While it's still a beautiful property, the staff seems slow to update. The wood stoves in the main living area are now 40 years old, in need of repair/replacement, wallpaper and paint are peeling in MB, etc, little/no handicapped accommodations. Now you can't check in until 4 PM, effectively reducing your "week" from 7 days to 6, all while raising yearly cost. You're now paying more for less.
The entire property, except The Villa's (which BTW, are owned and operated independent of TFL) appears to have not been updated since the 80s, yet they're charging prices of today. The rooms are old and extremely dated. There are no king-sized beds! 5 star?? The carpets are tired and worn..pitted from fireplace embers, threads peeling around thresholds, stains around the main entryway, etc. The wooden steps to our guest house are cracked, uneven, not up to Code(!) and have become a hazard. The exterior stain on them as well as on the railings is either gone or badly peeling. Your hands will receive wooden splinters if you don'e exercise caution! I dare say they haven't seen any love since they were built.
The furniture! Sofas have torn piping, the living room chair has broken springs as if it were used as a trampoline, that emit a loud BANG every time you sit down. Does anyone ever take note of these things, and inspect them?! The quality of firewood has deteriorated. The woodsheds were always full of perfectly sized oak and maple. This year, they are massive chunks of beech, that are too big to burn and too heavy to tote up to the room. They now require you to complete a pre-arrival agreement/checklist..asking for your car make, year, model, plate#, etc, among other things..just about every personal piece of information about you and who's arriving, except your SS#.
On a positive note, internet connecting has been markedly improved..it used to be atrocious until 2023.
Trapp's was my parent's favorite place. I have tried to keep that tradition going with my family. Sadly, the experience is not the same. We have seen little change. The entire property is dangerously close to being labeled "run down" on some social media sites. Their own newsletter of March, 2024, includes "A Letter From The Board of Directors" in which I quote "We are hearing loud and clear that we need to replace the sofas, chairs, wallpaper, and put a king-sized bed in the master bedroom." Talk's cheap; actions speak louder than words is most appropriate here! Why have the principals procrastinated to such a point that the situation has become so dire?
For us, it's becoming less of a good experience and value. Consequently, we are contemplating selling our week 6, one of THE most prime weeks of all. My parents were original Guest House owners in 1986. The place was new, impressive, affordable, quality built, with nice furnishings. We along with them looked forward to returning, and did so for many years. Times have changed and in our opinion, Johannes, Sam, Treg, Christina, now Walter, & the Board of Directors have not managed the property intelligently. The turnover rate among staff is inordinately high. They once had a marvelous Executive Chef named "Cody" who left after 2 years. They have been behind the curve resisting change, late to modernize, upgrade, make accommodations for the handicapped, etc. Unfortunately, this is an opinion held by many, including some of our long established Trapp owners/patronizers who have since sold their timeshares. The place looks tired and worn...caulking around the showers shows mold(!), the sofas in the living have torn cushions, radiator covers are dented and smashed, the fireplace inserts are original, outdated, and warped. Walkways are unkept, steps are original and in hazardous condition, outdoor wooden bannisters are rotted at their bases, etc. inviting lawsuits..not if, but when. The quality of firewood was downgraded dramatically about 5 years ago, (ostensibly to save money), and is now nearly junk. Promises heard in shareholders meetings for the past 5-7 years have been routinely broken or mysteriously abandoned. (I'm happy to give examples) In essence, the owners have become viewed with increasing insincerity by our friends...trading on the family notoriety of the 1960's, in lieu of shareholder's wishes, while ignoring deteriorating physical conditions, modern renovations, and popular conveniences. They've bitten the hands that feed them! Sadly, what was once rated a 5-Star resort is now downgraded to 3.6 on Yelp, and appears to be routinely falling.
Now we find ourselves paying more than twice the Annual Fee my parents incurred in 1986, PLUS a recently enacted $350 "Special Assessment" annually for the next three years for diminishing returns! It is no longer a promising investment. While we may return, (we'd take a loss if we sold) we can no longer recommend it. There are now considerably better choices in Stowe, and across the nation. We are genuinely sad.. read more