There’s something utterly charming about the creaky wooden floors, hidden nooks and crannies, and unique architectural details present in 19th-century homes. I have a thing for old Vermont farmhouses and a desire to someday own one. Maybe it’s the history of an old house—the raising of children, the family gatherings, the comings and goings of people before our time—that make old farmhouses appealing. Or the structural solidness of old homes, with details like wide-plank pine floors, that doesn’t seem possible to replicate with modern building materials. When we have the chance to stay in a old Vermont farmhouse (with someone else worrying about the upkeep), it’s always a treat.
Visiting Wilder Farm Inn
The Wilder Farm Inn, located on Route 100 just outside Waitsfield, Vermont, is a quintessential eight-room Vermont farmhouse and the perfect place to stay in the Mad River Valley. It’s also on the National Historical Society Register. (There’s a book in the library with historic news clippings of the property, in case you might be interested.) We recently visited for three nights over Columbus Day weekend to celebrate our first wedding anniversary.
Before booking an inn or B&B, I always pour over reviews to make sure we choose a place with personality and charm that also has modern amenities. Comfort, cleanliness and sleep-quality are important to us, as is the apparent friendliness of the innkeepers. Whenever we’re travelling, we find innkeepers to be the best source of information to travel like a local. With that in mind, we try to find inns with owners that share our love of 1) Food – be it fine dining, grungy taco trucks or artisan ice cream, 2) Craft beer, and 3) Outdoor adventure.
On their website, Wilder Farm Inn has have compiled a 4-1-1 page that lists all of recommendations they can make to guests, including Vermont swimming holes, hikes, scenic drives, distilleries, covered bridges, restaurants, galleries, etc. Not only are they innkeepers: they are your concierge and local tour guide. As locals, we had already made reservations for three dinners in the area (the trifecta of Mad River Valley dining, including Hen of the Wood in Waterbury, the Pitcher Inn in Warren, and the Common Man in Warren), so we didn’t utilize their dining expertise. But we did hear about some new places to try that we likely wouldn’t have visited otherwise, including the Sweet Spot in Waitsfield, Nutty Steph‘s in Middlesex (buy her granola!) or Prohibition Pig in Waterbury.
The Accommodations at Wilder Farm Inn
The Country Life Room: Quiet, private and cozy
Rustic, yet modern, is my go-to type of accomodation when searching for a Vermont bed and breakfast or inn. The Wilder Farm Inn is a mix of classic New England charm with modern decor… Vermont country life meets West Elm, or as the Wilder Farm Inn says, “Where Farm Fresh Meets Fashion Forward”. There are two levels in the farmhouse with eight rooms. If you aren’t comfortable with steep(ish) stairs, I might opt for a room on the first floor. We chose the Country Life Room, which is tucked away in the back of the inn on the second floor, for the orange and teal decor—I’m a sucker for bold colors and modern decor, since I’m not brave enough to try to pull it off at home.
Linda, who is charge of the inn’s decor and design, tries to have different aesthetics in every room to appeal to different types of travelers. From the rooms we saw, some are Victorian-inspired, while others are shabby chic or more classicly decorated. Rooms aren’t overly expansive in size (remember, it is an old farmhouse), but we enjoyed the coziness of our room and didn’t mind the relatively close quarters. Afterall, visiting Vermont is about access to the outdoors, not staying holed up in a hotel room, right? All rooms include Vermont bath products from Vermont Soap Company in Middlebury.
Common Spaces at Wilder Farm Inn
We’ve stayed in countless B&Bs and inns throughout our travels, but the Wilder Farm Inn was one of the first we’ve experienced where all guests frequented the common spaces. There is a library with cushy couches and a massive stone fireplace that was lit every night for our stay. There also is a living room, complete with satellite TV, for more socializing among guests. We spent our evenings chatting with other guests in the inn, sharing our favorite things about living in the area and hearing a bit from the out-of-towners about what made them decide to visit Vermont. Fall foliage, of course, was a big piece of it. Everyone also remarked on the pace of life, the friendly people, and, of course, the cheese, beer and Ben & Jerry’s. There’s also a communal dining area, with homemade treats in the afternoon (macaroons, biscotti and brownies during our stay), as well as a great selection of tea from Vermont Liberty Tea Company in Waterbury (try the honeybush!).
