Stowe Opens its Luxury Hotel: The Capstone of the $400 Million Complex

[thetrailboss]

Just read this article from WCAX.

Comments?

 

[campgottagopee]

Comments?

Yup, I say good for them and hope to stay there sometime

 

[hardline]

i will probally stay there at least once this year when i bring a chicky with me. i normally do the stoweflake but this is on par. nice thing about the flake is we can walk to a few of the bars.

 

[billski]

Just read this article from WCAX.

Comments?

So my ski bud went over there for a look-see today. Got the Subi valet'ed, but probably felt a little self-conscience about it in his hiking boots :-?

He indicates the piece de la resistance is going to be the base lodge. He says it's looking mighty fine.

Now I'll wait for someone to valet my skis and hand me my poles and a $9.50 bottle of Poland Springs. Waiter?!!

 

[thetrailboss]

The new Lodge looked great last winter. Everything, well almost everything, in the building is from Vermont. But someone made a major no-no by using Brazil slate for the floor instead of Vermont slate (!)

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Good for Stowe..one day when I have more $$$...I hope to stay there but for now there are several reasonable lodging options in town.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Yup, it's a pretty impressive building. I was surprised to read that "The hotel says 90 percent of its clientele are first-time visitors to Vermont".

So in the last 5 years several first class lodging properties have been built. One thing you don't hear much about is that Vermont does not have an adequate labor pool of professional hospitality/lodging staffers. It's easier to bring in out of state experienced talent for the management positions but it's the frontline staff where there is the great divide.

Just got a new little point and shoot dig camera, the little bugger has 12mp, so I'll be heading up there next week to take some pics.

 

[Warp Daddy]

A big ole Yawn -------------Another Monument to Excess

 

[mlctvt]

it may be nice but extremely high prices!!

I just checked rates for Sept 11-12th when I'll be in the area and the prices ranged from
$459-1524 for Thursday night and 519-1704 for Friday night. These rates are PER NIGHT! and that's not even in Foliage time. Ridiculous!

 

[billski]

it may be nice but extremely high prices!!

I just checked rates for Sept 11-12th when I'll be in the area and the prices ranged from
$459-1524 for Thursday night and 519-1704 for Friday night. These rates are PER NIGHT! and that's not even in Foliage time. Ridiculous!

you mean
you're not
feeling
the love
???

I wonder if they charge extra to valet a Hummer....

 

[ski_resort_observer]

it may be nice but extremely high prices!!

I just checked rates for Sept 11-12th when I'll be in the area and the prices ranged from
$459-1524 for Thursday night and 519-1704 for Friday night. These rates are PER NIGHT! and that's not even in Foliage time. Ridiculous!

Perhaps you haven't checked the defination of upscale...:wink: One of the top upscale properties in the country...their words not mine. At those rates it's probably the 2nd most expensive place to stay in Vermont.
You don't even have to go outside to get on the lift over to Mansfield.

 

[mlctvt]

you mean
you're not
feeling
the love
???

I wonder if they charge extra to valet a Hummer....

Oh you mean I get to actually "feel" the love, like someone will be joining me in the room? Oh, is that why the rates are that high???
I see you also mention hummer.... :-o

 

[billski]

You don't even have to go outside to get on the lift over to Mansfield.

Hmm. Now you got me going. Wouldn't a transfer lift over to the 4-runner make more sense? No longer a need to hoof the hill. Oh, sorry, forgot. They want to get on the gondi and DINE at the top.:-o Now, where does skiing and boarding enter into all of this? Oh, silly me, that might be a little too much work.:-o I think I'll hire a ski caddy to hold my skis in line and put them onboard the gondi. James! James!

I am waiting for them to take the queue from American Airlines. VIP lift line, only $30 extra....

I think I'll just stick to the masfield lodge ghetto. At least I'll get bargain-priced burger for $6.50.... 8)

 

[skizoo]

There was a pretty long thread about the SML a couple months back..
http://forums.alpinezone.com/26839-stowe-mountain-lodge-rental-rates-insane.html

Let me say that I am in the demographic they are targeting, which also means I'm getting old..

But If you think the summer rates are high, check the winter rates..
I've stayed in a lot of upscale residences/hotels/condos at major resorts, and I still cannot fathom how they think $2000 per night for a 2 BR condo in low ski season is justifiable.

I'm not doubting the quality of what they have built, but just look around at other upscale lodging at other upscale resorts and what they offer is easily on a par with SML and in many cases at literally 1/2 the cost..

For 2K per night I can rent a 5000 square foot ski in/ski out luxury home in most upscale resorts..

we spent a good amount of time talking to their real estate folks when they started building SML, I didn't feel it was a good investment then and feel even more certain of that now..

It will be interesting to see how SML fares in the rental market.. Right now winter is wide open even xmas week..

They claim "We will be the preeminent luxury mountain experience in the United States" All I can say is they better be, but I've yet to see what they are offering that I can't equal elsewhere for far less money..

I've skied Stowe for over 30 years, and will continue to do so, but just because I can afford to stay at SML doesn't mean I will.

