Apple Tree Inn — Hotel in Lenox

My friends and I had an amazing stay at the Apple Tree Inn and will definitely be going back. I was relaxed from the moment I walked into the lobby, poured myself a cup of coffee, and sat down on the porch to gaze out at the spectacular view of red- and orange-specked hills. I was greeted warmly by the staff, the owner Claire and her husband Toph, and by Max the dog.

On our first evening, we went across the street for a walk through the grounds of Kripalu and watched a beautiful sunset on the edge of the Stockbridge Bowl (which is a lake, or for the few and proud with an interest in Massachusetts waterways regulation, a great pond). When we returned to the inn, there was a dancing class underway in the Round Room and a few guests were chatting by the fireplace. It felt like walking into a lively home.

For dinner we went the Ostrich Room, the inn’s cozy restaurant and bar, which has a timeless New England charm and was buzzing with Friday night energy. We got some great cocktails, including one (The Tailor) that was an invention of the bartender, who explained its origin story to us. I ordered the chicken schnitzel and salad, which was delicious. I also tried my friend’s polenta, and even though I really liked my own meal, the polenta was so good that it gave me a pretty severe case of entrée envy. We were enjoying the Ostrich Room’s ambiance so much that we stuck around until closing. It's nice to stay somewhere where the on-site restaurant is not only the most convenient option, but also one of the best places around to get dinner and a drink.

Our room was clean and comfortable, and we got a good night’s sleep. In the morning, we had breakfast downstairs in the Round Room, enjoying the panoramic view and local coffee, fresh muffins, and cheese burekas (which we had never heard of before but couldn’t stop eating).

After breakfast we explored nearby West Stockbridge, went for a lovely hike on the Alford Springs Father Loop (4.3 miles but not too strenuous), and had a great lunch at No Comply Foods in Great Barrington. Then we visited an old footbridge and headed to High Lawn Farm in Lee to pat some baby cows and get ice cream. That evening we went to Pizzeria Boema in Lenox, a really good spot that was just a few minutes away, and then returned home to the inn and fell into a night of conversation around the fire pit with a gregarious group of young women and an instructor from Kripalu, all of whom had come to take in the scene at the Ostrich Room. Before bed, we went up to the road to Olivia’s Overlook to take in the stars.

On Sunday we walked from the inn to the Parsons Marsh Reserve and a nearby horse farm, went for a dip in the inn’s pool (the nicest view I’ve ever had for a swim), and grabbed some cider doughnuts at an orchard up the road. When it was time to leave, we all had a hard time tearing ourselves away from inn’s beauty and the relaxing, homey atmosphere. The good news is that there’s so much more to do and see in the area, so...

Stayed two nights in the lodge with a “Mountain View”. First, the property is beautiful with fields, flowers, mountains in the distance and plenty of quiet during the day. My favorite part of my stay was the pool. It was very clean, spacious and with the best views on the property. The furniture around the pool was very comfortable and good quality. We spent a full day just sitting by the pool and taking in the views. The pool is heated (but temp set at 71). I would have loved it to be warmer- it was still very cold but still went in! They should also have a staff member checking on people at the pool to see if they need towels or a delicious beverage! ;) Upon arrival, we were greeted as soon as we walked into the main inn (very friendly staff) but it is unclear who is running the show. The restaurant on site (Bellflower) is expensive and comes with little to no ambiance but the food was tasty. The Ostrich Room is a cool vibe with live music and delicious cocktails- a cool nightlife scene if you are into that. We stayed in the lodge which came with disappointing rooms. There might be a few nice rooms in the lodge, but what I experienced looked nothing like what they advertise on the website. Luckily, the weather was perfect where the windows could be open the whole time because there was a strong musty smell. Furniture has seen better days. No TV (which they do say ahead of time- bring your own device- they do have great wifi), shower/bathroom was fine but needs a serious update. The room was clean enough but when a room is that old with no updates, it’s truly hard to make it feel really clean. Bed was comfortable. I would stay here again- great location but would inquire more about a better room and would skip eating at the restaurant. I skipped breakfast based off of other reviews and had delicious meals down the street at a local bakery. Update the lodge rooms and then this place could really be something...

This email was sent to the Inn: Hello. I am writing to let you know how much we enjoyed the public rooms in the main building as well as the breakfast, the staff interactions. and that amazing, beautiful G. Shepard! I am also giving you fair warning that I plan to give a negative review of our room (211). If you are not familiar with this room, you should take a look. This room in no way is reflected in the lovely pictures on your website. On the positive side, the bed was awesome, but we were somewhat shocked when we walked into our room. Wednesday morning, as we walked down the hall of the Lodge to breakfast, we noted at least 2 rooms in our hall since doors were open (the maid was cleaning). Those rooms were infinitely different from ours and were the rooms you advertise in the Lodge. Our room was clean (the maid did a great job), but severely in need of renovation. Disgusting is the work that comes to mind. The lighting was so poor we were unable to get a good look, but a coat of paint to cover the dirty walls and patched plaster, new drapes and new lighting were definitely called for. The overall color scheme is dirt yellow to gray. I have stayed in Inns and B&Bs across the US, Europe, Japan, South America, Cuba and the Caribbean and have never stayed in such a room, even in the third world countries. You should not be renting this room at all, but certainly not at the $250/night it cost us. Have some pride!

I am guilty of being passive/aggressive for not discussing this with you during our stay, but just didn't have the energy for the discussion and it's now "water under the bridge" for me (except to warn others). I had such a wonderful time at Tanglewood and Jacob's Pillow, I didn't want to ruin it. But I wanted to forewarn you that I was going to provide a very mixed review. It's time to renovate that...