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    The Lodge at Spruce Peak

    3.5 (224 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

    The Lodge at Spruce Peak Photos

    Recommended Reviews - The Lodge at Spruce Peak

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    Reviews With Photos - The Lodge at Spruce Peak

    Benny R.

    It's fine. I didn't come for skiing (came here during the summer), but I can imagine that's probably the biggest draw here. It's very close to the gondola and the slopes. I saw a ski lift entrance steps from the hotel. The hotel itself is nice. Rooms were comfortable. They put me a room with a kitchen for some reason. I didn't use it, but it was well stocked with basic pots/pans/dishware. Room was clean, but more attention to detail could be nice. Some stains on walls and there was a pantyliner sticker (not mine) stuck to the bathroom cabinet when I arrived. My room also had a fireplace, which was a nice touch. You are kinda far from other things, though. Unless you have a car, you're kinda stranded. They have some random shops and there's a few restaurants, but everything closes very early. At one point, I wanted to see what other food options were available via GrubHub and Uber eats and no other options presented. The restaurants are fine - expensive, though. Since you're kinda trapped they can charge whatever. The food was fine. I will say they charge a 20% service fee, even for pick up orders. Basically, I could have got it delivered to my room for the same price (plus tip). But to charge a 20% fee when you go in person for a to go order feels ridiculous.

    Christin S.

    Buyer beware. We booked a one bedroom suite and online the description specifically said the room has a king bed but we went to check in today and the bedroom only has 2 queen sized beds. I asked the front desk and they said there was nothing they could do that rooms are assigned at random and you don't get to specify if you want queen or king sized bed then don't put on your website description and photos a king sized bed

    Emma N.

    The location of the resort is beautiful and secluded a bit from the town. There are plenty of places to eat, bon fires at night, lots of seating in and around the cozy lobby. The room was very clean. The suite we stayed in had a full kitchen and laundry. There was also a fireplace, which unfortunately did not work well. We had to have an engineer come and fix it multiple times, but it still kept going out. I would still stay here again though.

    View from drive
    Katie K.

    We loved staying at the Penthouses at Spruce Peak! The space was perfect for our family of 5 and the beds were extremely comfortable, too. We also really enjoyed the amenities on site, especially the gym and the various food options. I would definitely consider staying here again!

    Spa hallway
    Stephanie K.

    This was my first time at this resort & I loved it. The room was clean with plenty of space, the bathroom with separate shower & tub was huge. (Shower products were pretty subpar so absolutely bring your own. Hand soap super drying.) Couch & chairs super comfy, balcony with beautiful view of mountain was unbeatable. Bed was too firm, not comfortable at all, we had trouble sleeping each night. Spa was an amazing experience for me. Opted for the Stowe Cider treatment & it was truly epic. Spa amenities were nice & clean. Separate male & female hot tubs, steam rooms, & saunas. Access to outdoor pool which is also for the rest of pool go-ers so not the most peaceful. Relaxation room with delicious ginger tea & comfy chairs & breathtaking views. Clean & modern treatment room. Amazing masseuse. On premise dining at Alpine Hall was pretty terrible, hence the lack of star. Food was almost inedible. Dessert was GREAT though, maple creme brûlée!!! Huge chocolate layer cake. Included breakfast also at Alpine Hall left a lot to be desired. Whistle Pig was cute to stop in and grab a drink at but the pretzel was so salty it was almost inedible. Stores & waffle stand next to ice skating rink which has a couple little cabanas with fire pits & seating. Great for families. Lift & gazebo right outside the back of the hotel, insanely convenient. Valet staff was amazing & helpful. Snowboard valet messed up the name on my board so there was a small but fixable hiccup. If you drive an EV, they'll charge it for you at no additional fee beyond the daily valet cost. I will note that one side of the lodge seemed a bit more dated than the room we ended up moving into for an upgrade fee. There was also a bit of a language barrier with some of the front desk staff which is partially made up of exchange students that are part of their hospitality major/studies. These students move through each different department within the hotel so we unfortunately experienced a person with limited knowledge which made check in a bit stressful. The language barrier also proved another issue when making spa reservation. Fitness facility is recently re-done as of November 2023. Up-to-date equipment, fantastic treadmills, other equipment, plenty of weight training options, stair machine. The hotel offer classes that you can sign up for as well for an additional fee. One bonus was that you could attend fitness classes for free on the day of your spa services. Cannot wait to go back. Cute town 12 minutes or less away.