Breakfast at Wilder Farm Inn
Luke’s functional pottery used for breakfast.
One of the benefits of staying at an inn or bed and breakfast as opposed to a hotel is the home-cooked breakfast that’s often enough food to keep you full until dinner. Every morning, Wilder Farm wrote their breakfast menu on a chalk board in the dining room, along with the weather for the day and any local events. Each breakfast included a cold breakfast appetizer and then a hot second course. Vegetarian and gluten-free options were always available to guests. We saw Luke and Linda go out of their way to serve some gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-reduced guests in the inn. They’re super accommodating.
From sweet to savory, breakfast was delicious each day and way too much food for me to finish (good thing Randy has a big appetite). Wilder Farm prides itself on making everything homemade and using their own-grown vegetables or foraged produce, like mushrooms and ramps, as well as other Vermont products (eggs, butter, meats, and, of course, syrup). During our stay, we saw Luke go out to the garden and pick some late-season arugula for an egg scramble. All food was served on Luke’s beautiful pottery. Here’s a sample of the breakfast offerings:
- Coconut granola on top of yogurt, then caramelized apple waffles
- Steel-cut oats, followed by an egg scramble (options of brie, tomato and arugula, or bacon, cheddar and corn)
- Watermelon, then a choice of pumpkin, blueberry or chocolate chip pancakes < these were our favorite. So good!
The Location of Wilder Farm Inn
Wilder Farm Inn is centrally located to Warren, Waitsfield and Waterbury,
and in my opinion, is a perfect location for exploring the Mad River Valley. There are countless back roads to travel, artisan workshops and galleries to visit, and ample quality restaurants to visit when in the Valley.
Luke built the studio for the Naked Potter (a descriptor for the pottery, not the potter) on the property from salvaged 1840s post-and-beam wood. His shop with raku pottery and functional pottery is definitely worth a visit (and a purchase). The Wilder Farm Inn even has a Clay & Stay package, offering pottery classes to guests to learn directly from Luke. From raku vases and hanging platters, to functional chip and dip bowls, drinking vessels and saki sets, there is something for everyone, whether as a gift or a memento from your stay at the Wilder Farm.
Worth a Stay at Wilder Farm Inn
No matter in what season you’re travelling to Vermont, Wilder Farm Inn is worth your consideration for the combination of comfortable accomodations, a location with easy access to the north or south, wonderful breakfasts and friendly hosts. I can see us visiting often, in the summer to enjoy the property, including the bocce ball court and bonfire pit, and in the winter, to curl up by the fire with some S’mores after a day of skiing or snowshoeing in the Mad River Valley. And, don’t forget fall foliage season. The colors are phenomenal in the Valley and still breathtaking even for us locals who are spoiled each year by nature’s performance.
Local’s Tips:
- If you’re a Vermonter, let Luke and Linda know when making your reservation. They offer a special offer for in-state guests, something I wish more Vermont B&Bs and inns would do to encourage Vermonters to vacation in our state.
- If you’re travelling out of town of Waitsfield and think you’ve gone too far travelling north on Route 100, use Small Dog Electronics as your guide for finding the inn. After seeing Small Dog on the right, Wilder Farm Inn with be the third property on your left with a lit-up sign.
- Luke and Linda are good friends with the owners of the Common Man Restaurant in Warren. In fact, you’ll see Luke’s functional pottery serving food in the restaurants and his raku pottery throughout the restaurant. Rumor has it if you make a reservation and mention you’re staying at the Wilder Farm Inn, they might hook you up with something special.
- Take advantage of Luke and Linda’s expertise. Bounce your itinerary off of them and get suggestions for hidden treasures in the area you might not have found in planning your Vermont vacation.
- Bring earplugs – if you’re a light sleeper, you might be disturbed by others wandering around the inn after you turn in for the night. Also, opt for a room towards the back of the property away from the road, if you’re easily woken up by car noise.
Wilder Farm Inn
1460 Main Street (Route 100), Waitsfield, Vermont, 05673
Rooms range from
800-496-8878
info@wilderfarminn.com
http://wilderfarminn.com/
Categories: Bed & Breakfasts, Lodging, Waitsfield
[…] beautiful alongside one of Vermont’s best artisans. The Naked Potter, located at the Wilder Farm Inn in Waitsfield, Vermont, and run by Luke Iannuzzi, specializes in the unglazed “naked” […]