Wyndham Bentley Brook Reviews

We have just returned from the Bentley Brook.

I would rate it 3 1/2 stars - But there is not option for that.

Pros - Ski on Ski off - very nice and on an easy bunny hill for those with little ones and newbies to the sport.

Next to the ski-wee drop of area - Just get up and go.

Cons - A little noisy with the party upstairs from us

Internet access was not working in the rooms - told it would be fixed soon - would had been a major problem If I was working remote while there.

No onsite-place to eat drink. This is suppose to be a resort - I wold expect to be able to ski down to the resort and order a drink, hot chocolate for the kids and a bite to eat. The vending machines just don't cut it. That only cost it a full star in the rating to me.

The workers at the resort seemed to have little knowledge of the ski resort itself. Everytime I asked a question no-one had a clue.

Examples = What time does ski-wee start? How do we get to the reastaruant?

Overall the ski area was nice - ski school was good for our advanced 5 and 7 year old which left the trip as a "fox" and "Coyote" - The meeting place is at the slope which caused a seperation problem for the 3 year old. A problem that is resolved at other resorts with the drop and go policy allowing the ski school to get the ready for the slop and forgot that mom and dad are skiing away without them.

Overall we enjoyed the trip and would go again, but there is room for improvement.

We had a 2BR unit during high ski season (XMas break). The unit was a decent size, clean and had all of the basic necessities.

The Wyndham units are set up in two buildings around one of Jiminy Peak's bunny slopes. Units that start with 22-24 are in the lower, main building. This building has the pool, small game room, movie theater, free coffee, a couple of fireplace lounges, etc. The upper building (units that start with 25-29) is very short walk (outside down some stairs) away. Both units are ski-in ski-out to the bunny slope, which is just a short ski lift away to the main mountain, or, alternatively, the main mountain lodge and main ski lifts are a very short walk from either Wyndham building. In fact, everything at the mountain (multiple restaurants, ski schools, shops, etc.) is just a very short walk away - very convenient.

The entire resort, including Wyndham and Jiminy Peak, is very kid friendly. The mountian is perfectly sized for kids - not too big, not too small. It was surprisingly well maintained, including all of the lodges and shops. The ski schools were well organized and well staffed. It was not nearly as crowded as the mountains in Southern VT.

Our kids greatly enjoyed the trip and are asking when we are going to return.

One critical comment. As mentioned in other reviews, the fire alarms are overly sensitive. The fire alarm went off about 2 out of every 3 mornings, and at least once every evening (sometimes multiple times). The fire alarm sets off a multi-minute long ear-piercing shriek that never fails to make you jump and cringe. There was no warning about the alarm when we checked-in, and no explanation from anyone after the alarm goes off (e.g., whether it was real or false alarm). When we tried to obtain an explanation from the staff, they blamed it on the guests and their cooking, and claim the alarm is up to code. This may be true, but this issue has obviously existed for several years and Wyndham has apparently done nothing to address it. If there ever was a real fire, no one is going to take the alarm seriously.

We visited Bentley Brook for the first time this August ('09) for 4 nights and had two 2BR units. This was perfect for our gang of 10, though we could have accommodated up to 16 using the sofa beds. Beautiful weather and lovely scenery. The pictures at right are accurate. Not shown is the indoor/outdoor pool. One can swim in and out, which is nice when the sun gets too hot! We were able to use the activities at Jiminy Peak resort next door. Literature says they charge by the day but one can pay by the ride on the alpine slide and some other fun things. The pool table, which was downstairs in our building, was only 50 cents a game. Two free moves a night were offered, but we never made it down to see them. I notice that the overall list of "Amenities" has "Ocean" checked as being 8 miles away. Maybe 80?? This is far western Massachusetts folks. Don't be greedy.

Part of our group went into Boston for a day and visited Cheers! Another trip was up to North Adams to see the natural bridge. Not big but fun to climb around. Pittsfield is a nice town a short drive south. Hancock itself is just barely visible. We were glad to have picked up some food before we arrived.

