Stowe, VT Weekend Vacation Getaway
Where To Stay
Anyone can find a room in any destination, you don’t need us for that. But not everyone can find those special places with a particular charm to them. That takes time, tenacity and a special perspective. We try to find places that evoke a “wow” when you open the door to your room, places you’ll tell your friends about when you get home.
The Stowe Mountain Lodge
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Topnotch Resort & Spa
Stone Hill Inn
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The Meadows at Stoweflake
Green Mountain Inn
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BestWeekends Vacation Rentals
The Stowe Mountain Lodge
7412 Mountain Road
SPECIAL OCCASION
Stowe has always been known for its wonderful winter skiing, its quintessential Vermont village and wildflower filled summer meadows. While there are many wonderful places to stay, it has lacked a spectacular slope-side resort….until now. The dramatic Stowe Mountain Lodge opened in September 2008 and while there is still construction going on, this is destined to take its place beside the great resorts out West in the best ski areas.
The $400 million project includes 139 luxury guestrooms and private mountain cabins, a new base lodge, upscale retail shops (think Ralph Lauren), a marvelous 21,000 sq. ft spa and wellness center and a fantastic Bob Cupp designed golf course. Spruce Peak, made up of Little Spruce and Big Spruce Mountains, was always a favorite of my family and now it has new lifts and snowmaking, the later fueled by a man made lake on the golf course. For as long as I can remember, Big Spruce was only open when there was enough natural snow and the lifts were so slow that you were frozen by the time you reached the top. Now you can step outside the hotel and be whisked up the mountain. Ah, progress!
The buildings, grounds and golf course were all designed to maximize energy conservation and to produce some of its own like the snowmaking and irrigation that will come from the man made lake. Most of the décor was designed and custom produced by Vermont artisans.
The lobby is a breathtaking introduction to the Lodge with soaring ceilings, woven timber, stone walls, stone and wood columns with decorative dogwood tree trunks and branches, floor to ceiling windows and wonderful Vermont artwork. Decorated with leather couches layered with colorful pillows, iron chandeliers with shaded lights and bright area rugs over multi-colored marble floors, the look is rustic chic. Fabrics are a cheerful palette of yellows, oranges and light blues. Rocking chairs and bowls of fresh apples create a homey feel to the large room.
As happens with many resorts these days, rooms are sold to the public as private residences and then leased back to the hotel for renting. The advantage for the traveler is larger than normal rooms with lots of extra amenities. My room, with a balcony and views of the mountains and outdoor pool area, had a sitting area with couch, leather chair, reading lamp and fireplace. Decorated in rich shades of gold, hunter green and burgundy with Vermont themed watercolors and photography, it had a Queen featherbed, luxury bamboo linens and down duvet, a large flat screen TV and custom made lamps by Simon Pearce. There is a small kitchenette with burners, microwave, refrigerator and service for two with Simon Pearce tableware. The large marble bath had a soaking tub and separate glass shower with Anichini towels from Vermont and Mario Russo bath products.
The Hourglass Bar serves good house drinks and offers a tapas and flatbread menu. Good wine by the glass selection. Cozy room with couches and chairs around a fireplace. Aqua is a poolside café and Schuss will be a gourmet on-the-go take out bar. Solstice the 110 seat signature restaurant, has soaring ceilings, stone walls, fireplaces, custom made wood tables and an open kitchen design. Views of the mountain are wonderful and there is an outdoor stone patio. During my visit, I had an exceptional lunch of chopped BBQ short rib on a homemade bun with a delicious tangy apple cole slaw and crispy onion fritters. Not the usual fare. Room service is available 24 hours.
The service for a resort so young was quite remarkable. Cars are met swiftly upon arrival, check-in quick and efficient. I was escorted to my room and all the amenities explained. Staff members called me by name during my 2 day visit. My car had been parked outside and when it began to snow was moved to cover. One night when it was snowing quite hard, I was driven and then picked up from my restaurant. At turndown, there were wonderful muffins with icing on top and two glasses of cold milk set in ice. When housekeeping came in the morning they asked for a time when it would be convenient to return.
The resort’s Alpine Concierge service is a unique guest program designed to offer each guest personalized attention, so that once they arrive, their rooms are set-up exactly as they wish, refrigerators are stocked with favorite treats, special amenities are in-place, and all dining and activity reservations are set.
Usually after a property just opens there is a shake-out period where procedures are honed, mistakes corrected, maybe some staff changes are made before it all comes together. I was amazed at how efficient things were and how well the staff was trained. If this is the starting point, I can’t wait for when they really get humming.
RATES: Studios and Junior suites $359-$719 in Spring, $459-$919 Summer, $419-$659 Fall and $479-$959 Winter. 1-3 bedroom suites and 4 bedroom mountain cabins more.
To make your travel plans you can go to our Weekend Planner for all the contact information.
Want to save time? Let us make all your travel plans for you including air, car rental, accommodations, dining and activities. You'll even talk to a "live" person and be able to request specific rooms and tables. Just click here. Reservations.
