Skiing in Vermont is usually a trade-off. You either get the rustic, "middle of nowhere" cabin vibe that requires a twenty-minute de-icing of your windshield every morning, or you pay out the nose for a sterile hotel room that feels like it could be in a suburban office park. Long Trail House Stratton sits right in that sweet spot where things actually make sense. It isn't the newest building on the mountain—that honor goes to the glass-heavy redevelopments—but it’s basically the heartbeat of the Stratton Village. If you’ve ever walked through the cobblestone paths past Mulligans or the North Face store, you’ve seen it. It’s that massive, hearth-centered complex that looks like it was plucked out of an Austrian valley and dropped into the Green Mountains.
People get obsessed with "ski-in, ski-out." Honestly? That phrase is a bit of a marketing trap at most resorts. At Long Trail House, you aren’t literally clicking into your bindings on your balcony. You’re walking. It’s maybe 200 yards. You cross the street, pass the clock tower, and you’re at the gondola. For most families hauling four sets of Rossignols and a toddler who is currently having a meltdown because their goggles are "too itchy," that short walk is the difference between a great vacation and a logistical nightmare.
What’s Actually Inside Long Trail House Stratton?
It’s a condo-hotel hybrid. That means every unit is privately owned but managed with the consistency of a high-end resort. You aren't rolling the dice on a random Airbnb host who forgot to leave the WiFi password or left a crusty toaster oven. Because these are true condos, you get a full kitchen. Not a "kitchenette" with a single burner and a mini-fridge that barely fits a six-pack of Long Trail Ale, but a real, honest-to-god kitchen.
Most units feature gas fireplaces. There is something deeply primal and necessary about coming back from a day where the wind chill at the summit of Stratton was hitting -10°F and just flipping a switch to see flames. It beats a radiator any day. The layout usually follows a standard mountain format: one, two, or three bedrooms. The three-bedroom units are the "white whales" of the building—they get snapped up for Christmas week and Presidents' Day weekend months, sometimes a year, in advance.
The hearth room is the soul of the place. It’s huge. It has a massive stone fireplace where people actually congregate. In a world where everyone is glued to their phones, you still see people reading physical books or playing board games in the Long Trail House common areas. It feels like a community.
📖 Related: The Gwen Luxury Hotel Chicago: What Most People Get Wrong About This Art Deco Icon
The Heated Pool Situation
Let’s talk about the pool. It’s heated. It’s outdoors. And yes, it’s open in the winter.
There is a specific kind of magic in sitting in a steaming hot tub at Long Trail House while big, fat Vermont snowflakes fall on your head. The pool area is tucked into a courtyard, which protects it from the worst of the wind ripping off the mountain. It’s the primary reason kids love this building. If you’re a parent, the pool is your secret weapon. When the legs are tired and the "I don't want to ski anymore" complaints start at 2:00 PM, you move the party to the pool.
Staying at Long Trail House Stratton vs. The Black Bear or Founders
You’ve got options at Stratton. Why choose this one?
Founders is fancier, sure. It’s newer. But it often feels a bit stiff. The Black Bear Lodge (formerly the Stratton Mountain Inn) is more of a traditional hotel, but you lose the kitchen and the "home base" feel. Long Trail House is the workhorse. It’s for the group that wants to cook breakfast together, hit the slopes early, come back for a sandwich at lunch because lodge food is expensive, and then pass out on a comfortable sofa.
👉 See also: What Time in South Korea: Why the Peninsula Stays Nine Hours Ahead
One thing people often overlook is the underground parking. If you’ve never had to dig a car out of three feet of snow while the wind howls at 40 miles per hour, you might not appreciate this. But for the seasoned Vermont traveler, a heated underground garage is worth its weight in gold. You load the kids into a warm car on Sunday afternoon and just drive away. No ice scrapers. No frozen fingers.
The Summer Side of Things
Stratton isn't just a winter destination anymore. The Long Trail House Stratton stays busy in July for a reason. You are steps away from the golf course and the tennis center. The mountain biking scene at Stratton has exploded lately, and having a condo where you can store gear securely is a massive plus. The village vibes change in the summer; it becomes about outdoor concerts, the Vermont Wine & Harvest Festival, and hiking the actual Long Trail (which the building is named after).
The hike up to the fire tower on the summit is a classic. It’s part of the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail. From the top, you can see four states. If you stay here in October, the foliage is so bright it almost looks fake.
The Nuance of Ownership and Rentals
If you are looking at Long Trail House Stratton from a real estate perspective, it's a different beast. These units hold value because of the location. They are managed through the resort's rental program, which is a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, they handle everything—cleaning, booking, maintenance. On the other hand, the resort takes a significant cut of the revenue.
✨ Don't miss: Where to Stay in Seoul: What Most People Get Wrong
Owners often debate whether to stay in the "resort pool" or try to manage it themselves via VRBO or Airbnb. Most stick with the resort. Why? Because guests at Long Trail House get perks. You get access to the shuttle system (though you barely need it) and the fitness center at the Training Center.
The HOA fees here aren't "cheap." They cover a lot, though. Maintaining a heated outdoor pool in a climate that regularly hits sub-zero temperatures is an engineering feat that costs a lot of money in electricity and chemicals. You're paying for the convenience of never touching a snow shovel.
Realities You Should Know Before Booking
Nothing is perfect. Let’s be real.
- Noise: Because the building is in the heart of the village, if there is a concert at the base or a loud crowd at Mulligans, you’re going to hear it if your windows are open.
- Aesthetics: Some units have been meticulously renovated with granite countertops and modern appliances. Others... still have that 90s mountain charm (read: a lot of beige and oak). Always look at the specific photos of the unit you are booking.
- Elevators: On a Sunday at 10:00 AM (checkout time), the elevators can be a test of your patience. Everyone is trying to get their luggage carts down to the garage at the exact same time.
Actionable Advice for Your Trip
To get the most out of a stay at Long Trail House, you have to play the system a little bit.
- Request a Courtyard View: If you want quiet and a view of the pool, ask for a courtyard-facing unit. If you want to see the mountain and the action of the village, ask for the exterior side.
- Groceries are Local: Don't wait until you get to the mountain to shop. The market in the village is great for a forgotten gallon of milk, but for a full week of supplies, hit the Shaw's in Manchester or the Clark's Quality Foods in Londonderry on your way up. Your wallet will thank you.
- Mid-Week is King: If you can swing a Tuesday-Thursday stay, the price drops significantly and you’ll basically have the hearth room to yourself.
- Ski Storage: Don't drag your skis up to the room. Use the lockers. It keeps the slush out of your living space and saves your back.
Long Trail House Stratton remains a staple because it removes the friction from a Vermont ski trip. It isn't trying to be a five-star ultra-luxury boutique hotel. It's a high-quality, comfortable, and incredibly convenient home base for people who actually want to spend their time on the snow rather than in a shuttle bus. Whether you're there for the first tracks on a powder day or a craft beer by the pool in August, it delivers exactly what it promises.
Check the resort's official lodging site for the "Stay and Play" packages if you're visiting in summer, or the lift ticket bundles in winter. Often, the package price for Long Trail House beats the "room only" rate you'll find on third-party travel sites once you factor in the cost of mountain access.