User Reviews for The Inn at Essex

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Sep 10, 2008 by Susan from Hudson, QC CA
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[8] • Location:[7]

• The grounds were very nice and the atmosphere was very friendly.
• The hotel spa was not yet complete. The pool is only outdoors and was closed. We had thought to go for swimming.

“Generally a very nice place to stay. Room was a bit small but nicely appointed. The TV was hard to navigate for my Mum and she found the tub quite slippery but there was a bar to hold onto. I would hope that they put in an indoor pool once the spa is finished.”

Sep 6, 2008 by Rita from Wallingford, CT
Overall Rating: 5
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[3] • Location:[10]

• Nice room, easy check in and out.
• Forgot pillow and poster, not given back by hotel after 4 calls, they claim housekeeping says they didn't find it, but we don't have it.

“Nice hotel.”

Sep 5, 2008 by Alice from Aurora, CO
Overall Rating: 7
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[10]

• Superior staff and housekeeping.
• Threadbare carpet, noisy refrigerator, 1st bed sheets were too big for mattress.

“Good, not excellent. My room in the Manor building desperately needs renovation; the carpet was threadbare and the refrigerator was loud enough to wake me each time it came on. The bathroom is looking its age too. In a resort of this caliber one would expect the bed linens to fit the mattress; the first set was too large and worn, the second fit tightly and were of good quality even though the pockets of the fitted sheet were not deep enough for the mattress. It was a nice touch to have Milkbones waiting in the room and a bag even though I was not traveling with a dog. However, there were no treats for me.”

Sep 4, 2008 by Helene from Westminster, VT
Overall Rating: 4
Cleanliness:[6] • Staff:[10] • Location:[10]

• Charming decor.
• Cramped accommodations, dirty carpet, dirty refrigerator delivered late, inadequate storage, no bathroom toiletries surfaces.

“Dinner was way overpriced for miniscule portion entree. View from our room was construction site.”

Sep 4, 2008 by Sandy from White Plains, NY
Overall Rating: 6
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[9] • Location:[9]

• Afternoon cookies and tea.
• Poor sound-proofing.

“The rooms, staff, and amenities were very nice. But, there was a party out by the pool area both nights we were there, and our room literally shook when the music started - and lasted till 11 pm, not very good since we have a 1 year old. When we asked the staff about this, they basically said, oh well, sorry. No attempt to remedy the situation or make amends.”

Aug 25, 2008 by Alexis from Washington, DC
Overall Rating: 6
Cleanliness:[7] • Staff:[7] • Location:[4]

• The hotel's bed was fantastic and the grounds were nice.
• Not what you would expect from a 3+ star hotel, room location was terrible, food was awful.

“The hotel has nice grounds and the actual bed in the room was great, but the room's location was terrible, we were on the first floor next to the door to the pool and people were walking past our window the entire time-forcing us to keep the window closed. The room was nice enough but not particularly nice, the bathroom was old and needed a bit of upkeep. We ate at their Tavern restaurant for breakfast and it was terrible. For a culinary institute I was horrified. I ordered scrambled eggs and had to send them back because they were cold and extremely runny (I've never sent food back before in my life).”

Aug 20, 2008 by Marianne from Lewiston, ME
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[10]

• Excellent food, beautiful landscaping, ex service.
• Wedding receptions too loud outside, unable to sleep.

“The grounds were magnificent. Very clean and all staff very friendly, efficient and food was excellent. The atrium outside gets very loud and noisy due to parties and guests are unable to sleep.”

Aug 18, 2008 by Tom from Monroe, NY
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[10] • Location:[10]

• Food was excellent and staff was extremely helpful.
• Elevator walls were scuffed and needed to be cleaned. Inside door jamb had dirty handprints on it.

“A beautiful hotel located in a beautiful, quiet setting away from the hustle and bustle of the city (we were visiting relatives in Burlington, VT). This is my second time staying there. It is very quiet. The breakfast and dinners were excellent (this IS the home of the New England Culinary Institute!) The wait staff in the morning was very slow in serving meals, but the evening staff was much better. Atmosphere is more for the mature person than for children but there were families there also. There was fresh coffee in the lobby every morning and local newspapers - free of charge for the guests. In the afternoon there were home made cookies and lemonade - also for free. I thought this added a nice, "homey" feel to the place. They have a very nice, clean outdoor pool and they supply fresh towels for guests. All in all a great place to stay.”