This is a major ski area and we were a sort walk/ski from the lifts had it been winter.

We had two 2 BR units in late August (23-30), Units 2620 and 2627. In the upper buildings (25, 26, 27), even units have parking lot views; and odd units have mountain views. Units ending in 20-29 are parking lot level (but the odd unit patios are one level above the ground, due to the uneven site).

The units were clean and reasonably well equipped, including washer/dryer, whirlpool tub, dishwasher, service for eight, and pots and pans. There was no sink garbage disposal or fireplace. Things to bring: measuring cups and a nonstick frying pan/skillet. (If the resort had supplied a nonstick skillet, there might have been less smoke alarms in the building. The smoke detectors are very sensitive!)

The staff was all friendly and helpful. Family-friendly activities fused glass designs and free movies with free popcorn. They generally show a kid movie at 5:30 pm and an older audience movie at 7:30 pm. There are two pools: an outdoor adult pool, and a indoor/outdoor family pool next to it. The pools are small, but adequate. Both pools are in the lower set of buildings (22-24).

There is plenty to do in the area. You can drive to the top of Mount Greylock for great views. It is also an enjoyable hiking area. You can also hike up the mountain at the resort. During the summer, you can walk to the adventure park rides at Jiminy Creek. (Warning: in August, they are short-staffed due to college students returning to school. They will close some stations at rides, making the waits much longer. The wait for the trampoline was an hour and 15 minutes when we went on a Tuesday afternoon. The wait for the roller coaster was an hour. Consider getting individual tickets rather than a day pass, since you might get tired of waiting in line.)

Other area activities: Our kids (ages 6-10) enjoyed the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield. We enjoyed visiting Williamstown and the Williams University Art Museum (free!). The Berkshire Botanical Garden is pretty but had a lot of mosquitoes in late August. Wear repellent! Our kids both greatly enjoyed the Animagic animation workshop in Lee. They each got to make a little claymation movie.

Stayed Sept 6-9 2007 we had a great time the resort is nice. There are a couple of restaurants close by to eat at with very reasonable rates. The movie theatre was a great added attraction on a rainy day. The only problem was that the walls are not well insulated-we were told that this will be taken care of in a month or so. But other than that the staff was very nice. I am a Wyndham/Fairfield Resort owner.

We stayed at Bentley Brook during August 2007. We were a little skeptical about the "off season" activities before we arrived, but we quickly found nothing to worry about. Our 2BR unit was clean and comfortable, not as large as some we have been at but no complaints. Our only issue (and why I didn't give it 5 stars) is that we were right across from the game room on the "B" floor, which was noisy, and we couldn't get the staff to keep the doors closed. A moderate annoyance.

Jiminy peak has recently opened new summer attractions - an alpine slide and a mountain coaster. There was also a "rock" climbing structure and multi-person swing. On weekends you can take a lift to the top of the mountain to hike or just take in the amazing view. You can also learn about the new Zephyr turbine windmill which will provide a significant amount of the resort's power, on an off season.

The facilities at BB were very good, though not stellar. When we first arrived the pool looked like it needed cleaning, the outdoor small hot tub was either too hot or too cold, and the large hot tub was out of service, but things got better all around as the week progressed. There were other activities on site, including two movies a night (with popcorn) at the comfortable mini theater. Unfortunately a number of young children were left unsupervised which made it difficult to enjoy the movies.

We found a lot to do in the area, too. Hancock Shaker Village was great. We saw several historic houses in the area (free if you are a member of the Mass. Trustees of Reservations). There is mini-golf, go-carts, shopping, and a great breakfast all day at Bob's Country Kitchen. We topped the week off with an amazing concert at Tanglewood.

We would definitely return to BB and the Hanock/Lanesborough area.

