Smugglers' Notch Resort Reviews & Ratings

Amazing staff and very clean resort. Fall hiking in the Green Mountains is terrific. On Site Disc Golf course is world class. Definitely coming back.

Our family looks forward to staying at this resort every year. The accommodations are top notch and the skiing is unbeatable.

Smugglers Notch is the BEST resort for a family ski vacation period. You’ll be hooked after only one visit and come back in both summer and winter. We have been coming every year since 2001. Our kids are grown but now we go back with friends in the fall to enjoy the leaves, biking, hiking, and so much more. IT truly is a wonderful place.

Great resort - Beautiful! Loved the amenities top of the mountain with fun restaurant. Close to other areas such as Stowe.

Hot spot for families in wonderful Vermont. Friendly and spacious with fun for everyone, summer or winter.

Just a note to respond to one other poster - you can get wonderful units if you book through the resort. In winter ask for Willows (the ski location is premier!!) Although we usually come for the great skiing and stay in Willows with its great ski 0n/ ski off, we visited Smuggs in July for a wonderful summer week. Our unit (also in the Willows) was beautiful and spotless. There is a 24 hour hotline that responds immediately should you need anything done in your condo or need additional kitchen items, etc. Our kids are older so don't do the wonderful camps that most kids love, as they prefer to do family activities with us. There is just too much to do in a week - we love the waterslides, kayaking, hiking, eating in Stowe, trips to Burlington, the Snowflake Bentley museum (small but interesting), the gondola ride to the top of Stowe, and driving up Toll Rd. and hiking to the top of Mt. Mansfield. We're headed back at the end of August for two more weeks and this time my brother and his family will join us. Can't wait!

We have gone 2 years in a row (last week in January). This year we decided to buy and we are just finalizing that process :)

We have 3 young children (5,3,2) and they LOVE Smuggs. The kids programs are amazing. Our oldest took ski lessons last year and snowboard this year. They have a great mini kids race on Thursday afternoon. All the participants get a cookie at the end. It is great seeing a hundred or so parents out with their camera's. Everyone is laughing and commenting on the cutest little people coming down the hill.

There are some nice restaurants. They are a bit pricey. We have not done the nicer ones yet since we have the kids with us. The resort does offer babysitting but a snow storm caused a problem there for us.

The daycare on site is amazing. The staff has been the same both years we have been there which gives us more confidence. They are mature (older :) and know how to deal with babies and the little ones. They have a little outdoor area for the kids to play in the snow and they have a neat snow table they fill up and bring inside for the kids to play with. The rooms are vary large and have lots of open space. The little crafts the kids do are great.

Both times we went we rented from the resort and the accommodations we OK. Owners that we talk to insist the owners units are nicer.

We love it and have made some great family memories. We look forward to going back for many years. ___________________________

edit 2/1/2010 We have since bought at the resort. The owner units are very nice compaired to the units we rented. Rent from owners if you can (instead of the resort) ... plus that saves you money :)

This is a great family resort!

We came here last year for a weekend and liked it so much that we then bought a week. The resort goes really out of its way to make sure that the entire family is happy. My kids (5 and 8) absoultely love the ski school and the teachers. The pools are great and so is every other activity offered. Also, for some reason even in week 7 or 8 in the hight of the ski vactaion the lines are only a few minutes. Highly recommended.

We've been there in both the Summer and winter months, and had a great time. Would love to make it back some time for leaf peeping season. The kids love the camps and pools, I love the fishing and kayaking, and my wife loves the small town feel of the place. We now own Christmas week and will be returning frequently. If you have kids between 4-13, do yourself a favor and plan a vacation at Smuggs.

There are a lot of different people with different experiences. This is no staff member writing. I bought a week at Smuggs some 20 years ago and it was the best purchase of my life. Yes, if you paid a million to stay for a week and had minor problems, I could see a negative review, but if this isn't the best place in New England, for kids and adults, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter - I'll eat my ski helmet. This is like Disney but real.

Let me start out by saying this is a great resort. Why the low rating? When we arrived we were put in the oldest building on the property. Stains on the floors, food wrappers on the sofa, coffee pot did not work, and smell in the resort was very bad. Due to the late night arrival, we had to stay til morning. My wife went to take a shower and the door fell off and almost hit her head. The big bath tub was nice, but the stopper did not work properly and you could not fill up the tub.

When I exchange in here I was told that once your unit is reserved, it could not be changed. So I checked with unit we had and I said I was ok with that. When we arrived, the manager at the desk changed our reservation. We then got the room from hell.

