Rising Sun sparked heated town board debates over height, sanitation, and potential setbacks. Bob shares that Dostal originally wanted to build the hotel taller than the zoning code allowed, and that his decision to use concrete came as a result of the town hearings.“ The town said‘ no’ to the project unless he made it safer for fire,” says Bob.“ So, he said,‘ What if I build it out of concrete?’ And they said,‘ That would work.’”
Rising Sun sparked heated town board debates over height, sanitation, and potential setbacks. Bob shares that Dostal originally wanted to build the hotel taller than the zoning code allowed, and that his decision to use concrete came as a result of the town hearings.“ The town said‘ no’ to the project unless he made it safer for fire,” says Bob.“ So, he said,‘ What if I build it out of concrete?’ And they said,‘ That would work.’”
After opening, the hotel served year-round guests for decades as the ski tourism industry in Vermont continued to blossom. Ownership shifted, and at one point, the property was even featured on the Travel Channel reality show, Hotel Impossible. By the time Saltaire Hotels purchased it in August 2023, the bones were strong but the spirit had faded.“ We ran it through the ski season of 2023-2024 to understand it,” explains Bob.“ Then we shut it in March and renovated for nine months. We reopened right before Christmas of 2024.”
Originally built in the 1970s by hotelier Erwin Dostal and designed by German Architect, Fritz Dillman, the lodge has long been a fixture at Bromley. Over the decades, it shifted through multiple owners and eras. Its poured-in-place concrete structure is unusual for rural Vermont, bringing unique character to its beautifully-adorned spaces. In the Lodge’ s latest chapter, Bob and Carrie Thomas, owners of Saltaire Hotels, have transformed it into a welcoming oasis where guests can relax, unwind, enjoy great food
78 manchester life | manchesterlifemagazine. com and drinks, and make lifelong memories. Bob adds:“ We love the old places that have a great past and can be revitalized. This building is amazing. It’ s got a lot of character, and we knew it was something special from the start.”
The Lore of the Lodge
The lodge’ s story begins in the mid-1970s, when Dostal proposed building a hotel adjacent to Bromley’ s base area. His plans
The renovation was all-encompassing. The plywood shed at the front entrance was broken down and removed, and original openings were restored in order to open up spaces that had been closed over time. In addition, they replaced oil heat with a high-efficiency electric HVAC system, incorporated hand-stained wooden elements, and repainted countless surfaces.“ At one point, the place was stripped to bare concrete with wind blowing through the holes we’ d cut for the HVAC,” Bob recalls.“ Carrie and I lived here on and off. We had one room with furniture for us and our dog. Everything else was a construction zone.” The two of them oversaw every detail, from paint colors to assembling furniture by hand.“ We were literally on our hands and knees helping the crew put it all together. It was a lot of work, but it was all worth it.”
Spaces That Tell a Story
Bob and Carrie’ s tireless efforts throughout the renovation process manifested into warm and winsome spaces throughout the hotel. At the front entrance, an aesthetic wooden canopy greets guests upon entry.“ When we bought this place a few years