Aug 6, 2008 by Heejung from Castleton, VT
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[9] • Location:[7]

• It was a relaxing place to stay. It is unique.
• It is not very close to attractions. Will need to drive.

“If you stay on the weekend, do not miss the Sunday brunch. It makes the stay at the inn even more worth it. The New England Culinary Institute is house inside the Inn - the quality of the food was high. There is a local bike path. The Inn does not seem to advertise that. Otherwise, you'll have to drive to get somewhere neat.”

Aug 6, 2008 by Annie from Lyme, NH
Overall Rating: 4
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[4] • Location:[3]

• The room was nicely furnished.
• You couldn't even eat breakfast or in the pub without reservations and had cookies in the room for dinner.

“Definitely not a 4 star and I have stayed in many. The one thing we asked the staff to do was to turn off the gas stove heat in the room, which was running at the same time as the air conditioning, they didn't do as promised. And we couldn't eat while there even if we waited an hour to get a sandwich, as they were so booked, even in the no reservations pub. Reservations were even needed to eat breakfast. So, though at the culinary institute, we ended up eating cookies we bought in the gift shop for dinner. In fairness, they were good cookies.”

Jul 31, 2008 by Barbara from Asheville, NC
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[9] • Location:[6]

• Large room with spacious bath.
• Too far from Burlington.

“Hotel appears to be a destination for groups and weddings in particular. As a result, common areas are a little noisy. About a 15 to 20 minute drive from Burlington. They could use a little help coordinating the room colors and the fabrics.”

Jul 11, 2008 by Shari from Hanover, NH
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[8] • Location:[10]

• Lovely part of the country. Easy drive to Burlington, VT for the city-life.
• Staff was helpful, but not knowledgeable enough about the area or food.

“The Inn at Essex is located in a beautiful part of the country, less than an hour from Canada, and is a lovely, reasonably priced resort. The New England Culinary Institute (NECI) owns and operates this business, which is staffed by their students. Consequently you are served by people who are very eager to please, but may lack experience.”

May 1, 2008 by Maureen from Chelmsford, MA
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[9] • Location:[7]

• Room was very large with extremely comfortable beds.
• A bit off the beaten path, but quiet surroundings as a result.

“I was very pleased with my stay and will return soon. This Inn is known for the excellent food. I had fun attending a cooking class on site. I loved the size of the room, and the queen size beds gave me an excellent night's sleep.”

Apr 18, 2008 by Richard &. from Sanford, ME
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[9]

• Excellent Staff & Individually Appointed Rooms.

“Very Homey with an unusual layout. 1st class service and all the extra touches that come with 4 stars. While we appreciate that this is also the Culinary Institute, One could almost get the message that they would rather have students than guests.”

Mar 28, 2008 by Dawn from Montreal, QC CA
Overall Rating: 5
Cleanliness:[4] • Staff:[7] • Location:[9]

• The desk staff was friendly and helpful with suggestions for family dining.
• The room we stayed in was small and seemed to best accommodate 1 person only. We are a family of 2 adults and 2 preschoolers.

“More for the business traveler with an expense account. Was not impressed with the room. Upon our arrival the hotel staff should have taken note that the room assignment was not appropriate and suggested another room (one with 2 beds). I did not enjoy the overall experience.”

Mar 27, 2008 by Paul from Fitchburg, MA
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[9] • Location:[9]

• Beautiful area and buildings. Very clean and spacious room.
• There was nothing I didn't like.

“Very clean and most comfortable room and bed I've ever slept in.”

Mar 25, 2008 by Steve from Vernon, CT
Overall Rating: 7
Cleanliness:[7] • Staff:[6] • Location:[8]

• Its very secluded.
• Rooms were not impressive.

“We paid to have an upgraded room (spacious country room with king size bed and fireplace). We got there and there was no fireplace. The new room they put us in did have the fireplace, but the room itself was small/cramped and had a queen size bed! I thought I was getting the spacious room with a king size bed and a fireplace, not a spacious room or a king size bed or a fireplace. That aside, it was a pretty neat place. It is part of the Culinary Institute which means you will see some interesting things on their menu at "the tavern." those interesting things, though, are hit or miss. Its clear that the chefs are students and some of them are pretty good, others are new at fine dining. Again; good, not spectacular.”

