Jeanne and Joes’Buckhead North

The first impression really starts driving up the mountain. It can be 10 degrees and snowing, but the roads are as smooth as the Autobahn. That's the kind of magic that sets the tone for Buckhead North, and it only gets better as you arrive at the hotel entrance. Where you might expect to be greeted by the smiling faces of shivering cold staff members ready to help with the luggage, instead the hotel owner himself greets you at the front step in loafers and a T-Shirt because the radiant heated hotel and roaring fireplace create a comfortable 72 degree environment in a wide radius around the residence. But, somehow the snow & ice remain for visual effect.nCheck-in begins with a tour of the hotel property tailored to your individual interests, followed by a detailed explanation of future remodel & improvements and an informal introduction to Magic Mike and the crew who maintain the property. It's all very relevant information once you realize you are going to be treated like part of the family for your entire stay.nFollowing the tour you'll be given your choice of room and instructions on how to operate the on site spa & laundry and adjacent property's world class fitness facility & swimming pool. Then, you'll be invited to the luxury smoking lounge where you'll have the opportunity to solve a riddle about where the firewood should be stored for the main living room fireplace, all the while enjoying some of the worlds finest tobacco products. Depending on how you answer this riddle, your vacation begins however you see fit. (I can't tell you what happens if you get this part wrong, but you've been warned)nnAgain, in the most personable fashion I've ever experienced, the hotel owners give a detailed overview of all the activities and experiences offered on the mountain, and beginning the morning of your second day a shuttle starts running non-stop to any resort or ski-lift the mountain has to offer. Also, the newspaper is delivered daily by ski or snowboard, because the hotel is right on one of the main trails.nExpect to be sharing the hotel with professional athletes, gamers, future Olympians, entrepreneurs, business owners and some of the most beautiful women on the mountain. Don't be intimidated, however, because every day will feel like spending a holiday with the greatest family on earth.nThe notion that every day at Buckhead North feels like Christmas with the family may sound like an exaggeration, but I couldn't be more matter of fact. The mornings start with pancakes and all the maple syrup in Vermont. Every evening they serve a family style dinner in the dining hall, and every single night a new group of kids show up to open gifts from the hotel owners under the coolest Christmas tree you've ever seen. Oh, and there is a BEAST of a hound living in the basement. She comes out during the dinner service and sits loyally at the head of the table with the hotel owner in front of the massive European fireplace. She is a man-eater at heart but she pretends to be timid. Don't be fooled.nnI'll cover the driving tour and local attractions like the DMV in my next review.

Love this place