Renter Wonderland: Lodging Picks in Ski Country
Illustration by Steve Stankiewicz
FOR THE SPA-PHISTICATE
The Rental: Stowe Mountain Cabins on Spruce Peak, Stowe Mountain Resort
Come for: The Spa at Stowe Mountain Lodge. It has a menu of luxurious treatments, including a seaweed detox wrap and a Vermont-maple-syrup-and-brown-sugar scrub.
Lodgings: Timber abodes come with stone fireplaces and views of Mount Mansfield, plus an on-demand concierge and private decks.
Pricing Starts at: $1,599 per night for a four-bedroom cabin during peak season.
Proximity to Slopes: Ski in/ski out.
5781 Mountain Rd., Stowe, VT, 802-253-3000, stowe.com.
FOR THE APRES AFICIONADO
The Rental: Northbrook Townhouses, Killington Holiday Rentals
Come for: Rollicking Killington Road. Dubbed the “Bourbon Street of the north,” it’s post-slopes partying on steroids, with gobs of live-music, dance-club, and dive-bar options.
Lodgings: These souped-up condos boast valley vistas, whirlpool tubs, fieldstone fireplaces, and lots of hangover-friendly perches.
Pricing Starts at: $275 per night for three bedrooms and a loft.
Proximity to Slopes: About a five-minute drive.
1967 Route 4, Killington, VT, 802-773-8800, killingtonholidayrentals.com.
FOR THE BRAT PACKER
The Rental: North Hill Community, Smugglers’ Notch Resort
Come for: “Mom and Me” ski lessons and the FunZone family entertainment center. The resort also offers daycare, in-home babysitting, and a “Kid’s Night Out” program.
Lodgings: North Hill Community, the newest of the condo subdivisions, comes with access to the indoor pool and a splash playground.
Pricing Starts at: $137 per person ($102 for kids) per night.
Proximity to Slopes: A two-minute shuttle ride.
4323 Vermont Route 108 S., Jeffersonville, VT, 800-419-4615, smuggs.com.
FOR THE HIGH-LIFE HOBBYIST
The Rental: The Long Trail Penthouse, Stratton Mountain Resort
Come for: Stratton’s own upscale village, which features high-end shops, slopeside boot fittings, and a day spa. Also nearby: some of the worthiest snowboarding pipes in New England.
Lodgings: The Long Trail Penthouse has a private elevator, an HD media room with projector, and a grand total of three fireplaces.
Pricing Starts at: $1,000 per night for the five-bedroom penthouse.
Proximity to Slopes: A five-minute walk.
5 Village Lodge Rd., Stratton Mountain, VT, 800-787-2886, stratton.com.
FOR THE NON-SKIER
The Rental: Locke Mountain Townhouses, Sunday River
Come for: Nearby historical Bethel, which has art galleries and boutiques ripe for credit card abuse. If careening downhill leaves you cold, Sunday River offers tubing and ice skating, too.
Lodgings: Townhouses come with fireplaces and slopeside balconies ideal for Instagramming friends’ epic wipeouts.
Pricing Starts at: $79 per person per night for a three-bedroom unit.
Proximity to Slopes: Ski in/ski out (for, um, those who care).
15 S. Ridge Rd., Newry, ME, 207-824-3000, sundayriver.com.
Photograph courtesy of Pam Perkins, Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty
On the Market:
A VIEW WITH SOME ROOM
If renting a small condo with the kids sounds about as much fun as poking your eye out with a ski pole, you need a family compound like this 3.5-acre lakeside property five miles from Mount Sunapee. As built, the Adirondack-style house is actually four separate dwellings under one roof, so when necessary, you’ll be able to beat an easy retreat from irritating in-laws or bickering children. For added comfort, stow away extended family (or impertinent teens) in the two-bedroom guest house. The classic timber-frame home offers mountain views from your living room, as well as ice fishing along the property’s 363 feet of Lake Sunapee shoreline. Additional diversions include a home gym and a virtual golf simulator.
Address: 27 Burkehaven Ln., Sunapee, NH
Listing Agent: Pam Perkins, Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty, 603-526-4050, fourseasonssir.com
Listing Price: $3.95 million
Stats: Five bedrooms, four baths, garage parking for five cars
