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Mountainside Resortat Stowe Vermont

gnipgnop

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I have been searching through the Resort Directory in RCI for a timeshare in Stowe, VT. There are only two and this one looked like the nicest but the last review on TUG was in 2011. Has anyone been there in the past two years? Would you recommend this for our family. There will probably be 10 or 12 of us. I know we will need two units to cover this amount of people. We're not planning to go until August, 2019. My granddaughter just accepted a job in Burlington, VT and I think this is the closest timeshare to that town. If there are other areas that would be in close proximity to Burlington ~ please let me know. I am unfamiliar with New England States and would love to visit her and see some of this beautiful state. We are also members in II but The Trapp Family Lodge looks like it would be very difficult to exchange into.
 

WinniWoman

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I have been searching through the Resort Directory in RCI for a timeshare in Stowe, VT. There are only two and this one looked like the nicest but the last review on TUG was in 2011. Has anyone been there in the past two years? Would you recommend this for our family. There will probably be 10 or 12 of us. I know we will need two units to cover this amount of people. We're not planning to go until August, 2019. My granddaughter just accepted a job in Burlington, VT and I think this is the closest timeshare to that town. If there are other areas that would be in close proximity to Burlington ~ please let me know. I am unfamiliar with New England States and would love to visit her and see some of this beautiful state. We are also members in II but The Trapp Family Lodge looks like it would be very difficult to exchange into.

Mountainside is an older resort in Stowe. A lot of the units have long, steep stairs outside. But- it is convenient to the town of Stowe, which is lovely and has lots of restaurants and shops. I have not stayed there but know people who have. Trapp Family Lodge is really nice. No matter where you stay in the area I recommend visiting Trapp and doing a tour if you can.

What I recommend is to try to get into Smugglers Notch Resort, in Jeffersonville/Cambridge, where we own. It is about 1.5 hours into Burlington. We do that drive to Burlington all the time when we are there. The resort is big and has accommodations that would suit your family. Many of the 3 bedroom units sleep 10 people. They have tons of activities, there are plenty of things to do in the area, and it is a short drive to Stowe through "the Notch".

Anything you need to know, just ask. We have owned at Smugglers Notch (Smuggs for short) since 1999.
 

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Mountainside has had a lot of updates. We stayed there last February. We did have a problem with the shower in the downstairs bathroom that really never got fixed. Should have used a roto rooter but instead tried pouring chemicals done the drain. So, we found service lacking. The beds were comfortable to sleep on. The location in town is very nice.

So far as Trapp goes, you would need two units and that may be tough to trade into, even in August. But you may be able to get rentals by calling Treg Boerger, Principal Broker.
 

gnipgnop

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I appreciate your reply's but now what I would like to know what towns (if any) are closer to Burlington. I know Stowe is about a 30 minute drive to Burlington, but are there any other towns that are within a 30 - 45 minute drive Burlington?? As you said, Smuggs is about 1.5 hrs. from Burlington but going back and forth for a week every day seems like a lot of time and miles to travel.
 

bluehende

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I appreciate your reply's but now what I would like to know what towns (if any) are closer to Burlington. I know Stowe is about a 30 minute drive to Burlington, but are there any other towns that are within a 30 - 45 minute drive Burlington?? As you said, Smuggs is about 1.5 hrs. from Burlington but going back and forth for a week every day seems like a lot of time and miles to travel.

I would pull out mapquest and check times. Since smuggs is probably only about 15 minutes or so from mountainside over the notch the differences can not be that much. Actually Smuggs is probably closer but you do not have I89 for a lot of it.
 

silentg

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You might want to look at Eagles at Sugarbush in Warren, Vt. Nice timeshare.
Also we used to have a timeshare at Seasons at Sugarbush, but mostly one bedroom units.
You could stay there in multiple units. Usually not crowded.
Silentg
 

bluehende

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You might want to look at Eagles at Sugarbush in Warren, Vt. Nice timeshare.
Also we used to have a timeshare at Seasons at Sugarbush, but mostly one bedroom units.
You could stay there in multiple units. Usually not crowded.
Silentg

Sugarbush is probably a little less than an hour from burlington. We own at the seasons and like it, but it is not luxury by any means. Would be good if you need just a bed as it is usually available. The Eagles looks nice but do not see a lot of availability.

Bolton valley also has some time shares and would probably be the closest to Burlington.
 

WinniWoman

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I appreciate your reply's but now what I would like to know what towns (if any) are closer to Burlington. I know Stowe is about a 30 minute drive to Burlington, but are there any other towns that are within a 30 - 45 minute drive Burlington?? As you said, Smuggs is about 1.5 hrs. from Burlington but going back and forth for a week every day seems like a lot of time and miles to travel.


There are plenty of towns close to Burlington. Waterbury, Bolton, St. Albans, Colchester, Williston, Shelburne, Charlotte, Essex Junction. But they don't have time shares- except maybe in Bolton. They do have hotels and inns and some non timeshare resorts, though.

Heck- why not just stay in a hotel in Burlington if you need to be there every single day?

Really- you will get tired of driving to Burlington every day for a week from Stowe anyway.
 

