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Sky Top

Pampered, old fashioned elegance, however it is put, quality and class still exists. here. Come visit and see what “top-of-the-line” service is like.

To say that Skytop Lodge is a vacation resort is to minimize the experience. Located in the Pocono Mountains about 2.5 hours from New York, it has its own lake, several waterfalls, hiking trails, tons of activities, food and generally its own atmosphere of healthy, total relaxation. The complex has a Main Inn, a lodge and small private cottages.

Skytop_Lodge_Main_Inn

We stayed in the Lodge, which is basically a golfer’s paradise: surrounded by a professional course, facilities that begin and end right outside the lodge door and staff who can outfit, train and even arrange for sore muscles to be massaged. I observed a staff member whose main mission appeared to be just the cleaning of the golf clubs.

Although the lodge is self-contained for meals, I would suggest that after a day of golf; head off on the resort shuttle to the Main Inn for a full service dinner. If that's not a familiar term, then get up here and learn about it! A 1920’s woodland atmosphere with stone work, woodwork, attentive wait staff, a variety of menu options and highly trained house staff, add to an atmosphere of old time elegance. There is a specialness in the air, as music plays in the background, fine china dishes clink “oh so lightly” and the wait staff greet the guests like dear friends.

The dining room is a special place with manners and courtesy expected from all. Here the gentlemen and ladies dress for dinner and children are expected to be on their best behavior. Cell phone use is discouraged since meals are to be a relaxing experience and not a feeding frenzy. So an occasional call recipient will stand up and leave the room so as not to disturb the other guests. The décor of the lodge is in woodsy earth tones with fresh flowers and decorative plants in abundance on almost every table and in every nook.

Everyone smiles at you, especially the other guests. It’s as if you are privy to a huge secret that only they and you know about. Activities are too numerous to mention and each day brings its own added special events: reflecting weather changes, seasons, and even the nature of the guests. There are the common ones like the pool, tennis and canoeing, but there are more unusual ones such as lawn bowling, geocaching and mountain biking. Well maintained hiking and jogging trails welcome an active visitor and are rated according to difficulty so you can pick what level of experience you will enjoy. Some of the trails lead to various on-site natural waterfalls which are an added incentive to exercise. For many of these activities there are instructional level courses given, so one can enjoy the right sport the right way. At Skytop Lodge even dancing can be a sport with the “Grand March” taking us out of the ballroom lobby, on to the patio and past the registration area. And that was in addition to the elimination dance!

The rates are all inclusive, so except for a bar bill and some nominal activities fees (which can be charged to the room) there is no need to carry cash. Of course at the end of your trip the final bill must be paid, but at Skytop Lodge you can be confident that you’ll get what you pay for with a little extra quality of service.

Our Sunday Brunch was buffet style and began with breakfast style foods such as pancakes, eggs and bacon, but they then went on to broiled fennel, onions, okra and figs. When it switched over to more of a lunch tone even more food came out with a variety of hot entrees and meats.

The internet site is the place to find the various special events and getaway packages. While reserving your room perhaps you might want to order a selection of “welcome amenities”.

The old world elegance attracts an international audience and they are met by an international staff. And as if that was not enough, on some nights there is a band for dancing in the ballroom like lobby or in the Tap Room. The weekly newsletter called Skylites gives a rundown and a time schedule of the activities, so trying something new is easy. The Adventure Center provides learning sessions for some activities; such as rock wall climbing, kayaking and wilderness skills. For the indoor crowd the Skyview Spa offers ladies’ and gentlemen’s massage, nail and skincare services. The Inn was a civil defense post during WWII and still has the rooftop lookout that gives the spa its name.

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Reservations and special packages are easy to access on the internet and while there look for the various “welcome amenities” that can add to a romantic atmosphere: flowers, fruit, wine and cheese each adding emphasis to the specialness of the visit.

Skytop lodge – www.skytop.com