New Year's in Vermont

Some folks like to spend New Year's in Vermont "getting away from it all." But what if you live in Vermont? The Mitch and I learned we could get away from it all just a few towns over at Bolton Valley Ski Resort. We got fed up with movies showing ski getaways that we always want to take and early in the fall made the decision to forget the rock concerts, parties, and hype-that-leads-to-letdowns of New Year's and get away from it all ourselves. We booked a room for two nights at Bolton Valley and as a PR person who often works with travel writers - here is my take:

Bolton Valley has made a lot of great improvements over the years. No one is immune to hearing about the years of management and financial turmoil they have gone through and I always rooted for the smaller mountain because I learned to ski there and always liked lots of different folks who have worked there. The hard work and Redstone collaboration seems to be working well for them. There is still strange communication issues between marketing/events and folks who work there - for instance not everyone being in the know of pass holder discounts and annoying housekeeping things like the shower water temperature controls. I guess to some out-of-state travel folks this would be a huge irritation, but to us Vermont folks happy to get away, it wasn't that big of a deal (but should be noted, that's why I mention them).

The procedures for picking up your pass have vastly improved and the mountain overall has gone through some needed enhancements. Seems like the windmill is more trouble than it's worth, but an A+ for being bold and trying!

The biggest improvement I saw was the food. I dined at Bailey's several years back and was actually rather horrified at the food - and that was before I considered myself and decent chef. I had the most critical eye going into dinner, but both The Mitch and I were very, very pleased - we had melt-in-your-mouth cuisine and very pleasant service, Bailey's was like a separate intimate experience far removed from the rest of the mountain activities and we both highly suggest it to others.

We were joined for New Year's Eve skiing by our good pals who celebrated into the New Year with us - check out the "eskimo costumes" us ladies wore! Then The Mitch and I relaxed New Year's Day followed by our delicious dinner and then another day of skiing.

I think we might have to go back next year - this Vermont ski resort thing is just the "get away from it all" I need.