bolton valley resort

As an intermediate skiier, Bolton Valley was the perfect place for a weekend getaway! The staff was incredibly welcoming, helpful, patient, and kind. You can tell that they absolutely put the costumer first and make every effort to assure that you are taken care of. Their accommodations offer just what you need for a weekend getaway or week vacation. They are comfortable and homie. Bolton is also a great place for families! They have activities for all ages, offer private lessons and ski school for all levels, and also have a cafeteria, pub (live band every friday and amazing poutine), day care center, and full service rental shop with top of the line equipment. They also run an amazing ski program for people with disabilities called VT Adaptive so everyone can have fun on the slopes! Their prices also cannot be beat!! Rental + lift ticket combined is half of what it costs for a lift ticket at Stowe or Killington. Plus there are major discounts for 18-25 yr olds and children. The mountain has 3 main peaks that offer well groomed trails and a variety of glades for people of all levels. When I visited last weekend (3/6-3/8/15) the conditions could not have been better! Furthermore, there were never lines like you see at mountains such as Stowe or Sugarbush. As I mentioned, Bolton Valley is not a huge, luxury resort, but it does offer great skiing. Lastly, Bolton is about a 30 min drive to Burlington which gives you a great option for dinner, late afternoon activities, etc. Its an easy drive and easy escape from the mountain if you're looking for more! Given its history, I would say Bolton has come a long way from about 5-6 years ago when its staff seemed a bit entitled and the mountain was not maintained or run well. This trip made me realize just how much its changed and how vastly is has improved!! Props to the new management team and all of their hard work to get this place back to where it should be!

If you're looking at places to ski in Vermont, I'm sure you've already noticed that Bolton Valley is one of the cheapest places. There aren't a lot of lodging choices nearby but the skiing is pretty great. They seem to get quite a bit of snowfall and most of the slopes were well groomed. It looked like a few of the blacks and double blacks might have been icy but the greens and blues were pretty good. There were hardly any lines to get on the lifts and for the most part it wasn't too busy. I found the best runs and snow on Wilderness Peak. The main peak up the Vista Quad lift is the busiest and the snow was most packed there. Timberline was least crowded (probably because there are fewer beginner runs there). Length of the runs was pretty good and the runs criss-cross a lot which gives you the choice to bail onto something easier if you go down something too hard and change your mind. There are two bases with lodges and food but you could walk from one area to the other if you missed the last lift of the day. BV also has inexpensive night skiing on the main runs. We didn't ski too late once the sun set but it was still nice to get a few more hours instead of stopping at 3:30 or 4pm when the other lifts close. Overall, Bolton Valley is a great value with good runs. Maybe not big enough for a whole week of skiing but perfect for a day trip or weekend getaway.

I am really glad I went to the lodge restaurant and the gym / pool / sports complex, otherwise I would have given a lower rating. The friendly staff is what makes me give the overall resort a higher score. The ticket and information folks knew a lot. Slopes:The main attraction are the slopes and lifts which were all good for me, a mix of snowboarders and skiers, beginner, intermediate, and some expert. Rooms: The room I was in had a view, but one window had no curtain or window blinds, also no mini refrigerator. The room heater was very good. The bathroom heater could not be fixed (I think it was long ago disconnected), so I over heated the whole room after waking for the shower. The wifi internet was not bad most of the time, though not 100%. The bed was comfortable and good water pressure. Despite having unpadded carpet on wood floor hallways, and flimsy doors, it was not loud for me between rooms or floors. The decor was old but well maintained. Food: - Breakfast:The free included breakfast was not what i hoped for at a resort. It was packaged shelf items in the deli plus bagels and coffee. The deli guys do sell egg and meat sandwich tho. Given that the nearest diner is 8 miles, this is a major shortcoming. - Lunch Dinner: The good restaurant is not open for breakfast, so no chance of getting an organic egg-white garden vegetable omelet with fresh fruit and smoked salmon for breakfast. However they were open for lunch and dinner and had an amazing menu of choices including vegetables and Burlington area local ingredients. Parking: The whole driveway to lodge, buildings, hotel, and all parking lots are unpaved gravel. It would be nice if it were paved, maybe some de-iced bricks in the main loop. And lights at night are needed. Though it is pretty at night to see the sky. Sports complex: This was a real reward. I was worn out on my last day snowboarding. I found they have a huge facility with swimming pool, hot tub, gym with weights, fitness studio, basketball, tennis, also kids activities, and looked like even more to discover, like cross country rentals, etc. If the hotel wanted to score points with guests, they should give a voucher with info (it's already free to guests) and light the path to walk there. I would go and stay again. It was easy drive in rental car from South Burlington Airport 1 way and return 1 way to Essex Junction Amtrak. (5 miles from airport by taxi).