Feb 27, 2008 by Jon from Quincy, MA
Overall Rating: 7
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[8] • Location:[9]

• Good location, right off the main road and close to Downtown Burlington.
• The fireplace was not really a fireplace.

“My overall stay was good, but not great. I upgraded to a room with a fireplace but was very disappointed. The fireplace turned out to be a electric picture of a fire and didn't give out any heat. The area at one point seemed to be an actual fireplace because there was a draft coming from the edges. The room was in the main building right above the gift shop and common bathroom. Anytime someone used the bathroom you could hear the water running. The first morning of the stay there was also construction in the gift shop that started at 8:00am. The room was very clean and comfortable. Overall, a good stay, but the fireplace upgrade was very disappointing.”

Feb 9, 2008 by Paul from Fitchburg, MA
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[9]

• Food was fantastic - Culinary school did an excellent job.
• Did not find fault with anything.

“I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone. In fact, I plan to bring my wife along next time if I'm ever in the area on business again.”

Feb 7, 2008 by Mike from Pennellville, NY
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[10] • Location:[8]

• Very helpful staff and customer friendly arrangements.
• It isn't really very rural.

“The hotel was very nice. It's our second time there and we'd go back anytime we are in the area.”

Jan 26, 2008 by Bob from Huntingdon Valley, PA
Overall Rating: 2
Cleanliness:[2] • Staff:[9] • Location:[10]

• Cookies in lobby.
• One of the poorest rooms I have stayed in.

“Quite simply. Not a 4 star hotel. The heater was the noisiest in any hotel we have stayed and both rooms were like that. One small mirror 18"x24" was all there was. Water pressure was minimal and directed straight down, got a handicap room and they did not offer to change, extension cords were visible at every window, TV was 20" and sitting on top of dresser. Again all rooms seen were this way. Anything outside the room was fine but not the room itself which is where we stay.”

Jan 25, 2008 by Matt from Brookeville, MD
Overall Rating: 7
Cleanliness:[7] • Staff:[5] • Location:[8]

• The rooms were very clean.
• Amenities were not very good. Some areas other than the room were not very clean. Hotel staff was surprisingly not very helpful or courteous.

“If you are going to this hotel specifically for the culinary or cooking lessons it is nice. Otherwise this hotel is just average run of the mill hotel. I have stayed in many hotels and this is definitely not a four star.”

Jan 19, 2008 by Matthew from Leominster, MA
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[8] • Staff:[8] • Location:[7]

• Seemed like a great place to go away on a golf trip.
• The location was a little bit away from Burlington but if I wasn't on business it wouldn't have been a factor.

“The hotel/restaurant was very unique and the culinary school being there was great. The food was very good and the service was just as good.”

Dec 11, 2007 by Sid from Dallas, PA
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[9] • Location:[8]

• Staff was very helpful and friendly.
• I wouldn't consider the room we stayed in to be 4 stars level.

“The hotel was nice and fully equipped. The bar/restaurant served good food and had wide beer selection. My impression was that there is a range of room quality and our discounted rate put us in a lower quality and not the high end 4 star qualities. Also, the fitness facility is undersized, too much waiting.”

Dec 10, 2007 by Donna from Warwick, RI
Overall Rating: 8
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[9] • Location:[7]

• The coziness.
• Distance from Burlington.

“This hotel offers a great VT experience. The rooms with fireplaces are quite cozy and give a bed and breakfast feel. I highly recommend the Inn at ES Country.”

Nov 27, 2007 by Debra from Monroe, NY
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[9] • Location:[10]

• Despite the many star level of the hotel, it was not at all intimidating--quite homey and friendly.
• The room was too warm, but it was Vermont in November, so the heat was on high!

“A lovely setting, conveniently located to shopping, scenery, and the other pleasures of the area. The food was quite good, since the Inn is closely connected to the New England Culinary Institute, if a little pricey. However, the servings were just the right size--enough to satisfy but not enough to stuff you!”

Nov 16, 2007 by Eddy from St-Hubert, QC CA
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[8]

• Friendly & professional personnel.
• No indoor pool.

“The hotel is in a beautiful location, however a bit of a car ride from Burlington. Is extremely clean. Service was great and the food was excellent at the tavern restaurant. Good & varied menu. We had the Sunday brunch as well. Fantastic. Would definitely return.”

