Kirkside Motor Inn, Bennington

I like the Kirkside. I have been staying at it a couple of times a year for 15+ years when visiting family in Bennington, and expect to continue doing so. There are a couple of mean-spirited reviews of the Kirkside that have been showing up on the web for several years, but I think they are misleading. The Kirkside is not as fancy (or expensive) as a Hilton, but it is clean and well maintained and has a very convenient location. The Hampton Inn is newer and includes breakfast, but it is more expensive, often sold out, and not located near downtown. My preference continues to be the Kirkside. (November 2011)

We arrived at the Kirkside at 9:00pm, tired and hungry. When we asked about staying only two nights instead of the three I had reserved, the owner unleashed a tirade of insults. He didn't give us a chance to speak before he told us that we were not welcome to stay there! Fortunately we found a room at the Catamount motel. The room at the Catamount was clean and the manager friendly and helpful. Everyone else we met in Vermont was also friendly and hospitable. I would be surprised if the Kirkside has repeat customers.

Dealing with the owner/ clerk was a trial. I can not emphasize enough how rude he really is. He claimed to be the owner, so you would think in this day and age of tweets and public written reviews, he would have some level of interest in being courteous to his guests, but this is not the case. Do yourself a favor and find someplace more hospitable to stay- like a wet bug infested ditch by the side of the road.

“Awful! Awful! Awful!” Kirkside Motor Lodge Oct 30, 2008 We have stayed at this motel before because of its proximity to town and reasonable price. In the past we found it to be adequate. This stay, however, was so bad that we will never return. Below are the reasons why... 1. Mold. The ceiling in the bathroom was covered with mold. I brought this to the owner's attention and he said that he had been so busy with business that he had no time to address it. He added that it was due to heat & moisture and seemed to have the attitude that there was no real problem. The bathroom in my house gets warm and damp, but it certainly is not covered with mold. This is gross neglect and I was so disgusted that I took photos to send to the Board of Health and Chamber of Commerce. Disgusting. 2. No toilet paper in the bathroom...this just made me wonder if the bathroom had even been cleaned. 3. No heat. Before we went out to dinner I turned on the heat so the room would be warm when we returned. When we came back the heat didn't seem to be working. I went to talk to the owner/manager and he said he wasn't going to turn on the heat for just one person. He said when someone else complained he'd turn it on. He gave me a small space heater to use. Unbelievable. 4. Bed. The sheets were clean (of course I checked after seeing the bathroom ceiling). However, the material on the boxspring was torn and exposed yellowed foam rubber. Yuck. 5. Dust. One of the lamps was obviously dusty and another had no lightbulb. I guess the owner was trying to save money on electricity as well as heat. For $89 a night I don't think it's asking too much to expect the above items to be corrected. The owner was rude and sarcastic and seemed to have a "take it or leave it attitude." In the future we'll be leaving it. If you read a positive review of this place, you can be sure that it was written by the owner and not real customers. At most, you might find this motel to be adequate but certainly nothing to rave about. By all means, steer clear of this dirty motel with the very unprofessional owner.

Stayed at the Kirkside for a couple of days found the rooms to be clean and comfortable. Stayed in one room first night toilet was broken told owner next morning and they switched me to another room right next to the other which was just as clean and comfortable. WiFi signal was weak told owner and he gave me a booster to use. Found the owner to be very courteous and freindly. The only thing that I didnt care for was I was quoted 79.00 per night when making reservation plus tax and when I arrived the price was 84.00 per night plus tax , not a big deal so I didnt say anything but 10 bucks is ten bucks lol All in all a very pleasant stay and I would recomend the Kirkside for a quality affordably priced stay in beautiful Bennington Vt

The staff was friendly, the booking was so easy. Had a great place to stay and paid very little. We went back two weekends in a row and was given the royal treatment both times. We were first timers in Bennington and will stay there again with no hesitation. Loved it!!

This place and these people looked up clenliness and hospitality in the dictionary and decided that was what NOT to do. A/C didn't work, room was filthy, I didn't feel safe. The TV was shoddy, and the staff (one claiming to be owner) were extremely rude. When I complained throughout the evening I was told to deal with it or leave, with no compensation. "We have your money, it doesnt matter to us where you sleep".

Always neat and clean. Proprietor courteous and kind.It's convenient to shopping (ie bagel shop), gas stations, restaurants and churches. Lots of value. Like to go back to Kirkside.

The manager is the rudest person I've ever met! His dog who greets the guests is far nicer than his owner. Don't bother to stay there, it's a total hassle.

I have never been treated so rudely by anyone, especially someone in the service industry. The man claiming to be the owner was insulting, nasty and he even lied to us, claiming that the cancellation policy was 14 days, when the website clearly states that it's 7 days. Stay anywhere else, even if you have to go outside of town.