Apple Tree Inn, Lenox MA
Kudos to the guys who, in 2021, surveyed the Massachusetts Berkshires entertainment scene and thought, “You know what this place needs? A cool ole hotel with a year round intimate performance space for folk-rock, blues, and jazz musicians, and other indie artists.” After all, this is the region where Bob Dylan wrote and recorded his music, and where Arlo Guthrie still lives and set his Thanksgiving classic, Alice’s Restaurant. And so, the Apple Tree Inn, and its cozy, woodworked, dimly lit Ostrich Room, was reborn.
The bones of this historic 34-room Victorian manor built in 1885 on a 22-acre estate atop a Berkshires hill, were intact when James and Max Khaghan purchased it in 2021.
The only thing this place needed was an infusion of folk-root, cool-vibe, TLC. The partners went about renovating common areas, installing contemporary art from one of the art collector investors, and glamming it up: in effect, taking a conventional inn and transforming it into something magical.
In April 2024, 30-something year old Claire Collery purchased the Apple Tree Inn, calling it “everything I hoped for.”
Her recent e-newsletter says it all:
So, what’s the inn like? The inn is cozy. It is perched. It is lit up at night. It is mysterious and historical. It feels like a book I just want to keep reading. It is Saturday and it is full of life and warmth and wood fires, and then it is Tuesday and we’re counting pillowcases and I wonder, “What have I gotten myself into?” It is marriage proposals and Instagram photos and cocktails in an inglenook. It is families around a table grabbing the last handcut french fry. It is exploring in the woods up the hill. It is everything I hoped for.
(Apple Tree Inn was included on Getaway Mavens Best Romantic Hotels in the Northeast US 2022 list.)
First Impressions of Apple Tree Inn
And, indeed, this home is warm, pleasing, a little bit country-estate, and a little bit funky. In cooler months (the Inn is open year round) a real wood fire warms the room.
Rooms at Apple Tree Inn
There’s nothing subtle about the 13 guest rooms in the main house. My room #4 featured wild Victorian-style floral wallpaper in the bedroom and bathroom, hardwood floors, Frette linens, and wood-burning fireplace. The white duvet, topping an oh-so-dreamy bed, modernized the room a bit.
Another 21 rooms are located in the Lodge building, uphill and adjacent to the stunning outdoor swimming pool. These are more modern in style – with all the amenities to be expected in a luxury lodging.
Bar, Music, and Dining at Apple Tree Inn
The Ostrich Room, named for the conversation-piece central chandelier partially composed of real ostrich eggs, serves as both craft cocktail bar with elevated pub food, and a live music venue on many nights. The space is both intimate and lively, and offers a communal and convivial space for area musicians.
When the beat kicks up, it feels like a boisterous family gathering, with gangs of friends bellied up to the bar and sitting at tables.
Baladi Restaurant
On weekends, for brunch, dine on Shakshuka, Labneh, Burekas and other Middle Eastern delights at in-house Baladi Restaurant in the “Round Room” – where views of the Berkshire Mountains vie for your attention.
For dinner – cozy up in the Ostrich Room where you’ll find craft cocktails and other adult beverages along with elevated pub fare like burgers and smashed baked potatoes.
Inn Property
When the weather cools, head outside to the firepit. Listening to a crackling fire surrounded by these breathtaking hills can be a transcendent experience.
There’s a whole other vibe a short walk uphill from the main house, where you’ll find the Lodge building.
A stunning, landscaped outdoor pool reflects the Berkshires sunset on steamy summer eves. (Open seasonally).
Tennis players can use the clay courts behind the Main House. Bring your own racquets or borrow them from the Inn.
If you can tear yourself away from this place, consult the Getaway Mavens Getaway Guide for things to do in Berkshires MA
