What a gem of a place…read more We were looking for someplace rustic yet refined- and this was the perfect blend of both. Perfect weekend getaway. And we were treated to an amazing jazz band on Friday night! No front desk everything is handled by text it call and that worked just fine for us. Very responsive and helpful. The rooms do not have TVs or mini fridges- but you aren't here anyhow to watch TV. Really comfortable bed and perfect for a peaceful nights slumber. The property is beautiful - plenty of hiking and walking trails. Great locations and amazing views. Do not overlook the stagecoach tavern in the property for dinners- I'll review that separately. Breakfasts were amazing and the same superior quality as the restaurant. Best food we have had in a long time. The staff is more than happy to accommodate you in the private sauna or an outside fire with smores! Looking forward to our next trip here.

Buyer beware! I'll break this review up into three parts because there are a lot of moving parts…read morehere. Booking/ pricing/ management: We stayed a night at the Race Brook Lodge to see a concert a little while ago. At first glance, a stay here looks a little pricey based on what you appear to be getting. In my head, $200 for a small room in a converted barn is steep. When I went to book it, I was asked to select a "package." There was one advertising a nights stay, a three course dinner in the Stagecoach Tavern, and breakfast the next day for $185. I thought since dinner and breakfast were included, that wasn't such a bad deal after all. Total cost after taxes and fees when I hit the purchase button: $201 Imagine my surprise when I got my confirmation email and took a look at the receipt- $309. I quickly looked at my credit card statement, sure enough- $309. I sent them an email immediately asking what was up with the extra $108. Crickets. Oh well, I figured I could just hash it out with them when we got there. I came to find out that there is no front desk, and everything is handled over text messages, so that made it a little more difficult. When the time came to check out, I got a text asking me to click a link to view my "balance." I clicked it and discovered that they were attempting to charge me another $92. At this point I sent them another email and told them that this felt like a scam, and that I would be disputing the charges with my credit card. They responded right away saying that there was a miscommunication, the "package" was actually separate from the room charge and that they were supposed to let me know of that right after I booked, but someone dropped the ball. They did eventually honor the original $201 price that I was quoted, but if I hadn't noticed the discrepancy or been firm about fixing it, I can't imagine they would have refunded it by themselves. Sidenote: when looking closely at the dinner/breakfast package pricing- it's an absolute ripoff. "Package" dinner: $150 Meals Tax: $10.50 Billed gratuity: $24.00 All in- $184.50. For ONE person. For dinner and a middle of the road buffet breakfast? The "three course dinner" allows you to pick any starter, entree, and dessert from the restaurant menu. If you picked the three most expensive items in each category, it would be $104. Plus a $15 breakfast, you're still not even in the neighborhood of $150. I suppose selecting the meal package bestows on you the honor of donating an extra $31 to the owners of the lodge. Great deal! The Room: We were happy enough with our room. It was nothing special, but it had air conditioning, hot water, and it was clean: really my only three boxes that need to be checked by a hotel. The photos on their website appear to be from 2017, which made me a little weary, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the room actually looked better in person. We stayed in the Hayloft #7 room. The concert in the barn: The concert we saw was EXCELLENT. The barn is an amazing venue for a small show like the one we saw. Everyone was giving each other a respectful amount of space, and there truly was not a bad view to be found anywhere. It was hot inside the night we were there, but when it gets to be a little much, you can just step outside, grab a glass of water and some fresh air, and come back in and still have an amazing view of the show. As far as concert venues go, it doesn't get much better than that. All in all, I can't recommend staying here. I'd go see another show in a heartbeat, but would look elsewhere for accommodations. Our time at the lodge was pleasant enough, but the funny business with their pricing left a really bad taste in my mouth. At my most charitable- I'd say it's bad bang for your buck. At worst, the pricing is intentionally ambiguous.

We had an absolutely wonderful stay here! The best stay for the money I've had in a long time. The…read morebuilding is lovely and very well-maintained, a manageable walk into the little downtown. Our room was super charming -- the electric fireplace got a lot of use -- and the bed was extremely comfortable (I'm seven months pregnant and slept better in the bed here than I've been sleeping at home!) I also loved the thoughtful little touches, like the coffee and tea station in the dining room that included homemade cookies and a little bowl of chocolates for guests to dip into in the afternoons/evenings. Breakfast was excellent and came in courses, which was a fun novelty. Also, the elderly black lab in residence is a sweetheart (very unobtrusive and quiet, as befits a hospitality professional, but also a very polite receiver of enthusiastic head-petting for those so inclined). I've been actively recommending the Wainwright Inn to my friends and family, and it completely deserves the five stars on Yelp. (My only tiny criticism: I wish they offered actual shampoo and conditioner, instead of the combination two-in-one stuff, which left my hair pretty fried and hard to untangle. If you have much hair you should definitely bring your own conditioner to avoid my fate!)

