The Essex to be featured on The Tennis Channel

The Tennis Channel’s popular series ‘Destination Tennis’ will feature Vermont Tennis Vacations at The Essex Resort & Spa this weekend.

The half-hour show, which features host Mayleen Ramey, “will meet people involved in the local tennis scene, explore the city and all it has to offer, as well as present firsthand information that will stir the passion in tennis players of all ages and levels.”

The Tennis Channel selected The Essex Resort & Spa for the show last year and filmed the segment over several days last August.

For a slideshow of photos from Mayleen’s visit, click here.

‘Destination Tennis: Vermont’ airs on The Tennis Channel Sunday, February 27th, at 7:30 p.m.

The Tennis Channel is channel 400 on Dish Network, and channel 217 on Direct TV. Check your local cable listings for times and dates in your area.

The Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa “University”

As I was writing a speech the other day, I started reflecting on whether we’re running a resort or a “university” – or both, at The Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa!

Here’s a partial list of educational and experiential programming I included in my presentation:

• The Essex Resort & Spa hosts the renowned New England Culinary Institute.

• Our chefs conduct tours of the Institute and their gardens.

• Our chefs are available to narrate and demonstrate at group culinary experiences.

• We conduct wine, Vermont microbrew and Vermont cheese tastings.

• Our chefs accompany group tours of farmers markets, farms, orchards, cheese factories, microbreweries, vineyards and specialty food stores.

• Many guests come for our Cook Academy hands-on culinary classes in our theater kitchen.

• Our new spa will offer personal training as well as group classes in all manner of lifestyle disciplines.

• The new Northern Lights Challenge & Leadership Institute is perfect for public safety and military training, corporate team-building, and personal empowerment.

• New England Tennis Holidays conducts outstanding tennis instruction spring, summer and fall on our six Har Tru courts.

• World-famous pros Mats Wilander and Mikael Pernfors will step up our tennis instruction during a fantasy weekend in August just before the U.S. Open.

• We’ve recently opened our Orvis-endorsed fly-casting pond and academy.

• Golf instruction at our Links at Lang Farm is second to none.

Here at The Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa (& “University”), opportunities for newly grasped skills and life-long memories, is an important element of our rich, guest experience.

By David Hakins

Tennis Fantasies come true at The Essex…

Great news that we’ve confirmed our tennis stars again for summer 2009! For the fourth time, we will have Mats Wilander and Mikael Pernfors join us for a Fantasy Tennis Camp hosted by New England Tennis Holidays.  The weekend is slated for August 27-30, 2009 with package details found here.

For those that don’t know….From 1982 through 1988, Mats Wilander won seven Grand Slam singles titles (three at the French Open, three at the Australian Open, and one at the US Open), and one Grand Slam men’s doubles title (at Wimbledon). He won three of the four Grand Slam singles events in 1988 and finished that year ranked World No. 1. Although he never won the singles title at Wimbledon, Wilander twice won the Australian Open when that tournament was still played on grass courts. This makes Wilander one of only four men (along with Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, and Rafael Nadal) to have won Grand Slam singles titles on grass, hard, and clay courts. He now resides in Sun Valley Idaho with his family, captains the Swedish Davis Cup Team and coaches Paul-Henri Mathieu, who finished in the top 35 in the world last year. Mikael Pernfors was the only player in the history of NCAA tennis to win back-to-back singles championships. The titles came in 1984 and ’85 and in that second year he led his Georgia squad to the team championship as well. Pernfors was a finalist at the French Open in 1986, losing to Ivan Lendl. He played Davis Cup for his native Sweden in 1986, ’87 and ’89, helping his team reach the final in 1986. Mikael achieved this highest rank in singles – No. 10 – in 1986. His pinnacle in doubles came when he ranked No. 32 in 1988. During the course of his career, Pernfors had wins over Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, Mats Wilander and John McEnroe. Today, Mikael resides in Vero Beach Florida and Atlanta and is a consistent threat on the Champions Outback Tour which travels the globe. We are thrilled to have these two great champions back and look to have another fantastic weekend! It’s always fun to say that you took a point off a Grand Slam Finalist….but trick is….you actually have to do it to say it – and this weekend gives you that chance!

Out with “The Inn” and in with “The Essex – Vermont’s Culinary Resort and Spa”

The transition from country hotel to full-service resort

“Country Inn Charm… Luxury Hotel Service” 

All thru the 1990’s and early 2000’s, this was our tag line.  We certainly were – and continue to be – “charming”, and the fact is, we’re the most luxurious property in our region (heck – we are the only AAA Four-Diamond Resort in Chittenden County / Greater Burlington).  But this tag line, though accurate, sometimes just didn’t feel like us.  During our formative early years, it probably did best describe what we were:  a very nice country hotel providing exceptional service and wonderful dining by the New England Culinary Institute (NECI).  Those traits certainly live on today, but they tell only a small piece of what has evolved at our property over the past five-plus years.

Since 2003, we have been experiencing a steady evolution towards what will come to fruition this spring, making us the only full-service, luxury resort in the Greater Burlington, Vermont area.

Here’s a snapshot of that evolution:

2003 Spring – Owners agree there is pent up demand for world-class, full service resort in the Greater Burlington, and it needed to be filled.  We realize that a spa is really needed in this area – and lack of indoor pool has been hurting our business for years!  Resort theme needs to be pursued with a culinary angle that we uniquely possess having one of the top rated culinary schools in the country here on-site.  How can we really integrate the classroom with the dining room, in an exciting and accessible way?

2003/2004 – 90 hotel guest rooms are renovated by renowned designer of Manchester VT – Susan Sargent.  Links at Lang Farm Golf Course opens all 18 holes across the street from the Inn.  

2004 – 6 Har-Tru Tennis Courts are built and partnership formed with New England Tennis Holidays, the #1 adult rated tennis program in the country.  Spa study begins, initial consultants hired.  NECI receives coveted Wine Spectator Award for our wine list!

2005 – Relationship formed with Vermont National Country Club (semi-private Jack Nicklaus golf course) and Country Club of Vermont (exclusive course with spectacular views) to offer the finest golf venues in Vermont!  Partnership with Dacor is formed, and hands-on-kitchen is built to offer classes to the general public by the New England Culinary Institute.

2006 – Permitting is submitted, plans begin for the spa.  We see a distinct shift in our guest mix to those looking to stay on property more and make the most of our on-site amenities, in addition to our Burlington area assets.

2007 – Spa permitting is approved.  Inn becomes approved as an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Lodge… the first in Vermont!  We purchase a hot air balloon as an additional resort offering.

2008 – Spa begins construction!!  Stocked fly-casting pond is added to front of property.  Northern Lights Rock and Ice builds an on-site rock and ice climbing facility with twin 400 ft zip lines for yet another interesting resort amenity.

2009 – Spa is scheduled for a spring 2009 opening!  A 22,000 sq. ft facility featuring 10 treatment rooms, full salon services, movement studio, multiple coed and same-sex relaxation areas, 25 yard indoor pool with 18 person outdoor hot tub and 900+ sq. ft. fitness center.

So today, we look at our original name (“The Inn at Essex”) and realize,we are no longer an “inn” (never really were), and this says nothing of what we offer or are coming to be.

With that, I introduce, The Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa

Hope to see you soon and often!

Jim Glanville, Vice President & General Manager