VIRNA 2018 April-June

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Trapp Family Lodge Guest Houses AN INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL PREMIER RESORT®
Developer: Trapp Family Lodge, Inc.
Location: Stowe, Vermont
Units: 100 two-bedroom, two-bath guest houses
Product: Floating and fixed weeks, with points flexibility through Club Interval Gold
Website:
FAST FACTS
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and its recreational venues, which include state parks, golf courses,
art galleries, theaters, museums, and, of course, a wide expanse of
mountains.
Going With the Flow
Trapp Family Lodge’s focus on tradition doesn’t prevent its leaders
from following the trends of the new century.
Capitalizing on Austria’s beer culture, but taking advantage of the
popularity of handcrafted brewing, the Lodge started a nanobrewery
about five years ago, producing small batches for guests. The home-
brewed lager is also a mainstay of the Bierhall, a traditional European
tavern with communal seating for 200 people.
Yet with beer steins emptying faster than the Lodge could keep up
with, it soon grew into a microbrewery. “All of the beer is made entire-
ly on the property,” Frame says. While it and the resort’s restaurants
are open to the public, about half of the patrons in the tavern at any
one time are on-property guests, Frame says. At present, the brewery
design capacity is 50,000 barrels of beer annually — with flavor notes
from citrus to caramel — exported throughout New England.
Green Thumbs at the Green Mountains
Taking advantage of the trend of experiential travel — the desire to
learn something new or have a more authentic experience while on
vacation — the resort has introduced baking classes and garden tours.
The verdant setting of the Trapp Family Lodge lends itself to
one of the finest outdoor gardens in the region, which, according
to Frame, supplies much of the vegetables and ingredients the
Lodge’s restaurants use. Guests are free to tour the garden and hear
lectures from the master gardener who supervises it. Winter isn’t
left dormant; during the snowy season; there are classes on maple-
syrup production, including the chance to tap a sugar maple tree.
Important Puzzle Piece
With much to do on-site, and the prospect of returning to a freshly
refurbished unit, it’s no surprise that many owners at Trapp Family
Lodge Guest Houses vacation at their home resort yearly.
But when they want a change, the resort’s Interval International
affiliation pays off, says Boerger. As an enticement to owners new
and old, the resort offers Club Interval Gold® , which includes various
benefits the whole family can use.
“Interval is an important part of the puzzle,” Frame explains.
“They’re particular about where they’re going. Interval’s Request
First feature is very helpful. It gives them flexibility as well as securi-
ty, and that really enhances the value of their purchase.”
With the enduring fame and popularity of the von Trapp family
and The Sound of Music , the resort continues to experience the
sound of success.
Catherine Lackner, based in Miami, Florida, writes for newspapers, magazines, and vari-
ous media, and has been covering the vacation ownership industry for 13 years.
Vacation Resorts International
Jan Samson, Sr. VP of Resort Operations
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