We just arrived home yesterday! Great resort and a fantastic mountain!! Jiminy Peak offers BIG mountain terrain without heading up to Killington or Smugglers Notch. We are a family of snowboarders & our kids (9 - 15) give Jiminy Peak a huge thumbs up!

We stayed here between Christmas and New Years and had a fabulous time. Our kids took Ski lessons all week and loved the instructors. The 2br suite was perfect for our family of 4 and could have easily accomodated 8 people. The rooms were in excellent condition and more than spacious.

Yes, you do hear noise from other units, but it tended to die down by 10:00pm so not an issue for us. It is clearly a family resort and there were lots of kids around. You can't beat the convenience of the Ski-in/Ski-out placement of the Bentley Brook.

The indoor/outdoor pool was a huge hit with our 7 year olds. Lift ticket and kid's ski school are very reasonably priced (for a ski resort.)

Buy a phone card before you come because Long Distance calls are blocked on the phones and cell phone coverage is non-existant there. The onsite store was expensive and had limited hours so stop at a supermarket on your way up.

The service at John Harvards (on site restaurant)was terribly slow. Try Powderhouds for an awesome dinner and great service.

We will be back at the Bentley Brook again. We loved it!

We stayed here 4/15-22/05 in a two bedroom unit that sleeps 8/6. It is the smalles unit i have ever stayed in. the dining room table only sat 6, if you squeezed everyone around it. the balcony sat two. The jacuzzi tub, which look big in the picture is only a one person tub. There are two baths, one in the master bedroom and the other in a common area. You had to go throught he living area, which has a sofa bed to sleep tow, to get to it from the other bedroom with two queen beds that sleeps 2/4. The staff was very freindly and helpful, though, which was a definate plus. We were on a top floor so we didn't have the noise that I have seen posted in several other reviews about the place. The wanted to sell us an every other year unit, marked down from 12,500 to 9,900 for 168K points. The maintance would have been about 330 per year. They would do this so we could get into their PIC program at Fairfield. However, having read many reviews about Fairfield on another site, (ripoffreport.com) and seeing the problems many owners have with the comapny, we were not inclined to bite. There are many attractions in the area, as well as skiing at Jiminy Peak, so there was pleanty to do. But as far as the resort accomidations, they are definetly very small. Maybe they retain their gold crown rating because: 1. They are a Fairfield Property and RCI is owned by Fairfield's parent company, CENDANT, or 2. Those of us who exchange through our own companies other than thru RCi aren't able to rate the resort on RCI.

We stayed here in November of 2002. Our two bedroom unit was very nice. I appreciated the fact that it included a washer/dryer. We didn't realize there would be a jacuzzi in our bedroom, and we made extensive use of it during our stay. What a great way to relax after a day of sightseeing. The pool and hot tub are very nice.

It was definitely off season when we visited. The staff was trying to correct a problem with the fire alarm, which left us in the dark a few times. It would have been better if they had worked on it during daylight hours, but I guess if a fire alarm is broken you better fix it immediately.

We liked the fact that there were a few different common areas on the property where you could gather with friends and not feel obligated to buy a meal or a drink to keep your seat!

We enjoyed the area immensely even though attractions were closed or there hours were severely limited. We had our own personal tour guide through the Hancock Shaker Village. Quite an interesting experience! We also toured the Norman Rockwell museum, and drove to Hudson, NY, for a little antiqueing. It was a great trip! You'll find plenty to do in the Berkshires no matter what time of year you visit.

We have owned at this resort since 12/00 and this is the first time we have gone anywhere else because we enjoy the resort and the area so much. (We go for our Red summer week and usually rent for another week during the Blue off season, if we can find something available when we are.)

Bentley Brook is an RCI Gold Crown Resort with an Indoor/Outdoor Pool (with Hot Tubs to the side of both), a smaller additional Pool and separate larger Hot Tub in a Gazebo, 2 Tennis Courts, Game Rooms (one has just a pool table and another table game, but the other has video games and a pool table, as well.)

