South Shire Inn

About The Hotel

From $225/night — a charming Victorian inn a short walk from downtown Bennington. South Shire is a 4.6-rated restored “little hotel” housed in an antique-filled Victorian with fireplace rooms and an on-site Thai restaurant. The inn sits two blocks from Putnam Square and downtown, ideal for couples seeking character and walkability. Owners are on-site and invested in quality. Understaffing has led to breakfast-timing glitches and some rooms have private baths across the hall (not en suite); confirm room type at booking. A few upkeep details need attention, but the Victorian atmosphere and location make it a solid choice for downtown-focused stays.

What Guests Are Saying

“We loved our stay at the South Shire Inn, a beautiful, old Victorian Inn in Bennington, VT. We could walk to several restaurants and enjoyed the movie theater a short drive away (heated lounge seats!!). Our room in the Carriage House was very spacious, clean and well equipped with coffee maker, fridge, and working fireplace. Bathroom was also large with separate shower and tub. We really enjoyed our stay.” — 709EAH, 5 stars

“The place is very old, beautifully decorated and well maintained and clean. The staff was very friendly and helpful. It is so centrally located that you can easily walk to the center of Bennington. We have a huge room with four poster bed and fireplace. This room was not en suite, but it did not bother us. There was a log for the fireplace and free parking at the house.” — Reiseleitung, 5 stars

“This is a very comfortable and attractive inn, located an easy couple of blocks from the heart of downtown. The decor is very Victorian, with lots of interesting antiques and carved wood. Our room (The Gold Room) was large and reasonably comfortable. The bath was ‘private’ but across the hall, so come prepared. There isn’t a TV, but that’s just fine, especially since the WiFi is very good. The bed was fine, although I’ve slept in better. The primary issue we had was with its understaffing. Although they knew our arrival time, the cleaning crew had to find our key and let us in (and finish prepping the room). We had no orientation to the breakfast arrangements, and on the first morning, upon not seeing evidence of anything set up, we went out. We were told later that day that indeed breakfast is served, 8-10, but the next morning it wasn’t set up until nearly 9. The third morning, the manager had to take over to set it up when the staff person didn’t show. He was very apologetic, but these morning glitches did dim our enthusiasm for the place.” — profnancy, 4 stars

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Beautifully restored Victorian with antiques and carved wood throughout
• Fireplace rooms and a spacious carriage-house suite with working fireplace
• On-site TAAN Cuisine of Siam Thai restaurant highly praised by guests
• Easy walk to downtown restaurants, galleries, shops, and the movie theater
• Pet-friendly and owner-operated with genuine care for the property

Cons:

• Some rooms have private baths across the hall (not en suite) with no TV
• Understaffing has caused breakfast-timing glitches and slow check-ins
• A few upkeep details noted (turned-up rugs, patio cleanliness)

The Location

Located on Elm Street two blocks from downtown Bennington, directly adjacent to Putnam Square. An easy walk reaches restaurants, cafes, galleries, and the historic movie theater. The Bennington Battle Monument, Bennington Museum, and Old First Church are all minutes away by car. You can find more details or book your stay on TripAdvisor.