Oct 23, 2007 by Abbe from Centennial, CO
Overall Rating: 3
Cleanliness:[8] • Staff:[5] • Location:[5]

• Clean and staff.
• Bed size and price of parking.

“The hotel lobby was under construction, the "jazzy" decor was under cover. Over all good experience, the staff was very friendly and helpful.”

Oct 4, 2007 by John from Nahant, MA
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[9] • Location:[9]

• Unique rooms cooking theme very accommodating.
• Minor gas fireplace would not start even though wall had a start/timer mounted.

“Wonderful location, unique due to food focus, friendly staff, and rooms lay out and trimmed nicely. Convenient to some shops and even a movie theater, golf and Vermont countryside.”

May 14, 2007 by Minda from Albuquerque, NM
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[9] • Location:[9]

• Beautiful location, great service, well appointed room, and Butler's Pantry excellent.
• No printer access.

“This hotel is delightful. The Culinary Institute partnership works quite well. They should better advertise the seminars, chef's dinners, etc. The students are great. The drive to Burlington is fairly short. I look forward to returning!”

May 13, 2007 by Lindsey from Burbank, CA
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[9]

• Everything was well thought out and planned.
• Can't think of anything I didn't like.

“Each of the guest rooms in the building we were staying in were painted and decorated in their own charming and unique way. I ate at The Tavern; the hotel's walk-in restaurant catered by New England Culinary School, 2 nights and had two fantastic meals. I will return to this hotel.”

Apr 22, 2007 by Martha from Angier, NC
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[10]

• The staff was excellent and very accommodating.
• My husband did not like the chairs in the room--wingback chairs.

“This hotel is a quaint inn that has excellent service and employees are the best I have encountered at most hotels. The butler restaurant is good, but perhaps overpriced and food that we had was not the best we expected it to be. Service was great there. The tavern is excellent and service was good also.”

Apr 4, 2007 by Margie from North Reading, MA
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[8]

• Beautiful atmosphere, wonderful accommodations, friendly helpful staff.
• Difficult to find information about breakfast, reservations were needed, we were not able to eat in the hotel, no notice about reservations.

“This was a beautiful place to stay. The only problem was the lack of information on the necessity of reservations for meals within the hotel. This is defiantly a place I would like to stay again and I would heartily recommend it to anyone.”

Apr 3, 2007 by Chris from Norwich, CT
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[8] • Staff:[9] • Location:[7]

• Excellent food and reasonably priced room service.
• Breakfast is now served in the tavern, not butlers.

“We are repeat customers and plan to continue to stay at the inn at as. On our visits up north. Butlers is terrific food and service is great. This is a good learning environment for the neck students.”

Mar 29, 2007 by Jean from Elverta, CA
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[10]

• One of the best hotels I have ever stayed in. The whole place was awesome!
• Nothing everything was fantastic!

“From start to finish, this was a great time. The rooms are beautiful. I have never slept so well in a hotel room. The food was out of this world! ”

Mar 29, 2007 by Linda from Westwood, MA
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[10] • Location:[10]

• The accommodations were comfortable, the staff helpful and the food was excellent.
• Noise from other rooms.

“We have stayed at the inn twice. Both times we were very satisfied with our accommodation and the inn in general. It shouldn't be confused with an upscale b and bathe Sunday brunch was incredible. We will definitely stay there again. I don't think I¿d pay full price for this inn.”

Jan 4, 2007 by Luke from Woodbury, NJ
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[9]

• Room with a fireplace was great. Staff was amazing!
• Public spaces were undergoing renovation during our stay.

“This hotel was fabulous. The staff was wonderful, the beds were comfortable and the location was great. The food from the new England culinary institute was excellent. I would highly recommend this hotel.”

Nov 1, 2006 by Stefanie from New York, NY
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[10] • Location:[8]

• The staff were extremely nice and went out of there way.
• The location was a little far from the university which is why we were there.

“Over the entire hotel was great. The staff was extremely helpful and went out of their way to make our stay better. We walked by a room that was being cleaned and commented on how nice it was. Within minutes of returning to our room the front desk called and asked if we would like to switch our room to that room. How nice.”

