March 25, 2012
Prime location plus more
Southern Vermont inn puts skiers on slopes
by Tony Chamberlain/
The Inn at Mount Snow offers skiers both easy access to the slopes and a comfortable environment to curl up. (photo: Inn at Mount Snow)
Southern Vermont has long been a vortex for skiers traveling from New York and Boston, and those heading west from the Boston area. So Mount Snow is one of the venerable areas, built in the early days of skiing, and one of the standards of the industry.
Vacation lodging also is at its finest here, and among the great spots to stay close to the slopes, the Inn at Mount Snow at the base of the mountain in West Dover is one of the best.
The inn recently has renovated its 14 guest rooms so near the mountain that visitors have the impression that they’re living slopeside. And though it’s more than a walk to the lift — as with slopeside lodging — the effort is not much more. The free bus service, MOOver, will get you to the lift in less than five minutes with just one stop between the inn and the lifts.
Actually, the inn is close enough to the mountain for walking access, too.
One visit, the weather was too bad to get out, as we usually do, for the first run. We found the inn a wonderful place to curl up and read by the fireplace in the living room. From this exposure, the slopes of Mount Snow loom close.
All the rooms have new bedding this season with thick towels, and are equipped with cable TV (more than 70 channels) and WiFi.
The inn serves a fabulous country breakfast, from eggs to Belgian waffles, bacon, sausage and all the fixings. At midday, there’s also a pot of homemade soup available.
Most lodging this close to the slopes is, of course, the most expensive in ski country. But the Inn at Mount Snow is extremely reasonable, starting at $129 to $159 for a standard room up to $329 for a holiday rate at a Mountain View Suite with a fireplace.
While alpine skiing is the major winter draw, southern Vermont also offers cross-country skiing, snowmobile rides, dogsledding, snow-tubing and lots of nearby shopping.
We’ve stayed here with a couple who are into antiquing, and who assure us that this region with its historic farmhouses and barns is prime territory for searching for hidden treasures.
The inn’s owners emphasize their commitment to the environment, making sure that the Green Mountains fulfill the name of the state’s famed mountain chain.
“It is our policy to seek improvements throughout our business operations to lessen our impact on the local and global environment by conserving energy, water, and other natural resources; reducing waste generation; recycling and purchasing recycled products; and reducing our use of toxic materials,” the inn proclaims on its website. “We are committed to pollution prevention, continual improvement and meeting or exceeding all environmental regulatory requirements.”
For adventurous skiers and snowboarders, the Inn at Mount Snow sits at the gateway to the Green Mountain National Forest and the famed Route 100 that stretches north into dozens of ski areas to try out.
The inn also is a short drive to Interstate 91, the north/south highway that makes Southern Vermont a most accessible spot in the heart of serious ski country.
The Inn at Mount Snow
401 Route 100
Mount Snow, VT 05356
1-866-587-SNOW | 1-802-464-8388
www.theinnatmountsnow.com
info@theinnatmountsnow.com
Rooms
Fourteen rooms ranging from standard (at $129 daily) to fireplaced, mountain-view rooms (at $249) to suites (starting at $259).
Amenities
Winter sports range from alpine and nordic skiing to tubing, snow-shoeing, snowmobiling and dogsledding. Winter climbing and hiking also are favorite activities.
Bottom line
The Inn at Mount Snow is one of the very best values in the heart of serious ski country, an inn that comes as close to slope-side lodging as possible for very reasonable prices.
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2012 issue of New England Ski Journal.
Tony Chamberlain can be reached at editor@skijournal.com
