I have been visiting Smuggler's Notch Resort for the past 14 years. I especially like visiting in the summer months. The resort offers guided hiking trips of the trails in the area. The resort provides transportation to the trail head and expert guides who are familiar with the region. My family loves spending time at the pools and hiking the beautiful mountains. The units are excellent and are constantly being updated. This area of VT is gorgeous. It's the best place for a familly vacation!
I first went to Smugglers' Notch 17 years ago in the summer for their tennis program. After that, we became owners with weeks and eventually a winter share. Both our kids learned to ski and snow board at Smuggs. Best group instructors ever! The kids (now grown) frequented Smuggs right through college and loved the 3 big mountains. There is nothing like skiing in and out of your unit. No cars needed: Smuggs now has Shuttle on Demand which is great. Great condos.Great snow and much improved snow making ability. Just returned from a weeks of powder!I still go back when I can for summer tennis, but have not missed a skiing year since we started. Truly the best family resort in the world.
I heard good reviews of this place but sadly disappointed. The resort is split between a green run family area and an experienced upper mountain area where we spent two days of skiing. There are three lifts all of which are slow two seaters which caused long lines at peak times. Highly recommend you get there early when the lines and short. The runs are ok. No real good black runs that you can ski at speed, too many ungroomed moguls. If you like tree skiing you'll love this place but we prefer steep groomed runs. Tough walk up a hill from the parking lot. Recommend lot 3 for the shortest walk. The food and beer in the two restaurants at the base of the Madonna lifts was excellent. I'd recommend Stowe above smugglers if you can afford the higher ticket price.
The family took some time during winter break to have some fun in the snow. The mountain was absolutely wonderful. It was cold however. My 2 boys 11 and 14 along with my wife rented equipment and the staff made sure everything fit right, no one got blisters. We had daily lessons and everyone enjoyed them for the most part. My 14 year old was placed in a class that he was uncomfortable with (it was above his skill, level 5 going down black diamond glades) but he was able to easily move in to my lesson (adult 6-7) that was not as difficult and he enjoyed it. My instructor took some extra time after out lesson was done to show my son and I us some glade action which was awesome. My 11 year old likes his instructor so much that he refused to move up despite the fact his skills improved enough to warrant such a move. The room was well kept and very comfortable. The only complaint was the family above us that had 6 people living there. We could count the foot steps and crying, next time I should request a top floor. There was a country store, fancy Hearth and Candle restaurant that was wonderful and many places to catch a bite to eat. We had one experience that took 2 hours for lunch but everything else was quicker. The deli was a much better experience for lunch than the Grille. Although we ate at the Grille for dinner and had a good experience. I will say that the one down side is the price. Expect to pay 3X's what you would at another restaurant or store. Examples are a $3 cookie and $3 fountain drink, refills were not included at the cafeteria. However, I expected to pay a lot. You can bring your own food and cook your meals and save a bunch. We ate breakfast we brought but had lunch and dinner either at one of the dinning spots or from the country store. There are other things to do for kids but my teen was not interested. I took my 11 year old to the fun zone and it was OK, it was crowded with younger kids that were being watched while parents had a night out. There is swimming, ice skating and other fun activities, but for the most part we just sat around by the fire place reading, talking and watching TV after skiing all day. The skiing made the trip of course. I think we are very much willing to go back next year and may consider it for a summer trip.
Since 1992 our family has looked forward to our trips home to Smugg’s. Since our earliest trips we have been touched by how friendly, caring and helpful the staff is. We’ve brought family and friends along on numerous occasions. After one family members second trip to Smugg’s they bought a week of their own. On several occasions our Nephew has come up from Boston to ski with us. He is used to skiing at a neighboring resort. During his second trip up and after spending some time hanging with us, skiing, Lunches and brews at the Black Bear, night entertainment at Bootleggers and meeting our ever growing group of friends, he made the observation “Now I know why you keep coming back and don’t miss a trip”. The trip from New Jersey can sometimes be quite an adventure due to the winter weather conditions but it is accepted to get to this special resort. The snowmaking has been upgraded and expanded over the years and is now nothing short of awesome. The nightly grooming keeps the mountain in tip top shape. The double chairs are rarely full except for weekends and holidays and you easily become spoiled by the empty midweek trails. Dinners are available on site ranging from Rigga-Bellos Pizza, the Calzones are to die for, to the Morse Mountain Grill for Breakfast Lunch or Dinner and The Hearth and Candle for a more cozy meal and then there is always Ben and Gerry’s. The country store is right on site for most anything you forgot to bring or could possibly need. To move around the resort, shuttles are only a phone call away and are usually waiting by the time we get outside. Bootleggers lounge offers adult entertainment every evening ranging from acoustics by Charlie and Sam to Magic by Marco. Thursday night fireworks on a subzero night are well …. Cool! Our grandson really enjoyed the “carnival” at the end of one ski day and hot chocolate and a fire pit on others. A week is simply not long enough to spend at Smugg’s and last night we were lucky enough to book our second week this winter. From our comfy condo to the excellent skiing, entertainment and everything else offered, Smugg’s will always be our Winter Home.
Smugglers' Notch is recognized as a great place for families and with good reason...there is so much to do. I have been skiing here for 30+ years and I love it. It is not geared as a day-trip resort (especially on weekends). The double chairs are a throwback to simpler times, but during the week, you hardly ever wait. The 3 mountains offer challenges to any level of skier and it is a fantastic place to learn to ski (whether child or adult). If staying at the resort, the quantity and variety of activities is impressive...you can always find something to do. I can't wait for my next trip to Smuggs.
There really wasn't anywhere for me to hang out while my husband skied - the bar was too noisy and the cafe closed over an hour before the lifts shut down.
Room was more than expected. Large table in dinning room, kitchen well stocked, livingroom had large tv, fireplace, comfortable sofas, chairs, view outside windows was spectactular mountains trees, squirrels scurrying around. Master bedroom bathroom large jetted tub, tv seperate shower vanity, toilet. Heated floors. Washer dryer worked well.
After hearing great reviews, We decided to make Smuggs the spot for our children to get their first experience skiing. It was nothing less than spectacular. The staff was great with the kids and very helpful to us as we were arriving. We can't wait to get back.
Staying at Smuggler's Notch is worth the long drive by our family. We found that their ski/snowboarding school provided a patient and professional environment for our kids, who in turn had a blast on the mountain. There were plenty off-mountain activities as well, including an indoor pool and arcade. The on-site restaurants were great, featuring many locally grown/ raised ingredients. The rooms/ accommodations were immaculate and spacious. This is our fifth trip there and we will be back.