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Silent slopes: skiing holidays in Vermont

Planning a romantic getaway this winter? If the adventure of a deserted mountain, après-ski relaxation at a slope-side pub and romantic moments by the fire back at the room sounds tempting, then the following boutique ski hotspots in Vermont, USA might be just the answer

For a ski trip to be ultimately satisfying, you need to dodge the pitfalls: crowded mountains and a cookie-cutter experience that can sap some of the charm out of your first trip a deux. The solution: small, 'specialist', or boutique, mountains situated close to the larger resorts. You can experience hassle-free togetherness on the boutique mountain by day - and by night still access all the activities and culinary experiences that the larger resort mountains have to offer.

Choose your ideal holiday:

• More than just skiing, skiing skiing
• Work hard and play hard on the mountain
• Get-away-from-it-all ski break

The laid-back ski holiday

The boutique ski mountain: Spruce Peak, Stowe Vermont
Spruce Peak is part of the Stowe Ski Resort, which includes the larger Mount Mansfield. Known as 'the beginner mountain,' Spruce boasts a friendly, helpful staff of instructors as well as more green (easy) trails than Mansfield. But if you are up for more of a challenge, Spruce also has intermediate blues and a few expert blacks that wind along tree-spotted trails and plummet through more tricky terrain - and because the mountain is less crowded than Mansfield, you'll get more runs in.

Spruce is also known as the sunny mountain - its southern exposure keeps most trails in the light for most of the day - an added bonus on chilly New England days when the sun's warmth counts for a lot.
For information on lessons, rentals and rates, visit www.stowe.com

The resort ski mountain: Mount Mansfield, Stowe Vermont
Mount Mansfield is the home mountain of the Burton snowboard company. Owner Jake Burton, one of the pioneers of the sport of snowboarding, rides the mountain weekly. Mt. Mansfield boasts Vermont's highest peak at 4,395 feet and the legendary 'front four' trails - some of the most challenging skiing in the east. So if you, or your partner, are at significantly different levels, the expert amongst you can spend some time navigating blacks at Mansfield, the novice at Spruce, and you can reconnect at any point during the day since the two mountains are so close together. Mansfield also boasts the world's fastest high-speed, 8-passenger gondola, which drops riders at the Cliff House restaurant, where they can enjoy a 4-star meal before skiing down. Or, make it your last stop for the day, and order cheese fondue and the Austrian Gluwein - a hot, spiced red wine - before riding the gondola back down.

The nightlife: Stowe Mountain Resort is a 5-mile drive from the tiny town of Stowe, arguably one of the most charming villages in all of New England. Much of Stowe's winter life is centred around the ski experience, so you'll find plenty of apres-ski taverns. Locals like to hang out at The Matterhorn, an unpretentious bar with good-natured bartenders and a kitchen that serves everything from sandwiches to sushi. The Rusty Nail is also a popular hotspot. Both venues offer live music.

Ski free days? Stowe's charms have been luring an A-list crowd from as far back as the 1960s, when Jackie O herself could be found shopping at local curiosity shops. You'll find stores selling hand-crafted furniture, paintings, jewellery, and Vermont's own-grown cheese and wine. If you don't want to spend all your time indoors, head outside for snowshoeing. Stowe is the birthplace of modern snowshoeing a sport that takes you into picturesque locales, of which Vermont has many. And if you're up for a less challenging outdoor experience, consider dog sledding: after helping to harness the dogs, you can let them do the work of pulling you through gorgeous snow-capped scenery at dusk. Check out Eden Dogsledding for more information.

Where to stay:

• Topnotch Spa and Resort. If you're looking for the complete pampering experience - a full-service spa, turndown service, a 24-hour concierge - Topnotch won't disappoint. The resort and spa, which recently underwent an expansion and renovation, offers everything from hot and cold stone treatments to cosmetic skin treatments (including Botox) administered by an on-call dermatologist. They offer couples' packages (breakfast in bed and couples' massages included) and last-minute getaway packages. The resort will also arrange sleigh rides, snowshoeing or ice-skating excursions.
• Brass Lantern Inn. Get a real feel for a quaint New England home at this inn, where the owners have renovated a 19th-century farmhouse and carriage barn-cum-guesthouse. All of the guestrooms are furnished with antiques and have an adjoining bathroom - some also offer a fireplace. A country breakfast (omelettes with Vermont cheddar, blueberry pancakes) and an afternoon tea by the living-room fireplace comes with the price of the room.

Where to eat:

• Restaurant Swisspot (128 Main Street, Stowe Village, 802-253-4622). This Swiss-chalet-style eatery is the place to go for fondue.
• Trapp Family Lodge. Yes, it's that Trapp family. The famous musically-inclined family emigrated from Europe to Stowe, VT in 1939 and opened the lodge to guests in 1948. Today, the newly renovated lodge (the original burned down in 1980) is run by Johannes Trapp, the youngest of the Trapp children, who can be found chatting with guests in the lounge on any given night. The formal dining room serves a mix of standard Austrian and American dinner favourites, as well as a breakfast buffet. For lighter fare, check out the Austrian tea room from 11:30 to 4:30.

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