MANCHESTER, VT (December 1, 2015) – On December 3, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants will open the doors to greet the first guests of its newest boutique hotel, Taconic, nestled along picturesque Main Street in Vermont’s historic and year-round destination of Manchester Village. Named for the adjacent Taconic Mountain range, Taconic is Kimpton’s first Vermont hotel and exemplifies the brand’s continued expansion into leisure travel and resort destinations. The hotel will provide a unique stay experience, offering rustic yet refined design, top-notch customer care, Kimpton’s renowned amenities, inspired local partnerships and a new soulful restaurant concept.
“As we expand our brand, we are continuing to look to destinations that will excite Kimpton loyalists but are also natural extensions of our metropolitan locations,” says Joe Capalbo, Director of Operations for Kimpton Hotels in New England. “Manchester’s proximity to New York City, Boston and Montreal, coupled with the unique energy of the town and its people, made it an ideal next-destination for Kimpton to plant its roots.”
Taconic is a quintessential Vermont experience with an elevated, contemporary feel. Inspired by New England’s grand inns of the late 19th and early 20th century, Taconic features 87 accommodations including six suites and three standalone cottages, boasting views of the Green and Taconic Mountain ranges. Warm and welcoming indoor and outdoor spaces, such as an expansive wrap-around porch and a lobby resembling the entrance of a grand home with a double-sided fireplace, are designed to encourage socializing and channel the residential feel of the surrounding village. A vision of award-winning designer Peter Niemitz, guestrooms are classic New England style, featuring oak furniture and vintage touches, with artwork from the Manchester historical society adorning the guestroom walls and bringing the sites and scenes of Southern Vermont indoors. Each cottage boasts its own Manchester-inspired name, Worthy, Bennett and Nicklewhite, the latter selected by one of Taconic’s local Facebook fans through its #CrowntheCottage contest. The cottages each feature a unique design and feel, three guestrooms, and layouts ideal for family, friend and group travel.
The hotel features over 9,600-square-feet of flexible meeting and event space, comprised of a ballroom, outdoor terrace, library, solarium and event lawn. The Trillium Ballroom, named after the nearby Trillium Trail, is an extensive 2,800-square-feet flush with natural light. The ballroom is divisible by three equal sections, and a wall of French doors opens out onto the Trillium Terrace. The terrace overlooks Taconic’s sprawling event lawn, The Green, with sweeping mountain views and space to accommodate up to 400 guests. The variations of these offerings make the hotel an ideal location for destination weddings, meetings and social events.
To amplify the historic and active elements the town is known for, Taconic’s partnerships with notable local businesses and artists will provide guests with an enhanced Manchester-insider experience. Guests can color inside and outside the lines with an adult coloring book curated by the Southern Vermont Arts Center, hit the trails with a handcrafted walking stick from Manchester Woodcraft, available in-room in both adult and child sizes, and access staff picks from the literary savants at Manchester’s Northshire Bookstore from the comfort of the hotel’s Living Room. Additionally, renowned local photographer Les Jorgensen will lead guests on photography expeditions to under-the-radar locations in Manchester to provide instruction on how to best capture the moment, allowing guests to hone a new skill while on vacation.
“It’s an honor to have this unique opportunity to work with Manchester’s local companies and residents,” says John Burnham, General Manager of Taconic. “Each partnership enhances our guest experience, and we look forward to providing to our guests the most authentic representation of Manchester.”
In addition to exploring the hotel’s on-property programming, Taconic’s guests are encouraged to take advantage of the area’s host of spring, summer, fall and winter activities and outdoor adventures. In the winter, Taconic boasts close proximity to two award-winning ski resorts – Bromley and Stratton – and partnerships with Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home and Manchester Country Club provide guests access to each establishment’s cross-country skiing and snowshoeing courses. Warmer months bring additional outdoor pursuits such as boating, golfing, fly-fishing, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, as well as leaf peeping in the fall, making Taconic a four-season oasis for the outdoor adventurer.
Guest amenities include Kimpton’s signature offerings with a Vermont touch, such as mini bar options inclusive of local Vermont craft beers, complimentary morning coffee and tea service in the Living Room with maple sugar as a sweetener, nightly manager-hosted wine hour and more. Taconic provides guests with wellness options such as customized trek maps of local hiking and running trails, a state-of-the-art fitness center, complimentary use of the hotel’s PUBLIC bikes and on-property lap pool. Private en suite spa services are available to further enhance the relaxation experience during a guest’s stay. In addition, there is an on-site boutique selling a variety of locally sourced, unique specialty items.
Located adjacent to Taconic is The Copper Grouse, a new restaurant and bar serving regionally-inspired, soulful dishes that celebrate the bounty of Vermont’s four seasons under the direction of Chef Adam Raftery. The elevated beverage program complements the cooking, incorporating classic cocktails, artisanal spirits, a wide selection of Vermont craft beers and a dynamic selection of over 100 wines. The Copper Grouse will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, as well as in-room dining for Taconic guests and catering service for meetings and special events.