Topnotch Resort & Spa
4000 Mountain Road
SPECIAL OCCASION
The Topnotch Resort & Spa in Stowe has long had a reputation for good service, food and world class spa and tennis facilities, but I did not think its rooms matched the reputation or the tariffs. That has changed with a multi-million dollar renovation which updated all the rooms and created a spectacular new complex that houses the new Norma's restaurant and the Vermont Day Spa and pools. Topnotch has regained its position as the premier place to stay in Stowe.
Despite the renovations, the resort has managed to keep the charm and comfort of an old country inn. The public rooms are delightfully warm and inviting with fireplaces and lots of places to curl up with a book or newspaper.
Accommodations include guest rooms, suites and resort homes and are beautifully decorated in a European country manor motif. Our deluxe king was a good size and was wonderfully comfortable. Our plump king bed had a fabric colored headboard, an olive/yellow/red plaid coverlet and lots of down pillows. The walls were decorated with an olive toile wallpaper with gold trimmed “fruit” pictures. Floors were covered in a Berber carpet and accented with an area rug. An antiqued armoire housed the television and plantation shutters kept out the light. A burgundy club chair and ottoman with a wrought iron lamp was the perfect place to curl up with a book. The marble bath had a “hall of fame” shower and was stocked with lots of thick and soft towels and June Jacobs toiletries. There was even a thermometer outside the window to gauge the temperature. Nice touch.
Norma's is an excellent bistro type restaurant with delicious food, an open kitchen design and amazing mountain views. Wisely, the resort changed with the times and moved away from a more formal fine dining model to a more casual approach with equally good food.
The Vermont Day Spa, which is consistently rated one of the Top 10 Spas in the country, is now even better. Expanded to 35,000 square feet with 30 treatment rooms and stunning new décor, you won’t want to miss at least one treatment here. The rooms and lounges are filled with wonderful aromas and are so comfortable you just may fall asleep.
The tennis facility was recently ranked Number One in the Northeast and in the Top Ten Best U.S Tennis Resorts by Tennis Magazine and #11 in the world by Tennis Resorts Online. Lessons, informal tournaments or a private game are available throughout the day and evening.
You can rent equipment for downhill and cross-country skiing, cycling, mountain biking, snowshoeing, in-line skating, canoeing and fly-fishing at the resort's Nordic Barn Recreational Center and The Equestrian Center offers private and group horseback riding lessons, as well as guided English and Western trail rides
The staff is pleasant and attentive. We were greeted at the front door each time we returned to the hotel by a bellman/doorman who always asked if there was anything he could do for us. Check-in was swift and efficient and we were given a choice of newspapers to be delivered in the morning. Turndown service was completed early in the evening with bottled water and chocolates on our nightstand when we returned from dinner.
Luxury, service and good food all rolled up in one great package.
RATES: As usual vary by season, we paid $180 for our room in May. Same room in the Fall is $385, $300 in mid-December.
WHAT OTHERS SAY
Top 10 Resort Spa in America - Condé Nast - 2007, Spa Finder - 2006
Ranked #1 in Service - Reader's Choice Spa Poll 2007
Highest Rated Ski Resort in New England - Condé Nast - 2007
#1 in the Northeast - Tennis Magazine - 2006
Award of Excellence - Wine Spectator - 2005
To make your travel plans you can go to our Weekend Planner for all the contact information.
Want
to save time? Let us make all your travel plans for you including air,
car rental, accommodations, dining and activities. You'll even talk to
a "live" person and be able to request specific rooms and tables. Just
click here. Reservations.
Stone Hill Inn
Houston Farm Road (Just off the Mountain Road)
SPECIAL OCCASION
Nestled on a small hill just off the Mountain Road the Stone Hill Inn is an exquisite luxury B&B that may be one of the most relaxing and romantic places you will encounter.
Everything about this delightful Inn is soothing and designed to make you forget the world you left. No restaurant, no health club, and no phones. Soft music plays throughout the Inn and in your room upon arrival. A wonderful waterfall cascades through a glorious wildflower garden and Adirondack chairs and hammocks are sprinkled throughout the grounds, perfect for intimate conversations or simply curling up with a book.
In the Living Room, couches and chairs surround a huge stone fireplace and there are game tables and an antique replica pool table. The Solarium, also has a fireplace and club chairs and ottomans surrounding it and looks out over the beautiful grounds. There is wonderful local art and photography throughout and antiques and other interesting pieces combine to complete the look of a warm and comfortable country inn.
The nine rooms are individually decorated and could have stepped out of a magazine. My room, the Catamount, had warm gold walls, a dramatic curtained canopy king bed, a beige Berber carpet, plush navy easy chairs and navy and gold draperies. The sliding glass door overlooked a beautiful flower garden with the mountain range in the distance. The oversized marble bath had a two person Jacuzzi, stall shower and a two sink vanity. A two sided fireplace opens to the bath and the bedroom. You can actually sit in the Jacuzzi, and see the gardens and mountains through the roaring fire. Nice!
