I have having major Good Commons withdrawal. I arrived Thur. evening for a weekend yoga retreat…read more The vibe was casual Vermont chill. The setting was inviting and serene. Food service commence and the flavors, plating and offerings were tantalizing, creative and sumptuous. The public areas are conducive for meetings and gatherings. The sleeping areas are close quarters in some rooms and spacious in others. Bedding is incredibly comfy, assuring a good night's rest. There are plenty of bathrooms and are fully stocked with Flourish Apothecaries. Jenny, the house lab is in the house (if you have allergies, she can stay home) providing love and hugs. The hot tub outside is a wonderful spot to relax and recharge. Tesha and Marissa treated us like family. They went the extra mile, insuring the weekend flowed. The yoga room was inviting and serene. I seriously miss GC and will be back.

I concur with the other reviewers. I just came back from a 3-night stay at Good Commons, there for…read morea gluten free culinary retreat weekend. The Inn is a beautiful 4700 SQ foot, tastefully-appointed venue with comfy sofas, fireplace, ultra modern spacious kitchen and numerous bedrooms and bathrooms. The water throughout the house is purified, so both drinking water and shower water are chlorine-free. There's a hot tub (didn't know or would have brought a bathing suit), yoga/dance studio and lots of space to relax. You can rent rooms (I was in the shared loft which is a large room with 12 cozy beds and two bathrooms-I only had one roommate, so it was even more spacious). Next to our room was the living room loft, a cozy bedroom/living room area with its own TV. The dining room can seat 20 easily. The house has free wifi and free long distance and voicemail, which comes in handy as the area doesn't get cell reception-but you're on vacation, so it's nice to disconnect if you want to. The owner Tesha is a delight and she makes sure your stay is the very best. She owns a van that can get you around if you hire her to do so. Only 10 minutes from Killington and Okemo resorts, this is a great place to rest your bones after a day on the slopes. The quaint town of Woodstock is within 45 minutes as are Middlebury College and other unique VT areas of interest such as cheese factories, cider mills, etc. Note: this is not a B&B. If you are renting with friends/family, you can cook your meals or eat at one of the local area restaurants within a 10-minute drive. If you have the money to spend, I highly encourage you to hire Alejandra Ramos (http://www.alwaysorderdessert.com), a personal chef and food blogger/journalist from NYC who will come and spoil you with an eclectic fare of Latin, European, Asian flavors for all tastes and food sensitivities. She was our chef this past weekend and the meals were all gluten free, with some special egg and dairy free delights for some of the other visitors in the group. I'll be back for the skiing, the establishment, and the wonderful people.

This is a magical place and has changed the trajectory of my life. Whew! It's beautiful--the…read moremountains, the trees. There are always a few things that need fixing because it is a fairly large facility and is trying to be accessible to people of limited means. That said, the physical plant has improved much over the years. As others have said, the food is outstanding. But more outstanding are the people you meet. So many smart, talented men who are on the road to self-awareness. As for what Matthew J said, I believe him. Things sometimes fall through the cracks, so if you go, go in with some patience and grace. You will be rewarded for doing that. I was.

Great place for Gay men to vacation and do stuff Great…read moreworkshops Great Staff Lovely men participating All ages Wide range of people Fun Peaceful Good Food Responsive staff. The place is run with integrity I've been going annually for about 14 years !

I'm pretty new to the Yoga, but the environment here is so welcoming, it's had me coming back…read moresemi-regularly for a couple months now. They have classes on Tuesday evenings and Sunday mornings. I've only attended the Sunday morning class. It starts at 9am and runs for a solid hour and a half. The pace starts out mellow, then builds to the serious poses and then tails off at the end. There's some stuff in the middle that's beyond me at this point, but I still feel comfortable and not pushed past what I'm comfortable with. I find that there's a good mix of routine and new positions in the classes I've attended. As I mentioned previously, I'm a complete novice, but this place is legit.

I had the most lovely weekend retreat experience. The serenity of the farm nestled sweetly in the…read morecountryside was the perfect solace from my regular city life. The air was sweet and fresh and the natural setting recharged my pranic battery. Audrey volunteered to take us on a little hike and we sat on boulders along the banks of a slow flowing stream in the sun dappled shade of the surrounding woods. They have the best dog and the food surpassed my highest hopes. I loved bethel farm and hope to return.

Called in advance to ask if the pool and hot tub are open on MLK JR day - drove up the mountain…read moreonly to be told that they "don't do locals discounts on holiday weeks" and the price would be over double. $70 for two people to go swimming for two hours. Not a chance! Don't go here unless you're a rich gullible flatlander.... LOL

I wasn't going to leave a bad review until today. Many weeks ago I went in for my second massage…read morewith somebody in there, it wasn't Taylor. The second Massage did put me in the hospital. It was from the massage (stretching R leg) and more. She claimed to be a specialist with people that have hip injuries , as I am waiting for a hip replacement. I was in terrible pain, and I was tearing off and on throughout it, I was telling her I had pain, and she kept saying it will feel better after don't worry. Repeatedly trying to tell me that I was breathing wrong, and to breathe like childbirth, breathe out. I explained all my injuries, and then she lied to me in my face today, first time I've been back. Totally unprofessional, never had this experience at any ski resort in my life. I go to France, Switzerland, and I'm from Colorado. This is why I will never live in Killington or near it ever again. Bad service, the first time I was ever called a liar to my face. I am Catholic, and I always treat people with love, but here it was far different than that. I'll be letting all my friends know, they come in from Colorado, and they are Olympians, even all the way from Wyoming and CDA Idaho. The reason I moved here is there is a pro snowboarder that lives in Shelburne and that is the reason I moved to the State. I thought this would be a wonderful place. The manager never called me back after my injury by the employee, and she was conveniently unavailable again today.