The Inn was absolutely perfect. I would highly recommend the Wainwright Inn, the immaculate room,…read moregreat breakfast and awesome location could not have been better, we loved our stay. It's a homey Inn with great amenities. Book it you will not regret staying at this Inn.

I recently stayed at the Inn at Sweet Water Farm with my family. It was such a lovely, quaint and…read moreenchanting place. From the moment we arrived it just felt very welcoming and homey. It is not only clean, but also has super cool decor inside and outside! Owners Rob and Robbie are the best. They are professional, very personable and are two seriously amazing cooks!! The breakfast was SO on point. They provide a very nice assortment of options, and you leave that breakfast table feeling quite happy and satisfied. I also like the fact that they have chickens laying the fresh eggs we ate each morning. That was a real treat. The surrounding area is beautiful and there are lots of resources at the Inn to guide you with things to do. I truly loved our stay, and will definitely stay again. I highly recommend the Inn at Sweet Water Farm.

Comfortable, relaxing spotlessly clean. Rob and his family run a most welcoming , relentless…read moresoothing place to bed down. even tv in room ( a rarity in many B and B's). Interesting hosts, and guests . The breakfast is exceptional. My suggestion is to ignore ad hominem attacks at all times, and especially here. We graciously paid for our own accommodations, and will be coming back :Sweetwater is our go to in the Berkshires. The travel time to Tanglewood and/or Lenox is a bit longer than where we stayed in nearby Stockbridge, and worth it. It's also relatively easy to find your way to and from this quiet, gracious B and B

If I could give the Inn at Freeman Elms Farms twenty stars, I would. The beautiful, immaculate home…read morehas been in the same family for more than 200 years. Quiet, tranquil, and brimming with history, it is filled with heirlooms and antiques all lovingly and impeccably maintained by our host Anita, who is an utter delight--warm, kind, and attentive. Breakfast is ample and delicious, served on silver and china passed down through the family, in an elegantly appointed dining room, complete with candles and fresh flowers. Our private bathroom had excellent water pressure, something you don't always find in older homes. The towels were fluffy, the sheets freshly ironed. I loved the lulling sound of bullfrogs at dusk, and the morning chorus of lowing cows. This inn is a gem--truly the best of the Berkshires.

I was nervous when my boyfriend booked a weekend stay for us here because I couldn't find many…read morereviews online, however The Inn At Freeman Elms Farm exceeded all of my expectations. Anita was great to coordinate with about check-in time, showed us around the home and was helpful with activity and dinner recommendations. Her home is maintained beautifully and I was amazed with how neat and clean everything was. Before arriving, my biggest concern was that the rooms and bathroom were not going to be up to my cleanliness standards because let's face it, it is someone's home and it is an older home. This was definitely not the case; everything was spotless in our room and bathroom. Breakfast in the morning was nice, we were able to chat with the other guests and Anita's food was delicious. She is very accommodating to any dietary restrictions and her presentation is lovely. Breakfast is served on China and silver that was passed down through her family. If you interested in the history of the Inn, just ask her- she's happy to share. I would definitely recommend a stay here if you're planning a trip to the Berkshires. It felt quiet, cozy, romantic and relaxing- a welcome weekend away from New York!

DEFINITELY stay here! We stayed here for 2 nights for the James Taylor concert and were so…read moreimpressed with The Barrington. The rooms are beautiful and the beds are so comfortable. And the breakfast was absolutely delicious. The staff was incredibly helpful and eager to attend to our every need. The location is perfect - right in the heart of Great Barrington. Go ahead and book this hotel - you won't be disappointed.

The Barrington made us feel welcome, safe.. the rooms and communal areas were clean, beautiful,…read morecomfortable, roomy and stocked with hand sanitizers. They took care of every aspect of our stay. Our breakfast was thoughtfully made and the details that went into making our few days special will not be forgotten! Carrie and Maple, thank you for being very prompt and helpful if we had any questions... we will definitely be back!

