Recharged and Ready for Winter Back from a refreshing vacation and it is snowed big, saucer-size flakes yesterday-a welcome November sight! One true side benefit of getting away between busy tourist seasons is the re-awareness of the benefits of “getting away” from the routine, stress and ordinariness of everyday living and working. It helps me to understand the needs of our guests and their appreciation when a vacation, no matter how long or short, re-energizes their spirit. Not that our time off was all play and relaxation, though. Two of our guestrooms now sport a woodsy, mountain ambience, and our big addition-a brand new hot tub! Still outdoors, a little larger, with lots more jets and a recliner seat, I am sure it will continue to be an important draw for a large number of our visitors. The mountain is open and the skiing, albeit with limited terrain, has been widely praised. Killington has been investing very significant amounts of money and resources into improving its infrastructure and the overall customer experience, and now under the leadership of its extremely capable new president, Mike Solimano, (check out his new blog) its vision for the future is ambitious and comprehensive. I can say this with real confidence, having seen quite a number of resort management teams over the years. Anticipation of the completion of the new peak lodge, now under construction, will certainly grow through the coming year. As I wish ourselves and our wonderful guests a snowy, schuss-filled winter, I also send our very best wishes to those who suffered loss in the wake of Hurricane Sandy-our prayers are with you.
Categories: Discover Vermont,Life in an Inn
Tags: getaway, Killington, skiing, vacation
+ POST A COMMENT // COMMENTS (0)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From Jet Lag to Insight Switching roles can be an educational exercise, and in this case, also a very fun experience. I just returned from a two week trip to Europe, seeing three cities that I had not visited before, each with its own personality, highlights and quirks. It was great fun, exploring the unknown, seeing sights that I had dreamed about for a lifetime. And above all, being a guest and realizing the importance of comfortable lodging when you are away from the familiarity and comforts of your own home. The significance of a smile and a friendly, welcoming face cannot be underestimated, regardless of what language is being spoken. It is critical in the hospitality industry and beyond, not just because it is good for business, but because it is good for humanity. What a valuable reminder that my guests are just like me, away from home, grateful for the warmth of a caring host. Speaking of being grateful, especially with Thanksgiving on the horizon and Irene in our rearview mirror, we have to give thanks for the spectacular recovery efforts and preparations for the ski season that have been underway. Killington Resort has been working feverishly to repair the damaged section of the base lodge and is installing the innovative Umbrella Bar, putting a positive, fun spin on the damage inflicted by Irene. Snowmaking has been pretty consistent in spite of fluctuating temperatures, prompting Manfred to make his first turns of the season today, pronouncing the skiing quite good. I think all of us in our resort town are grateful that Killington Resort once again recognizes the value in being the first ski resort to open, and we all understand the value of that welcoming smile. Come on up-we are ready for your arrival!
Categories: Discover Vermont,Latest News
Tags: hospitality, Killington, skiing, Thanksgiving
+ POST A COMMENT // COMMENTS (0)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Returning from a week in Florida and Killington is open! The past week has definitely been a study in contrasts. Manfred and I were very fortunate to be able to slip away for a week to the sun and sand of Florida. The weather was so kind to us-a cold front had chased away the humidity and presented us with hot, but not oppressive temps, and we appreciatively played and relaxed to our hearts’ content. When we flew home last Wednesday we left behind 80 degrees and sun. On our first day back in Killington we were greeted with an all-day snow storm, the forecast is now for a major storm to hit us last night, and Killington Resort has opened for skiing! Extremes? Yes. Manfred is busy finishing up the “fall” clean-up in the snow, and at the same time getting us winterized. He’ll be tuning our skis before you know it. The perfect transition to the winter season? Absolutely! Returning to normal on an accelerated schedule is just what the doctor ordered, and we are soooo ready to welcome winter and all of our guests who love the Vermont and Killington winter experience. Thanksgiving is just around the corner, as is the terrific Killington Festival of Trees. I have a fun idea for our tree theme this year and am gathering the decorations to put it all together for the weekend of December 10th at the Killington Grand Hotel. So bring it on, Father Winter-we are ready for you!
Categories: Killington,Latest News
Tags: East Coast October snow, Killington Resort, October snow, skiing, snowboarding, Snowed Inn
+ POST A COMMENT // COMMENTS (0)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lemons to Lemonade I have a friend who is battling cancer, and she appears to be winning the battle. Her secret? In her words, an “attitude of gratitude.” What a mantra for any difficult situation. Here in Killington, and in other parts of Vermont, we have been put to the test. But we are finding that in spite of the hardships, there is much to be grateful for. For us for starters, Irene caused no loss of life or bodily harm, and our inn and our home were undamaged. Yes, business has suffered, but here’s the lemonade part—folks are informed about the quick rehabilitation of our roads and infrastructure, and they are coming toVermont. They have become much more aware of the tenacious aspect of the Vermonters’ character and are rewarding us with their presence, often because they want to help us back on our feet, knowing their experience will be vintage Vermont—beautiful views and warm hospitality. Yes, Irene dumped a lot of water on us, but it turns out that’s good for the quality of the foliage colors (more lemonade). We are in turn more grateful than ever for the faith our guests have in us and in this beautiful state. Killington Resort is squeezing those lemons as well. First of all, Killington Base Lodge was NOT destroyed by Irene. Damage to one small section, yes; destruction, no. As a result, the damaged section has been removed and will be replaced by a brand new deck topped by two European custom built outdoor bars, fully heated, with adjustable walls and windows to adapt to the changing weather conditions, offering prime views ofKillingtonPeakand Superstar. What a great, brand new way to savor the après ski experience at the finest ski resort in the East! Lemonade, anyone?
Categories: Discover Vermont
Tags: Irene, Killington, skiing, Vermont, Vermont Foliage
+ POST A COMMENT // COMMENTS (0)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