I went out the next morning looking for a Motel Six, so we could stay the rest of the week, as we had flown in from California, for the fall leaves. Staff was useless.

The next day a day manager did contact us after five calls that night about being more than disappointed. It took her about one hour to move us to a room that was more like what someone that has traveled a little would say was four star.

It was the fact that this room was available, but we were put into something less, hoping we would not complain. I write this review so that others will know that, this resort is nice only if you get the right room, and that is a big if. Like others have said, there are alot of little things that are extra charges, just be careful when you go to this resort, have all your paperwork with you, and don't let them get away with service less than standard with timeshare.

I stayed here for the first time June 22-29, 2008, and it was the most amazing week of my life. This resort had many activities for both children and aduts. My children went to camp and had a great time, while I went on a hike. The weather and scenery are beautiful in this area during the summer months. The unit I stayed in was well kept and maintained. I plan to visit again next year.

*********** I read the review from the person just above me, and I must say, he is correct. The fees for the camps are very high.. My girls went for one day and it cost me $120 for one day; they loved it, but we found other things to do the rest of the week.. I live in Florida, so I am use to taking them to places with pools, and HONESTLY, this resort shuts down pools much more frequently than I have ever seen at any other resort in Florida or the islands. Still.. I am returning next year because there is no other place like this in the Northeastern part of the country. I love the mountains, and I have looked for six months to find another place that offers the amenities that Smuggs has, and I simply can't find anything that compares. Yes, it is a bit more pricey than most of the mountain resorts, but it does offer more. I agree that they charge a great deal for the activities...$60-85 for a bike ride... but once again, it's there if you want it.

The place is great! BUT..... The management is kind of over the top. The weather in Northern Vermont is very unstable! We have been going for 2 years now. Out of the 14 days (1 week last week in June 2007, the other week was first week in August 2008) it rained 10 days, was cloudy 2 other days. It was sunny and warm 1 day , the other day was partly sunny, but chilly and windy. Now - there is a lot to do for the children - as long as you can use the camps - either you're an owner, or your "gifted" the week from an owner or you buy the rental directly through Smuggler's Notch (which is ridiculously expensive!). The camps are great for the kids, they love it (5 year old and 7 year old)! So when it is rainy, windy or chilly - then the children go to camps and they're happy (10:00 - 4:00). My wife and I go to the gym and then go to the pools! BUT...Here is the weird part by Smuggs - and very frustrating part! The second they hear thunder - not see lightening - they shut down ALL the pools for 30 minutes! I do understand about insurance and legal wars. BUT - let me tell you something. Last summer - Last week in June 2007- We would all be swimming and then the life guard would blow her whistle and say get out of the pool, thunder alert. It was actually partly sunny out! So the pools closed for 30 minutes. We waited around - which is tough for a 4 year old and 6 year old (last years ages). We went back in for 2 minutes and then she blew her whistle again. Once again - no grey clouds anywhere! 30 minute shut down! This happened 9 times last year! Now this year - I'm actually still at Smuggs typing this review. It rained everyday since we've been here. Nobodys fault - it happens! You can't control the weather. But it rained - that's all - no lightening (only 1 time and I'll explain that later). BUT...When it's partly cloudy and the sun pops out - we all run to the pools. What do you think happens - whistle blows - thunder alert - shut down 30 minutes! The way that Smuggs is layed out - We have to get into a car and then park and then walk to get to a pool (the place is huge!). We then get out of the pools - wet and chilly for 30 minutes - then get back into the pool. 5 minutes later - they blow the whistles and there is another thunder alert. It's hard to go back home to wait the 30 minutes. So you wait all wet for 30 minutes. This happened 13 times so far this week. Now - The management needs to relax when you have a week like we've had with rain every day! There isn't a cloud in the sky and you get a thunder alert. It gets frustrating after the 3rd or 4th time. That means you sit around with your child and wait. You basically are sitting around all nervous waiting for the whistle. 90% of the time you do not even hear the thunder. There was 1 time out of the 20+ times where there was lightening - that I understood in getting everyone out of the pools. That's very dangerous! There is also a indoor pool. We went there to get out of the rain and danger. What do you think happened - thunder alert - out of the pool. I was told it wasn't grounded the building - later to find out it is grounded, but if there was lightening - it could travel though the water on the floor and into the building. What!!!!!!!! Sorry to be such a stick in the mud - but it has been a downer! I'm going to speak to the mgmt. but I'm sure they will be polite and then ignore me. The place is beautiful - the rooms are beautiful - but too many rules. Also - be careful about purchasing - they try to get you to buy. There is a lot of fine print!!!! I would NEVER buy at this place (I own three weeks in other resorts) - they MAKE you buy 2 weeks and then you owe 2 maintenance fees (around $1,800 a year). Also - if you rent privately through another owner - you can't use the pools unless you give them over $300. The benefits won't transfer to the renter. WHAT! Yep - true. In other words - Smuggs charges the renter over $300 to use the pools - even though the owner (who rented the week out) paid the maintenance fee! Also - if you sell your week - pretend your old enough and do not want it anymore - you sell it to someone! BUT - the benefits will NOT transfer -meaning Smuggs gets mad at you because you didn't have them sell it for you (they charge you a 35% fee) and they will not let the new owners have the benefits (pool, camps and activities). Then the owners have to pay over $8,000 to get the benefits (I think it's actually $10,000). I just want you to ask a lot of questions and read the fine print before you go and buy there!!!!!!! Good luck - I'll never be back here again. It's a shame - they have a great thing here - too many rules!!