    Sandee L.

    I attended a conference here and also stayed at the lodge for three nights. My room was comfortable and the bathroom was almost as big as the room itself, complete with a separate bathtub and shower. This property is massive with traditional hotel rooms as well as condo-like properties with small kitchenettes. I loved their text messaging system. I got a text the day before and the morning of arrival to welcome me and ask if there was anything I needed. They used it to also notify me when my room was ready! Complimentary valet parking. Friendly encounters with staff wherever we were. There is a gondola operated by an independent vendor. I think the price was $37/pp. The outdoor pool and spas were full of people even though some of the scattered thunderstorms! The conference is jam packed so unfortunately, could not enjoy any of the facilities.

    View from our room
    Danielle J.

    This was our second year staying and once again we had a lovely time. The hotel is beautiful, the valet staff is the best and the woman at check in gave us a better view after we talked about having just moved 2 kids into college. The room was spacious, clean and the temperature control of the room was great. We had a small stocked kitchen that was great for making breakfasts. The bed was king, and while somehow comfy it was hard as a rock. My hips would've preferred it to be softer. The sheets were fantastic, nice and cool just wish the bottom sheet was a fitted sheet and not a plain top sheet used as a fitted sheet. The pool was nice and heated. Just wish there was adults only hot tubs as there were tons of kids in them. We had a couples massage that was lovely. All in all, another great stay!

    View from the room
    Dorin C.

    Very clean , had ski valet ( they bring skis outside in the morning and put them inside alin the evening. Outdoor pool nicely heated. Good connection to the main mountain via gondola or bus . Room had shower and tub, generous space overlooking the mountain. Will be back.

    Ice rink
    Rose M.

    Stowe by far is my favorite ski destination in New England. This hotel is absolutely amazing. Even if you don't ski, you could just stay and relax. They have a spa that looked lovely. They have outdoor pergolas to rent and relax. Outdoor fireplaces are there. Cute shops with restaurants. Ice skating rink and so much more. Service throughout the hotel is amazing. Lots of friendly employees. Skiing here is a dream! The rooms are spacious and so clean. I can not wait to go back!

    Stowe Village Resort - many levels of trails
    Cam E.

    Good ski resort with many levels of trails. The Vail brand 'EPIC' pass is honored. Convenient for booking online. Prices have soared over the years as many mention here, but that seems to be the norm these almost 'post-pandemic' days. During the winter months we ski, snowboard, ice skate and hike at Spruce, but prefer to stay in town. Do arrive early, it gets terribly crowded peak ski season. Tip: Rent your gear at AJ's Sports. Personally we prefer to ski out west - Colorado Rockies and California /Nevada's Lake Tahoe regions. However, for a place close to home, Stowe is considered the best of the Northeast region and it is. July 2022: We're here for the Spruce Artisan fair to support locally. Plus kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, summer activities around the Waterbury and Stowe areas. Hopefully things will improve. Time will tell.

    Golfing at Spruce is amazing!
    Dayla K.

    Stayed here on business! Loved it! Made a note to come back in the winter to play! Every staff member I met was genuinely kind! Two areas of special note: the Ladies at the front desk were phenomenal!!!! Customer service A+!!!! I did Valet Parking and those gentlemen were pure perfection!!! Be sure to use that service; they are TOP NOTCH! Looking forward to my next visit!

