STORY BY BENJAMIN LERNER
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY MOUNTAIN TOP RESORT
Mountain Top Resort offers elevated rustic Vermont elegance in the picturesque hills of Chittenden
Overlooking the pristine waters of Chittenden Reservoir, Mountain Top Resort epitomizes rustic elegance and luxury. The stately lodge exudes a charming, yet sophisticated ambiance that sets the stage for a truly memorable stay. From its panoramic views to its exquisite amenities, Mountain Top Resort stands as a beacon of exceptional service and comfort, providing a superb guest experience. Set amidst 700 private acres that border the expansive Green Mountain National Forest, the beautiful resort delivers the best of Vermont year-round. With a dedication to exemplary service and breathtakingly-beautiful spaces and scenery, Mountain Top elevates Vermont hospitality to new heights.
Luxurious Accommodations
The main lodge houses 32 rooms, each of which is designed to offer a unique blend of comfort and style. As Jade Miller, Mountain Top Resort’s Marketing Director, explains, “We have something for everyone based on their personal preferences.” Many rooms feature locally-crafted Vermont wood furnishings, including bed frames and decor by Vermont artisans, adding an element of
aesthetic authenticity.
The Luxury Lodge Rooms provide spacious accommodations with spectacular mountain and lake vistas. These rooms are well-appointed with comfortable furnishings and sumptuous decorative accents. The newly-renovated Luxury Suites, located on the upper floor, offer exceptional accommodations, complete with king beds, separate living areas featuring cozy armchairs, and spacious bathrooms with tubs and walk-in showers. These suites come equipped with kitchenettes, mini fridges, and more, ensuring that guests have everything they need for a relaxing stay.
For those seeking more expansive accommodations, the resort offers a range of cabins and private guest homes. All cabins and guest houses provide luxury and privacy while maintaining easy access to all resort amenities. “Each house offers something special and unique,” notes Miller. The King Cabins are perfect for couples, featuring vaulted ceilings, wood-burning fireplaces, and private outdoor seating areas. The private guest houses cater to larger groups, offering a variety of choices to customize an ideal Vermont vacation. They feature unique décor, fully equipped kitchens, private yards, and amenities such as patios, balconies, hot tubs, and outdoor grills. Several of the houses are also dog-friendly, making them perfect for a full family getaway.
As one of the 26 guest homes that are sprinkled throughout the property, The Jewel is a stunning modern mountain lodge-style house, epitomizing rustic opulence with an oversized wrap-around deck, lofty ceilings, and gorgeous interior spaces. White Birch offers single-level living with spectacular views, an outdoor hot tub, and a spacious open-plan kitchen. The newly-renovated Greystone house boasts a private yard with an inground pool, hot tub, and gourmet kitchen, which is perfect for entertaining. Trillium is ideal for couples, featuring a screened porch, outdoor hot tub, and ski-in/ski-out access to the on-site cross-country skiing trails. Bergamot stands as the pinnacle of luxurious mountain lodge living, with professional-grade kitchen facilities, radiant-heated floors, a hot tub, a pool, and a mahogany deck.
Culinary Delights
Dining at Mountain Top Resort is a splendid gourmet adventure. The resort’s Tavern and Restaurant serve up scrumptious dishes crafted by Executive Chef Stephen Sawyer. Guests can enjoy both lunch and dinner in a beautifully-renovated, open-concept dining space. Their culinary program features locally-sourced ingredients, with a menu that reflects the best of Vermont’s seasonal produce.
