Cranwell Hot Tub

Cranwell Sauna

The Winthrop Estate is proud to announce our partnership with Cranwell Resort! Our guests can now enjoy complimentary access to Cranwell’s pools, sauna, steam rooms and whirlpool.  Cranwell offers both an indoor and outdoor pool.  The indoor pool measures 60’x30’ with four lap lanes.  A children’s pool makes it family friendly, too.  It gives us great pleasure to offer this benefit to you during your stay at our home here in the Berkshires.  Not only do we gain from creating a wider network with another local business, we know their amazing amenities will enrich your stay with us.  Now you can drop in to Cranwell after a long hike for a relaxing sauna and whirlpool, or swim laps in either of the pools before coming home to Winthrop for a lovely dinner and a relaxing evening with your friends!

A Handwritten Thank You Note

What a lovely note we received!

You can read the whole thing above.  Here are a few highlights: …

“It was E & D’s fairytale wedding!  We could not have asked for anything more.  Your graciousness, your patience, your fabulous staff- what more could anyone ask for.  Our weekend exceeded our expectations.  Having the wedding at the Winthrop was an experience the whole family will never forget.  ….

“THE BEST WEEKEND EVER!

“I highly recommend it…

“Thank you again– it would not have gone so perfectly without you and your staff.”

Japanese Maple on the lawn

All the “leaf peepers” want to know….when is peak foliage season here in the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts?  Hmm… that’s a good question.  We have debates about this very topic ourselves as we sip our morning coffee and enjoy the view of Yokun Ridge from the conservatory.  Our historic mansion is surrounded by the glorious New England deciduous forests.  Jamie insists that peak was last week; the ash trees, Fraxinus americana, were lit like tall beeswax candles, and the ground beneath became paved in gold.  I’m pretty sure yesterday or today could be peak because our neighbor’s red maple, Acer rubrum, is starting to ignite into a burnished red-orange that makes my heart beat faster.  But then again, friends in Lenox say peak season is next week– they are still waiting for the sugar maples, Acer saccharum, to pop!

The Berkshire Scenic Railway offers a great way to see for yourself which species of trees are in peak display.  The 90-minute, 20 mile roundtrip adventure takes you from Lenox to Stockbridge and back in a restored 1920’s era train.  The ride through our beautiful Berkshires is sure to inspire the debate….just when is peak season?

Sun Salutation on the yoga platform

Photo by Dave Donato of ModernArtistry

A lovely note from a fall guest who had their wedding at The Mount.  I really enjoy having guests at the mansion!

“As the ‘kids’ were planning their wedding, we joked that it was the ‘royal wedding.’  And in the end,  it was a royal wedding in so many ways.  The Winthrop Estate was the perfect home base for friends and family to make personal connections during the wedding weekend.  Our guests had extended time together in a homey atmosphere.  You were so accommodating throughout our stay, setting up an environment that was perfect for each gathering we held.  Our guests boasted that it was the ‘best wedding ever’  and we believe it was because of the shared time at the Winthrop Estate which was our central meeting place. North connected to South,  old to young, friends to family,  and the bride’s  people connecting to the groom’s people..

“Thank you for your true hospitality and for all of the little things you did for us this past weekend.  We  also loved your staff who  reached out to us in kind and caring ways throughout our stay.

“So many of my family members and friends said that these past few days were among the best days of their lives.  That atmosphere of pure joy was fostered under your care.  So a million thanks.  MD

Hot Air Ballon Flight, by Worthington Balloon

Winthrop Estate is the perfect place to host a country wedding: luxury accommodations, impeccable service, attention to detail, and beautiful natural surroundings.  Yet, during the hustle and bustle of the wedding weekend you might not have time to enjoy everything the Berkshires and Winthrop Estate has to offer.  We’d like to extend an invitation to come early and enjoy some quality family time before the big event.  Arrive on Wednesday and stay a few days before the wedding.  We will pamper you with all our great services and you can enjoy yourselves fully.  We can arrange for sunrise or sunset hot – air balloon flights from our lawn by Worthington Balloon, and there are miles of hiking trails just out our backdoor.  The village of Lenox offers first class salon services from near by places such as Peter Alvarez Salon, and Shear Design (an Aveda Salon), as well as great shopping and dining.  We guarantee your stay at Winthrop will bring you memories to last a lifetime.

Bathrobe

We recently received another confirmation that our guests feel right at home while staying at the Winthrop Estate.  Of course, we receive lots of feedback from guests and friends telling us how happy and satisfied they are with the luxurious accommodations and warm atmosphere.  But this was not a written confirmation of satisfaction– it came in the form of a bathrobe.  One evening Jamie encountered one of our guests walking around the house in his bathrobe (we provide Cypress cotton robes to all our guests).  He was admiring the original brass hinges and old bell system on the second floor, and he and Jamie got into an amiable conversation about the history of the house.  Our guest had his camera in hand and was taking pictures of interesting details.  Jamie was so flattered at his appreciation and his obvious relaxed and at-home demeanor.  We know we’re doing a good job when guests wear the bathrobes around the house!

Please enjoy this short video of a summer wedding celebration that took place last year at the Winthrop Estate.