RELUCTANT PANTHER INN & RESTAURANT, Manchester

The Reluctant Panther offers 20 rooms and suites across three buildings: the Main House, Mary Porter House, and Carriage House. Accommodations feature antique furnishings, fireplaces, marble baths, and museum-quality artwork. Each room includes a king or queen bed, a private en-suite bath, 300 thread count linens, Frette bathrobes, flat-panel TVs, complimentary Wi-Fi, Malin + Goetz spa products, a complimentary in-room breakfast basket for two, complimentary parking, daily towel service, a refrigerator, ironing facilities, heating, and air conditioning. Deluxe Suites include a living room, a separate bedroom with a king bed, a marble en-suite bath with a soaking tub and separate shower, a private outdoor deck with a sitting area, and over 600 square feet. Junior Suites feature a living room, a separate sleeping area with a king bed, a marble en-suite bath with a soaking tub and separate shower, and over 500 square feet. Deluxe Rooms are larger than Superior Rooms, offering a sitting area, a sleeping area, a king bed, a marble en-suite bath with a tub and shower, and over 450 square feet. Limited pet-friendly rooms are available. An additional charge of $50 per person applies for more than two guests per room.

The Reluctant Panther Restaurant features Southern Vermont local foods, emphasizing sustainability and collaboration with local farmers and cheesemakers. Executive Chef Sigal Rocklin creates farm-fresh dishes that change seasonally. The restaurant provides an Wine Spectator Award-winning wine list, Vermont beers, and specialty cocktails. The Main Dining Room is open Tuesday through Saturday, 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The restaurant accommodates events up to 65 guests for seated dinners. The Panther Pub, a private event space, hosts cocktails and holiday parties for up to 60 guests and seated dinners for up to 30. The Patio, open seasonally, offers views of the gardens and Mount Equinox, and features a Raw Bar from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Café at the Falls offers light, pre-show fare as well as a late-evening cabaret.

Guests have playing privileges at The Gleneagles Golf Club at the Equinox, a resort course originally designed by Walter Travis and renovated by Rees Jones, and the Stratton Mountain Club, featuring 27 Geoffrey Cornish designed holes. The Manchester Gym offers cardio, spinning, dance classes, free weights, and fitness programs. Heart of the Village offers yoga, Pilates, and massage services. Bromley Thrill Zone features the Bromley Alpine slide, miniature golf, games, and bumper boats. Stratton Gondola offers scenic rides to the top of the mountain. Wild Wings offers snowshoe and ski trails. The Equinox Spa offers spa services. Ski Butlers provides ski rental delivery. Back Road Discovery Tours are available. Also close to the hotel, you can find a spectacular show course featuring Olympic caliber riders.

The Reluctant Panther Inn & Restaurant is located in Manchester Village, 50 km from Rutland State. Nearby landmarks include the Southern Vermont Arts Center (3 km), Helmholz Fine Art (2 km), Equinox Preservation Trust (1 km), Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home (3 km), Al Ducci's Italian Pantry (2 km), Lye Brook Falls Trailhead (3 km), and Equinox Pond (2 km). The hotel is near the Battenkill River, Hildene, and the Southern Vermont Arts Center. Manchester is known for its foliage season, running from mid-September through late October.

Concierge services arrange regional itineraries for fly-fishing, horseback riding, biking, hiking, off-road adventures, skiing, sleigh rides, and shopping. The Reluctant Panther caters to weddings and events, including garden weddings for up to 100 guests. The inn offers a limited number of adjoining rooms. Massages can be scheduled on-site or en suite with 48 hours' notice. The property has meetings, dining events, corporate retreats or family reunions spaces available.