An Autumn Weekend at Vermont's Hermitage Club
Autumn is my favorite time of year in New England.
The crispness in the air and exploding colors of the woods always makes me smile as I soak up every moment of it before Old Man Winter decides to roll into town.
So when the invite came from The Hermitage Club to bring my family up and spend a media weekend with them I couldn't say no.
In full disclosure, once we drove ourselves up they took care of all other expenses for the weekend.
The Hermitage Club sits atop Haystack Mountain in the picturesque Deerfield Valley of Vermont.
Founder Jim Barnes had a vision of a luxury ski resort with no lift lines and a welcoming family friendly atmosphere. As he continues to build upon this vision, it seems he is well on the way to accomplishing it.
We arrived at The Vermont House where we'd be staying for the weekend.
It is one of several accommodation options owned by the Hermitage Club where members and guests can stay. Free shuttles are provided for the short ride from any of the Inns to the mountain in luxury Sprinter vans which are only a call away when you desire one.
The kids loved that they each had their own bedroom with bathroom, while I loved sitting on the balcony rocking away the minutes with my coffee.
Now, you need to understand that I'm not a skier myself, but members of my family love to ski and snowboard so they were a bit bummed that we were visiting when there was no snow on the ground.
But, we were happy to discover that there are year round activities there and that the promise of a four season resort were true.
The 80,000 square foot Clubhouse is the hub of everything at The Hermitage Club.
Walking in, I instantly noticed the massive wood beams and antler chandeliers. A four-sides mammoth fireplace sets the mood as you look over to the bar facing the mountain on one side and the beautiful view down the valley in the other.
We would eat several meals here and I'm happy to report that everyone from your pickiest child to the most selective of foodies will find something to enjoy. Dylan still raves about the french toast he had for breakfast.
Taking full advantage of the weekend, the girls and I scheduled massages at the spa. Emily loved her first one and thought about spending more of the weekend in their serenity room with a book as she found herself at peace there.
But, we had other plans that included riding up to the top of the mountain to see the work that was going on. The Hermitage Club is only just getting started and we got a sneak preview at their mid-mountain cabin that will be completed by the New Year.
Available to rent out for events or as the perfect stop to warm up as you go down the mountain, I can only imagine how beautiful it will be when they finish it. The views as you can see were outstanding.
They will also have a new, high speed, heated, six person barnstormer chairlift installed by this winter.
I found it interesting that not only are skiers allowed on the mountain, but during certain hours in the evening so are snowmobilers.
They are also installing a couple of yurts on the mountains where guests will be able to stay if they so choose so. I wonder how many people would think of snowshoeing up to them like I thought would be fun?
With 1,400 acres to play on there really are endless opportunities for everyone to find something to do. There were kids kayaking, plenty of people on the golf course, families taking nature hikes and they even had a supervised ATV area set up for the kids the weekend we were there.
After a great meal at The Hermitage Inn, we spotted numerous cross country trails in the woods. I imagine they get plenty of use once the snow arrives. Plus, the Inn is over 60% powered by solar energy which was an amazing fact to learn.
Even on our last night, as members arrived for an intimate concert by Train, the property never felt crowded. While we were not members, we felt welcomed and you could see all the friendships around us as members greeted each other and said hello to familiar staff. Talk about a bar where everyone knows your name! :)
Everything about The Hermitage Club screams luxury with New England friendliness.
The family and I had a beautiful weekend and enjoyed every minute of our time on site. As you can see from my photos, my camera had a great time as well. Full photo album here.
If you love skiing, but hate lift lines and the idea of your own private playground in the hills of Vermont sounds like heaven to you, check out all that The Hermitage Club has to offer.
