Reviews of The Phineas Swann 
When we get noticed, we let you know!
The Phineas Swann is pleased and honored to have gained the attention of several magazines, newspapers, and websites. We post these reviews here for your convenience with the most recent reviews and notices listed first.
New England Ski Journal
"As it happens, the Phineas Swann is both an inn and a bed & breakfast. That’s part of the philosophy of the venue and innkeepers John Perkins and Jay Kerch. They treat the Phineas Swann as a hybrid of a country inn and a bed & breakfast, providing what Perkins calls a “guest-centric” approach.
“A lot of bed & breakfasts, you have quarters which are shared between the owners and the guests,” Perkins said. “We do not have that here. Everything you see on the website is exclusively for guests. So if you see our fireplace room or our music room or our dining room, that’s for guest use only. Our owners quarters are totally separate.”
The catchphrase on the inn’s website is, “New England’s Most Romantic Pet-Friendly Inn.” Along with the inn/B&B philosophy, the inn stands out for its catering to couples looking for a romantic getaway, and for people traveling with their dogs (Phineas, the mascot on the sign, is a bulldog).
The Phineas Swann can host about 22 people at capacity, which has made it popular for smaller wedding parties, including gay marriages, which are legal in Vermont. It’s a cozy place for a wedding or a romantic vacation."
Read the full article at New England Ski Journal.com.
Yankee Magazine
2010 Best of New England Readers' Choice Awards - Best B&B
New York Newsday
"Now that the hectic holiday season is over, it's time to book a getaway for the new year. If you received a new puppy for Christmas, or if you already own a dog, you needn't leave him behind. A number of inns and hotels - even high-end lodgings - welcome tail-wagging members of the family. Like you, your dog deserves creature comforts. Look for dog-centric services, large guest rooms and spacious grounds to walk and play.
Here are some year-round destinations within a six-hour drive of New York that cater to four-legged guests and their two-legged companions.
The Phineas Swann Bed and Breakfast Inn
FOR THE HUMANS: This romantic Victorian B&B is a restored farmhouse on Trout River. Named after a cherished bulldog, the inn is decorated with antiques and dog-motif furnishings. Features include an outdoor hot tub, library, music room with baby grand piano, river sitting area, gardens with a gazebo and a fireplace room with stained-glass windows. Suites have one to two bedrooms - some units have full kitchens, Jacuzzi and fireplaces. Includes full gourmet breakfast, plus coffee and pastries all day.
FOR THE DOGS: Dog beds, food and water bowls, special towels and treats are provided. So are dog-sitting and walking. The "Deluxe Dog Spa" package offers two nights in a suite, plus pet massage, grooming and other perks ($699.99). Come summer, dogs may swim in the river.
WHAT'S NEARBY: Pubs, antique shops, craft artisans and restaurants with live music on the weekends are within walking distance. Jay Peak has 60 trails, plus the state's only aerial tram for panoramic mountain views (jaypeakresort.com). From spring to fall, canoe on Lake Memphremagog. The vast American folk art collection at the Shelburne Museum reopens in May (shelburnemuseum.org)."
Romantic Country Magazine
5 Most Romantic Winter Getaways: "Dreaming of a heavenly escape? You will find it here. Nestled in the Green Mountains near Jay Peak and just north of Stowe's famed ski slopes, this fine country inn offers hospitality for winter sports enthusiasts and those...who love the falling snow and brisk cold days. Take a horse-drawn sleigh ride. Go dogsledding or indulge yourself and your pets in a day of spa treatments. Celebrate a special occasion with a four-course candlelit dinner prepared to your liking by your own private chef and a private reservation in the outdoor hot tub. Lavish hot breakfasts cooked to order are served in the inn's glass-enclosed porch... The pet-friendly hospitality will make everyone feel warm and welcome."
The Burlington Free Press
"The Vermont Hospitality Council, the tourism division of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, has announced the winners of the five Vermont Hospitality Awards. The recipients of these awards will be honored at the Vermont Chamber Hospitality Gala from 5:30 to 10 pm, September 16 [2009]. This year's recipients are:
B&B Innkeeper of the Year: John Perkins and Jay Kerch, The Phineas Swann B&B Inn, Montgomery Center. In the past four years, Perkins and Kerch have reinvented The Phineas Swann to become a thriving, year-round destination choice for travelers."
