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I think I was born to be an Innkeeper. Years of experience working at other inns in a variety of capacities and the dream of someday running my own place brought me here in
April, 1999. I had always pictured myself in a grand old Victorian with ornate woodwork, a spiral staircase and a wraparound porch set in a small, picturesque village in rural Vermont. No one was more surprised than I when I found myself drawn to this rustic old ski lodge in the resort town of Stowe. I came across the lodge quite by accident at a point when running my own inn was the furthest thing from my mind. I was captivated the instant I walked through the front door. There was an inexplicable quality about this place; more like a warm, fuzzy feeling than anything else. I was lured in by its rustic charm and had a tremendous sense that this was where I belonged. A long history of gracious hospitality (for fifty years as "Logwood" and more recently as "WalkAbout Creek Lodge") had permeated every square inch of the place. At the same time, it was easy to see that the sixty year old structure was rundown and in desperate need of renovation. But what potential! Wood floors, fieldstone fireplaces, knotty pine paneling...it wasn't difficult to envision how truly extraordinary the place could be.
A year later:
I found myself back here on the front doorstep. Now, seriously looking for an inn to purchase, I had searched from one end of the state to the other in pursuit of the ideal inn. While I found some
beautiful properties, nothing grabbed my attention and drew me in quite the same way the old lodge had. I was delighted when its owner told me that indeed the place was for sale. After another year
of negotiations, appraisals and inspections, closing day finally came. With a lot of support from my family and a little help from my friends, my dream of becoming an innkeeper became a reality.
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Creating Winding Brook
But turning my vision of Winding Brook into a reality is another story. No sooner had I opened my doors than they were closed for renovations. What was to be a six week project turned into eight
weeks, then three months, and then six. Will we ever be done? At times I thought I couldn't hold it all together: starting my business, serving as project manager for the renovation and interior designer
for a "fifteen bedroom house", and hosting guests all at the same time. The guests who visited during this time were truly wonderful and lifted my spirits enormously. Even though many had been greeted by a pile of lumber on the front stoop and the buzz of the carpenter's saw as they entered the building, they loved Winding Brook. And amidst all the chaos, they enjoyed being here. "Imagine what they'll think when we're done renovating", I thought. With all of the major projects complete, the old lodge is looking better than ever. We have given her "a facelift" for her sixtieth birthday without spoiling her warm, appealing character and rustic charm. The work continues and the guests keep coming...and returning year after year. We hope that you, too, will visit us in the near future. I look forward to being your host.
Kindest Regards,
Patrick J. DiDomenico
Innkeeper
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