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    11 months ago

    Very nice place but buyer beware! Added fees in addition to 3 separate VT taxes - Community Assessment Fee, Resort Fee, and Valet Parking.

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - The Lodge at Spruce Peak

    Can dogs swim too?

    When I was there I didn't see any Dogs Swimming, I don't remember seeing any signs that prohibited dogs. I would give them a call and ask. I would assume dogs are not allowed, but you never know...

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - The Lodge at Spruce Peak

    We had a lovely time at the Stowe Mountain Lodge, and would look into staying here if we come back to Stowe.

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    Bolton Valley Resort - Ski into your sunset

    Bolton Valley Resort

    3.5(66 reviews)
    8.2 mi

    Expansive. Uncrowded. Affordable…read more Being on IndyPass (and its local predecessors far before) I've rediscovered the joy of skiing Bolton Valley dozens of times over the past several years. It's a family-run, independently-owned mountain atop what feels like a winding, never-ending mountain traverse to a snow castle of three distinct peaks, each with its own personality and profile. A magical place so often ignored and eclipsed by the shadows of Vermont's trifecta of trees and trail count mega-resorts: Stowe, Smugglers, and Jay. But what Bolton lacks in quantitative vertical, it more than makes up for in qualitatively experience: endless untouched glades, sprawling peaks, and unrivaled affordability. It's a unicorn of beginner, intermediate and expert terrain that rivals the best glades of Jay or the sprawling multi-peak vistas of Stowe. Saturday 2/21/26's skiing with completely full parking lots and shuttle busses of visitors was still impossibly pristine and uncrowded on slope. Stunning glades filled with the hoots and hollers of fellow powder hounds tearing up pristine powder and poaching untapped stashes all through the day. An amazing apres ski waitstaff that ensure no one waited longer than a few minutes for service, and an unattended, self-service lodge food service setup that looked like something out of Star Trek. Let me illustrate further the superiority of Bolton Valley with a simple comparison: one day at a local independent mountain (Bolton Valley) vs one day at a corporate machine (Sugarbush). SATURDAY AT BOLTON VALLEY: riding up 10m lifts with zero lift lines, skiing uncrowded glades/trails laden with soft, natural powder atop zero ice - a natural consequence of force-limiting ticket sales with smaller parking lots, less traffic, and a family-friendly, independent focus. Window pricing $49 - $109/day, but equally skiable for an entire weekend on a modest $300 season pass (Indy). SUNDAY AT SUGARBUSH: riding up high-speed 5m lifts with few lines, but dumped into crowded trails laden with bumpy pockets of snow atop any icy, unpredictable base - a natural consequence of pushing hordes of skiers faster and faster up a mountain without any ticket limits that might ensure a better skiing experience. This is the fundamental choice we all make as skiers and riders: choosing to support independently-owned resorts who prioritize experience over exploitation, independence over incorporation, and presence over pace OR the continued corporate consolidation that threatens to make skiing an elitist, pay-to-play hobby of the one percent. As with all things consumer, we all have a choice of where to spend our dollars. Having spent decades skiing the mega-mountains, traveling across the world skiing mega-resorts across like Vail, Mammoth, Tahoe, and Park City I can legitimately say the experience is always the same: over-crowded, icy weekend skiing corporate Frankenstiens trying to solve an unsolvable problem of over-sold slopes with fake snow and higher pricing vs the still-here, uncrowded independents like Bolton Valley continue to over-index on reliability, affordability, and uniqueness. There's value in slowing things down, taking in stunning vistas, and paying a lot less to experience a lot more. See beyond trail counts and lift speed and you'll find an entire world of better skiing by generations of family-owned resorts beholden to a different master: your enjoyment, not corporate's bottom line.

    I very much enjoyed Bolton valley. The slopes are very beginner friendly and the staff is very…read morehelpful and friendly. Night skiing was fun except for when I fell pretty hard and ended up with a swollen knee but other than that, I highly recommend. They have multiple lifts for different parts of the mountain and various levels. This is my go-to place for snowboarding in VT.