The resort is located at the base of Jiminy Peak and in the summer, Jiminy runs the chair lift, so that you are able to ride up to the summit and back down, or you may hike one of the many trails, if you're so inclined. Jiminy also has a small Climbing Wall, Miniature Golf, Alpine Slide (wear long pants and keep your arms in-it's fast!) and a store on site. There are also nightly movies (w/free popcorn) most nights in the Guest Movie Theatre, a Fitness Room with Exercise Machines and a Sauna, as well as several fireplaces.

We own a 2 bedroom weekly unit, so I always specify a Mountainview unit, when I pay our annual maintanence fee and book our week. (Some of the Valleyview units have a nice view, but some are at the parking lot...) Each unit has a full kitchen, washer/dryer, 2 Phones, AC, Living Room TV w/VCR, TV in Master Bedroom and a nicely situated Jacuzzi Tub in the Master Bedroom Bath (although that shower is smaller than the second bathroom.) The units are very clean and well maintained and mostly decorated in "Lodge Style". The resort has just completed an overhaul of the earlier units.

It is a short drive to Museums, Tanglewood (Music Center), Jacob's Pillow Dance Center, MASSMOCA and other cultural icons in the Berkshires, many which are only open in the summer. It is also an area which is enjoyable for outdoor recreation and exploration, which is how we spend much of our time.

We stayed there in September 2004. It's our second time at the resort. Main buildings are currently being renovated. The rooms are gorgeous. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Even though it was off-season, there are many things to do in the area. There are antique stores and other shopping venues not far away. It's a lovely area.

Stayed there mid-september 2004.Nice clean unit but nothing special.Had lower floor location with not much of a view : a dirt banking with some shrubs and weeds,and looking up we saw the undersides of parked cars.Rather depressing at times!

The area is somewhat scenic, mountain roads and brooks.

This is not Gold Crown level.

We own a unit here and have been spending the last several years skiing over the holiday (Christmas) break. It is a great family resort especiallly during ski season. There are options for all of us even if we are not skiing. The kids love the indoor pool, hot tub, movies and eating out. We love the convience of the ski-in ski-out and lockers so the kids are more independent. The units are nice, clean and big so we can also enjoy some R&R or family fun games while watching it snow outside. Also afternoon cocktails for the adults are fun by the fireplace in the lobby of building 23 or 22.

Our family stayed at Bentley Brook this past June and enjoyed a quiet, peaceful week. Since it is mainly a ski location, the summer weeks are pretty quiet. The resort has a very nice pool and we loved the tennis courts right outside our door. Internet access was free. Unfortunately, the are no planned activities for the children other than the daily movie (which was fun). The area doesn't really have many places to visit but it is a quiet place to get a lot of R&R during the summer months.

This is a fabulous resort, especially if you love to ski. It is literally a ski-in ski-out resort and you could ski from the condo unit to the lift and then back to the condo unit at the end of the day. There is a fun movie theatre in the resort where they show movies daily (for free, popcorn included). And the indoor/outdoor pool and hottubs are at the base of the ski mountain. We went in the winter with the intent to ski. If you are an owner at Bentley Brook (or Fairfield) there is a 25% discount off ski lift tickets. I'm sure summer has its own fun activities as well with a beautiful area and other local attractions. The kids said they had a great time and wouldn't have wanted to go anywhere else. Hopefully we will come back for a visit.

I own 1 week of studio floating red at Bentley Brook. We live about 40 min. away and go frequently to use the pool, hot tubs, movies, Alpine slide etc. We bought several years ago, and though we always exchange, we love to use our resort as a year round club. I highly recommend it.

Last April I rented a studio unit for a night at a great price. I brought my daughter and her friend for a girls day out and had a blast. The unit slept four, had a full kitchen and was immaculate. We swam all afternoon, cooked dinner in the unit, watched a movie in the theater (free popcorn!) and then slept soundly. The kids were up and back in the indoor/outdoor pool by 9 the next morning!