Villa Roma – an Upstate Resort for All Seasons
With a grandeur not seen in family resort destinations, Sullivan County’s Villa Roma is a stand-out. It has it all: immense lobby greets guests with sparkling chandeliers, elegant staircases, and cozy nooks with comfy chairs set about for large groups or couples to sit and chat. The feeling here is definitely “community” where adults can go off and play card games, follow the horse races, or grab a cocktail but down the hall, out through a connecting corridor is a kids’ wonderland of activities including jumpy gym, bowling alley, game room, sports complex, and indoor heated pool. And you haven’t even gone outside yet.
Go Karts at the Villa Roma Resort
Villa Roma began as a small hotel in the 1960’s. Then, sold over time and its new owners put millions into expanding it into a top 10 Resort and Lodges in the USA. There are now 150 guest rooms, 200 one and two bedrooms suites with kitchen and living room. Rooms are stocked with the essentials and there’s daily housekeeping. But don’t let the fancy interior design fool you – it’s as down to earth as you can get. The list of activities goes on, depending on the season: in winter you have skiing, snowboarding and tubing along the three slopes, or two tube runs. A ski school will start the kids off with lessons, and parents can relax at the Ski Chalet with a warm beverages and snacks. Most of the outside activities are within a short ride on the resort shuttle.
Dining Room
Woman Around Town got to visit on a past weekend to try the place out. With no kids in tow, this writer was able to be an observer, and saw kids having fun, being wiped out by day’s end; parents at dinner asking what activities to do the next day; camp counsellors moving their groups of kids around, all with a comfortable and cheerful vibe. The dining room served up meals like a cruise ship with guests assigned a specific table for the length of their stay so the staff can get to know their diners. The menu one night featured a selection of gourmet-prepared chicken, fish, or prime rib, and for kids, the always popular mac and cheese, burgers and fries. The courses came on a timely schedule, hot and delicious. With so many in the dining room, kudos are awarded to waiters, bussers, and cooking/kitchen staff.
Villa Roma
One activity not to be missed is the pampering services by Tree Top Healing, the Villa Roma’s in-house spa. Considering the amount of ground covered for this story, surely a foot massage was in order, and a reflexology session with owner and massage therapist, Crissy was scheduled. This was a scrumptious experience as the tootsies and ankles were gently flexed, toes were stretched and coddled, with a massage of the wrists and fingers to conclude the session. Conveniently located in the pool complex, guests can also take a sauna, steam, or a dip in the hot tub with staff available to give directions or hand out towels.
With so much to do at the resort, let’s not forget that the surrounding Sullivan County offers some easy to drive to destinations to consider like the Woodstock Museum at Bethel Woods, farm tours at Apple Pond Farm, or join in on the search for the 50 colorfully painted doves placed throughout the County in the Dove Trail Passport & Contest. Villa Roma has been in the top ten of most “best of” family resort lists – and at just two hours from Manhattan, it’s easier to get to than you think.
All photos courtesy of Villa Roma
For more information go to the website for Villa Roma.