    Photos
    Bolton Valley Resort - Endless trees

    Endless trees

    Bolton Valley Resort - Get lost in the trees

    Get lost in the trees

    Bolton Valley Resort - More trees

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    More trees

    Sugarbush Resort

    Sugarbush Resort

    3.6(99 reviews)
    27.7 mi
    $$$

    Sprawling. Crowded. Pricey. As a longtime skier in the northeast, I lose a little bit of ski soul…read moreevery time I encounter the reality of $249/day window rate lift ticket pricing, like what Sugarbush and its corporate overlord Alterra have unleashed on former independent gems like Sugarbush. Yes, most people will never pay $249/day because they're buying $200 online tickets, but sit with that for a second... $200/day x 2 days for a weekend + food/gas/etc means at least $500 for an average weekend of skiing before you even get to lodging. And that's absurd. Its no exaggeration to say that setting day-of pricing to over $200/day is a marketing (read: extortion) ploy to advance sales of even more expensive multi-mountain passes like Ikon, intended to lock customers into a collection of other overpriced mega-mountains, ensuring customers never know what alternatives there are out there to the over-priced, over-skied, nickel-and-dime experience that modern corporate skiing with has become. And while most customers will mindlessly one-click renew their Epic (Vail) and Ikon (Alterra) passes each year, economically the only reason these passes makes sense is when you have plans for a week away at a different exotic ski resort under the same corporate ownership that epouses equivalently over-priced day rates. In case you missed it, that's an increasingly large array of Vail and Alterra's mega resorts, as consolidation within the ski industry continues its supernova trajectory, targeting any mountain nearing triple-digit trail counts as the next pin in their corporate hats. If that sounds extreme, it's not. It's the reality many of us who've been around a while have seen play out. And it's important to understand because of the very real, far superior options available to the mainstream corporate pass skiing experience. Let me illustrate by a simple comparison: one day at a local independent mountain (Bolton Valley) vs one day at a corporate machine (Sugarbush). SUNDAY AT SUGARBUSH: riding up high-speed 5m lifts with few lines, but dumped into crowded trails laden with bumpy pockets of snow atop an icy, unpredictable base - a natural consequence of pushing hordes of skiers faster and faster up a mountain without any ticket limits that might ensure a better skiing experience. I consider myself an expert skier, who's skied some of the steepest terrain in the world, but skiing icy, unpredictable slopes like Sunday at Sugarbush force-limits anyone's ability to improve, by defaulting to minimum viable slopes stripped of any natural snowfall. It's the equivalent of the mafia offering to fix your garbage problem that it, itself, created. It's the false claim of fixing over-crowded, over-skied trails with more snow-making and faster lifts... which just put more bodies, scraping more snow, creating more of a problem than existed before. However, more bodies on mountain = more food/bev sales for corporate coffers, which ever-present signage reminding you of $1/paper cup charges won't let you forget. Heaven help anyone who just paid $249/day at the window is not also paying for double-digit drinks and $38 pizzas - the horror! SATURDAY AT BOLTON VALLEY: riding up 10m lifts with zero lift lines, skiing uncrowded glades/trails laden with soft, natural powder atop zero ice - a natural consequence of force-limiting ticket sales with smaller parking lots, less traffic, and a family-friendly, independent focus. Window pricing $49 - $109/day, but equally skiable for an entire weekend on a modest $300 season pass (Indy). TL;DR: a split-view compare of independently-owned resorts who prioritize experience over exploitation, independence over incorporation, and presence over pace. Most folks reading this review will assume it's an advert for competitors. It's not. It's a rare insight into two mountains 45m from each other who've taken entirely different paths to profitability and achieved radically different outcomes: one driven to maximize pricing and bodies on the hill, another by nearly six decades of family ownership that's driven by affordability and great experience. As with all things consumer, we all have a choice of where to spend our dollars. Having spent decades skiing the mega-mountains, traveling across the world to ski other Alterra/Ikon resorts like A-Basin, Mammoth, Stratton, and Palisades I can legitimately say the experience is the same: over-crowded, icy weekend skiing in the corporate Frankenstiens trying to solve an unsolvable problem of over-sold slopes with fake snow and higher pricing vs the still-here, uncrowded Indies indexing for reliability, affordability, and uniqueness. There's value in slowing things down, taking in stunning vistas, and paying a lot less to experience a lot more. See beyond trail counts and lift speed and you'll find an entire world of better skiing by generations of family-owned resorts beholden to a different master: your enjoyment, not corporate's bottom line.

