Balsams Wilderness

[Smellytele]

$1300 is a lot of scratch, but it's not as much as you'd pay for ski/dine and stay at other luxury properties in New England. Mount Washington Hotel is $760 per night and doesn't include the skiing.


Room 1 Adults: 2 Children: 0
New Years Eve Celebration Package from $759.00 / night [ + ]
Package Includes:
Luxurious accommodations, dinner each night (except New Years Eve) in the hotel's restaurant, breakfast each morning in the hotel's restaurant and admission to guest's choice of a New Years' Eve Celebration party, which includes dinner.

Hence why I stay home during holidays

 

[Black Phantom]

Hence why I stay home during holidays

You don't ski? NY's day is a great time to ski. Usually one of the quietest of the season. Unless it is bitter cold, a great time to get first chair.

I find the vacation weeks to be rather calm actually. The blackouts are gone from the hill.

NYE is amateur night. Great day of the year to stay sober. 8)

 

[billski]

You don't ski? NY's day is a great time to ski. Usually one of the quietest of the season. Unless it is bitter cold, a great time to get first chair.

I find the vacation weeks to be rather calm actually. The blackouts are gone from the hill.

NYE is amateur night. Great day of the year to stay sober. 8)

on NYD I find the lifts all to myself in the morning. Those with hangovers tend to show up from noon and ski like DUI till about 2pm (good time for a break), then I have the place to myself.

 

[midd]

Based on my last visit, I'd have a tough time calling the Balsams a true luxury property.

Nicest thing I can say about the room is that it was spartan. Dinner one of the two nights was a buffet with too many crappy reheated pasta dishes/casseroles.

Skiing was great though, but mainly due to a lack of crowds and untouched pow a few days after a storm.

 

[Smellytele]

You don't ski? NY's day is a great time to ski. Usually one of the quietest of the season. Unless it is bitter cold, a great time to get first chair.

I find the vacation weeks to be rather calm actually. The blackouts are gone from the hill.

NYE is amateur night. Great day of the year to stay sober. 8)

It matters if there is good snow I will ski. This year I will wait until Monday most likely to ski. May take a few runs at the local hill on NYD.

Places to stay during holidays are just usually too expensive for my taste and most ski discounts can't be used then. This year my family trip is planned for midweek end of FEB into March. Parts of NH has vaca that week unlike the rest of the east which has President's week off.

Guys weekend this year will be St Patty's weekend

 

[SIKSKIER]

This is terrible logic top to bottom.

Yes it is expensive and no I don't think I'll be going but to call it $1300 for 2 days of skiing Balsams terrain is selling it well short.

Call it what you want.I'll take my logic anyday than to drop $1300 for a two day experience.

 

[Smellytele]

Call it what you want.I'll take my logic anyday than to drop $1300 for an experience.

+1

 

[Black Phantom]

Occupy The Balsam's!!!!

 

[billski]

They don't call me smelly for nothing I am not that high end.

A picture tells all! :lol:

 

[AdironRider]

Call it what you want.I'll take my logic anyday than to drop $1300 for a two day experience.

You sound like somone with a jealous streak.

Different strokes for different folks. For the couple that likes to ski but isnt die hard, the Balsams is a great experience.

Ive got a taste for the finer things in life, and 1300 is cheap for a luxury vacation all inclusive. This isnt the Best Western (and its probably not 4 Michelin stars or AAA 5 diamond either) but it is a very nice place with that old world charm.

For someone like you who slaves away in a kitchen to ski all winter, not so much. Nothing wrong with either (and Id take your route as well if I didnt get free nights at any Four Seasons worldwide). That being said, having sampled the luxury travel set its pretty hard to go back to staying in dives with odd stains on the carpet. But thats just me.

 

[soposkier]

You sound like somone with a jealous streak.

Different strokes for different folks. For the couple that likes to ski but isnt die hard, the Balsams is a great experience.

Ive got a taste for the finer things in life, and 1300 is cheap for a luxury vacation all inclusive. This isnt the Best Western (and its probably not 4 Michelin stars or AAA 5 diamond either) but it is a very nice place with that old world charm.

For someone like you who slaves away in a kitchen to ski all winter, not so much. Nothing wrong with either (and Id take your route as well if I didnt get free nights at any Four Seasons worldwide). That being said, having sampled the luxury travel set its pretty hard to go back to staying in dives with odd stains on the carpet. But thats just me.

Not hammering your style or anything, everyone has there own price levels, but do you consider two nights really a luxury "vacation"? Maybe a quick weekend getaway would be the more correct terms.

 

[AdironRider]

Yeah, for a desitnation like that. I work in hospitality so I tend to just generalize terms. If it was a joint down the street not so much.

