The Shoreham Inn is located in Shoreham, VT. (I know, imaginatively named. But, since it was named 211 years ago, I’m not changing it) We’re located in a little slice of Vermont, kind of far from anything in particular, at the same time, near everything. This is one (of many) beautiful thing about Vermont, you are never far from anything. Here in Shoreham, we’re about halfway up (or down) the state, well located for just about anything you might like to do. 45 minutes gets you to Burlington. An hour sees you in Manchester, VT.  And 15 minutes gets you to Middlebury College. Maybe you are visiting the school, dropping off or picking up a child, coming for an interview – I completely understand the desire to stay in Middlebury itself, it’s a lovely little town and one of the reasons we moved here too. But, Shoreham is 12 miles away – about 15 minutes in the car, and provides a little glimpse of the quiet, the beauty and the rural-ness of this life. 15 minutes isn’t a long drive and we have found many guests like that little bit of breathing space, little connection to the countryside around them. So, next time you’re coming to Middlebury College, think about giving us a try.

Here in Addison County, in west central Vermont, we are (well, I should only speak for myself) feeling a little blue looking at the weather forecast and seeing all that gorgeous, unappreciated snow in Washington DC, and wishing we were having a foot or two, or three up here. I guess the blessing in disguise is that The Shoreham Inn is not dependent on ski business (though, the mountains are in much better shape than we are – so, ski, ski, ski!) and since this post is all about me, it’s the Shoreham inn owners that are dependent on skiing. We have to make hay as the sun shines, as the farmers say, and skiing in our slow season is my version of making hay. So, we’re big fans of snow and all the activities that go along with that. And, we can’t change the weather, so I’ll stop going on about it.

This all started because I was thinking about, and appreciating, the teamwork involved in running an inn, running a restaurant and running a small business. One of the most important teams we belong to is the Heart of Vermont Lodging Association, which is a collection of about 40 inns and B&B’s in this region of Vermont. We share marketing power, referrals, gripes, shopping tips and handymen. It’s a great organization, and makes all of us small businesses feel a little more connected. So for today’s post, go check out the Heart of Vermont, fall in love with a property and come stay somewhere, anywhere – it’s pretty fantastic here no matter what the weather. If you can figure out how to bring some snow with you, I’ll give you a discount. And a big kiss.