines cover the I-89 and I-91 corridors but are infrequent. Burlington International (BTV) is the main airport; Manchester-Boston (MHT) and Albany (ALB) are often cheaper flights and put you within 2-3 hours of most of southern Vermont.

Driving distances are shorter than they look on the map but slower in practice: Burlington to Stowe is 40 minutes, Burlington to Woodstock is 1h45, Stowe to Killington is 1h30, and Brattleboro to Jay Peak is nearly 3 hours end to end. Route 100 down the spine of the Green Mountains is the scenic route and adds 20-40 minutes over I-89 or I-91. In winter, all-wheel drive and snow tyres are genuinely useful north of Waterbury.

How many nights in Vermont and a first-timer route

Five to seven nights is the sweet spot for a first visit; three is enough only if you stay in one area. A classic loop from Burlington: two nights in Burlington (Shelburne Museum, Church Street, Lake Champlain), two in Stowe or Waitsfield (Mount Mansfield, Ben & Jerry’s in Waterbury, Cold Hollow Cider), two in Woodstock (Quechee Gorge, Billings Farm, covered bridges), then out via Manchester or Brattleboro. That covers Chittenden, Lamoille, Washington and Windsor counties without doubling back.

For foliage, add a night and slow down — driving Route 100 from Stowe to Ludlow eats a full day if you stop. For a ski trip, pick one mountain and stay put: Killington, Stowe, Sugarbush from Warren, Stratton or Jay Peak all reward four to five nights on-mountain more than they reward touring. The Northeast Kingdom (Essex, Orleans, Caledonia counties) deserves its own three-night trip rather than being tacked onto a first visit.

Questions, answered

How do I get from Burlington airport to Stowe?
By car it’s 40 minutes up I-89 to Waterbury then Route 100 north, about 35 miles. There is no direct public transport; Green Mountain Transit’s route to Waterbury plus a Stowe shuttle exists but is slow and infrequent. Peg Bus and several private shuttles run for around $60-90 one way and need booking ahead. Most Stowe hotels can arrange a transfer but expect $120-180.
Do I need a car in Vermont?
Yes, for almost every itinerary. Burlington alone is walkable and has buses, and a single-resort ski trip to Killington, Stowe or Jay Peak can work with shuttles from the airport plus on-mountain transport. Anything involving Woodstock, Manchester, the Mad River Valley, the Northeast Kingdom or covered-bridge touring requires a car. Amtrak’s Vermonter and Ethan Allen Express are useful for arriving but not for getting around.
Is Vermont better for families or couples?
Both, but the areas split. Couples lean to Woodstock, Grafton, Manchester and the small inns of Waitsfield and Warren, where many properties are adults-only or child-restricted. Families do better at Smugglers' Notch (which is built around family ski packages), Jay Peak (with its indoor Pump House waterpark), Killington and the lakefront hotels in Burlington and Grand Isle County. Twin Farms and most Relais & Châteaux-style inns don’t take children under 12 or 14.
What should I book early for a Vermont trip?
Foliage rooms for late September through mid-October need booking six to nine months out, especially in Stowe, Woodstock and Waitsfield where the best inns sell out by March. Christmas week and Presidents' Day weekend at Killington, Stowe and Stratton go a similar distance ahead. Twin Farms near Barnard often books 12 months out. Summer and non-holiday winter weekends can usually be picked up within a month.
What’s a typical nightly rate for a hotel in Vermont?
A typical mid-range room runs $200-350 in Woodstock, Stowe, Manchester and Burlington outside peak weeks. Budget motels in Rutland, South Burlington and along Route 7 sit at $110-160. Foliage weekends push the mid-range figure to $500-800 and holiday ski weeks at Stowe or Killington hit $600-1,200 for standard resort rooms. Add 9% state rooms tax plus 1% local option in most tourist towns.
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