****************As for the person who added a comment to mine 2 reviews up - I think it's safe to say that this comment was written by an employee of the company! Everything that I wrote is TRUE!! I've been to this resort twice - it's not like I did not give this place a try! It is over 30% fee when selling it on your own and they find out. As for the camps - They did NOT offer me a 33% discount when I called - so I have no idea what this person is talking about! The fee for 2 children for 6 days of camp would have been way over $500. That's not cheap!! If you rent from an owner - just ask the owner to "Gift" you the benefits so that you will not have to pay to use the pools and the camps. Now - if you do get to use the pools and the camps - GREAT! The kids will love it (as long as there is no thunder alert). The person also said that there is so much to do just steps away! REALLY - Sure there is a lot to do: 1) Not steps away - nothing is just steps away at Smuggler's 2) Thunder alert closes all pools in the resort! That means slides and tube rides. Which the children love to do! 3) A lot of the cool things to do costs $ - and a lot of $. For your average middle class family (especially these tough economical days). You cannot afford to do all the exciting extra activities. And they do offer cool activities, BUT they all cost money. 4) How many times can you play mini golf, jungle gym, walk through the trails, etc during thunder alerts? Hey - I'm trying to tell you the truth here! I have nothing to benefit by doing this. I spoke with 3 owners while I was working out (they do have gyms throughout the resort), and all 3 wished that they never bought and only rented from owners. The two weeks that they MAKE you buy is too much $ in maintenance fees. The extra week they say that you can trade off - trade off fees that RCI charges you, couple with RCI membership fees are another $300 +. Good Luck everyone! I had to respond back - I do not like to be accussed of lying. God Bless!

Outstanding resort with EXCEPTIONAL camps for children. Management is top notch.

The negative review from August is ridicuolus. Any reputable pool, beach or resort is going to clear the water for thunder!

The Aug 9th review has a lot of inaccuracies. I'm sorry about the trouble with the thunder, must be frustrating and everyone is entitled to their opinion. If a pool is closed, we just find something else fun to do just steps away. I want to respectfuly correct some things. The camps are available to those who rent from owners at 1/3 off - not a bad deal for guaranteed fun for your kid from 10-4 daily. There is a shuttle, so no need to drive and park. If you are an owner, the camps are usually free for a certain number of people depending on the benefit agreement negotiated by the particular owner. Not every owner has a benefit agreement. So the benefits are distinct from the maintenance fee. Of course, they want you to buy. What resort doesn't? But you could not find a less pushy sales staff. The 35% fee is not correct (20%). If renters got benefits, who would ever bother to buy? As for the cost of the benefits, it varies by the type of ownership and the number of people in your family. But it is nowhere near the price mentioned.

We stayed at Smuggs in July 2007. It is an awesome place for a family vacation. As a family of 6 with kids from 1year to age 7 there were more than enough "fun" family activities to enjoy. The pools were incredible. I would definitely recommend this resort!

We have a family of 5 with kids from ages 8 to 13 and this is absolutely the best family vacation resort we have ever been to. Summer fun for all ages and healthy outdoor fun! Golf, tennis, hiking, biking, fishing, canoeing...

Winter is great - all winter activities available from snow shoeing to dog sledding!

Just returned from our 4th summer time trip to Smuggs. Once again everything was awesome!! Each year we seem to do different activities and our days were both full and relaxing. After 8 days the children (5,9) didn't want to leave. Looking forward to adding a winter trip this year. Definitely going back next summer too.