My fiance and I spent the first weekend of February at this resort. We original were only going to stay two nights but ended up staying three. Overall we had a very good experience with some minor picks, but in the end decided we would like go back to the Essex sometime in the future.

Check-in / Front Desk: Check in was quick and easy, the front desk staff throughout our stay were always very helpful and very pleasant to deal with.

Room: We stayed in the mini suite which was very spacious and had a fireplace and whirlpool tub. The fireplace is electric, which I can understand why - you do not want a bunch of guests trying to light there own fire. Even though it is electric it does add a nice ambiance to the room. One thing we did not understand is why there were two sitting chairs in front of the tv/fireplace area, instead of a sofa or love seat. The whirlpool tub is for two and it is huge - we loved it. A note of caution though if you are older or not very nimble you might have issues getting in and out of the tub. One complaint about the room - when we checked in there was a used bar of soap in the shower - not a big deal but something that should not happen. Other than that the room was very clean.

Cooking Class: We took the French Bistro class with Chef Gerren Allen. This class was great, my fiance and I are both seasoned home cooks so we did not learn all that much but we still really enjoyed the class and Chef was great. Any questions we had, he always had an answer for us and you can tell he loves what he does. It was a group of 10 people which is great because it is very hands on and you literally cook your own dinner. It was a great evening and everyone that took the class with us were a lot of fun. We ran into Chef Gerren a different evening at the resort and talked food and restaurants all night.

Chef's Table at Amuse: If you are at this resort or in the area - this is a must!! We are frequent travelers living in NYC area and have dined in many fine restaurants around the country and have to say Chef Jean-Luc is phenominal. We did the early sitting because it was Superbowl Sunday. It was just my fiance and I and the Chef - so it was like we had our own private chef for dinner. Chef Jean-Luc cooked some great food and we thouroughly enjoyed every course. We started with a butternut squash soup with goat cheese - absolutely delicious, one of the three best soups I have ever had. That was followed by salad which was nice and fresh and had a tasty vinagerette. Next up was one of the biggest scallops I have ever seen over citrus flavored quinoa and pureed rutabaga. Everything was delicous and could have licked the plate clean. Our meat course was local farm raised elk. I have had elk burgers before but did not know what to expect when getting a piece of straight up elk. The elk was cooked sous vide and was extremely tender - really just like a lean piece of steak. It was served with a delicous port wine sauce and over a bed of hericot verts and mushrooms. It was fantastic. Dessert was a passion fruit mousse.

One critique about the restaurant - in between courses the servers should not be leaving your used silverware for you to use for the next course - you do not want to have flavors from one dish carrying over to the next dish. I have been to places that are no where near fine dining and they replace your silverware for each course.

I would highly recomend doing the chef's table.

The Tavern: We ate breakfast here everyday, which was very good. We also had drinks at the bar and the service was quick and attentive even though we were NY Giants fans in Patriots country.

Overall this is a quality place with very friendly staff. I should note we got a deal on Groupon for our first two nights and for what we paid (groupon + extra night) we thought the value was excellent. That said, I do not know if we would go for $350 a night, which is what is listed on their website for most weekends in the summer. We did notice a package deal which works out well and we are thinking of returning this summer or fall. Lake Champlain is beautiful and we want to be there when the weather is nice enough to enjoy it.

We purchased a voucher through Travelzoo and stayed for a weekend in February. The resort staff were very helpful and accommodating. The rooms were Clean and spacious. The meal we had at the resort's gourmet restaurant was excellent. Overall we were very impressed with the Essex and would definitely return.

We booked this trip using a Groupon offer that included a 2 nite stay and cooking class/spa treatment. The property is beautiful, and we were warmly welcomed upon arrival. The room we had in The Mansion, was a nice size for the four of us, and nice and bright. Beds were very comfortable, although the bathroom was on the small size, it had great towels.
We dined at The Tavern for dinner, and thought is was very good. Service was a little spotty as the restaurant became busier, but overall, we were pleased.
Cooking class was excellent, and Chef Gerren made it fun and instructive at the same time. I would recommend taking a class here.
Spa treatment was very good. The spa itself is very relaxing and open and I liked the relaxation rooms. It was great to "chill" after my Swedish massage.
Kids and husband enjoyed the pool and hot tub after a long day of skiing at Stowe.

If you're looking for a place to relax, Essex Junction is a good place to stay. It's very quiet as well as clean. Shopping and restaurants are nearby. Stowe is about 45 minutes away. Staff was very friendly. Food was very good as well. I didn't take the culinary class credit, however, I opted for the spa credit (through travelzoo - they typically run specials on The Essex). The spa was wonderful - brand new. Overall, a nice visit.