The Lenox Collection Makes Three Historic Properties Newly Inn-viting

If you’ve ever visited Lenox, Massachusetts — especially in the summer — you know it’s the town that’s a de rigueur destination for tourists. And why not? It has everything: culture, history, restaurants, shopping — and that good old New England charm. And now it has The Lenox Collection, a trio of historic inns under new ownership, with the branding, interior design, and management supplied by a separate entity.  

If the pandemic was good for anything, it must have created a moment in time conducive to buying and selling high-end lodgings: No less than eight inns have changed hands in Lenox in the past two years. Three of the properties were acquired by 388 Ventures, a New York-based company, who partnered with Life House, a hotel software, brand, and management company. Under Life House’s direction, the Rookwood Inn has become The Constance, The Church Street Inn is now The Whitlock, and The Birchwood Inn morphed into The Dewey. All officially opened this spring.

Ophelia's Restaurant in The Whitlock

388 Ventures, says Russell Lange, a company partner, is a real estate investment company that seeks out hospitality properties with a lot of character. This is the company’s first project in the Berkshires.

“We typically look in intimate towns and communities, and Lenox both meets that criteria and is a special place for us,” he says, sharing that he and his family spent time in the area when he was growing up. “Each of the three properties has its own unique soul and character. We made sure to preserve that.”

To that end, 388 Ventures partnered with Life House, which manages Wheatleigh and is preparing to open a repositioned Life House Berkshires out of the former Days Inn on Pittsfield Road this summer. “We love what Life House did in Nantucket and Wheatleigh,” Lange says. “They were our first choice in Lenox; they do a great job taking care of their people.”

Life House brings new life to existing historic assets through a design aesthetic, food and beverages.

The Constance

“We dig into the history of each asset, and pay homage to the historical aesthetic,” says Bryan Dunn, managing director and head of growth at Life House. “We don’t gut the hotels; we make improvements that visitors would appreciate and ensure they maintain their historical charm. We want to provide guests with a sense of place.”

Each of the inns is named for an early owner of the property. The Constance, a Victorian property two blocks outside of town, is the highest end in the collection, and went through a full renovation. It’s a luxury accommodation, with a veranda and gardens, and its location removed from (but still close to) downtown, offers a more private experience.

The Dewey, high on the hill above town, dates from the 1700s, and with a dozen guest rooms has a more traditional Berkshires bed-and-breakfast feel.

The Dewey

The Whitlock, with a prime location in the center of town, is housed in an iconic landmark and rolls out the welcome mat to visitors and locals via its restaurant, Ophelia’s, which provides live music and a firepit in the landscaped seating area.

Life House’s Dunn says their intention is to engage with local businesses and the community through local sourcing of food and beverages as well as programming music and events on the properties. These will mostly be centered around The Whitlock, catering to the needs not just of the Lenox Collection’s guests but also locals and guests of other hotels. Additionally, Life House doesn’t operate on the traditional innkeeper model, but staffs with local “talent.” In fact, notes Lange, the group’s general manager, Jeff Bourdon, is from North Adams, and is well known among the local lodging community.

A random trial of reservations indicates that, despite a modest promotion effort, all three inns are accumulating a robust number of bookings.

“The summer is shaping up to be a strong one,” says Dunn.