Southern Vermont’s finest small luxury hotel Welcome to The Reluctant Panther Inn & Restaurant

The Reluctant Panther Inn and Restaurant is southern Vermont’s premier small luxury hotel. Located in the heart of Manchester Village, the Reluctant Panther offers 20 rooms and suites of the highest quality and the top-rated gourmet dining experience in Vermont.

The Panther’s spacious accommodations feature elegant design with antique furnishings, fireplaces, marble baths and original, museum quality artwork combining with 300 thread count linens, Anichini coverlets and Frette robes to create a truly gracious and relaxing overnight experience.

The Reluctant Panther Restaurant features contemporary American cooking in a relaxed yet elegantly upscale atmosphere. With an emphasis on locally sourced products, our Chefs create a sophisticated dining experience that is unsurpassed in northern New England. A multiple year Wine Spectator award winning wine list complements the tasteful menu.

Manchester, VT offers a wide range of activities and events to satisfy any visitor. Golf, tennis, hiking, horse-riding, fly-fishing, shooting and biking are all summer recreational staples. Skiing at nearby Stratton and Bromley Mountains, cross country skiing and skating, and a warm cup of Vermont cider make for a great winter getaway. Shopping for America’s best Vermont cheeses or visiting the famous Manchester Outlets is a great way to spend a day any time.

The Reluctant Panther — The Panther name is founded on the historical significance of our area. Wild Panthers long roamed the nearby mountains, despite the encroachment of humans, and symbolized the attitude of Vermonters, who fought against interference from the English King and their neighbors to the east and west. At the Green Mountain Tavern, which stood on the site until 1897, Ethan Allen’s Green Mountain Boys met and organized their resistance to the hated Foreigners. The name itself was conceived in the 1960’s when the reluctance of Panthers to come down from the mountains was paired with the historical symbolism of the property. The Reluctant Panther name is now a Manchester institution.

Events at the Panther What Is Happening at the Panther

Rock and Roll at SVAC

At The Southern Vermont Art Center, On June 23rd

From the lens of George Kalinsky comes "Legends of Rock and Roll." This award winning artist has been the official photographer of Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall and is famous for his iconic images of Elvis Presley, John Lennon, The Rolling Stones, Elton John and Madonna. Kalinsky's SVAC exhibition will open June 23rd, just down the street. Call the concierge desk for details!

Spring at Merck Forest

Just twenty minutes from Manchester in the town of Rupert, Merck Forest offers 3,000+ gorgeous acres of forest and farmland with endless walking trails and a variety of New England farm activities. The Merck crew has been sugaring after chilly evenings and are expecting baby lambs to be born mid-April. They'll host a moonlight hike in early May. Give a call to see what's new and visit when you're here ~ 802-394-7836!