Packed into just 1.5 square miles and with about 8,000 residents, Winooski is the smallest city in Vermont. It is just northeast of Burlington. It may be time to include Winooski in your travel plans. Why so? It is the home of The Sugar House Hotel. Set along the Winooski River and bordering a 104-acre nature preserve, it is the world’s first all-electric, net-zero Marriott hotel that is also pursuing LEED Platinum certification—a very rare LEED designation.
Upon arrival, guests pass beneath a living roof planted with greenery atop the porte-cochère and MOSS entrance before entering a lobby that pays modern tribute to Vermont’s maple sugarhouse traditions. At check-in, guests receive a sweet welcome at a make-your-own maple creemee station before discovering a central lounge anchored by a 20,000-pound native Green Mountain Schist boulder hearth and a 20-foot indoor maple tree with a spiral staircase leading to a treehouse-inspired mezzanine library. The hotel’s 115 guestrooms, each named for a Vermont sugarhouse, feature golden timber-paneled walls, custom glass-blown sconces and works by local makers.
Sustainable features are integrated throughout Sugar House Hotel, which operates entirely on electricity, including in its commercial kitchen, with no gas lines or fuel tanks serving the hotel. Rooftop solar panels are designed to generate roughly one-third of the building’s energy needs, while a geothermal well system provides heating and cooling and supports hot-water production. (The solar and geothermal systems qualify the property as a Green Lodging News Renewable Energy All Star.) Water conservation measures include water-efficient plumbing fixtures, such as low-flow showerheads, while reclaimed materials give new life to local history, including timbers from Vermont’s historic North Hero drawbridge repurposed in the Treetops bar and elevator lobby tables.
All-Electric Volkswagen Shuttle
A Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel, it offers eight electric-vehicle charging stations and an all-electric Volkswagen shuttle serving Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport and downtown Burlington.
“To me, great hospitality is about more than making someone feel welcome while they’re with us. It’s also about caring for the places guests and locals alike have come to experience and making sure those communities remain special for generations to come. What I love about Sugar House Hotel is how that sense of care is reflected in the experience itself, from the thoughtful design and materials to the way the hotel uses energy. It’s a wonderful example of how being mindful of our impact can be part of creating an even more meaningful stay for our guests,” said Peggy Roe, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, Marriott International.
Treetops Restaurant is the only rooftop restaurant and bar in the Greater Burlington area, pairing seasonal, approachable cuisine with floor-to-ceiling views and an outdoor terrace. Beneath the lobby’s central maple tree, MOSS Café + Bar serves as an all-day social hub, reflecting Tribute Portfolio’s belief that some of a hotel’s most memorable moments happen when guests and locals naturally come together. The space moves from morning coffee and locally baked maple pastries to deli fare, small bites and seasonal cocktails.
Outside, a 180-foot wooden bridge connects the hotel directly to a 1.2-mile loop trail through Winooski Gorge Natural Area and nearby Salmon Hole fly-fishing waters. Planned guest programming includes wellness sessions, guided naturalist walks and artisan workshops with local partners.
Sugar House Hotel was developed by Nedde Real Estate and Lodging Capital Partners and is operated by Fathom Companies. Be sure to watch here for additional information on the Sugar House Hotel in the coming weeks.
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