Guests can choose to dine in the rustic-luxe Dining Room, the pub-style Tavern, or on the outdoor patio. In the warmer months, the outdoor terrace offers a memorable dining experience under the stars. The Mountain Top Tavern, located at the bottom of the main lodge stairs, provides an upscale, friendly atmosphere for lunch, dinner, or a drink at the bar. The Tavern boasts up to 12 Vermont craft brews on tap, including favorites such as Zero Gravity Conehead IPA, Long Trail Ale, Switchback Ale, and Von Trapp Pilsner, ensuring that beer enthusiasts can savor the best local flavors. Offering a variety of dishes for any palate, the lunch and dinner menus for the Dining Room and Tavern are sure to please even the pickiest eater. Notable lunch options include their signature Highlands Burger, Mountain Top Mac, and a fan-favorite Pad Thai. Featured on both the lunch and dinner menu, The Dam Salad is named as a tribute to the Chittenden Dam, with fresh cornbread croutons. For something on the shareable side, their Pretzel and Beer Cheese features Cabot Cheddar, while their house-made cornbread includes a side of maple butter. Also on the menu for dinner are steaks that are exclusively part of the Certified Angus Beef Program, helping to support local farmers in Vermont and ranches around the country.
Complementing the food and beer menu, the resort offers an extensive selection of cocktails with Vermont-made spirits, such as the Maple Manhattan, made with Smuggler’s Notch Maple Bourbon, and the Tom Cat Negroni featuring Barr Hill Tom Cat Gin. Wine enthusiasts can choose from a curated list of domestic and international wines and champagnes, including Moët Brut, Hall Cabernet, Baronie Fini Pinot Grigio, and Chateau Grand-Puy Ducasse Grand Cru.
Relaxation and Celebration
Mountain Top Resort’s splendid amenities extend beyond luxurious lodging and exquisite dining. The Event Barn, with its beautiful post and beam framework and stunning views, accommodates up to 250 guests, making it an ideal venue for weddings and corporate events. The on-site Spa offers a range of treatments, including hot stone massages, custom facials, and hair and makeup services. Using locally-made Blush Vermont products, The Spa provides an organic and relaxing experience tailored to every guest’s needs.
The Spa at Mountain Top Resort is located in the ground level of the multi-story Event Barn, and it provides a sanctuary of health, beauty, and wellness for all occasions. In its serene spaces, guests can indulge in a variety of treatments, including the 30-minute Glow Facial and a range of massages. The Salon at The Spa is staffed by a talented team of professionals who provide hair and makeup services for weddings, events, or everyday pampering.
To that end, Mountain Top Resort is the perfect venue for any wedding, whether it’s an intimate elopement or a grand, multi-day celebration. With 700 private acres featuring meadows, woods, mountains, and a lake, the grounds provide a remarkable, idyllic backdrop. Mountain Top offers multiple ceremony sites, along with dedicated wedding planners to help coordinate every detail.
Perched atop a sweeping meadow, the Knoll offers panoramic views of the resort, valley, lake, and surrounding mountains. The custom wood arbor and split rail fence adorned with native flowers create a picturesque setting for weddings from May through November. Adjacent to the Main Lodge, the Terrace boasts commanding views of meadows, mountains, and the lake. It is an ideal location for winter ceremonies, with custom-made wood benches and a handcrafted wooden arbor.
As one of the few beachside wedding venues in Vermont, The Beach offers a secluded waterfront setting with golden sands and crystal-clear lake waters, available from May through October. The Lakefront Beach Pavilion is perfect for welcome parties and rehearsal dinners, with a fire pit and deck that offer picturesque lake and mountain views. Intimate receptions, however, can be hosted in various locations within the resort, including formal dining rooms, private lawns, and poolside areas, providing numerous options for personalized receptions.
The Loft, located on the upper floor of the Event Barn, features floor-to-ceiling bay windows with lake and mountain views, providing a magnificent indoor ceremony location year-round. The Event Barn’s main level is a match made in heaven for wedding receptions, featuring exposed beams, striking wood flooring, and a wall of windows overlooking the meadow, lake, and mountains.
Meadow’s Edge Floral Design, located on the lower level of the Barn, provides bespoke floral and décor services for weddings and special occasions. The team works exclusively with Mountain Top Resort’s wedding couples to create personalized floral arrangements for ceremonies, receptions, welcome parties, cocktail hours, and more. They also offer unique floral adornments for brides, bridesmaids, and pets. Through consultations and planning, the Meadow’s Edge team plans, sources, and assembles the perfect assortment of florals and greenery. In addition, they provide event decor services, transforming spaces with cathedral drapes, tented-style looks, and lush greenery to match any wedding theme.
