My spouse and I visited Skytop Lodge as day guests on a
Saturday afternoon in mid-July 2017. Note that we did not stay overnight in the
hotel, so this review only gives our initial impressions about the resort as we
walked around and dined.
As we turned off the main road and began to wind our way
through the property, we were bowled over by the gorgeous stone main lodge! On
the way, we passed a lake and other lodging (luxury cottages); a second lake
with a beach and water activities was beyond those accommodations. (Although
the other parts of the resort are only a short walk from the main lodge, the
property offers a shuttle bus if you prefer to ride.) From the parking lot, we
could see the activities/adventure center, including tennis courts and bicycle
rentals. The lobby of the main lodge is rustically elegant; it seemed that the
walls, floor, and ceilings were all covered with wood, which provided a nice
backdrop for the various small seating groupings that spanned the immense room.
We walked past the large stone fireplace at the end of the room in order to
enter the Library Bar, where we enjoyed a round of drinks. Joseph the bartender
told us a bit about the resort’s offerings, and his most valuable piece of
advice was to climb the stairs to the rooftop lookout/outdoor observatory in
order to survey the whole property from a 360-degree perch. We glimpsed the spa
entrance on our way up the stairs; we also used an antique elevator to travel
part of the way. We understand that the Library Bar is a newer feature at
Skytop, and we loved the classy surroundings in the main room (surrounded by
book cases that offer books on loan) and the old framed photographs in the
adjacent side room.
Next, we went in search of lunch. The elegant windowed
Windsor Dining Room offered a buffet, so we continued to the basement “activities”
level to dine in the less-formal Tap Room. The walk-out basement level also
offers a game room for children (with ping-pong tables and other arcade games),
an activities desk where guests can book tours, and the Tea Room (which offers
a “milkshake happy hour” in addition to all-day light fare like sandwiches and
salads). The basement Tap Room has recently been renovated with an English pub
décor. We dined at the bar because most of the tables were occupied. (A few
larger tables positioned near the windows offer nice views. The opposite side
of the room contains a row of tables that share a wooden banquette on one wall,
and still another area a step down from the main room offers additional
seating.) We ordered the Brussel sprout/black-eyed pea appetizer (which we did
not care for because of its heavy maple-syrupy seasoning and also because it
was light on the sprouts and heavy on the peas), the fish and chips, and the
roast beef sandwich. (Our main courses were better than our starter.) Overall,
we enjoyed our casual lunch at the Tap Room, and we would return.
After lunch, we walked around the back of the property,
peering into the open courtyard, trying out the rocking chairs on the
semi-circular covered porch, enjoying the flower gardens, and walking the paved
paths past the putting green and bocce court. You can also play golf, hike, fish,
kayak, paddle board, ride horses, shoot, play paintball, zip line, and archery
at Skytop. In the wintertime, you can ski, snowshoe, and dogsled. But you can
also relax on a lounge chair by the pool or lakeside beach, or at the spa. (We
only caught a peek of the indoor and outdoor swimming pools when up on the
lookout, but they looked nice.) There were many family groups visiting; it
seems like a popular place for reunions and vacations. As we departed the main
lobby in the late afternoon, staff had set out a table with cookies and
lemonade as a snack for the guests, which was a lovely way to end our visit.
We were thoroughly impressed with what we saw at Skytop Lodge;
although it is somewhat geared towards active families (and we do not have
children), we would gladly return for a weekend stay.
