Hello,

We are planning a trip to Amherst/Northampton (reliving our past school days), and were also planning to go to Manchester, Vermont.

We are traveling with 2 kids ages 3, and 7. Any recommendations on where to stay in or around Amherst, and in Manchester?

We originally booked at the Hotel Northampton, but have since read pretty bad reviews on tripadvisor. In Manchester, we were looking at the Equinox Resorts, but again read bad reviews.

So now we are stuck. We've also booked at the new Courtyard Marriott at Hadley, hoping there would be fewer surprises.

Any recommendations on places to stay, and visit would be great. And yes, we are leaving around March 20.

I am new to Fodors, but have read some excellent feedback from folks, so I decided to seek your opinion.

Thanks

Where to stay depends on what you're looking for, I suppose. In Amherst there's the Jeffrey Amherst Inn, which is perfectly fine but not luxurious. What it does offer is walkability to the great downtown area--restaurants, shops, a movie theatre, the village green, and the lovely campus of Amherst College.

Hotel Northampton offers the same sort of deal. I haven't read the TA reviews, but if I wanted to overnight in town I wouldn't stay any place else just because it's so great in terms of accessibilty--it's smack in the middle of downtown and very walkable. (I live just up the road about 15 minutes from Noho, so I've never actually stayed there, mind you.) Walk to breakfast, lunch, dinner, shopping, nightlife, movies, etc.

I'm sure the Courtyard Marriott will be perfectly fine, but it is what it is. It's on a busy local highway that is lined with shopping malls, both indoor and strip malls, and chain stores. It is centrally located between Amherst & Noho, though.

In Manchester I've stayed at the Equinox (once) and the Reluctant Panther (twice). It's a beautiful little town, and if you happen to enjoy bookstores, there's an outstanding one called Northshire Books. I would never pay full price for the Equinox, and to be honest, it was a little large to offer the intimate feel I like in smaller inns and B&Bs. Reluctant Panther was pretty small and to be honest I don't' remember much about it besides the name. I do remember finding it a good value, but that's about it. But Manchester is chock-a-block with B&Bs, so it shouldn't be hard to find something nice.

With kids that age, check out the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, in south Amherst (Hampshire College campus) -- an art museum featuring illustrations from kids books, hung at kid-height on the walls.

The spankin-new Museum of Natural History on the Amherst College campus is also great -- they have the world's largest collection of dinosaur footprints, among other things like gems, and a mammouth skeleton.

Take the kids to a sugarhouse on a March weekend: they cook the maple syrup right from the trees a big vat, and serve it up on your pancakes. A great choice (petting zoo included) would be the North Hadley Sugar Shack.

The Smith Arboretum (Lyman Conservatory) might be having its spring flower show them -- a multi-room greenhouse with different envronments (tropical, desert, etc).

The other possiblity for lodging in Amherst is the Allen House or the Black Walnut Inn, two B&B's in town. Neither is in town center, though, so you can't walk to much. The Jeff is your only option if you want to walk to things.

In Hadley, don't forget a visit to Skinner park where there's an old abandoned hotel and stunning views over the CT river.

The road up to Skinner house doesn't open until April, though.

oops, sorry 'bout that!

If the road up Skinner Mtn is not open, one can also hike up, assuming the right conditions (e.g no snow)

Thanks ejcrowe, I'll check out the Jeffrey Inn. I like Hotel Nothampton's location, but am still very skeptical after reading the reviews. We are looking for something luxurious (sure the Courtyard is not, but its new with a large room, and no surprises - I hope).

We sill need some help with Manchester. It's hard to know a good B&B just by checking out the website, so if anyone can recommend a good one that'll be a big help.

Capxx, thanks for great suggestions on things to see. We stayed at the Black Walnut for my graduation ceremony, but I don't think it's great for kids.

How about the Shelbourne Falls? I was also thinking of taking the kids to the Yankee Candle Factory.

There is also a butterfly conservatory in S. Deerfield that the kids would love.

Both the Jeff and the Northampton Inn are older properties -- you're supposed to be more moved by their stately grandeur than put off by the general shabbiness and small rooms. In fact the Jeff is going to close for several months of renovations sometime later this year. I don't know of any real luxury places nearby. Probably that Marriott, being so new.

If you are going toward Yankee Candle, stop by the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory, just up the road a little bit. Hundereds of butterflies willing to land on your nose, in a huge climate-controlled environment.

I think of Yankee Candle as the poor man's Disneyworld -- or maybe an over-the-top riff on ``its a small world.'' I have never seen the attraction, but the kids will probably like it.

You could then go to Old Deerfield -- they have demonstrations of old-timey ways (rolling hoops, baking cookies in a fireplace, etc), but I don't know if there is much doing in March.

Shelburn Falls and the Bridge of Flowers are pretty enough, but not at their best in March.

If you go through North Adams, you might enjoy Mass MoCA (museum of contemporary art), which has some really amazing stuff.
It is a gi-normous space, and it holds some really big art installations. They also have a kids activity room for art projects.

Thanks for all the great advice. I think I now have a fairly good idea of what to do in/around Amherst.

Regarding Manchester VT, any feedback on the following places to stay:

1. The Inn at Manchester
2. Manchester View
3. Manchester Highlands Inn
4. Reluctant Panther - ejcrowe - I checked it out. it looks good.

I want to also make sure that none of the above are too far away from everything like dining, shopping etc.

Consider Eddington House in North Bennington - a new spotless three-room B&B that's price under $100 - you can save money and drive up 15 minutes to Manchester and spend at the fantastic Northshire Bookstore and eat across the street at the local Lawyer & the Baker cafe. SW VT is gorgeous, have a great time!