    The farmhouse rental and ski repair shop which is the sugarbush ski service shop did a great job…read morewax and tuning the edges on my skis. I felt as though I had a new pair of skis after they worked their magic (took about a half hour in the morning). The grooming of the slopes and the friendly lift operators and mountain representatives were also great when I visited the mountain yesterday. The Ted's beef chilli stew topped with cheese and Jalapenos was a great lunch.

    Photos
    Sugarbush Resort
    Sugarbush Resort - Heaven's Gate

    Heaven's Gate

    Sugarbush Resort - Summit

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    Summit

    Jay Peak Resort

    Jay Peak Resort

    3.3(246 reviews)
    31.3 mi
    $$$

    Skiing at Jay's was an experience. The groomers were all…read morepretty rough, with barely any parts actually groomed. Did not enjoy any of them at all. The top half of the mountain was all just a tiny powder on top of ice . The ice gets shaved throughout the day to build up the powder that then gets slapped into something akin to moguls throughout the slopes. Talking to people on the lifts made it very clear that the focus of skiing here is on the glades and not the groomers. Unfortunately my lack of experience made it rather tough to enjoy that. It also wasn't until midday on our second day that we finally discovered some more beginner friendly glades. We ended up being able to enjoy the moons and the bushwacker path. The layout of the lodge is also strange. It feels cramped and crowded even though there werent too many people there. All the lifts feel far too slow as well. A wind cover at the least would be highly appreciated considering how long the ride up is. The misc Ramen truck is a highlight. Delicious lunch option. Truely a gift. Would recommend.

    Another great ski trip in the books! It was my first time to Jay Peak and it was wonderful. They…read morehad a nice variety of terrain, tons of on site lodging options and non skiing family friendly activities. Overall, the terrain was a little more advanced but had a few short trails for beginners. Several long blue runs and a few groomed black runs in addition to many more difficult mogul black runs. Lots of glades areas if that is your cup of tea. The resort was big enough that you had plenty to explore for a few days and also if you went with a group it wasn't so huge that it was impossible to meet up or find friends if you took an accidental detour. We opted for a package and it was reasonable. We chose to stay at the golf cottages which were perfect for our group, and could get around the resort with their shuttle system. There was a movie theater, bowling alley, climbing wall, mini golf as well as general store, bars and restaurants on site. If you buy a package some of the activities might be included in your price. If you want to eat off site there are a few restaurants about 15 minutes away. It was nice that they had so many things to do because this resort is in a pretty remote area and there isn't a ton around in the near vicinity.

    Photos
    Jay Peak Resort - 2/15/25

    2/15/25

    Jay Peak Resort - Jay Peak

    Jay Peak

    Jay Peak Resort - 2/15/25

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    2/15/25

    Middlebury Snowbowl

    Middlebury Snowbowl

    4.4(14 reviews)
    41.7 mi

    What skiing and boarding used to be...., before hedge funds and satanic corporations bent on…read moreextracting every penny from the public went on acquiring the vast majority of ski areas. Middlebury still has the mojo. It still has the customer service. It still has the small town ambiance. Still a place where kids can get dropped off by mom and dad to have fun. We came here through Indy Pass, the multi-resort pass that honors and supports independent ski areas. What a joy We got here and it was evident we were going to have a great time. No crowds. The customer service people were just super. A couple of skiers gave us points on where to go. The place has glades galore. A couple of the best runs can be pushers and so is the top transition between the two mountain side terrains. Other than one or the main runs used for racing and therefore groomed accordingly from top to bottom, some of the rest were groomed but still leaving plenty of room for ungroomed runs and natural skiing. We got there at 9:30 and had freshies and powder to suit us. Their cafeteria is small but plenty for the place. Truly a congenial and old school ski area. May it multiply to bring the best experience to every skier and rider.

