SamH
TUG Member
We are staying at Smugglers Notch in Vermont (where we own and visit a few times each year) and took a quick look at the HCC property in Stowe. Even though Stowe is a short drive from Smuggs during the summer (the drive through the notch is closed during the winter), we rarely drive to the other side of the mountain to visit Stowe so it was good to remind us what they have there.
The townhouse is part of the Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa complex. The Spa is highly rated nationally. We (my wife and I) are not spa users so it was funny when we tried to identify some of the treatments they provide. Other guests at Smuggs have said good things about the Spa.
This was our first look at an HCC property as our membership starts in 2008 (we can't wait to go to Copper Mountain this February). The property is very nice. It is two stories. There is a one bedroom suite on the first floor that can be locked off the rest of the unit. The bedroom had a king size bed. The lock-off area had its own living room and there was a microwave and mini refrigerator in the hallway. It was very nice and would be ideal if you were travelling with a couple who wanted a little bit of privacy (we could lock ourselves in and let the kids have the rest of the house). The furniture in this area and the rest of the townhouse was very nice and upscale.
There was also a nice size kitchen with all the amenities on the first floor. It had stainless steel appliances and granite countertop, as well as a fully loaded spice rack and a supply of coffee and tea. The whole kitchen, dining room and living room were very open.
There were two bedrooms upstairs, including the master. There was a whirlpool tub in the master bath (and one in the full bathroom downstairs). These tubs would fit one of us (or one of me with no additional capacity). The second bedroom had two queen beds.
The resort has some tennis courts, a 9 hole 3 par golf course (which is too close to the townhouses for my taste), an indoor pool and an outdoor pool. We didn't look at these so we can't say how large or nice they are. Looking at the map, the resort is next door to the Stowe Country Club.
The townhouse was nicer than any timeshare we have visited, including Smuggs, HGVC at Seaworld, Lake Condominiums at Big Sky, etc. It is on par with the two Registry Collection trades we've made. We have stayed in a 4 bedroom unit at Hearthstone in McCall, Idaho and a 3 bedroom unit at Dye Villas in North Myrtle Beach.
Stowe has many things to offer, including many excellent restaurants, some of which are within walking distance of the HCC property. Main Street in Stowe is about a five minute drive from the resort and skiing should be less than ten minutes away from the resort in the other direction. If the skiing at Stowe is similar to the skiing at Smuggs, the trails are icier and narrower than the trails out West but still very good.
During the summer, there is a farmers market across the street from the resort on Sundays. The resort also hosts an annual ballon festival (July 6-8 this year). Stowe also has a few things to do, including an alpine slide, a great bike path the passes by the resort, great hiking and a gondola ride that goes to the top (or near the top) of Mount Mansfield, which is the tallest mountain in Vermont. There are lots of other things to do in the area (and in Burlington), including visiting Ben & Jerrys plant, watching minor league baseball, sailing in Lake Champlain, visitng Shelburne Farms or the Shelburne Musuem.
We will probably spend some time at the Stowe location at the end or beginning of one our Smuggs trip.
Sam
The townhouse is part of the Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa complex. The Spa is highly rated nationally. We (my wife and I) are not spa users so it was funny when we tried to identify some of the treatments they provide. Other guests at Smuggs have said good things about the Spa.
This was our first look at an HCC property as our membership starts in 2008 (we can't wait to go to Copper Mountain this February). The property is very nice. It is two stories. There is a one bedroom suite on the first floor that can be locked off the rest of the unit. The bedroom had a king size bed. The lock-off area had its own living room and there was a microwave and mini refrigerator in the hallway. It was very nice and would be ideal if you were travelling with a couple who wanted a little bit of privacy (we could lock ourselves in and let the kids have the rest of the house). The furniture in this area and the rest of the townhouse was very nice and upscale.
There was also a nice size kitchen with all the amenities on the first floor. It had stainless steel appliances and granite countertop, as well as a fully loaded spice rack and a supply of coffee and tea. The whole kitchen, dining room and living room were very open.
There were two bedrooms upstairs, including the master. There was a whirlpool tub in the master bath (and one in the full bathroom downstairs). These tubs would fit one of us (or one of me with no additional capacity). The second bedroom had two queen beds.
The resort has some tennis courts, a 9 hole 3 par golf course (which is too close to the townhouses for my taste), an indoor pool and an outdoor pool. We didn't look at these so we can't say how large or nice they are. Looking at the map, the resort is next door to the Stowe Country Club.
The townhouse was nicer than any timeshare we have visited, including Smuggs, HGVC at Seaworld, Lake Condominiums at Big Sky, etc. It is on par with the two Registry Collection trades we've made. We have stayed in a 4 bedroom unit at Hearthstone in McCall, Idaho and a 3 bedroom unit at Dye Villas in North Myrtle Beach.
Stowe has many things to offer, including many excellent restaurants, some of which are within walking distance of the HCC property. Main Street in Stowe is about a five minute drive from the resort and skiing should be less than ten minutes away from the resort in the other direction. If the skiing at Stowe is similar to the skiing at Smuggs, the trails are icier and narrower than the trails out West but still very good.
During the summer, there is a farmers market across the street from the resort on Sundays. The resort also hosts an annual ballon festival (July 6-8 this year). Stowe also has a few things to do, including an alpine slide, a great bike path the passes by the resort, great hiking and a gondola ride that goes to the top (or near the top) of Mount Mansfield, which is the tallest mountain in Vermont. There are lots of other things to do in the area (and in Burlington), including visiting Ben & Jerrys plant, watching minor league baseball, sailing in Lake Champlain, visitng Shelburne Farms or the Shelburne Musuem.
We will probably spend some time at the Stowe location at the end or beginning of one our Smuggs trip.
Sam
