Warning:

Unfortunately, the weekend we picked for the wedding turns out to be one of the busiest weekends of the year for the local hotel industry. In addition to the usual "leaf-peepers" here to enjoy the seasonal foliage, Burlington is going to be inundated with participants in the annual antique car show being held here the same weekend. And, just our luck, every five years Burlington hosts an aviation show - yup, you guessed right, it's the weekend of the wedding.

What this means is that many hotels are already booked solid and have no rooms left to rent at any price. The ones that do have rooms are generally unwilling to give us much of a break on price, or they require a two night committment. As I write this, it's only January - if you wait much longer, you may find yourself sleeping on our back porch.

We have, however, found a few places that we can recommend. If you're planning on attending the wedding, make a reservation now. The following hotels do not require a two night minimum.

We have 15 rooms blocked at the Holiday Inn Express under the name Anisman-Wilkinson Wedding. The rooms are actually suites, with king-size beds, queen-size fold out couches, multiple TV's, kitchenettes, etc. They also have a nice breakfast included in the price. The suites go for $145 per night. You can get a regular (non-suite) single or double room for $115, with a quad room at $145. Call 1-800-874-1554 or (802)860-1112 to make a reservation.

The Holiday Inn Express and the Howard Johnson Hotel are immediately next to each other, and are run by the same management company. We have another 15 rooms blocked at the Howard Johnson Hotel. These are regular hotel rooms, but also include breakfast. The rate here is $89, although there are discounts for AAA &/or AARP. Even though it's not reported to be as nice as the Holiday Inn Express, it has been rated as a 3 star hotel, so you can't really go wrong for the price. Use the same phone numbers as above (1-800-874-1554 or 802-860-1112).

Both of the above hotels will arrange shuttle service from the airport if you're flying in. Both are located in South Burlington, which is a little bit of a trek to downtown Burlington - and downtown Burlington is where you find the shops and other attractions.

Inexpensive motels are available, but be aware that you get what you pay for. We've had friends and family stay at the Ho-Hum Motel in South Burlington, and it's been fairly reasonable and well-kept. They are likely to ask around $90 per room, and won't be taking reservations until March. Their number is (802)863-4551. Be aware that this part of South Burlington is about a 15 minute drive to the part of South Burlington where the other hotels are.

There is, oddly enough, another Ho-Hum Motel closer to the other hotels, that goes for around $60-70 a room. It isn't very nice, but the price is right. Again, they don't take reservations until March. Their number is (802)658-1314.

Some other hotels in the area of the Holiday Inn Express include the Travelodge, at (802)985-8037 and the Econolodge, at (802)985-3377. Rooms here are comparable in price and quality to the Holiday Inn Express. Don't bother calling the Days Inn, the Town & Country Motel, or Best Western, as they're all sold out already.

The Hawthorne Suites are supposed to be very nice, although they're requiring a two-night minimum. Their phone number is (802)860-1212.

If you plan on making a weekend out of your trip to Vermont, we'd recommend calling immediately to book a room at the Radisson in downtown Burlington, which has a 2 night minimum. It's the only hotel downtown, and it's quite nice. Their phone is (802)658-6500.

You also may want to consider making a scenic town like Stowe your home base - Stowe is about 45 minutes South of Burlington, and has tons of attractions to keep your interest. A good choice in that area is either the Topnotch resort & spa, at (802)253-8585, or the Stowehof Inn, at (802)253-9722. Note that the wedding is being held about 1/2 hour North of Burlington, however, so you'll be adding to your commute if you choose to stay there.

Steve's sister Beth has had some luck with, and would recommend, the Inntopia.com web site for help finding inns, or the Fodors web site for reviews.

Other alternatives include staying in Plattsburgh, New York, which has a ferry that runs every 20 minutes and delivers you directly to Grand Isle (Vermont - where the wedding is), or staying in one of the lovely hotels in the Champlain Islands. We'd particularly recommend Shore Acres, in North Hero, VT - their phone is (802)372-8722, and it's in a lovely, bucolic setting, about 10 minutes from the wedding. They have very few rooms left, however, so you'll need to reserve immediately.

For those of you staying here from out of state, Joyce & Kopi are planning a dinner for you in the Burlington area on Saturday night, to help alleviate the cost of your travel (and also because it should be fun for everyone to get together). You're welcome to attend no matter where you stay.