Barrows House

About The Hotel

From $254/night — Barrows House is a 4.6-star historic inn on Route 30 in Dorset village, featuring fireplace rooms and cottages on landscaped grounds with a beautiful saltwater pool. Charming and very-Vermont, with an on-site restaurant and bar, but service and dining can be uneven and rooms vary by building — some cottages near the pool are dim or noisy. Book a main-house or updated room. No daily housekeeping for some stays. Best for couples seeking a quiet, upscale village base.

What Guests Are Saying

“We visited for a friend’s wedding and it was perfect. The wedding and reception were inside the building and we were extremely impressed. The food and service was exceptional. It is a beautiful town and I would love to come back one day. We had a large group for dinner the night before the wedding and then a larger group for the reception and everyone commented that the food and service was outstanding.” — GREG B., 5 stars

“Barrows House is a beautiful property and well maintained. The outdoor salt water pool is exceptional. The restaurant is nice and the food above average. The wait staff and bartenders are friendly and hard working. Overall, my experience was good and I would visit again but not before trying other places in the Dorset and Manchester area. I do have a few minor complaints. First, the floor in the bar area was really sticky during both days of my visit. It appears the floor is not cleaned on a daily basis. Second, my room was stocked with coffee, tea, and water but there was only one decaf pod out of the 20 stocked. The rooms are not serviced on a daily basis so fresh towels, and coffee pods, can only be had by asking at the front desk. My main complaint is the front desk staff. They seem poorly trained and not very professional. Here is one example, from several, during my stay. Breakfast is served at either the Dorset Bakery or the Dorset Inn, both of which have the same owners as Barrows House. I was given a voucher for breakfast and told it could be used at either establishment but never told that the days alternate between the two establishments. On the day of my departure I did not have time to sit for breakfast at the Dorset Inn. I went to the bakery but they declined my voucher and informed me that breakfast was only being served at the Dorset Inn. We spent $15 for coffee and bagels and then went back to Barrows House to check out. When I informed the desk person that I had to purchase breakfast there was no offer to reimburse me. This should have been a simple, $15 gesture to ensure my return. But the desk person never considered this, and I was not going to ask, so when I return for my semi-annual visit I will consider other establishments. This type of situation, and there were several, could easily be remedied with better staff training.” — BGK, 3 stars

“My wife and I had a delightful dinner at the beautiful outdoor patio. We both had the salmon that was grilled to perfection with delicious accompaniments. The service was fantastic and we were particularly impressed with Alex who went out of his way to adjust the sun screen to provide us with some shade from the setting sun. We’ll be back again!” — Lou M., 5 stars

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Historic inn with rooms and standalone cottages on beautifully kept grounds
• Exceptional outdoor saltwater pool, plus tennis, a game room, and fire pits
• Fireplace rooms with a cozy, very-Vermont feel
• Warm, helpful staff who have gone out of their way for guests

Cons:

• Service and dining are inconsistent — slow restaurant experiences and front-desk lapses reported
• Rooms vary widely by building; some cottages near the pool/parking can be dim or noisy
• No daily housekeeping for some stays; towels and coffee available by request only

The Location

On Route 30 in the heart of Dorset village, Barrows House is walkable to the green and Dorset Union Store, minutes from the famous Dorset Quarry swimming hole. Manchester, with its designer outlets and ski areas, sits about 15 minutes south. A historic inn on beautifully kept grounds, ideal for accessing both the marble-sidewalk village and nearby attractions. You can find more details or book your stay on TripAdvisor.