Sugar House Hotel Opens in Winooski as Marriott's First All-Electric, Net-Zero Design

Sugar House Hotel, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, has opened in Winooski, in Greater Burlington, Vermont. Marriott International describes it as the company’s first property globally designed to achieve all-electric, net-zero energy operations and LEED Platinum certification. The 115-room hotel was developed by Nedde Real Estate and Lodging Capital Partners and is operated by Fathom Companies.

It is the first hotel in the historic mill city of Winooski, and sits beside a 104-acre nature preserve and the Winooski River, a short walk from the city’s downtown circle. The design draws on Vermont’s maple sugarhouse traditions, local makers and landscape. Guests arrive beneath a living roof over the porte-cochère and the MOSS entrance. The lobby includes a make-your-own maple creemee station at check-in, a lounge anchored by a 20,000-pound native Green Mountain Schist boulder hearth, and a 20-foot indoor maple tree with a spiral staircase to a treehouse-inspired mezzanine library. Each of the 115 guestrooms is named for a Vermont sugarhouse and features golden timber-panelled walls, custom glass-blown sconces and work by local makers.

“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 described as the only rooftop restaurant and bar in the Greater Burlington area, with seasonal cooking, floor-to-ceiling views and an outdoor terrace. MOSS Café + Bar, beneath the lobby maple tree, serves all day, from coffee and locally baked maple pastries to deli fare, small bites and seasonal cocktails. A 180-foot wooden bridge links the hotel 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.

The hotel operates entirely on electricity, including in its commercial kitchen, with no gas lines or fuel tanks. 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. Water-efficient plumbing, including low-flow showerheads, is part of the conservation measures. Reclaimed timbers from Vermont’s historic North Hero drawbridge have been used in the Treetops bar and in elevator lobby tables. The property will also offer eight electric-vehicle charging stations and an all-electric Volkswagen shuttle to Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport and downtown Burlington.

“Our goal was to create a building that wasn't just in Vermont, but of Vermont,” said Doug Nedde, Principal of Nedde Real Estate. “The opening of Sugar House Hotel is the result of a talented local team, combining world-class environmental sustainability and embracing the culture and artisans of our community.”

Images: courtesy of Marriott