Dine, Golf, Feel…Well
Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club
55 Lee Rd // Lenox, MA
(413) 637-1364 // cranwell.com
Distance from White Plains: 2.5 hours
During the vaunted Gilded Age between the end of the Civil War and the beginning of World War I, about 75 “cottages” were built as summer homes throughout the rolling hills of the Berkshires. Today, only a couple dozen of these grand mansions survive, one of them forming the centerpiece of the Cranwell Resort in Lenox.
In addition to 13 rooms and suites in its main, Tudor-style mansion, Cranwell offers 83 other rooms, suites, and even entire cottages and townhouses across its sweeping property, which boasts a par-70 championship golf course with breathtaking vistas of the Berkshires’ resplendent fall foliage. Lined with tall pines and impeccably maintained, Cranwell’s 380 acres of pastoral grounds (designed by New York City’s Central Park architect, Frederick Law Olmsted) are there for its guests to explore—and enjoy. Just grab one of the many well-placed Adirondack chairs and read a bestseller, daydream, or simply commune with nature at its autumnal best. Oh, and yes, if you’d like, play a round of golf or two. When it’s time to dine, head indoors to the well-appointed Wyndhurst, Cranwell’s main dining room. If it’s grilled meat or seafood that you’re after, you’re in luck; there’s a slew of such dishes to choose from, with your choice of sauce, too. Sloane’s Tavern offers more casual dining.
If it’s a deep-tissue massage or an aromatherapy facial you’re after, make your way—often through heated, glass-enclosed walkways—to the Spa at Cranwell, where you can choose from more than 50(!) spa services. And if you’re a guy who is, shall we say, a wee bit embarrassed to be seen in a white robe waiting for someone to slather you in fragrant oils, know that there’s a lounge just for men and a 22-minute “This Was Not My Idea!” express manicure or pedicure (the Spa promises to “get you in and out before anyone sees you”).
With its central Berkshire location along the Route 7 corridor, Cranwell makes an excellent home base from which to explore the region’s myriad scenic, dining, and cultural offerings—including the Norman Rockwell Museum, the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA), and the Williams College Museum of Art. Leaf- peepers can ogle the fall foliage any number of ways, including by car (just pick a road and start driving); on foot, in any one of several state forests; via guided hikes with llamas(!) in the mountains (hawkmeadowinlee.com); in restored vintage railway cars (berkshirescenicrailroad.com), by hot-air balloon (worthingtonballooning.com), and even by private plane (lyonaviation.com).
The Nitty-gritty: In the fall, expect to pay $189+,
depending on type of accommodation. Many packages—bundling accommodations with spa treatments, golfing, dining, or cultural excursions—are available.
—RS
