Risa W.
Yelp
My boyfriend and I can't say enough about Mountain Meadows Lodge after staying there for 2 nights in March with two of our friends. When we saw a TownHog coupon advertising 2 nights stay + 2 snowshoe/cross-country skiing passes for $150 (but no online reviews of the lodge), we decided to take a chance since the place is also 5 minutes away from the huge Killington ski resort.
What followed is the most pleasant stay my boyfriend and I have ever had. Mountain Meadows Lodge is charming and has the best amenities ever - comfortable rooms, free Wi-Fi everywhere in the lodge, free hot breakfast with a wide variety of options (home-cooked potatoes, eggs, sausage, fruit, waffles, etc.), large selection of tea and hot/cold water available at all times, a large living/sitting room with a stretch of windows and plenty of comfortable nooks to hang out in or be quiet, a game room housing ping pong, pool, foosball, and darts, a sauna, an outdoor hot tub, a comfortable movie room with a gigantic couch and large selection of good movies, well-stocked bookshelves and board games, two pianos, a bar that the owners will open up for you if asked, a tank of turtles, hand-compiled guides to the surrounding area, and more. That's just the inside. Though we didn't get to go ourselves, there appear to be tons of good trails for cross-country skiing and hiking around the lodge that we saw many people (who weren't staying the night) take advantage of, and you can also borrow snowshoes from the lodge. Outside by the barn there is Alice, the adorable Vietnamese pot-bellied pig who is the mascot of the lodge, as well as other funny animals. The whole place feels deceptively small and cozy when really there is so much you can do there - I wish we could have stayed longer to take advantage of our options!
What really gives it that great feel are the owners, Bill and Dave. They are so friendly, personable, and accessible that you immediately feel at home. They'll gladly take you out to meet the animals if asked and do whatever they can to make staying at the lodge pleasant. When we first walked in, Dave was building a fire in the fireplace for a couple in the living room. After midnight when my friends and I were playing Jenga in the otherwise deserted dining room, Bill came by with a large bowl of freshly popped popcorn and then went to open the bar for a group of guests that had just returned. When my boyfriend and I asked if we could stay in the lodge the last day until our friends got back from skiing, Bill cheerfully let us check out late with no extra charge since no one was waiting for the room. We ended up sleeping in late, eating a delicious lunch at the lodge's dining room, and cozily studying on the couches in the living room while watching cross-country skiers go by the window on their way to the trails.
In all, Mountain Meadows Lodge is a great place to stay and I hope to go back someday. It is also so close to the main ski resorts! Even without the TownHog coupon, it seems that their rates are pretty reasonable, and a lot of the rooms can fit a good number of people - my boyfriend and I had a room with a queen and two bunk beds. If you get a chance, definitely let yourself experience this Vermont getaway!
I probably didn't mention everything - take a look at the lodge's website (www.mountainmeadowslodge.com) and especially the pages "Stuff to do" and "Free stuff to do" under Amenities & Photos. They're not exaggerating!