WinniWoman

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I would pull out mapquest and check times. Since smuggs is probably only about 15 minutes or so from mountainside over the notch the differences can not be that much. Actually Smuggs is probably closer but you do not have I89 for a lot of it.


I suppose it could be 1 hour and 15 minutes, but it really depends on where in Burlington you are going, traffic and parking, etc.

Same with going from Stowe. It could take 45 minutes depending where you are going in Burlington.
 

gnipgnop

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Actually her apartment is in Winooski, VT. Have no idea where that is either. What do you think about looking in Bolton Valley? If there isn't anything in a timeshare there we'll just have to bite the bullet and look for a hotel. Thanks everyone for so much good advice.
 

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Times to Winooski by mapquest

Bolton Valley 37 minutes
Waitsfield eagle resort 47 minutes
mountainside 51 minutes
smugs 54 minutes
 

WinniWoman

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Actually her apartment is in Winooski, VT. Have no idea where that is either. What do you think about looking in Bolton Valley? If there isn't anything in a timeshare there we'll just have to bite the bullet and look for a hotel. Thanks everyone for so much good advice.

Bolton is a good place to stay if you are driving to Burlington every day. There is a timeshare resort there.

If you can’t trade into it than you might want to think about renting a small home or condo on Home Away or AirBNB or VRBO.

We do that sometimes as we like to stay on Lake Champlain, of which Burlington fronts.

Then you could have several bedrooms and a kitchen and some space to hang out with the family. And be close to your granddaughter and everything the city has to offer.
 

WinniWoman

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Ps Winooski is even closer to Smuggs. We have gone to the movies there from Smuggs and it takes maybe 40 minutes or so.
 

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Wow!!! That is so good to hear. A great possibility for us if Winooski is only 40 minutes away. Thank you so much Mary Ann. I think I'll see what Smuggs has to offer for next August. What sections in Smuggs do you recommend? I've never been there but I have read about how large the resort is. We would not be interested in areas with activities for children. My youngest grandson is 22 and he will most likely be with us plus other young adults a little older at 24. An area with a nice swimming pool would be great.
 

WinniWoman

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Wow!!! That is so good to hear. A great possibility for us if Winooski is only 40 minutes away. Thank you so much Mary Ann. I think I'll see what Smuggs has to offer for next August. What sections in Smuggs do you recommend? I've never been there but I have read about how large the resort is. We would not be interested in areas with activities for children. My youngest grandson is 22 and he will most likely be with us plus other young adults a little older at 24. An area with a nice swimming pool would be great.

I recommend a unit in one of the complexes with their own pool and gym- West Hill (Sycamores), North Hill (Tamaracks), Highland Hill(Aspens). But, if not, older units in the village are great for convenience and with you doing an RCI exchange you would have access to the Courtside public pool if you stayed there - or even in the Willows, which are just outside the village.

They also have a lot of fee based activities for adults you might like if you have time-some in the evening- for when you are not in Winooski or Burlington. Your grand daughter might like visiting Smuggs and spending a little time there with you if she can as well.

Let us know how you make out! Good luck with your exchange.
 

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Thank you Mary Ann. You are so helpful. Still trying to hear from members of our family to see how many can go. Looking forward to seeing Vermont.
 

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Thank you Mary Ann. You are so helpful. Still trying to hear from members of our family to see how many can go. Looking forward to seeing Vermont.
\

Vermont is beautiful at any time of the year. A little less so in stick and mud season, but those are not that long. We have been in late mud and loved even then. A few weeks late fall and a few weeks early spring are the only times I would not visit.
 

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Apparently, the HOA at Mountainside voted to kick VRI to the curb as resort manager effective Jan 1/2019. They intend to "insource" the management services provided by VRI. I have heard that the resort has tried reaching out to local property managers to act as general contractor for resort maintenance projects and the response was basically "No way, Jose." With a makeshift maintenance operation kinda in place it sounds like Mountainside might be circling the drain so I would be concerned about the condition of the units by August 2019.
 

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Thanks for the info, Maple_Leaf. I think I'll check into the situation. VRI is a very good management company, so I wonder what the HOA is thinking?
 

WinniWoman

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Thanks for the info, Maple_Leaf. I think I'll check into the situation. VRI is a very good management company, so I wonder what the HOA is thinking?


Our Pollard Brook timeshare is managed by VRI and they seem to do a really good job. We also stayed at the Cove at Yarmouth on the Cape and that resort, also, seems to be well run by VRI.

I wonder what went on at Mountainside.
 

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Our Pollard Brook timeshare is managed by VRI and they seem to do a really good job. We also stayed at the Cove at Yarmouth on the Cape and that resort, also, seems to be well run by VRI.

I wonder what went on at Mountainside.
At Mountainside a majority of the units are whole ownership condos. This may have an effect on the timeshares if the HOA makes decisions favouring the interests of the whole ownership condos.
 

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We have stayed at Seasons at Sugarbush( used to have a week there), Bolton Valley, 4 miles up a mountain. Last May we stayed at Smuggler’s Notch. We were in the Birches section. There are many different sections there. We had a first floor with no stairs,. of all the resorts we have stayed at in Vermont this one was the best. You could rent multiple units and it’s close to the areas you want to visit. Let us know what you decide.
Silentg
 
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