From the day a couple chooses Mountain Top Resort to the day they leave after their wedding, their coordinator and day-of coordinator work with them through each and every detail for their multi-day event. With numerous customizations to make the day unique, there’s no shortage of ways to make an event truly special.
Get Outside, Explore, and Enjoy!
Guests who come to Mountain Top Resort can partake in a vast assortment of fun and engaging outdoor activities, regardless of the season. In the summer, guests can enjoy clay bird shooting, pontoon boat rides, and beach activities at the resort’s private beach on Chittenden Reservoir. Winter transforms the resort into a cross-country skiing paradise. With 60 kilometers of groomed trails, including a snowmaking loop to guarantee perfect conditions, it’s no surprise that Mountain Top’s Nordic Center is the oldest operating in the U.S., passing its 60-year anniversary this winter. Roger Hill, Facilities and Activities Director at Mountain Top Resort, adds: “There are trails for skiers of all experience levels, and the sights are truly extraordinary.”
Mountain Top’s horseback riding program is another key highlight, offering trails that wind through the property’s scenic landscapes. “We do one or two-hour horseback rides tailored for both advanced or beginner riders based on their abilities,” explains Miller. From Memorial Day weekend through October, the equestrian center allows guests to immerse themselves in nature on 40 miles of designated trails. Advanced bookings are required, and they can be arranged through the Activities Center.
Mountain Top’s private beach at Chittenden Reservoir is available only to overnight and event guests, offering a tranquil escape with complimentary kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards available on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests can also enjoy fishing on the lake, with largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, yellow perch, and sunfish abundant in the waters. The resort offers small fishing boat rentals and equipment, making it easy for guests to enjoy a day on the lake. Additional activities for overnight guests include a 9-hole disc golf course, tennis and pickleball courts, a sand volleyball court, a pool available during the summer months, and a year-round hot tub.
A Storied Past
Mountain Top Resort’s rich history adds to its undeniable charm and allure. Originally established as a turnip farm in the 19th century by the Long family, the property underwent a significant transformation in the 1940s when Mr. William Barstow purchased it as a gift for his wife, Francoise, a New York socialite known for her exclusive gatherings. Under the Barstows’ ownership, the farm evolved into a social hub, maintaining the rustic integrity of its Yankee farmer origins while accommodating an increasing number of visitors.
In 1945, the Mountain Top Inn was purchased by William and Margery Wolfe, who continued to develop the property. The Inn gained national attention in 1955 when President Dwight Eisenhower stayed there during a fishing expedition, cementing its reputation as a premier destination. Eisenhower’s visit is commemorated in the Main Lodge Lobby with framed photographs, and the luxury room where he stayed is aptly named “Ike’s View.” Recognizing the potential for winter sports, the Wolfes began developing their trail system for an operating cross-country ski center in 1964, with trails that are still used today.
Despite a devastating fire in 1977 that destroyed much of the original Inn, the Wolfes rebuilt the property using traditional post and beam construction. Today, the large Douglas fir beams in the lobby and the signature glass-enclosed “silo” staircase offer guests a warm and inviting entrance with majestic views.
In the early 2000s, a small group of dedicated partners purchased Mountain Top Resort. They have carefully nurtured its evolution as a premier mountain lodge, which now stands as one of Vermont’s most sought-after destination resorts. Recent additions include the three-story event barn, new cabins, a beach pavilion, state-of-the-art trail grooming equipment, the Spa, the renovated restaurant and tavern, and ongoing, extensive room and space renovations. “We’re continuing to grow our portfolio of guest houses here at Mountain Top, update our spaces, and refine every aspect of the guest experience,” shares Miller. “We want our guests to enjoy all that Vermont has to offer—in any season, for any reason.”
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