Well this is another review that doesn't even want to give Birch Hill B&B one star. The first bad…read more"gut instinct" was that he only took checks, no credit card. My husband and I were only staying one night, on our way to Maine for a weeks vacation in 2014. The place was run down, inside and out, it only had some antiques in the various rooms which made it appear to be an authentic colonial New England home. My husband and I were both leery when we went downstairs to the dining room for a continental breakfast and then the owner disappeared for quite a while. I stupidly left my purse in our room even though we had a key to lock it. After the vacation I checked my credit card transactions to find two erroneous phone sale charges to H&M stores for women's leather riding boots at $200 each. I immediately called my credit card company to resolve this issue. At no other time on this trip was I not in possession of my credit card.

There are many negative reviews of Birch Hill online but I'm afraid I must add another. My…read moreboyfriend and I were up in the White Mountains over the weekend and planned to stop for a night in the Berkshires before returning home to NYC. However, the night we'd booked weeks before turned out to be the night of Hurricane Sandy. The evening before, I called and spoke to Michael (the owner) to say we weren't sure we could make it. He said that's fine, just keep him posted, and if we couldn't make it, we could come another time. The day of the storm, we started to drive south. Michael had called that morning to see if we were coming that night. I missed his call but called back and left a message saying we were on our way. However, after driving for some time, we decided we'd better stay up north for our safety. Highways were closing and we were getting reports of rough weather further south of us. I left a couple more messages apologizing for the inconvenience and letting him know we couldn't make it that night after all due to the storm. I also mentioned we'd be in touch to arrange a visit another time, as we'd discussed. I never heard back from him. The day after the storm, we were worried and anxious to get home to New York, since we didn't know what we'd be coming home to-- no power? flooding? so we drove straight home from NH. Fast forward a few weeks, after things had settled down a bit here in NYC. My boyfriend contacted Michael, to see if we could arrange our make-up stay, since Michael had said that would be OK, given it was a hurricane that forced us to cancel. However, Michael had had a change of heart, and gave us the runaround, accusing us of not having called the day of the hurricane. It was incredible how he lied and tried to rewrite history, via email, as if we didn't know what happened! The upshot was, he decided to keep our money (Birch Hill only accepts checks in advance) without doing anything in return. And we decided not to fight it too hard, because this guy is a big jerk and we're pretty sure a stay in his bed & breakfast would be a very unpleasant experience (and other reviews confirm this hunch.) This guy does not belong in the hospitality business, and given his behavior and attitude, he really doesn't belong in business at all. Avoid this place!

This place is great! Heidi is so friendly and helpful…read more This bed and breakfast is super cozy. I arrived a little later in the day, after I had been skiing. Heidi was very complimentary and informed me about how to get to my room. The rooms were comfortable and warm. This is the first place I've ever stayed where I really noticed how warm the house was kept. This was great, because it was a little chilly. We had a great conversation - Heidi was very friendly and informed me about the area. In the morning, I was offered pancakes, waffles, French toast, etc. I had the French roast and it came with bacon and pineapple. It was really yummy. I would definitely stay here again!

My boyfriend and I had a great experience staying here as part of a weekend getaway from NYC. Heidi…read moreis a wonderful host--warm, welcoming, professional, and the right amount of conversational; we had a lovely chat about the inn and our plans, but also felt free to kick back on our own on the inn's gorgeous two-story wraparound porch. Even though apparently several other rooms were booked at the same time, we felt like we had the place to ourselves. The rooms were immaculately clean and had everything we needed, including a very comfortable bed. The decorating is minimal and isn't fussy but still made us feel at home. Breakfast in the morning was great--homemade waffles, fresh pineapple, and big serving of bacon. Would love to stay here again. Tip for finding the Inn: If you're driving from Canaan, look for the Inn's sign on the left or for the tractor crossing sign on the right side of the road.

Swann Lodge is owned by Youth Enrichment Services in Mass, but is available for rent when they…read morearen't using it for their programming. A big red lodge in the middle of nowhere, Swann sleeps probably 20 people comfortably. Bunk beds are the name of the game here, and linens are provided (although, it's probably best to bring your own pillows and sleeping bag). There are two bathrooms, one for each men and women, and towels are also provided. Downstairs you'll find a big kitchen fully equipped with everything you need to cook for a big group of people. Luckily, there are two refrigerators and a dishwasher! Two couches and an assortment of chairs can be found in the living room along with the BEST collection of 90s VHS tapes and a 50 CD changer boom box. There is also a great screened in porch with three huge picnic tables. Out back, there is a big yard for everyone to run around in. The house comes with some games, think wiffle ball, and has a fire pit all the way at the back. There are walking trails all around the property for people to enjoy. There is no cell reception up there, so make sure you go with fun people and bring games. Swann Lodge is the perfect place to unplug and get away for a few days.