    Wowwww. I loved this lil mountain. One of the last remaining holdouts that hasn't been usurped by…read moreevil-company-that-shall-not-be-named, & you can literally feel it in the air when you get there. The vibes are so good. I can't even remember the last time I got a hand-written lift ticket - I laughed out loud when I got mine! It was only $55 for a half day which was 1 PM to 4 PM. That would be like one bazillion dollars if it was run by evil-company-that-shall-not-be-named. A pass for an ENTIRE day (9 AM to 9 PM) is $75 on non-peak days & $85 on peak days. That would be like fifteen bazillion dollars if it was run by evil-company-that-shall-not-be-named. I went to Middlebury Snowbowl with two friends, both of whom needed to rent gear. The attendants in the rental shop were super friendly & fun to converse with, & my friends were both geared up (snowboard & skis respectively) for a sensible $50, helmet included. It was time for me to put my teaching chops to the test, so we tackled the bunny hill first. It was equipped with a magic carpet thingamajig & had the perfect amount of slope for beginners - Not too flat so that you have to scootch uncomfortably to get any speed, & not too steep that it's intimidating for a newbie. We made excellent progress! My BFF/student was ready to tackle the chairlift, so that's where we went next. We asked the liftie if he could slow the lift down, since it was my friend's very first time riding a chairlift - & on a snowboard, which is even scarier! He gave us an evil grin, reminding me of Scar from the Lion King, & I swear he SPED the chairlift up. No matter. We made it work. So we took the Sheehan Chair up & the Lang Trail down. The best conditions I've ever seen? Absolutely not. Still very much enjoyable? Absolutely. After our tired & very accomplished newbie retired to the lodge, my skier friend & I explored the other side of the mountain using the Worth Mtn. Chair. Not as good! Many ice patches! Many flat spots! I even had to unstrap & basically ice skate across a flat sheet of frozen terrain at one point. We went back to the original side of the mountain & ran Lang & Kelton a few times to cleanse our palettes. We retired just before 4 PM, feeling incredibly satisfied & like our money was well spent. The whole experience honestly made me a bit emotional. Bear with me here. For me & so many other people, snowboarding has become almost inaccessible. I started at Yawgoo Valley (shout out Yawgoons) in 2011 on borrowed gear & a dream. For years after, I just made it work. I slept on couches, took 5 AM busses, saved up my paychecks to buy season passes, waited in line for Burton warehouse sales, rocked FLOW BINDINGS (ew) until they snapped, & generally just lived the snowboard bum lifestyle. I snowboarded, like really snowboarded, all the time. That's basically impossible now. It's not ONLY the fault of evil-company-that-shall-not-be-named, it's also the fault of the commodification of the entire industry, with a generous sprinkle of isms. That's why the SPARK is gone. That's why it costs more & not only do you GET less, you FEEL less. When an industry defined by "bum culture" is now financially, logistically, & socially impossible for bums to partake, what happens? It becomes a ghost of what it once was. If you've made it this far in my review/rant/diary entry, I commend you. Thanks for coming along for the ride. Shoutout Middlebury Snowbowl, I will definitely be coming back.

    Photos
    Middlebury Snowbowl
    Middlebury Snowbowl - Hand written lift ticket!

    Hand written lift ticket!

    Middlebury Snowbowl

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    The Lodge at Spruce Peak - skiresorts - Updated July 2026

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