I just came back from a trip to SKYTOP Lodge located in the Pocono's Mountains of Pennsylvania.

I myself would not have choosen to go there because of the high price and lack of exciting activities. But I went there never the less because of a Family Reunion with over one Hundred of my close relatives who I get along with quite well.

The drive was quite long from Boston to North East Pennsylvania where it is located. What made it worse was the traffic as we passed through southern New York and close to NYC. After 4 and a half hours of mindless driving down I-84 we arrived. It seemed like a Paradise.

Everything was Tranquile and there were Deer crazing in the fields. We approached the Main lodge. It isa great sight, a stone and prodigous building with elquent design.

THE ROOM
The Room wasn't a highlight of the weekend. For something so pricey it wasn't worth it. The room had a small TV, about 19 inches with a VCR. The Bathroom was small with little Hot water. The bed was smaller than the one in my house and had a mattress from what seemed to be from about the time of the civil war, with a few Scalled down grand canyons and Rocky Mountain Ranges.

The room was ina cottage with 3 other rooms where relatives were staying. each room had a porch with rocking chairs and lights. The good part was that it had lots of open area around it, with fields of grass and part of the Golf course, to run around and relax.

FOOD
This "Deluxe" resort had some "economy" food. For dinner it was barbequed chicken, which wasn't half bad. Both lunches were buffets of cold cuts and the stuff you would find at home.

My favorite meal, Breakfast was the worst. It was a buffet style Meal with Pancakes, which tasted like Bisquick mix, French toast made by my neice or nephew, and eggs made from 2000 year old fossilized from now extinct birds. It was awful, so i just sat there nibblying on the clumped together pieces of bacon, which needed some heating but were good at least.

Activities
Since Most of these things are average everyday activities I am going to list them, and elaborate on some

1. Golf- This is the main thing for folks to do. The course is nice and goes all around the resort with scenic views and Deer everywhere. It is 50 dollars to play and Golf Carts are mandatory, so it can be wasteful to take the whole family to do it.

2. Swim- there were two pools. One indoor and one outdoor. The weather was poor and no very warm when I went so I didnt even bother to go in them. Both were small, like something your neighbor would own.

3. Hike- Since its in the Scenic Pocono's, there are trails and great views, this isn't something Skytop exclusive so go stay somewhere else to do it.

4. Fishing and shooting- At the outdoor center you can skeet shoot or Fly fish on the river. The skeet is very expensive and is a thing you try once for the hell of it, then never again. The fishing is pricy as well and is only for the intense angler who wants to land that Trout.

5. Kiddy activities- In the lodge there is a mini-gold course. this is not some fancy one with lights and spinning windmills, rather basic holes with some obstacles. This Boores most kids after one 9-hole round. In addition, near there is an Arcade for the electronically inclind, and also ping-pong tables for the rainy day.

6. Tennis- They have 5 tennis courts. 4 Clay and 1 Hard. They are away from everything else and arent that great. More of the public local courts in your town with chain link fences than the Private club courts that are much nicer.

The Final Call
Well, as you can see, this is a decent place for adults, not for families really. The Flaws are there, and so are the Positives. You decide wether to go, but it isn't something that will come cheap. I would reccomend going only for an Anniversary or Weekend getaway with your spouse or friends.



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