 

[Warp Daddy]

There was a pretty long thread about the SML a couple months back..
http://forums.alpinezone.com/26839-stowe-mountain-lodge-rental-rates-insane.html

Let me say that I am in the demographic they are targeting,
've skied Stowe for over 30 years, and will continue to do so, but just because I can afford to stay at SML doesn't mean I will.

Exactly the point that was made by several when this first was discussed a couple of months ago . Just because an indivual HAS the MEANS doesn't reglect that they are Foolish enough to buy the HYPE.

 

[awf170]

There was a pretty long thread about the SML a couple months back..
http://forums.alpinezone.com/26839-stowe-mountain-lodge-rental-rates-insane.html

Let me say that I am in the demographic they are targeting, which also means I'm getting old..

But If you think the summer rates are high, check the winter rates..
I've stayed in a lot of upscale residences/hotels/condos at major resorts, and I still cannot fathom how they think $2000 per night for a 2 BR condo in low ski season is justifiable.

I'm not doubting the quality of what they have built, but just look around at other upscale lodging at other upscale resorts and what they offer is easily on a par with SML and in many cases at literally 1/2 the cost..

For 2K per night I can rent a 5000 square foot ski in/ski out luxury home in most upscale resorts..

we spent a good amount of time talking to their real estate folks when they started building SML, I didn't feel it was a good investment then and feel even more certain of that now..

It will be interesting to see how SML fares in the rental market.. Right now winter is wide open even xmas week..

They claim "We will be the preeminent luxury mountain experience in the United States" All I can say is they better be, but I've yet to see what they are offering that I can't equal elsewhere for far less money..

I've skied Stowe for over 30 years, and will continue to do so, but just because I can afford to stay at SML doesn't mean I will.

Hopefully this hotel is the downfall of Stowe and they join NELSAP in a few years. Man that would be sweet.

(I know this would never happen, but I can dream, right?)

 

[deadheadskier]

At those rates it's probably the 2nd most expensive place to stay in Vermont.
.

Correct

Twin Farms is probably still the most expensive. They don't list their rates on the web page, but typically you're talking $900 - over 2G's. Granted Twin Farms is an all inclusive price with food, spa services, private ski hill, alcohol.

http://www.twinfarms.com/index.asp

 

[billski]

Hopefully this hotel is the downfall of Stowe and they join NELSAP in a few years. Man that would be sweet.

(I know this would never happen, but I can dream, right?)

No, no, no! :-o I still need the Mani Lifts. I'm getting too old/lazy for skinnin and Mani still has some of the best terrain in the east. Maybe what you mean is MMC? Now, if they want to turn the SML into a bunk house, I'm all ears

It will be several years before the verdict is in. The pocket$ are deep. You'll probably see a lot of "comps" this winter to woo in the rich. They could lose tens of millions each year and AIG wouldn't even notice, since they've got much bigger problems at hand right now (share price down 53% since 2007, 1st Quarter loss of 7.8 billion, charges of accounting improprieties, Chairman's head rolls. WSJ, 6/16/08 Page 1).

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Correct

Twin Farms is probably still the most expensive. They don't list their rates on the web page, but typically you're talking $900 - over 2G's. Granted Twin Farms is an all inclusive price with food, spa services, private ski hill, alcohol.

http://www.twinfarms.com/index.asp

Here are the rates....start at $1100 up to $2700/night. These rates are every night of the year.
http://www.besthotelsresorts.com/twinfarms.htm

 

[Vinny]

There was a pretty long thread about the SML a couple months back..
http://forums.alpinezone.com/26839-stowe-mountain-lodge-rental-rates-insane.html

Let me say that I am in the demographic they are targeting, which also means I'm getting old..

But If you think the summer rates are high, check the winter rates..
I've stayed in a lot of upscale residences/hotels/condos at major resorts, and I still cannot fathom how they think $2000 per night for a 2 BR condo in low ski season is justifiable.

I'm not doubting the quality of what they have built, but just look around at other upscale lodging at other upscale resorts and what they offer is easily on a par with SML and in many cases at literally 1/2 the cost..

For 2K per night I can rent a 5000 square foot ski in/ski out luxury home in most upscale resorts..

we spent a good amount of time talking to their real estate folks when they started building SML, I didn't feel it was a good investment then and feel even more certain of that now..

It will be interesting to see how SML fares in the rental market.. Right now winter is wide open even xmas week..

They claim "We will be the preeminent luxury mountain experience in the United States" All I can say is they better be, but I've yet to see what they are offering that I can't equal elsewhere for far less money..

I've skied Stowe for over 30 years, and will continue to do so, but just because I can afford to stay at SML doesn't mean I will.

Ditto here regarding the targeted demographic. We've stayed in a lot of resorts, both downscale and upscale, and IMO there is no way they are going to get these rates. 2 grand for a 2 BR at Stowe?? That's just ridiculous. People who pay those kinds of prices know what that kind of money buys and aren't going to bite.

I'd bet anything that these rates are a come-on to show deep discounts or "savings" when the bookings get real.