There's lots of nice touches here; snacks and drinks in the kitchen, hors d'ouvres every afternoon, candles around the Jacuzzi, soap pump dispensers (not just wrapped bars), oversized thick towels, luxurious monogrammed robes, a single rose at your bedside, a video library, Plasma TV's, light dimmers in your room and a parting gift of maple popcorn.
Coffee is available anytime in the kitchen and a delicious breakfast is served each morning from 7:30am to 10am in the bright and airy Breakfast Room. In the colder months, there's always a fire going. There's fresh fruit and muffins and usually three great entrée choices.
This immaculate inn is perfectly maintained by Innkeeper Amy Jordan who has created a wonderfully romantic repose that will put the spark back into any relationship.
RATES: Two night weekend minimum. $325 in quiet season to $425 in high season. Breakfast included.
To make your travel plans you can go to our Weekend Planner for all the contact information.
Want
to save time? Let us make all your travel plans for you including air,
car rental, accommodations, dining and activities. You'll even talk to
a "live" person and be able to request specific rooms and tables. Just
click here. Reservations.
The Meadows at Stoweflake
1746 Mountain Road
SPECIAL OCCASION
If you are traveling with another couple or just prefer a more "homey" environment, the brand new Meadows at Stoweflake are just the ticket. These are gorgeous units, available as one, two or three bedroom homes. Two and three bedroom townhouses have over 2200 sq. feet of space including a kitchen, living room with fireplace, dining room, laundry room, mudroom, ski lockers, luxurious bathrooms and a private deck with mountain and pond views. Bedrooms each have a private bath. One bedroom units have a large bedroom and bath, a living room with fireplace and a small kitchenette with a microwave.
The homes are richly decorated with fabric wallpaper, Berber carpets, maple furniture, couches and chairs in deep colors of green and burgundy, quality furnishings and wonderful watercolor artwork. The kitchen table and chairs has the look of the handmade Vermont furniture you see in the Village stores.
The bathrooms have plush towels, marble countertops, a large whirlpool tub and a stall shower.
As part of the Stoweflake Resort, guests have use of all its facilities including its highly acclaimed spa, the sports and wellness center, Charlie B's Pub and Winfield's Bistro. This is also the place to arrange a hot air balloon ride!
RATES: 1 bedroom - $332-$475, 2 bedroom - $540-$650 depending on the season.
To make your travel plans you can go to our Weekend Planner for all the contact information.
Want
to save time? Let us make all your travel plans for you including air,
car rental, accommodations, dining and activities. You'll even talk to
a "live" person and be able to request specific rooms and tables. Just
click here. Reservations.
Green Mountain Inn
Main Street
SPECIAL OCCASION
Since 1833, this historic inn, located in the center of town at the base of the Mountain Road has been welcoming guests to this year round resort. With 104 antique filled rooms and suites, the Inn has a complete list of amenities, including a restaurant, bar and health club. Yet with all these modern conveniences, it is still able to retain its charm as a Vermont country inn. The cozy living room with bookcases, dark red walls and comfortable chairs around the fireplace is just what you thought a Vermont Inn would look like.
While the rooms in the main inn are quite nice, I prefer the newer luxury rooms in the Mill House and the Mansfield Suites. My last visit was in Room 704 in the Mill House. This was the perfect room for a cold winter night. The rich burgundy colored walls, a plump four poster canopy bed in front of a fireplace and a two person Jacuzzi that opened from the bathroom into the living area set a wonderfully romantic mood. Add a complimentary bottle of wine, a thoughtful piano concerto CD and thick terry robes and you've got the start to a great evening.
A coffeemaker and delicious Green Mountain coffee are provided and a newspaper is delivered to your door in the early morning. Gilchrist & Soames toiletries round out the list of amenities.
The Health Club located a few steps away from the Mill House, opens at 7am and has a complete assortment of treadmills, Lifecycles, rowing machines and weights. There's a co-ed steam room, a sauna, a 10 person Jacuzzi and a year round outdoor heated pool.
There are two restaurants Main Street and the Whip. The Main Street, used exclusively for breakfast, is a beautiful and warm colonial room with a fireplace and views onto Main Street. The Whip Bar & Grill is a dark, wood paneled room with booths and decorated with antique buggy whips. It is one of my favorite places in town for lunch, brunch or an afternoon drink.
RATES: Mill House rates range from $199 in late Fall to $379 at Christmas. Mansfield Suites-$229-$399. There are less expensive rooms.
To make your travel plans you can go to our Weekend Planner for all the contact information.
Want
to save time? Let us make all your travel plans for you including air,
car rental, accommodations, dining and activities. You'll even talk to
a "live" person and be able to request specific rooms and tables. Just
click here. Reservations.
BestWeekends Vacation Rentals
When you are traveling with family or friends or plan an extended stay, a vacation rental is often less expensive, offers the comfort of home and allows you to stay in and cook when you want.
BestWeekends Exclusive Vacation Rentals have been carefully selected to insure the ideal blend of comfort and luxury. We actually visit each of our recommendations, in person, to be sure that meet our standards. Take a look at our Stowe Vacation Rentals.