Topnotch Resort guests might look at the new porte-cochère and lobby and wonder if the short drive up the hill from Stowe, Vermont has magically transported them to a posh spot in Europe. Gone is the dark, low-ceilinged lobby with its heavy stone fireplace. In its place is an airy, contemporary structure with 18-foot windows framing the ski slopes on Mt. Mansfield—all courtesy of a $15-million renovation unveiled in June 2013. The hotel’s clean lines, light-colored “live sawn” oak walls, contemporary metal fixtures, and minimalist but comfortable furnishings are reminiscent of modern boutique hotels in the Alps. The view and the décor, with browns, sage greens, and hints of foliage red and orange, are a reminder, though, that this is Vermont. Feeling nostalgic? A few attributes of the old Topnotch remain. The former lobby’s huge stonewall still stands, but now serves as the backdrop to an outdoor fire pit. And Topnotch’s hospitality remains unchanged. This is, after all, still Vermont. WWW .TOPNOTCHRESORT.COM