Hotel Reivew

Kitzhof Inn
332 Vermont 100
West Dover, VT 05356
(802) 464-8310
Five Stars
Hotel Photo
Date of Visit: 11/30/-0001

Kitzhof Inn is a Bed and Breakfast located in West Dover, a small Vermont town most well-known for Mt. Snow Ski Resort. I had never heard of this town until I saw a Groupon deal for this inn.

We decided to book the 2 night stay as it was offered at a fantastic price. We chose this inn because we were looking forward to a relaxing vacation in Southern Vermont that was not too far of a drive from Boston, but far enough away to escape the clutter for a few days!

Appearance

Pulling up to the hotel you will immediately notice the attractive rustic exterior (The Christmas lights and decorations were still up in late March which was a bit strange). I enjoyed the rustic theme to this hotel, as well as the laid-back, mountain themed rooms.

The fireplace, comfortable reading and relaxing areas, and comfortable dining area added to the ambiance. This inn is great for those looking for a quiet, relaxing time. If you are looking for a more upbeat atmosphere, you are probably better off staying somewhere else.

There were not many people around during our stay. In addition, the town of West Dover was very quiet with not many opportunities for entertainment (outside of the ski resort and a few local restaurants and bars). If you are looking to just relax, sit by the fireplace with a few drinks, or read then the Kitzhof Inn will be great. In addition, skiers will love the free area shuttle and indoor hot tub after a long day on the slopes.

Amenities

Amenities include a cooked breakfast each morning, a seasonal hot tub (only open in the winter), a free area shuttle to Mt. Snow, a game room, a BYOB bar, and a seasonal pool.

Being that we stayed during the cold Vermont winter, we took full advantage of the hot tub. The only minus was the limited hours (only open from 330-9pm). Also, the temperature was a bit too cool (felt more like warm bath water). I liked the fact that this hot tub was housed indoors as opposed to other inns I have stayed at where you have to make the trek outdoors in the snow to use the tub.

The breakfast was a bit of a letdown. I expected more options and more food. The orange juice was served in the tiniest glass you can imagine! You had a choice between a few different entrees such as blueberry pancakes, French toast, or scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns. The dining room area is very rustic, nicely decorated, and has some nice views.

Downstairs there is a common room, game room, and BYOB bar. The BYOB bar was great as was the full sized refrigerator for storing your drinks. A microwave and ice machine are also available. The décor surrounding the bar area kept up with the charming mountain theme.

The common room was great for relaxing, reading, and sitting by the fire at night. The staff wouldn’t turn it on until 4:00pm which was a bit of a letdown because the inn was freezing! The temperature must have been set really low – it was cold to the point of being uncomfortable where we felt like we needed a jacket on indoors!

However, at night with the fireplace warming the room, it was quite relaxing. There are plenty of reading materials, comfortable couches, a big screen TV, and a game room which includes a pinball machine, a mini pool table, and a selection of board games. We really enjoyed taking a break for a few days to catch up on some reading and relaxation.

The resident’s dog, a Boxer, is adorable and often comes downstairs to greet guests. If you are not a fan of dogs, then you might not appreciate the free roaming atmosphere.

The owners of this inn were away during our stay. While the staff on hand was willing to answer any questions, they were not overly welcoming or friendly like other inns I have visited. The staff was neither rude nor friendly – they really weren’t around much, so I guess it depends on what you are looking for in that regard.

If you do not want to be bothered at all and just want to relax in peace, then you will appreciate the isolation. It would have been nice if they were a bit more welcoming and social, simply asking about our stay, where we were from, etc. would have been appropriate.
On the bright side, there was only one other guest during our stay so we pretty much had the inn to ourselves which made for a great quiet relaxing stay.

We did not use the free shuttle that goes over to Mt. Snow Resort, however, there is a schedule posted both inside and outside by the main sign of the inn. You are supposed to wait by the sign and flag down the bus. We thought it was easier to make the short drive over to the resort (less than 5 minutes).

Everything in town is centrally located from the inn. You can get to most restaurants and attractions within a short drive. There is a walkable restaurant called The Silo, however, I recommend skipping this one as the food was pretty bad. Pizzeria La Toscanella was a much better choice!

Hotel Photos

  • Kitzhof Inn Hotel Preview
  • Kitzhof Inn Hotel Preview
  • Kitzhof Inn Hotel Preview
  • Kitzhof Inn Hotel Preview
  • Kitzhof Inn Hotel Preview

Price

Room rates vary depending on the season and number of people in your party. For the current winter season, a room for 2 people would have cost $103 per night. We found a Groupon deal for 2 nights for $115, which is a pretty good deal for an inn in the New England area.

Room

Our room was rustic themed with wood paneling, which was great for enhancing the relaxed mountain atmosphere. On the downside, the room was extremely tiny. The bathroom was probably the smallest I have ever seen. There was no bathtub and the shower head was very low. My 6+ foot boyfriend had a very hard time fitting in the shower, and this usually is never a problem.

The toilets need to be fixed as they have to be flushed twice. There is no hair dryer in the room, which was an inconvenience. I never thought of bringing one with me as they are usually provided for guests.

There is no fridge or microwave in the room, although there is one available in the BYOB bar area. Another inconvenience is the absence of an in room coffee maker. Although here is coffee and tea available upstairs all day, the staff acted a bit funny when you went to get a mug so maybe it was only supposed to be for staff.

A coffee maker by the bar area or in the common room would have been a better alternative to the strange upstairs location.

Hopefully Kitzhof makes some changes in the future: every little detail counts!

Final Remarks

The following is a list of improvements that I feel the Kitzhof Inn could make to improve the quality of stay for all guests: turn up the heat during the day, turn up the heat of the hot tub, add hair dryers to each room, be more inviting and welcoming to guests, include a larger assortment of breakfast options (maybe a few side items), and perhaps place a coffee maker in the rooms or common room area.

Overall, the Kitzhof Inn was a good value for what it is – a quiet, relaxing inn. For what we were looking for on this trip – peace and relaxation -we definitely got that. Although the staff was a bit absent and reserved, the amenities are decent, the rustic setting was nice, and the proximity to town activities was convenient.