My fiance took me here, he had skiied here multiple times and I fell in love with it. Great skiing, great trails, love the glades (try deer path) and a great little bar. Everyone is friendly, I thought I lost my license and so many staffers offered to look. Will definitely be back!

Went to Bolton for the first time with extended family from Burlington who have season passes. Although it may look in need of an update, it's filled with lots of good times. This is a great mountain if you have young families that are just beginning to enjoy skiing. The trails are in great shape, the employees are incredibly nice. They even helped us unload our car at the unloading station and put some things in when we were leaving. It is busy like most VT ski resorts but it has a nice family feel to it that makes you want to come back again and again. I know we will!

I hadn't been there in a while, and my husband had never been, but my family has been skiing at Bolton for the past few years and they love it. While it may not be the biggest or fanciest resort in the area, (head to Smuggs or Stowe if you want all the bells and whistles) it makes up for it with it's cozy atmosphere, lack of lift lines, and over all "mom & pop" feel. Not to mention cruising trails, glades, a nordic center, terrain park, and sports center--there is something for everyone! We stayed in a condo right at the resort, and each morning we would make breakfast, sip our coffee, and then throw on our gear and walk five minutes up to the lift. (There is nothing I hate more than lugging my ski gear around, so this quick commute felt like a little luxury) There wasn't a record breaking amount of snow while we were there so not all 71 trails were open, but the ones that were were fantastic. We got a nice 2-3 inches of fresh powder each morning, and that combined with a great snow making system and an exceptional grooming team made for some pretty fantastic runs. There were a few icy spots, but this is New England skiing after all...We ended our trip by celebrating New Years at the mountain. Bolton had a torch lit parade down the mountain which, when the torch reached the bottom, set off a gorgeous fire works show. After the show we headed inside to the bar, grabbed some drinks, and headed into the brick oven pizza restaurant (did I mention that? Yumm) and rocked to the live band. It was a blast, and the lodge was milling with people who came to ring in the New Year. As we drove down the snowy mountainside the next day. headed back home, I thought about what really makes a ski trip. To me, its a mountain with fun and varied trails, good people to chat with on the lift, and a warm and cozy place to sit at night and have a good drink and a hot dinner. Bolton Valley far exceeds that criteria, and I love that it is still a mountain that you could learn like the back of your hand, staffed by people you could get to know. We can't wait to go back.

First time to Bolton Valley skiing, and enjoyed it. Nice smaller mountain, great for family, and beginning skiiers. Limited upper level slopes, but a nice relaxing mountain.

I went with my brother and his family to Bolton Valley Ski Resort this past New Year's week and had a great time. The trail conditions were decent and the weather couldn't have been nicer. While it was brisk, the lift lines were very reasonable and the attendants were top notch. Very polite staff who certainly care about their guests. A nice addition this year is a wood fired pizza bistro. The slices are huge and very delicious. The bar has a wonderful selection of microbrews on tap and the bar tender was very attentive. I strongly recommend going to Bolton over some of the bigger mountains in the area. The lodging deals you can book on-line are very competetive and you'll enjoy slope side lodging with awesome skiing.

This is a great mountain especially for the price. I have not encountered a better staff at any other mountain in VT! This is a mountain that treats you like family and makes you feel like a local Vermonter regardless of where you are from.

Thank you, Bolton Valley! My six year old, four year old, and I ski there as often as possible and really appreciate the extremely friendly staff and fantastic terrain. The resort is a bit outdated but perfect for a family who is looking for high quality skiing, good food (Fireside Flatbread is amazing!), and a family friendly atmosphere at an affordable price. We highly recommend Bolton!

Went there for a business trip and found that the rooms were outdated, bug infested. Not sure what it is like during snow/ski season, but if it is anything like what I experienced, look elsewhere for lodging. Even some of the employees mentioned how bad the place is. It's almost like the owner could care less. Too bad because the scenery around the resort is breath taking!

the staff was friendly and met with the many challenges of a facility lacking a desire to meet changing needs

My wife and I come here once a year to meet up with friends who live nearby. We have been lucky and have always had great conditions when we are here. The mountain is not as big as some nearby, but the varied terrain make it a good mountain for all abilities. For someone who is just starting with glade runs, the vista glades is a great place to spend some time.

I love this mountain, but then again, I love old school mountains. The staff is awesome, from the director of the snowboard school to the bartenders. There is a special charm about this place that I can not put my finger on, but it has a special ambience of yesteryear.

After ~10 years of not having been on skis, my husband and I decided to go to Vermont for a ski weekend. I liked this ski resort because it had 35% of the mountain as novice. I paid for a lesson to serve as a refresher and it was worth every dollar. Lift ticket prices were reasonable as was the cost of a private lesson. My instructor was excellent, very encouraging, gave great pointers. I had a great skiing experience, skiing for a better portion of the day. I would definitely return to Bolton Ski Resort. Nicely situated between Burlington and Stowe.