By the Best Mountain Hotels editorial team ·
Topnotch Resort is Stowe's classic spa resort, set on a 120-acre wooded estate beneath Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak. Built in 1959 and since renovated, it combines a much-loved spa with an indoor pool fed by a cascading waterfall, outdoor pools, tennis, Nordic skiing and sleigh rides on site, and Stowe Mountain Resort just three miles up the road.
Topnotch Resort is Stowe's classic spa resort, set on a 120-acre wooded estate beneath Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak. Built in 1959 and since renovated, it combines a much-loved spa with an indoor pool fed by a cascading waterfall, outdoor pools, tennis, Nordic skiing and sleigh rides on site, and Stowe Mountain Resort just three miles up the road.
Location: Stowe, Vermont
The resort stands on Mountain Road, about three miles from the lifts of Stowe Mountain Resort and five miles from Stowe village, linked by the popular Stowe recreation path, which starts at the resort.
Beyond the slopes, Stowe is one of the most charming towns in New England. The 5.3-mile Stowe Recreation Path winds along the river and through covered bridges, Cold Hollow Cider Mill serves warm cider doughnuts, and the Trapp Family Lodge, founded by the family who inspired The Sound of Music, has miles of cross-country trails. Ben & Jerry's original ice-cream factory is a short drive away in Waterbury, and the dramatic Smugglers' Notch road, closed in winter, climbs between towering cliffs in summer and autumn. The mountain is famous for the Front Four, a quartet of steep, narrow expert trails: Goat, Starr, Liftline and National.
Stowe, in northern Vermont, is the classic New England ski town: a white-steepled church, covered bridges, red barns and maple-sugar shacks, set beneath Mount Mansfield, the highest peak in the state at 4,395 feet. Stowe Mountain Resort spans Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak, with the steep, narrow trails of the Front Four and gentler terrain for families. Burlington International Airport is about 45 minutes to an hour away, Boston around three and a half hours and New York City around six.
Rooms and suites at Topnotch
There are guest rooms and suites in the main building, plus two- and three-bedroom Resort Homes, ideal for families. The style is relaxed, contemporary New England, and the top-floor rooms, with vaulted ceilings and extra space, are the ones to request. Dogs are welcome in some ground-floor rooms.
Rooms are bright and comfortable, with a clean, modern New England style, and many look out over the woods and gardens towards the mountains. The Resort Homes, with full kitchens, fireplaces and several bedrooms, are a good choice for families or groups who want independence and space.
Facilities at Topnotch
The award-winning spa is the heart of the resort, with a long menu of treatments and a full-size indoor pool with a cascading waterfall. Outside, there are two pools in summer and one heated pool in winter, plus an outdoor hot tub.
Flannel, the resort's restaurant, serves farm-to-table comfort food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The resort is known for its tennis programme, and in winter it offers Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and sleigh rides on the estate, with downhill skiing at Stowe a few minutes' drive away.
The resort is also a superb base for exploring Stowe beyond skiing. The recreation path leads to the village, the resort can arrange sleigh rides, snowshoe tours and ice skating, and in summer there is tennis, hiking, mountain biking and golf. Children's programmes run in the main seasons, and the spa's long menu of treatments is ideal for a rest day between ski days.
The mountain moment
The Topnotch moment is a snowy Vermont evening. After a day skiing the Front Four at Stowe, you come back to the warmth of the spa, swim beneath the indoor waterfall, then step outside into the hot tub as snow falls through the pines and Mount Mansfield disappears into the dusk.
Why Topnotch is one of the best mountain hotels
Topnotch earns its place as one of New England's best mountain spa resorts. Its spa and pools, peaceful estate and Stowe location make it ideal for couples and families who want skiing, Nordic trails and relaxation in one place. It is not ski-in, ski-out, and its style is comfortable rather than cutting-edge. But for a classic Vermont mountain break, it is excellent.
For ski-in, ski-out convenience at Stowe, see The Lodge at Spruce Peak.
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When to go to Topnotch
Stowe's ski season usually runs from late November to April, with the best snow from January to March. Autumn, from late September to mid-October, brings Vermont's famous foliage, when the resort is at its busiest. Summer is ideal for tennis, hiking, biking on the recreation path and golf at Stowe Country Club nearby.
January and February bring the coldest weather and the best snow, while March offers longer days and spring skiing. The Christmas holidays, Presidents' Day week and New England school vacations are the busiest periods. Late September to mid-October is the classic foliage season, when Vermont's hills glow red, orange and gold, and the resort is at its most popular, so book early.
Questions, answered
- How far is Topnotch Resort from Stowe Mountain Resort?
- About three miles, a few minutes' drive along Mountain Road.
- Does Topnotch have a pool?
- Yes. There is an indoor pool with a waterfall in the spa, plus outdoor pools and a hot tub.
- Is Topnotch dog-friendly?
- Yes. Dogs are allowed in some ground-floor rooms and suites.
- When is the best time for autumn colour at Stowe?
- Usually from late September to mid-October.
