# Smuggler's Notch unit - Sycamores with early check out or Birches



## janna (Jan 9, 2008)

Hi,
We're going to Smuggler's Notch the week of Feb 2nd. We have a 2B at Birches in Village East. We have a 5 year boy and also have some single friends that going and thought that unit looked a bit small so I called to see if we could get a larger 2BR unit. We were checking out a day earlier already, on Friday night - flights back to Raleigh at around 5pm so we could take our time the last day and not be rushed out. Well they have a 2BR we could move to in Sycamores if we wanted to switch but we have to be out by 10am on Friday as the "President's week" crowd is starting that Friday and they need that unit.
Any opinions on if it's worth losing 4 hours on Friday morning/afternoon and moving the larger Sycamores unit or are there more advantages to being right in the village. I do like also that you can ski out of Sycamores. We'll have our son in ski school for 3 days as well.  I've got to let them know tomorrow if we want to take advantage of the move.
Also, on another note - I am so confused about options for lift tickets and things around the resort? Are we gaining much by taking the family package at $179?  thanks - janna


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## helenbarnett1963 (Jan 10, 2008)

I'm sure other Smuggs owners will chime in as well, but here goes...

both units are in great locations - have you seen the resort layout map on smuggs.com?
birches is closer to the village so is easy to walk to everything. sycamores you can also walk to/from but is via the ski trails, so its easier to take the resort shuttle (we use it all the time - you just phone and it comes to pick you up straight away and takes you anywhere in the resort)

sycamores should be ski in/out in Feb, but if the Magic Learning Trail is closed you may need to walk across to the Morse Lift Line before you put on yuor skis.
For your sons camp, he can ustilise the camp pick-up at Sycamores, but on his first day I would recommend you go to the main meeting point in the village so you can meet his instructor.

We own on the North Hill so are used to taking the shuttle down to the village when we are dressed for skiing, though we tend to walk down and shuttle back up in the evenings.  We have stayed in the Village itself twice and liked the convenience, but have never stayed in Sycamores.  To be honest, I don't think lcoation really makes much difference - I would go with the bigger unit.

If you do switch to Sycamores you can ask for a 'late check out' up to 11 or 12 o'clock - depending on the housekeeping schedule you may be lucky - especially as you have a young child.   Once you do leave your unit you can ask Smuggs to move your luggage to somewhere for the day - will usually be the Nordland Library.  Its not securely stored, but we've never had a problem doing this.  You can then ski/swim/chill until you need to leave.  You can change either in the library or the swimming pool changing rooms into your travelling clothes.

Don't worry about getting confused, we've been going for 6 years and still get confused by the website.  It all seems so much easier once you are there! and the people on the Guest Services desk are very helpful.

You will need to pay the $179 (one payment covers all of you for the week) to be able to use many resort facilities.  I have seen them check peoples passes at the Fun Zone sometimes.    You will get all/most of this cost back on the various discounts you get on lift tickets/lessons/rentals.

For your son, the cheapest option for him for camp will be the "Family Fest", which includes camp, equipment rental, helmet and the FunFeast.  If you have booked normal camp you can easily swap when you check in.


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## helenbarnett1963 (Jan 10, 2008)

*presidents week?*

just noticed you said you were at smuggs week starting Feb 2nd.  In that case, you will be leaving well before Presidents Week won't you?  I thought Presidents Day is 18th Feb (I may be wrong, I'm from the UK!) so Presidents Week (when Smuggs is very crowded) will be the week starting Friday 15th...... so you should not have a problem asking for a late checkout on Fri 8th.

