This New England Boutique Resort Is The Country Home Of Your Dreams

Discover the bucolic charm of Vermont’s Twin Farms, a rustic-chic Relais & Châteaux retreat offering all-inclusive luxury, seasonal cuisine, and pastoral seclusion.

Twin Farms reflected in the pond amid autumn foliage — Twin Farms

By Katie Lockhart

Why it works

Hotel Snapshot

A New England postcard personified; Twin Farms is an all-inclusive, adult-only hideaway scattered over 300 acres of pristine Vermont forest. The former country home of famed author Sinclair Lewis and newspaper columnist Dorothy Thompson, this rustic-chic Relais & Châteaux property is all about casual, cozy luxury.

Twin Farms among snow-covered Vermont hills — Twin Farms

Design & Character

There’s nothing cookie-cutter about this magazine-ready resort. Designed by the late Jed Johnson, its communal spaces are like Martha Stewart meets The Met. The owner’s private, multimillion-dollar art collection decorates the mingling areas where guests chat over a customized cocktail or try to solve one of the game room’s many puzzles.

The Main House is a classic New England-style home, including a barn dating back to the 1920s with a massive Rumford fireplace, original wood flooring, vaulted beams, and plush velvet couches. The quintessential wooden beams extend into each dining space, punctuated by fireplaces, sumptuous chairs, and massive statement chandeliers that help the eye explore each room’s thoughtful rustic design.

Vaulted lounge and fireplace at Twin Farms — Twin Farms

The Rooms

Its various Cottages, Farmhouse, Lodge and Main House accommodations all have wildly different aesthetics. Meadow may look like a classic New England clapboard from the outside, but inside is a Moroccan-inspired tented interior with Moucharaby window screens, mosaic tiles on the wood fireplace, and arabesque patterns. The resort’s most popular cottage is The Studio, a two-story escape with Jackson Pollock-inspired paint floors, and millions of dollars in original artwork from the likes of David Hockney and Roy Lichtenstein.

Twin Farms’ newest accommodation is its eight treehouses, perched on stilts in the forest canopy. Each of these is decked out in a bit of Japandi style, with floor-to-ceiling windows, a retro, floating gas fireplace, and a bathroom with heated floors, handmade tiles, and a soaking tub.

Guest bedroom with woodland views at Twin Farms — Twin Farms

The Food & Drink‍

Vermonters have been eating farm-to-table for centuries, and the tradition lives on at Twin Farms. The chefs here can spout off the names of the farmers who raise the pork on your plate. They hand-pick vegetables and herbs from the on-site garden and source butter, cheese and honey from area farms.

The Dining Room is the all-day restaurant where fresh blueberry pancakes, slathered in Vermont maple syrup and housemade bacon, hit the table. Lobster rolls, salads and burgers are served for lunch, while elevated options like beef tenderloin, risotto and red snapper are served at dinner. There’s also a daily Chef’s Tasting Menu if your stomach allows.

Across the covered bridge at Twiggs, meats like Vermont lamb and Rebop Farm pork are charred on an Argentinian wood-fired grill, and pasta and ravioli are handmade. There is also a new Chef’s Table Experience that features a seasonal, multi-course tasting menu paired with wines from the 15,000-bottle reserve wine cellar.

Seasonal plated dish at Twin Farms — Credit: Claude-Simon Langlois

The Amenities

Twin Farms is a “your wish is our command” kind of place. From snowshoeing to skiing to archery to cycling, name an outdoor activity, and they’ve got it. A fleet of Volvos is at your beck and call to whisk you from your cottage to the Main House for afternoon martinis and cheese or to the Cabana for a swim in the pond. There are also lean-tos and chic shacks dotted around the property, made for private picnics. And don’t forget to take full advantage of the warm chocolate chip cookies and housemade gelato delivered to your room day or night via in-room iPad.

Spa & Wellness Scoop Watch this space. A large two-story, barn-style spa is currently being built in the property's garden area. It will feature an indoor and outdoor pool, as well as multiple treatment rooms. In the meantime, The Bridge House Spa has two treatment rooms available for massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, and hydrotherapy, all with Vermont-made spa products. Book a visit to the property's private Japanese onsen, featuring 104-degree water for soaking and a rain shower.

Fast Facts

Location: Barnard, Vermont

Vibe: The country home of your dreams—where peaceful nature and charming design collide.

Location: Barnard, Vermont

Rating: 5-star

Room Count: 28 keys Pricing: Rooms $2,800 per room/night for two people. Rates include all meals, beverages, cocktails, wine and full use of any on-site recreation and equipment. Our Favorite Thing About The Hotel: The anything-you-want, any-time-of-day service feels like the ultimate luxury. Dining: Dining Room (all-day dining, seasonal menu), Twiggs (happy-hour, dinner, seasonal menu), Chef’s Table (bespoke, tasting menu experience).

Amenities: Two restaurants, two bars, wine cellar, games room, onsen, myriad outdoor activity equipment, spa, fitness center, yoga pavilion, tennis court, boutique, and a lake. Nearby Attractions: Like something out of a Hallmark movie, Woodstock village is a 15-minute drive away. Airport: Burlington International Airport (BTV)

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