On an earlier trip to Vermont a year or two ago I saw the outside of the Kimpton Taconic Hotel with its wide white front porch and rocking chairs and told my husband, "That's where I want to stay the next time we visit Vermont." And so we did. The front porch, the lobby area near the fireplace, and library area where they serve a complimentary glass of wine each night are the reasons I like this hotel. All the areas are warm, cozy, and inviting. They even have a selection of books to read and games to play. They also have a very high end (read expensive) restaurant which, unfortunately, we didn't try, but it is on our to do list for our next visit. The grounds were nicely landscaped and lit, and the staff was congenial. One disappointment is what looked like a cozy fire pit area on their website actually sits on the edge of the entrance to their parking lot. It's a nice fire pit set-up, but there is no privacy. Our room was comfortable and clean, but quite small. We had a room that said it had a Mountain View, but alas, no view, and unfortunately, no discernible mountain either. (A big hill in the distance behind buildings in the foreground is not a Mountain View.) This is why I didn't give the hotel five stars, but it won't prevent me from coming back.