Club Wyndham Bentley Brook

Club Wyndham Bentley Brook is in Hancock, MA. I have some friends in MA but I have not been many times. Hancock is East of Albany, NY, and just across the state line near Pittsfield.

This resort sits at the base of the Jiminy Peak Ski Mountain, so if you like to ski this may be the resort for you.

Video by  Jack W Cox

Day One Arrival

I drove up from Virginia today and the drive went fairly well. I am coming to the resort in the summer. I would be willing to bet that most of you will choose to go during ski season since that is what this area is known for.

I am not a big skier, so I often visit this resort in the summer to enjoy the area and check things out.

When you first arrive at the resort, you are struck by the beauty of the area and the resort. You can see in the video on this page what the view looks like of the resort from one of the balconies.

The resort itself is loaded with amenities and features you do not often find at this scale. There is even an impressive movie theater with very comfortable seating. The chairs in the theater reminded me of leather gaming chairs. The theater has a large projection screen my guess would be it is 120 inches or more.

Villa Amenities

Then the resort itself offers all of these options.

Resort Amenities

The resort likely offers so much because it is fairly remote. The nearest shopping is about 30 minutes away, and for any nightlife, you are likely headed for a 45-minute trip to Albany in New York. In summer or winter, the resort has a ton to offer that will keep you on-site.

In addition to the resort itself, you also have the many features of the Mountain Resort to enjoy too. For those new to skiing, there are many lessons that you can take advantage of just make sure to book in advance.

Once I was settled and checked in, I was happy to be able to relax after the drive. Since the location is remote, I stopped on the way in and grabbed some groceries and a few beers for my visit. I had just put my bags and all the groceries away, so it was time to test a few beers and make sure they were OK.

After a snack and a couple of beers, I was ready to settle in for the night.

Day Two in the Mountains

Waking up in the mountains, you just have to go out on your balcony and enjoy the fresh air. Even though it is summer up in MA, it feels like fall in Virginia. It always shocks me that somehow different weather can be in just a few hour’s drive.

I think the high today was going to be about 76, so just about perfect as far as temperatures go in my book. I wanted some, so I headed out to see what I could find closer back to Pittsville, thinking that I would have more choices there. I do not mind driving a little for a good breakfast.
I ended up at Otto’s Kitchen and I was happy I found it once I tried their 3 egg omelets. They offer a meat lover’s omelet that was just my speed with sausage, bacon, ham, and cheddar cheese.

After the hardy breakfast, I wanted to get up to the mountain resort and look around. To get a real feel for the place and imagine everything for you guys that might visit in winter. I was impressed that they offer a full park of rides and fun for summer visitors.

They call it the Mountain Adventure Park and I could see kids and young families really having a great time here. I tried the Alpine Super Slide, and the Mountain Coaster, which are small single-seater, or parent-with-child seating sleds for the most part. Both were a blast, and I saw many smiles on face, happy to get to ride them both.

They also offer a seated zip line, but I did not try that one out. There are several other attractions, but I chose to check out the views from the various lifts. The views are impressive and even the ride up is fun.

For the hikers in the family, there are many trails during the summer that can be enjoyed. I am too out of shape to consider a hike up a mountain fun, but the chair rides and scenery were great, so I am sure getting to the top the hard way would be something you would value as well.

This area is impressive, and I like that it has a remote feeling. I would not mind coming here during the winter, maybe around Christmas, when the entire area I am sure becomes a snow-covered wonderland. The mountain itself is 2,380 ft high, so if you like to ski yet do not want the heights of the large resorts in the West (those in the Tahoe area at 10,000 plus feet) this may be perfect. I know for if I get over 6,000 ft or so, the pressure bothers me these days. I get a headache and my breathing is impacted. The lower mountain peaks here give me a great experience and none of the negatives.

For skiing, there are 45 trails and 9 lifts to get you where you need to be to enjoy them all.

I enjoyed my day on the mountain between the park and the views I was a happy man. I then went to check out the various shops and spot open at the resort.

After all that fun, it was time to head back down to the resort for a little dinner and to relax. In the villas, you have a small but full kitchen, so I chose to make some spaghetti for the night and then settle in.

Day Three

Since it is summer and I have never been to Albany; NY I chose to drive over and check it out. I know it is the state capital, and that is all I know about the city.

Interesting how old the area’s history is. The city is named after the Duke of Albany, which was the Scottish Title of the Duke of York in 1664. Being from Yorktown Virginia where Cornwallis surrendered, and living near Colonial Williamsburg, I am used to some of the oldest areas in the nation. Heck, the Jamestown settlement was a 30-minute boat ride from my former home. However, this area’s rich history is interesting.

The Capital Building in Albany is impressive. If you are here on the weekend like me, parking at the capital is only $5 and even free if you stay less than 90 minutes.

I have come in part to visit the New York State Museum. Here you find traveling exhibits as well as permanent exhibits too. The collection and exhibits were more impressive than many other museums I have visited.

Afterward, for lunch, I went to McGeary’s Irish Pub. They could do with a website update, but the beer and the food are great. I left the pub as soon as I was finished eating so I would not stay longer with a 45-minute drive back through the mountains to the resort. I never want to drive when I am not safe anyway, but that would just be insane to even drive after more than two with a meal.

When I got back to the resort, I was ready for a nap and then I was going to take advantage of their outdoor grills and make some burgers for a late dinner. It was summer, but again, it felt like fall here, so a cookout seemed like a great way to finish my trip.

This area is fun during the summer but again I think the true draw for most people will be the ski season. With all of those ski runs and lifts, it is hard to imagine a better place on the east coast to enjoy some nice ski runs.

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