Oct 5, 2006 by Nick from Malden, MA
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[9] • Location:[5]

• I found it very interesting that the hotel was a culinary school as well.
• I enjoyed my stay very much at Essex inn. The only thing was this hotel was not in Burlington like your site said it was.

“Inn at the Essex is a nice place to stay. It was interesting to me that a culinary school with two restaurants was right inside the hotel. Overall experience was great. The hotel staff was excellent and where more than accommodating.”

Sep 5, 2006 by Eric from Galveston, TX
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[10] • Location:[2]

• Views and romantic atmosphere.
• Location.

“Great weekend get away for the locals, but if you were to visit the sites in Burlington or Stows, it is a little far because of the traffic in the surrounding areas.”

Sep 3, 2006 by Toni from Canton, OH
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[9] • Location:[8]

• The ambiance of the hotel and Butler's restaurant were wonderful.
• No free delivery of Today to rooms.

“Very quiet and romantic type hotel and because it is a culinary institute the food is very good. A person can spend less or more money on a meal and wine depending on a person's taste and budget.”

1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Aug 31, 2006 by Diane from Lockport, NY
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[9] • Location:[9]

• We loved the beds! Mattresses were great as well as the fluffy down comforters.
• Hallways could use updating and a coat of paint.

“We had a standard room with extremely comfortable beds! The rooms were large with very attractive furniture. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The landscaping was beautiful. We would definitely stay at the Inn at Essex again.”

1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Aug 29, 2006 by Francia from New York, NY
Overall Rating: 1
Cleanliness:[1] • Staff:[1] • Location:[1]

• The exit door.
• Everything and anything.

“Don't want to.”

Aug 28, 2006 by Donna from Windsor, VT
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[10] • Location:[9]

• Beautiful gardens, inviting lobby, delicious cookies waiting as you check in. Rooms are lovely Staff very helpful. Lovely turn down service.
• No magnifying mirror in the bathroom

“The Inn at Essex is a fabulous place to stay. It is in a beautiful location. Golf, tennis, swimming available along with the Wonderful food of the NECI (New England Culinary Institute) program. The demonstration kitchen available for private cooking lessons is amazing. The rooms are lovely and inviting, the gardens are lush and contain herbs used by the chefs. We love it!”

Aug 28, 2006 by Russell from Weston, CT
Overall Rating: 6
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[5]

• On premises restaurants.
• Limited facilities.

“The Inn at Essex is a large, business-type, complex that is based around the New England Culinary Institute. It is clean and well-run. For those interested in business meetings or events relating to the NECI, it may be a worthwhile choice. Aside from that, it does not offer facilities that make it preferable to the other nearby three-star hotels. It is, however, more expensive.”

1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Aug 27, 2006 by Kevin from Mumford, NY
Overall Rating: 9
Cleanliness:[9] • Staff:[8] • Location:[8]

• Excellent restaurant.
• HVAC unit was noisy.

“Very good hotel, Near outlet shopping, Dining room was great, Room very comfortable.”

Aug 27, 2006 by Ryan from Windham, ME
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[10]

• The room was perfect.
• Nothing.

“It was the perfect setting for the most romantic getaway of our lives. Thank you for everything, we will be back very soon”

2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Aug 15, 2006 by Tim from Freedom, NH
Overall Rating: 6
Cleanliness:[8] • Staff:[8] • Location:[6]

• Fair location, great tennis program.
• On site restaurant was ridiculously over priced. accommodations were pricey for what you got.

“While the hotel was very clean and staff were friendly and helpful we felt that the cost to stay here was very pricey. We were also totally shocked at the prices for food at the Inn facilities such that we never bothered to eat there and had to go elsewhere.”

Jul 31, 2006 by Debbie from Whitestone, NY
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[10]

• Beautiful rooms with great views! Wonderful staff.
• Loved everything and would stay again!

“We stayed here 15 years ago and now again. It is just as beautiful as it was then. Everything was just lovely!”

1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Jul 3, 2006 by Tom from Philmont, NY
Overall Rating: 10
Cleanliness:[10] • Staff:[10] • Location:[9]

• The staff were friendly and very helpful with local information.
• Can't think of anything.

“The room was spacious and beautiful and very well maintained. We ate at in the Tavern and the food was excellent and reasonably priced. We'll certainly consider the Inn again if we return to the Burlington area.”