Basin Harbor Club

Frommer's Review

On 700 rolling lakeside acres, 30 miles south of Burlington, the Basin Harbor Club offers a detour into a far slower-paced era. Established in 1887, this is the sort of resort where you can spend a week and not get bored -- that is, if you're a self-starter and don't need a perky recreational director to plan your day. The property features historic gardens, including the largest collection of annuals in Vermont. The trademark Adirondack chairs are scattered all over the property, inviting the most exquisite indolence (bring books!). The main lodge houses 38 rooms, though I prefer the rustic cottages, tucked along the shore and in shady groves of trees. Nothing's too fancy, yet nothing's shabby; it's all comfortable in a New England old-money kind of way. (The occasional battered Venetian blind adds to the charm.) From art classes to a lecture series, you're never far away from the pleasant sensation that you've stepped into an upscale summer camp for grownups. Staff even caters three meals daily for those too comfortable to seek out a restaurant. Living really high off the hog? You're in luck: This place even has its own private airstrip.

Facilities: 3 restaurants; outdoor pool; golf course; 5 tennis courts; fitness center; bike rentals; children's programs (summer); concierge; limited room service; babysitting; laundry service; dry cleaning; boat rentals (windsurfers, kayaks, canoes, day sailors, outboards); cruises.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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