I just participated in a meditation retreat at Setu Vermont. It was truly an experience. Although…read moreit was mentally and at times physically challenging, it was truly a blessing to participate in. The hosts were very kind, and the guests were inclusive. The accommodations were very comfortable. I had everything I needed. You have to be mentally prepared to commit, and open minded or you will not fully appreciate the experience in my opinion. It's not for everyone. There was a great deal of sitting, group participation, and patience required. The agenda is pretty full and subject to change, so not a lot of downtime, but that is what you came for. The food was delicious and all vegetarian. There is no alcohol and no alcohol allowed on premises; not a complaint just a disclosure. Whether you are new to the practice or consider yourself an expert, I think you will gain something from this place. If you're ready to go inside and you are not afraid of what you might find, I highly recommend Setu Vermont.

Just had the most beautiful weekend at Setu for a yoga retreat. The accommodations were warm,…read morecomfortable and inspiring. The food was delicious, nutritious and provoked curiosity to learn more. The owners were very generous, welcoming and shared their deep knowledge. I highly recommend rejuvenating yourself at Setu, I hope to go back.

This was my first Retreat at Spirt Fire. I was the presenter and had the orpputinity to see more…read moreinto the dealings of how the center is run. Tim and Steve made our stay unbelievably comfortable. The Retreat center has a warm, clean, well kept, welcoming feeling from the moment you step out of your car. We were welcomed with open arms. The feeling entering the retreat center was lovely and so were the rooms, and other accommodations. The food prepared by these two chefs was out of this world. It nurtured everyone to the core. The energy on this solid quartz mountain is pretty special. The hikes are great, even though during our stay it was icy and slippery, so we didnt venture out too much. I highly recommend this retreat center. It's all done with TLC and you can feel it! I can wait to come back!

I recently conducted my first retreat at Spirit Fire and if I could give them a million stars, I…read morewould...they earned every single one of them. Coming from California to Massachusetts without doing a site visit prior was a bit daunting however, Tim's amazing customer service and attention to detail during my planning process quickly set my mind at ease. The center itself was GORGEOUS -- inside and out. I instantly felt welcomed -- amazing energy and a peaceful, magical, healing property/ atmosphere. The food and service exceeded my expectations in every way. Every attendee commented on how "at home" they felt at Spirit Fire. While this may have been my first retreat there, it won't be my last.

Sky Meadow Retreat center is a beautiful haven for yoga, meditation, pranayama, cooking, and…read moregeneral merriment. The owners are delightful, and supplied everything from extra paint brushes to snow shovels so that we could dig ourselves out of the snowscape. Lovely, lovely people and environment. Plus: SHEEP!

Sky Meadow has been home to our annual knitting retreat for more than 10 years. We (16 knitters)…read moretake over the whole barn area early in April and stay for 3 nights. It is spotless. We cook all our own meals in the very well stocked kitchen. We find every tool we need, plus serving dishes and pots and pans. There is a large open area for yoga, weaving, spinning. We tend to sit on the sofa and chairs in the corner and just knit. The Wood stove, kept stocked by the owner, Miles, keeps us toasty and warm. There are barn animals just behind the bedrooms where you can approach and pat the sheep and alpaca, and hear the rooster crow in the early hours. There are several bathrooms and bunk rooms for 4. Sunsets through the enormous picture window are fabulous, also mountain views and wildlife. Walks on the deserted dirt road are peaceful and the trails surrounding the barn go through the woods and to a meadow. A wonderful place to rejuvenate.

We celebrated our engagement here and had an incredible dinner! We enjoyed steak, soup, spaghetti…read morealle vongole, and more. The service was very sweet and offered us celebratory champagne. The whole evening and vibe felt warm and special!

I saw the pictures taken by famous fall blogger Caitlin Covington as well as another lady whose…read morename I can't remember, while doing research for this trip. I also found out it holds 1 Michelin Key, which is their rating system for hotels/lodging parallel to their famous restaurant ratings. We arrived on Monday (Indigenous Peoples Day) so most people were wrapping up their long weekend. While it was still fairly busy, we never felt it impacted our experience. I was even able to work on a job application! The hotel itself is gorgeous, with many spots to capture mesmerizing photos of nature & people. The rooms are more traditional & country house/cottage style which also fits the aesthetic many young women want on a trip to arguably one of the best New England towns. The hotel is its own landmark/tourist destination as you'll constantly see groups lining up at the front to get a glimpse & small photoshoot session of the iconic facade!

Deanna does the best waxing I have ever had. When I travel to Rutland from NJ I make time to get…read morewaxed. She does a thorough job and will remove excess hair, when if you were at one of the chain waxing places, they would charge you extra. She is quick to get it done, which I appreciate, as the longer/slower it goes, the more painful!

Vermont does not require a masseuse to be licensed. Or trained. It does matter. The owner gave me a…read moremassage. I would not recommend her. She became defensive when I asked during the massage if she could focus more on back after massaging my arms repeatedly. I initially asked using anatomical language to focus on certain areas. She accused me of not having done that. It was a most uncomfortable experience.