Twin Farms

Twin Farms, a luxury hotel and spa in Barnard, Vermont

Twin Farms is a luxury hotel and spa located in Barnard, Vermont, about 90 minutes from Burlington Airport, three hours from Boston, and five from New York City. It sits on a private 300-acre estate of woods, meadows, and mountains, with a private nine-acre pond, miles of trails for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing, and ten cottages among the trees, in addition to the Lodge, the Main House, and the Farmhouse at Copper Pond. Stays are reserved exclusively for adults and include all meals, fine wines and spirits, as well as all activities and necessary equipment.

Accommodations: 28 cottages and suites with contemporary art

The accommodations are spread across 28 cottages and suites individually designed by leading architects and interior designers, and enhanced by a museum-quality collection of contemporary art. The offering includes the Treehouses, the Cottages, the Farmhouse, the Lodge, and the Main House. The property preserves the original circa 1795 farmhouse as the heart of the complex, and each cottage expresses its own personality through architecture, interior design, and art from the founder's private collection, Thurston Twigg-Smith, with works by contemporary masters such as David Hockney, Cy Twombly, and Jasper Johns. Jed Johnson designed the 15 original accommodations for the opening of Twin Farms in 1993. In 2005, residential architect Peter Bohlin built Aviary and the Farmhouse at Copper Hill, which contains four private suites around a shared library and living room. Interior designer Thad Hayes refined the integration of function and feel in the most recent accommodations. The gardens and grounds were designed by landscape architect Dan Kiley.

Dining and culinary experience

The culinary experience includes Vermont house-made breakfasts, gourmet lunches — with picnics available in any location — and farm-to-table dinners. Each evening is accompanied by cocktails and canapés. The offering is completed by a wine cellar, a Chef's Table experience, private dinners for two in your room, and intimate picnics in the forest. The stay rate includes fine wines, beers, and spirits.

Activities and natural surroundings

The estate offers miles of trails for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing, as well as a private nine-acre pond, Copper Pond, for fly fishing and canoeing. Guests can borrow a bike or paddle a canoe. In winter, there are adventures on private, groomed trails with skis and snowshoes, or ice skating on the pond, followed by hot chocolate and s'mores around a campfire. In summer, mornings are ideal for fly fishing on Copper Pond, afternoons for exploring the estate on foot or by bicycle, and evenings for mint juleps and croquet on the lawn. In spring, you can take a walk through the woods, spread out a blanket, and enjoy a gourmet picnic. In fall, foliage in shades of red and gold and crisp air define the season. The property publishes seasonal field notes for the warmer and colder months.

Author series, events, and wellbeing

Twin Farms has launched an author series called Off Script. The property has spaces for events and meetings, and offers wellbeing services. The experience is personalized for each guest, with attention to detail in the background so the property feels like your own.

Exploring the surroundings and Volvo vehicle

Thanks to a collaboration with Volvo USA, Twin Farms has a 2026 Volvo XC90 Hybrid for excursions and exploration. The vehicle is available based on availability and can be enjoyed by reservation through the guest experience team. Nearby, you can visit antique shops, the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, a working farm, or the Simon Pearce glass factory in Quechee.

Property history

Nobel Prize-winning author Sinclair Lewis proposed to journalist Dorothy Thompson in 1927, and proposed again until she accepted the following year. She promised to marry him if he bought a farm in Vermont with sweeping lawns, orchards, and "delicious air." They found their idyll in a circa 1795 farmhouse on 300 acres, which they purchased in 1928 for $10,000. They called the property Twin Farms, and there they wrote, ate, walked, and entertained guests such as H.L. Mencken and George Seldes. Dorothy kept Twin Farms until her health declined and her family sold off parcels of land, completing the final transaction in 1958. Subsequently, the property changed hands several times. It operated as Sonnenberg Haus, an inn with a reputation for fine dining, until Thurston Twigg-Smith, a businessman and philanthropist from Hawaii, acquired the property as a second family home in 1974. By the late 1980s, the Twigg-Smiths could visit Barnard only a few weeks a year, so they decided to share the place as a bed-and-breakfast. That idea evolved into the current hotel and spa.

Long Stay

The Long Stay Package allows you to reserve seven nights or more and receive a complimentary night, plus a $400 credit to use on the reserve wine list.

Location and contact

452 Royalton Turnpike, Barnard, VT 05031 · Phone: 1-800-894-6327 · Email: info@twinfarms.com