New York Magazine
"Ex–New Yorkers Jay Kerch and John Perkins run the Phineas Swann Country Inn (from $189), a well-kept century-old farmhouse located near the foot of Jay Peak. Wake up to a belt-loosening breakfast of omelets stuffed with Vermont Cheddar cheese, maple-sugar-battered bacon, and strawberry-preserve crêpes—a recipe John picked up in the South of France. Not charmed by the ghost that allegedly tickles feet in the Red Room? Stay in the Blue Room—it boasts a window seat with perfect views of the mountain and a private bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub." (Full article here)
Montreal's La Presse
We were warmly welcomed at the Phineas Swann B&B Inn by the owners, Jay and John. This is no ordinary couple: one was formerly an interior designer, the other a financial analyst, before leaving it all behind to run this Bed and Breakfast, classed by Boston Magazine as "among the most romantic in New England". The incredible number of curios and antiques which furnish the inn are a "must-see", and many of the items are available for sale. Anyone would appreciate the quality and comfort of the plush accommodations at this B&B, named after one of the first settlers of the town of Montgomery. (Translated from the French)
Boston Magazine
For the all important “bed” of their B&B, the new owners of the Phineas Swann took a cue from their environs, where the snowfall routinely reaches record-setting heights. The inn’s impossibly deep beds – memory foam stacked with feather beds staked with mattresses – are each covered in a drift of a dozen pillows. Small wonder some couples don’t emerge, still in their pajamas, until early afternoon. When (or if) they do, their newlywed hosts, John Perkins and Jay Kerch, who reopened the Phineas last winter after a $750,000-plus renovation, are ready with plenty of activity suggestions, evening sleigh rides, candlelit tapas dinners, antiquing expeditions (a former Manhattan dealer whose clients included Ethan Hawke, Kerch has a shop of his own nearby). If you’d rather just soak in the hot tub or snuggle before the fireplace, well, that's fine too.
Superlative Perks
The Best "Man's Best Friends-For-Loan": The West Highland White Terriers at the Phineas Swann
Yankee Magazine
Phineas Swann (Editors' Choice 2008)
Montgomery Center, VT. This B&B is part of a "pet-friendly" lodging network. Two resident dogs escort guests and best friends to rooms offering phone, cable TV, and Internet access. Suites have fireplaces and Jacuzzis.
Vermont: An Explorer’s Guide
Phineas Swann B&B (802-326-4306; phineasswann.com) John Perkins and Jay Kerch have brought considerable skill, resources, and energy to this delightful village B&B. Jay, a former NYC interior decorator, has created three rooms, four attractive suites, and two separate one bed-bedroom apartments with kitchens in the River House Annex right on the Trout River (out back). Two more suites are due for completion in 2009. John, recently returned from 20 years overseas working for an international bank, is an enthusiastic chef. … Dogs are very welcome (hosted by two resident Westies).
Frommer’s Girlfriend Getaways - 50 Great Escapes
(Publication lists one location for each state as “the perfect long weekend quick trip no matter where you live.”)
Vermont
Montgomery Center
When you're not admiring waterfalls and covered bridges, do some shopping: Mountain Fiber Folk Cooperative sells hand-knit shawls (mtfiberfolk.com); Godfrey's Sugarhouse produces maple syrup (802/326-4775); and Degre's holds antiques auctions on Sundays (degreauction.com). The Phineas Swann Country Inn is furnished with antiques (phineasswann.com)
Insider's Guide - Off the Beaten Path Vermont
A Guide to Unique Places
Breakfasts at the Phineas Swann Bed & Breakfast are not just a meal, they're an event, with home-baked breads and jams made from the berries grown in the backyard. The whole place is welcoming (to both you and your pet) with well-decorated rooms and classical music in the background at afternoon tea. The owners are long on a sense of humor and short on pretensions, although their inn ranks right up with the best. Rates start at $99 in the main inn, while suites in the carriage house overlooking the river, with whirlpool baths and fireplaces, are as high as $295. Rates include a full gourmet breakfast and afternoon tea. Cooking is what co-owner John Perkins loves most, so ask ahead if they will serve dinner while you're there. The inn is right on Main Street, Montgomery Center 05471 (802) 326-4306 www.phineasswann.com
Trip Advisor.com
- Phineas Swann Bed and Breakfast in Montgomery Center has 94 reviews
BedandBreakfast.com
