The Foxfire Inn in Stowe Makes for a Warm, Romantic Vermont Stay and Dining Experience (INN CLOSED))

By Eric H.

Many years ago, I had finally overcome my fear of staying at inns and bed and breakfasts.

The fears were well founded. I thought, you can't accidently

break antiques at a motor lodge. Or lose checker pieces to a checker game. Or spill hot chocolate on period pieces belonging to the owner. Or meet some pedantic, provincial guy from the midwest at the breakfast table telling us why Davenport, Iowa, is a better city than Boston.

Thank goodness those fears changed. If I hadn't, we never would have experienced the Foxfire Inn and Italian Restaurant, a classic Vermont inn in Stowe Vt.

Some close friends raved about the Foxfire, so we decided to give it a try. Initially a stop along the way to our honeymoon destination --- the wondrous Quebec City, Quebec --- the Foxfire actually turned out to be a lodging highlight. After seven glorious days in Quebec City, we asked each other, "Wouldn't it have been nice if the Foxfire was in Quebec City? (not that there is anything wrong with the great village of Stowe, but Quebec City is Europe in a more convenient location)"

We love old homes, as long as they are not falling apart. The Foxfire is a well-maintained warm and loving old home with very pleasant innkeepers, a crackling fireplace, and beautiful dining and guest rooms, each with its own personality. We stayed in a room with lovely antiques and furnishings (which remained that way), a private bath, and a warm lamp chumming up with the warm heater to keep us cozy and shielded from the crisp, New England autumn air.

The floors creaked and were crooked, which is ultimately a good thing. You couldn't get that uniqueness at a motor lodge!

The Foxfire also earns high marks for its high caliber Southern and Northern Italian cuisine. It is, on one hand, a romantic restaurant with its candlelit tables and handsome hardwood floors, but, on the other hand, a family would not seem our of place as there is a children's menu and a staff that is very friendly towards the younger ones.

All food is extremely fresh, including the tangy lasagna and mixed platters, which allows one to combine their favorite Italian dishes. Salads are void of iceberg and abundant in fresh, mixed greens. The waitstaff will also supply you with as many garlic- based breadsticks as you'd like. I came into the dining room looking like Stan Laurel, but exited looking like Oliver Hardy. Beware, the breadsticks are delicious, but must be consumed in moderation.

To compound weight issues, the desserts are rich and filling, including a delicious lemon cheesecake and a melt in your mouth chocolate mouse.

Of course, it doesn't hurt matters that the Foxfire is located in Stowe, which is beautifully situated in the mountains. You'll never get bored here, as lots of activities await you -- skiing, a bike trail, hiking, Mt. Mansfield, shopping the myriad gift shops and just walking the pleasantly compact downtown with a general store, bakery and many small shops.

We left the Foxfire very happily, knowing that the personality of an inn and its owners makes for a memorable experience. In turn, the Foxfire personnel was probably grateful that all antique and furnishings kept their integrity, that there were no missing checker pieces, or stained hot chocolate on important pieces of history. As we left hand-in-hand for life, this happy couple knew they found a place to stay that mirrored their own love for each other.

Now when was the last time you heard someone say that about a motor lodge?

The Foxfire Inn and Italian Restaurant

1606 Pucker St.
Stowe, VT 05672
phone:802.253.4887
fax:802.253.7016