Hampton Terrace Inn

Set on Walker Street behind a hedge is the Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast Inn’s main house, a three-story mansion built in 1897 with green shutters and three brick chimneys on a gambrel roof. The property sits on one-and-a-half acres and also includes the Carriage House, also built in 1897 and "reconstructed" in 2000, and the more modern King Suite Cottages. Original molding, fireplace mantels, and light fixtures have been preserved in the main house’s hallways and parlors, and a lovely suspended red-carpeted staircase leads to three floors of guest rooms. 

Over the years, the property has been owned by well-known families, including John and Virginia Struthers, who were once neighbors of Edith Wharton's (Mrs. Struthers became a major figure in Wharton's novel "The Age of Innocence"), and Robert E. Bonner Jr., owner of the New York Ledger. The property mostly attracts couples, and its close proximity to Tanglewood brings a share of celebrities, who are often performing at the famed music venue. The current owners -- Stan and Susan Rosen -- still talk about the night when film and theater composer Alan Menken did an impromptu performance on the 1929 Steinbeck grand piano in the main living room, which has a fireplace, Tiffany blue walls, a chess table, and plenty of antiques.

Located on Walker Street in Lenox, the Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast Inn is a few blocks from Main Street, which is lined with taverns, restaurants, shops, and art galleries. The lovely 19th-century Trinity Episcopal Church, whose bells chime early in the morning, is across the street, and the Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum is down the road. Getting to the summer concerts in Tanglewood takes five minutes by car. Hiking and horseback riding at Kennedy Park is about a six-minute drive from the inn. The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home, is a five-minute drive. It’s a 30- to 40-minute drive to the ski trails at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort. The Eastern States Exposition in Springfield is one hour away by car. Albany is a one-hour drive, and Boston is about a two-and-a-half hour drive. Airports can be found in each of those cities.

The distinctly decorated 14 rooms are spread out between the Main House, the Carriage House, and the King Suite Cottages. Decor varies, but expect to see wooden four-poster or iron beds with Sealy Posturpedic Plush mattresses, warm color palettes, antiques, and wooden floors or carpets. Rooms in the main house take their names from the former property owners, and some of these rooms have fireplaces and whirlpool tubs. The Walker Mini Suite is two combined rooms. Six rooms, also with fireplaces and whirlpool tubs, are in the Carriage House and there are three King Suite Cottages. These have private entrances, patios, fireplaces in living rooms, mini-fridges in wet bars, and whirlpool tubs -- the King Suites are the most modern rooms on the grounds. The best views are of Trinity Church, but prepare to hear its bells chime early in the morning. The period style won't be to everyone's liking, and some of the furniture looks a little dowdy rather than antique, but the effect is generally charming and quaint. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, hairdryers, air-conditioning, coffeemakers, daily housekeeping, irons/ironing boards, and free Wi-Fi. Most bathrooms have shower/tub combos, but some have claw-foot bathtubs while others have only stand-up showers. Toiletries and towels are provided.

Unlike other bed-and-breakfasts in the area, the Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast Inn has a heated pool with a waterfall and a grass seating area. A basketball hoop is also in the garden. A hearty Southern-style breakfast -- with grits, frittatas, or blueberry pancakes -- is served in the dining room at a communal table or at private tables for two. A bar lounge has free cognac and liqueurs on hand, and guests are invited to bring outside drinks. Shared refrigerators, including one in the Carriage House living room, allow guests to store food. Free bottled water and a Keurig coffeemaker are also provided. Outdoor on-site parking, although limited, is free. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property.