Lodging Review - The Hill Farm Inn

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The State of Vermont's plain little tourism sign on historic Route 7A just outside Arlington reads "Hill Farm Inn". The name evokes an inn high up on a hill, but it is not exactly that. The name is that of the first settlement family - the Hills. Their farm was established around 1790 when the Battenkill Valley was mostly farmland. Today, the Hill Farm Inn still has a farm atmosphere, though the cows and farm machinery have long since gone. A huge red Vermont barn still stands beside a silo, and of course, the farm house. Arriving in what was once "the farm yard" you may well be greeted by the sound of a rooster. You may also see some goats, sheep and chickens. Traffic noise from Route 7A is way down the hill, you'll never hear it. Instead, you are greeted with the stillness and peacefulness of the country.

Hill Farm Inn is now owned by Lisa and Al Gray. They moved here from California several years ago and fell in love with the place with its panoramic view of the Battenkill Valley and Mount Equinox. The property encompasses 50 acrces including frontage on the Battenkill River. With this much land and hardly another house in sight, you truly get that "country feel."

"A river walk" in spring, summer and fall is something most guests do, and in winter you can snow-shoe or cross-country ski along the river bank. Wildlife is abundant.

Accommodations are in four areas. You can stay in one of the suites in the farmhouse, in a guest house, in a loft, or in a cabin. The cabins are only available between late May and late October. Some are small and plain, others are large and luxurious. All the rooms in the farmhouse and the guest house include private baths and air conditioning. All have names. There's also cable tv, vcrs and internet wi-fi. Renovations are an ongoing process.

We stayed in the Guest House, in Hiram's Room. It had a brass queen sized and a twin day bed as well as a full bathroom, TV, VCR and AC. When you realize that the building we were in is more than 200 years old, you can appreciate the work and attention to detail that has gone into a room like this to bring it up to modern standards. It was comfortable and we never heard noise from other rooms. The loudest noise was the rain. It poured one night.

Breakfast is served in the main farmhouse. You can choose from a wide selection of breakfast items, all home cooked and accompanied by slices of fresh fruit. Service was excellent despite the fact that more than 30 people were staying at the time. Although the Hill Farm Inn doesn't offer dinner, you can buy wine by the bottle or beer and consume it in your room or out on the porch. In addition, a table with a choice of teas, hot chocolate, coffee and home-baked cookies is available all of the time. The Manchester and Arlington areas offer numerous fine dining establishments. We dined at Ye Olde Tavern in Manchester, about 10 minutes away. You can read our review here.

The lure of Hill Farm is genuine. You'll get a warm welcome combined with plush bedding, cooked-to-order breakfast items and an opportunity to enjoy, pet and feed chickens, sheep and goats. The property's 50 acres atop a hill is a truly bucolic setting.

Timothy Palmer-Benson
August 2006

Hill Farm Inn
458 Hill Farm Road,
Arlington, Vermont 05250
802-375-2269 Fax: 802-375-9918
E-Mail: stay@hillfarminn.com