What the Lower Connecticut River Valley Is
The three towns sit in Windham County, strung along the Connecticut River, I-91 and Route 5. Amtrak's Vermonter stops in both Brattleboro and Bellows Falls on its daily run between Washington, DC and St. Albans. Each town draws a different guest:
- Brattleboro is the arts and service town: monthly Gallery Walk, the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, the 1938 Art Deco Latchis Hotel and Theatre, the Harris Hill Ski Jump each February, and the Brattleboro Retreat.
- Putney is the craft and school town: the Putney Craft Tour over Thanksgiving weekend, Landmark College, The Putney School, Next Stage Arts, the Putney Mountain Hawkwatch and pick-your-own orchards.
- Bellows Falls, a village in the Town of Rockingham, is the river and history town: the 1802 canal around the Great Falls, the petroglyphs, the Fish Ladder and Visitor Center and a Friday farmers market.
The Seasons
This is not ski country, so the calendar is flatter than at Okemo or Stowe. Summer and fall carry the year, with foliage in late September and October and the Craft Tour pulling visitors into Thanksgiving weekend. Winter has a few spikes, such as Harris Hill weekend in Brattleboro. Schools and colleges add visiting families at the start of term and graduation, and longer work stays fill gaps; stays of 30 nights or more fall outside Vermont's short-term rental definition, as our mid-term rentals guide explains.
The Rules Landscape, as of October 2026
Vermont lets each town regulate short-term rentals by ordinance under 24 V.S.A. section 2291(29). In this corner of the state, none of the three towns has used that power yet:
- Brattleboro: no short-term rental ordinance in its Code of Ordinances. The Fire Department runs an annual rental registry for leased residential units under Chapter 8, Article III; ask whether a short-term rental counts.
- Putney: no short-term rental ordinance, and its 2021 zoning regulations do not use the term. The Zoning Office posts the state's water and wastewater fact sheet for short-term rentals.
- Rockingham and Bellows Falls: no short-term rental ordinance among the posted town and village ordinances; zoning bylaws were last amended effective September 10, 2025.
Taxes are where the towns differ. Brattleboro levies the 1% local option meals and rooms tax (since April 2007) and Putney a 1% rooms-only tax (since July 2025), so rentals there charge 13%. Rockingham has no local option tax, so a Bellows Falls rental charges 12%. Statewide rules, including the 3% surcharge, posting requirements and the Division of Fire Safety's 8-occupant line, are on our Vermont rules and taxes page.
How New England Host Co Works Here
New England Host Co manages short-term rentals across Vermont, including a home in Ludlow near Okemo today; see our Okemo management page. Every home has to sit within 45 minutes of its crew's base, so send us the address and we will confirm. Full-service management covers the listing, photography, daily pricing in PriceLabs, guest messaging, and housekeeping with an inspection after every stay; co-hosting is a separate option. Ask through the contact page, or start with the state overview.
FAQ
Do Brattleboro, Putney or Bellows Falls Require a Short-Term Rental Permit?
As of October 2026, none of the three has a short-term rental ordinance. Zoning permits still apply to changes of use and new bedrooms, and Brattleboro's rental registry is worth asking about.
Why Is the Tax 13% in Brattleboro but 12% in Bellows Falls?
Brattleboro and Putney have adopted Vermont's 1% local option tax; Rockingham, which includes Bellows Falls, has not.
Is the Region Reachable Without a Car?
Partly. Amtrak's Vermonter stops at Brattleboro and Bellows Falls daily.