 

[Cannonball]

and men are required to wear jackets in the dining room
though ties are optional
so it would be about 1316 for two nights

The money sounds reasonable. But a jacket requirement.... I'm out.

 

[snoseek]

The place needs updating IMO. I have seen and stayed in several of the rooms-they desperately need updating. The food and the activities are the draw for sure. I hope the culnary school stays a main focus here, its a key role in transforming young cooks into chefs. I hope whoever signs up for this returns the hotel to its former glory. Not gonna be cheap!

 

[AdironRider]

The place needs updating IMO. I have seen and stayed in several of the rooms-they desperately need updating. The food and the activities are the draw for sure. I hope the culnary school stays a main focus here, its a key role in transforming young cooks into chefs. I hope whoever signs up for this returns the hotel to its former glory. Not gonna be cheap!

This is more just my opinion, but having worked in this industry, theres been a huge wash of updating done recently and pretty much all hotels now look exactly the same, and IMO are going to look super dated in 10 years time (kinda like 70's kitchens and bathrooms now).

Not saying the Balsams doesnt need to be updated either, I just hope they dont ruin the character in the process.

Did the Ocean Properties deal ever go through, or are they working with a different company now?

 

[snoseek]

This is more just my opinion, but having worked in this industry, theres been a huge wash of updating done recently and pretty much all hotels now look exactly the same, and IMO are going to look super dated in 10 years time (kinda like 70's kitchens and bathrooms now).

Not saying the Balsams doesnt need to be updated either, I just hope they dont ruin the character in the process.

Did the Ocean Properties deal ever go through, or are they working with a different company now?

I don't follow it really but maybe someone can post some info.

I hear you on the updating-a fine balance between tradition and modernizing. A great deal of the guest are returning year after year. That is their bread and butter and they would be foolish to write that off, especially in Dixville Notch. There is room for improvment at the ski area also. They get the snow but the acerage is small. The hiking, biking, fishing ect.....are just amazing!

 

[bigbog]

The money sounds reasonable. But a jacket requirement.... I'm out.

Agreed, that IS pushing the showboat-thing a little....

 

[deadheadskier]

You sound like somone with a jealous streak.

Different strokes for different folks. For the couple that likes to ski but isnt die hard, the Balsams is a great experience.

Ive got a taste for the finer things in life, and 1300 is cheap for a luxury vacation all inclusive. This isnt the Best Western (and its probably not 4 Michelin stars or AAA 5 diamond either) but it is a very nice place with that old world charm.

For someone like you who slaves away in a kitchen to ski all winter, not so much. Nothing wrong with either (and Id take your route as well if I didnt get free nights at any Four Seasons worldwide). That being said, having sampled the luxury travel set its pretty hard to go back to staying in dives with odd stains on the carpet. But thats just me.

I hear where you're coming from; however, when's the last time you went to the Balsams? It's pretty run down these days. It also looks like they have the same chef that I met two years ago. He would've been great in 1985. In 2011? not so much.

Scroll down to look at the menu and tell me I'm wrong

http://thebalsams.com/dining_room

 

[deadheadskier]

This is more just my opinion, but having worked in this industry, theres been a huge wash of updating done recently and pretty much all hotels now look exactly the same, and IMO are going to look super dated in 10 years time (kinda like 70's kitchens and bathrooms now).

Not saying the Balsams doesnt need to be updated either, I just hope they dont ruin the character in the process.

Did the Ocean Properties deal ever go through, or are they working with a different company now?

Ocean Properties deal fell through, which is a shame. They're real pros at rehabbing historic properties. Though they do eff up the dining at some of them. Ruined the fine dining restaurant at the Sagamore on Lake George and turned it into a family Italian American restaurant because they could make better profits at it. As you know, all about the Benjamin in the hotel business, even with your organization. Hell, the Four Seasons turned Aujourd’hui into a freaking banquet room when it was in the conversation for best fine dining restaurant in Boston for many years.


After that deal fell through, the Balsams was sold last I heard/read to a group of investors from Maine. Here's what a quick google turned up.

http://www.berlindailysun.com/node/87168/18661

 

[Smellytele]

Ocean Properties deal fell through, which is a shame. They're real pros at rehabbing historic properties. Though they do eff up the dining at some of them. Ruined the fine dining restaurant at the Sagamore on Lake George and turned it into a family Italian American restaurant because they could make better profits at it. As you know, all about the Benjamin in the hotel business, even with your organization. Hell, the Four Seasons turned Aujourd’hui into a freaking banquet room when it was in the conversation for best fine dining restaurant in Boston for many years.


After that deal fell through, the Balsams was sold last I heard/read to a group of investors from Maine. Here's what a quick google turned up.

http://www.berlindailysun.com/node/87168/18661

I thought the Maine investors fell through as well...