REVOLUTIONARY ROOTS

The roots of today's 2,300-acre resort go back to 1769, when the town of Manchester was less than a decade old. In that year, the forerunner of today's luxury hotel, a stoic, wooden two-story building called the Marsh Tavern, was erected. Today, the original Marsh Tavern structure serves as a restaurant at the hotel.

One of the state's first lodgings, the tavern quickly became a popular gathering spot for locals, many of whom would become memorable figures during the Revolution, including the legendary "Green Mountain Boys." The Marsh Tavern was also the first Tory (British loyalist) property seized by revolutionaries to support their war efforts.

GLORY YEARS AT EQUINOX

The name "Equinox" first emerged in 1853, when owner Franklin Orvis opened his own hotel, the "Equinox House," in his father's home next door to the Marsh Tavern. The hotel's reputation as a "premier summer resort" was solidified in 1863, when Mrs. Abraham Lincoln and her two sons vacationed there.

One of the state's first lodgings, the tavern quickly became a popular gathering spot for locals, many of whom would become memorable figures during the Revolution.

The lifestyle enjoyed by guests during these years was a lavish one. During its peak, guests were treated to four meals a day - breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper - and tea and gingerbread snacks. A typical Sunday breakfast at Equinox House offered veal cutlets, codfish balls, eggs, smoked beef and potatoes. Breakfast was included in the price of the hotel room, but "Equinox Sparkling Water," a natural, mountain mineral water advertised for its "health maintaining properties" was extra. A scale from the 19th century period, uncovered during the 1980s renovation, was used to weigh guests at the end of their stay to ensure they had put on a few pounds! To attract the well-heeled, an 1856 advertisement offered this dramatic cost-cutting slogan: "children and servants half-price."

THE PRESENT AND FUTURE EQUINOX

Through the following three decades and three ownerships, The Equinox continued to operate.
However, in 1972 the structure was declared structurally unsound and was abruptly closed. It was saved from destruction on November 21, 1972, when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Galesi Group took over the hotel in 1974. After years of careful planning and an extensive $20 million restoration, the resort re-opened to year-round vacationers in 1985. In April 1991, when the property was purchased by Equinox Resort Associates – The Equinox began an ambitious revitalization program designed to make it the premier resort destination in the Northeast. Currently, the Equinox is a member of the RockResorts family of properties.

In the Fall of 2002, The Equinox continued its renovations with the addition of the Rockwell Room, a state-of-the-art multi-function meeting space to fit a variety of guests' needs. Additionally, the Resort, in January of 2003, completed the newest Avanyu Spa.

NEW MEETING FACILITY
AND STATE-OF-THE-ART CAPABILITIES POSITIONS
THE EQUINOX AMONG NEW ENGLAND'S TOP
CONFERENCE DESTINATIONS

Dramatically broadening its appeal to target the corporate meeting and wedding market, the Equinox, one of New England's most popular leisure vacation destinations, has completed construction that creates a total of 18,500 square feet of flexible, state-of-the-art function space at the resort.

The centerpiece of the project is The Rockwell Room, named after the internationally renowned New England painter, Norman Rockwell. Divisible into several smaller rooms and offering a seating capacity of up to 300, the new facility features the latest audiovisual equipment, high-speed internet access and video conferencing capabilities. The new ballroom, unobtrusively tucked away at the far side of the sprawling property, has its own entrance, pre-function areas, a coatroom, office space and upscale restroom facilities. Designed in the green and yellow hues of Vermont, the ballroom is graced with several chandeliers, wall sconces and a bay window overlooking the grounds.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

The Equinox has 183 guest rooms together with the Charles Orvis Inn, including 29 suites. Room categories include standard, superior, deluxe and premium. Most guest rooms are over-sized and offer a choice of garden, village or mountain views.

The main Equinox building houses 136 rooms, including five Presidential suites named after presidents Calvin Coolidge, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower; the Mary Todd Lincoln Suite and the Green Mountain Suite. The adjacent townhouses include 27 bedrooms comprised of nine luxury suites with kitchens and fireplaces.

The upscale Charles Orvis Inn contains nine one- and two-bedroom suites with gourmet kitchens, living rooms and marble jacuzzis. All rooms are air conditioned, with cable TV, CD stereos, in-room movies and direct-dial telephone.

© SPA MANAGEMENT JOURNAL - FEBRUARY 2004