We are also at Smuggs from 2nd (arriving very late at night!) to 15th Feb.  We are staying in Kestrels 4 this year, so please give us a call if you need any help with understanding anythign once you arrive

Helen


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## helenbarnett1963 (Jan 10, 2008)

sorry, me again!
lift ticket pricing etc is really much simpler than it looks on smuggs.com

if your son is in camp, his camp ticket covers him even if he skis with you after camp, but he would need a seperate ticket for days he's not in camp.

unless you are intermediate/advanced skiers you will problably only need a 'Morse only' lift ticket. 

you are best to get your ski equipment the evening before you plan to start skiing (saves a panic in the morning) and to keep it for the entire week, but you can get a refund if you take it back early

camp/lessons can be booked each day as and when you need them, and cancelled up to an hour before the activity starts for a full refund.

lift tickets, you get a discount for buying 'consecutive days' and there is no refund allowed for unused days, so you need to decide if you want the discount or to just buy tickets the days you want to ski.

just remember to keep a record of everything you book or cancel and of payments and refunds, then get a full print out of your 'account' the day before you check out and check it carefully.  Smuggs computer system has many quirks, and all the staff seem to use it differently!

one final thing - wear a helmet!  smuggs like all kids to have one in camp, and the kids are more willing to wear one if you do.   And they really do keep yuor head warm!


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## IreneLF (Jan 10, 2008)

I'm a little confused about what you've reported/were told.

President's Week - president's day is Mon the 18th.

Checkins for  Smugglers units are  Fri/ Sat/ Sun, depending on the building,  or what would be  the 15th through 18th for that prime week.
You're up the week before.

The other thing - Sycamores is a Sunday checkin, I'm surprised they are telling you it would have to be vacated early on a Friday....
Birches is a Saturday building.
BTW, the second BR is VERY small. might not work depending on how many people you plan to have in the unit.


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## janna (Jan 10, 2008)

thanks for the help!  Sorry, I'm ahead on my weeks. The woman said it was very busy due to groups, not President's week and she did say it was very unusual to have the Sycamores unit available to check in on Saturday. I think we'll take it and try to get a little later check out at 11. She also said that Tamaracks was available in North Hill but she thought we'd be better suited to Sycamores or Birches since we have a 5 year old. 
Helen, thanks for the offer - I may try and call, we're getting in late on the 2nd as well. I'm a pretty advanced skier but my husband and I are planning on taking snowboarding lessons on Tuesday and practicing on Morse. If it goes well, we'll stay on Morse and keep practicing. If I don't make any progress, I'll go back to skis on Wednesday!


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## charford (Jan 10, 2008)

It's true that Sycamores is usually a Sunday check-in. However, this could be a Smuggs-owned Sycamores unit, in which case, they would have the flexibility to change the check-in date. 

I've owned both in Sycamores and North Hill.  Unless the 5 year old skis well enough to use the ski-in, ski-out convenience of Sycamores, I would choose North Hill for the indoor pool and waterpark at North Hill which are only available to North Hill guests. The Sycamores pool is outdoors. It's heated in the winter, if you like swimming outdoors in February!


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## helenbarnett1963 (Jan 11, 2008)

*Go for the Tamaracks!*



janna said:


> She also said that Tamaracks was available in North Hill but she thought we'd be better suited to Sycamores or Birches since we have a 5 year old.



If you've been offered a Tamaracks unit, then you really should take it! They are even bigger, nicer and newer than Sycamores, and as Kathy said that would give you access to the North Hill Pool which is fantastic for little kids.  The first year it opened my son was 5 and he spent pretty much every evening of our 2 weeks playing in the 'waterpark'. 

Also, not sure where on the North Hill you would be, but we own in the lowest Tamaracks building and its only 2 minutes walk down the path to the Fun Zone (somewhere else your son will want to spend a lot of time!).  If you are in one of the higher-up Tamaracks buildings you may need to take the shuttle, but thats no problem.

Don't know why you were told Sycamores or Birches would be best - with a 5 year old you would possibly be taking the shuttle most places anyway, rather than walking, so being close to the village centre is not that much of an advantage.


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## janna (Jan 11, 2008)

hmmm, I've already taken the Sycamores unit but I'm thinking of calling back and checking if they still have the Tamarack unit available. That sounds pretty nice if they still have the patience to deal with me again 
Anyone know if owner services is open on Saturday?


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