Skytop Lodge

"Great for year-round outdoor adventure!"

Skytop Lodge is a picturesque vacation destination for families looking to enjoy the great outdoor activities that the Pennsylvania Pocono mountains has to offer.  Billed as a “casual, yet elegant experience”, Skytop offers  a rich history of more than 83 years of timeless traditions combined with more modern amenities and services – all in a pristine setting.  At Skytop, nature and the great outdoors are celebrated and woven into its very culture - something we enjoyed taking part in
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ROOMS
My family and I stayed here in January in one of the cottages, which are newer and larger than the rooms at the Lodge.  There’s also an Inn on the property offering modern rooms as well that are very well suited for anyone staying here as part of a golfing group, as it is right next to the greens.  The cottages are grouped in a pod of four, so families with many members or those looking to stay with extended family or friends can actually reside together and open their shared inside doors up to increase space.  We had two adjoining rooms and were able to do just that.  The rooms have a definite rustic feel, and while they aren’t the most posh or upscale, they feature all of the basics that make for a comfortable stay.  Our beds were clean and comfortable.  We had large closets, a mini fridge in each room, an outdoor porch with chairs and a small table for enjoying all of the natural beauty of the area.  Each room also had a clock radio and a TV, as well as a gas fireplace (although one of ours did not work properly and while it didn’t ignite to offer you the roaring fireplace effect, it did cast enough light at night to be very distracting). Families with tots would like the fact that they came with screens.  Skytop does not have microwaves in their cottages, although they do feature in-room Keurig coffeemakers with several varieties of coffees to choose from.

POOL
Staying at a resort always means questions about the pool from my kids.  You’d think we never went swimming.  Skytop indeed has a pool (two, in fact), although since it was January, the outdoor pool was understandably closed for the season.  We did partake of the heated indoor pool, although the pump was having issues, so it was not heated when we were in it.  There were plenty of towels provided right at the pool and my kids were able to swim and enjoy themselves.  There were two guards present to make me feel at ease, even though my kids can swim.  One thing that made me give a nod in the direction of the guards was when my kids eyed up the hot tub and they very nicely, yet firmly told them they were able to put their feet in but not go all the way in.  It showed they were actually paying attention and working to enforce the policies in a pleasant yet effective way.  Kudos.

OTHER AMENITIES AND ACTIVITIES
Skytop offers lots of services for children including kid’s menus, ping pong table, mini golf, arcade, special children’s programs and activities as well as banquets and babysitting at an additional charge.  My six-year-old had a ball on their little wooden mini golf course located downstairs in the lodge.  Kids are also free to partake in the activities the resort offers depending on their age, including over 30 miles of hiking trails, downhill and cross-country skiing, ice skating and sledding, fishing and shooting, paintball, laser tag, rock climbing, geocaching, mountain biking and wilderness survival courses. The resort also offers UTV tours of the mountain and trails surrounding the property, as well as year-round dogsledding and a zipline adventure course.  Most activities are at an additional charge, however.  My kids (12, 10 and 6) were able to do a little skiing, swimming, and dogsledding. We also took the UTV tour.  We enjoyed all of the activities, although a lack of snow and 55 degree temperatures in January made it difficult to do all of the winter sports.  Fortunately at a place like Skytop, there are enough activities to fill your day no matter what the weather.  Just be sure to make reservations ahead of time and be aware of the age/height requirements and additional charges.

SERVICE AND STAFF
My family found the service and the staff to be great.  They offer a shuttle to get you around their property.  We called that shuttle 87 million times during our stay and every time they were as pleasant as could be.  The shuttle was also really quick to arrive and we never waited.  The first morning we managed to miss breakfast (a 10-year-old with a sudden 24-hour stomach bug tends to leave you exhausted the next morning and off-track), yet the front desk staff was willing to work with us and got us up and running and on our way despite this setback.  At dinner, I informed our waitstaff that I had a tree-nut allergy.  They were very attentive in making sure no nuts went into making my food.  At each of the activities we talked with the staff running the operation and were treated with respect and the utmost of friendliness.  From the dining staff to the front desk to the activity operators, everyone was very accommodating, helpful, pleasant and down-to-earth.

FOOD/DINING OPTIONS
Meals are included in your room rate at their Windsor Dining Room or the restaurant at the Inn.  Dress is upscale here, as is the food, so families with really young ones might be under a little pressure here, as I saw no one with misbehaving or loud children when eating.  They did offer kid’s menus and the food was good, although dining times are set, so be sure to ask about them, make reservations and tailor your activities around them so as not to miss your paid-for meals.

Overall I found Skytop to be a wonderful place to relax and explore the great outdoors.  There was plenty to do and all of our needs were met.  I did find that with rooms starting at $340/night with many activities being an all additional cost, it could end up being costly to stay and play here. The somewhat formal dining and set meal times could also put a strain on folks with little ones who might need more flexibility. Nonetheless, I found Skytop Lodge to be a lovely way to reconnect with family or friends in a rustic and serene environment.  For that reason, I recommend a stay here.  Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Pocono mountains, Skytop offers you a one-of-a-kind escape.

*This review is based on a complimentary stay.  I received no other compensation and the business owner did not state any requirements that I express a particular point of view.  The opinions I express are entirely my own.