Last night we were fortunate to be invited by our friend, Elizabeth Aspenlieder, to the premier of "Les Liasons Dangereuses" at Shakespeare & Company, located just two blocks from us.   She was playing the lead role, Marquise de Merteuil, in what has become a theater classic.

Beside being a wonderful and intimate production (no different than other quality offerings from this well-established presenter) we were reminded how lucky we are in the Berkshires.   And I speak not only as someone who lives here, but also from the point of view of our visitors.   In a pre-show welcome, director (and founder of Shakespeare & Company) Tina Packer offered that a mid-winter presentation was S&Co's contribution to the effort to turn the Berkshires into a four-season cultural destination.    This is a fully costumed production of 12 actors.    Not a low-risk proposition.

That is not to say that we have not always attracted skiers, outdoor enthusiasts, and those who enjoy a nice inn with fireplaces.    But to offer theater such as this, on cold winter weekends, is to up the ante with all those who want to grow the "Berkshire Creative Economy."

It is our pleasure and obligation to help make that effort pay.    So if you are considering a trip to the Berkshires between now and March 21, know that you have four opportunities to see "Les Liasons Dangereuses" per weekend:    2 evening performances and 2 matinee performances.    Tickets are available for $12 to $48 by calling 413-637-3353, or by going to Shakespeare & Company.

And consider a stay at Hampton Terrace.   Our Romantic Weekend Package applies…which includes a $30 gift certificate to the local wine/gourmet food shop in town.   Imagine a glass of wine and some cheese in front of our living room fireplace, and then an evening immersion with scheming 18th century aristocrats.    That is what we did last night.   

Before Marti Mayne of BedandBreakfast.com visited Hampton Terrace a couple of years ago on a tour of Berkshire inns, she checked out our website.   I had always been told that we had a good website, but deep down I was not so sure.

After her stay, she volunteered that our inn photography undersold our inn, and that we should give serious thought to an upgrade.   She put me in touch with Mark and Matthew of Jumping Rocks Photography and the rest, as they say, is history.   In November 2008, they spent a couple of days shooting all of our guest rooms, and by January 2009, Kathy Barto and I had created a whole new website to showcase our pictures.    The impact was immediate and profound.

Our 2009 occupancy was 25% higher than 2008, in spite of the economy.   Most impressively, our off-season occupancy (all months except July, August and October) was up 60%!     The power of good images.

This increase got us noticed by USAToday as well.  

So next month in Austin, Texas, when PAII holds their annual convention, Jumping Rocks has asked permission to use Hampton Terrace as an example of the impact of good photography on a website.    Could not be more pleased to help out the guys who so profoundly helped us.

We are pleased to share that you can now  be a fan of Hampton Terrace, with a special set of benefits to be associated with that.    By following us on Facebook (and soon Twitter) you will be the first to know about special events here and in  the Berkshires, last-minute availabiilty, associated discounts, and other items of interest.  

CLICK HERE to register as a fan.

Anyone who has been to Lenox during Tanglewood Season knows that this is one of the premier destinations in the world.    That is seconded by National Geographic Traveler (#7 on their list).   The world-class level of our attractions, shops, galleries and restaurants is attributed to the quantity and the quality of our visitors.

What if we were to drastically reduce the quantity?    That would be the Berkshire off-season.     Yes, Tanglewood is covered with snow, and the live theaters have limited offerings (notice I said limited instead of none), and some of the historic house tours do not attempt to heat spaces that even the Gilded Age crowd knew could not be kept warm in January….but….everything else is yours:    all of the museums, the vast majority of the shopping and restaurants…plus the addition of skiing and all descriptions of winter sports and activites.    The inns are about 30% less….they are flexible with their minimum night stays (you won't find a 3-night minimum).   

At Hampton Terrace we also help you ease into relaxation mode by offering a $30 credit at the local wine/gourmet food shop in town…and then by giving you full access to our self-service family heirloom bar from the 1940s.    January is snowy, but we have 17 fireplaces on our property.   17.   How is that possible?

Maybe I am biased because I like to eat….but I think the best thing about January in the Berkshires is walk-in access to scores of highly-rated, interesting restaurants.    About a dozen within walking distance, and several notables in every surrounding town.    Many feature off-season fixed price, multiple course menus.   

I have a lot more things I can add here….but why don't I continue with a Part 2 tomorrow?

The Boston Symphony Tanglewood Schedule is out.   Tickets go on sale in February, but many people are locking in their accommodations now.    Hampton Terrace's Mid-Week Discount can save approximately 30%.   Add that to a weekend stay, and your average night stay will come well below average Lenox accommodations.

All rooms in the Main House and Cottage are discounted from $275 to $190/night.   Our King Suites drop from $345 to $275.    Hampton Terrace features full breakfast and an outdoor heated pool.   We have 14 guest rooms with private baths and are fortunate that our Trip Advisor ratings are above 98%.  

Thursday night is New Year's Eve, and to celebrate the rare three-day weekend, we are offering all our rooms at our off-season rates.    That includes extras:   champagne at midnight in our private bar, and full brunch on New Year's Day in place of our normal breakfast.   Also, our guests receive the following list of New Year's Eve Events around us:

La Terraza Restaurant at Gateways Inn, 51 Walker St., (3 buildings down) will host its annual gala dinner dance, featuring a six-course menu, champagne, favors and entertainment for $100 per person. Festivities start at 8:30 p.m.  413-637-2532. http://www.gatewaysinn.com/

Tina Packer founded Shakespeare & Company in Lenox thirty-three years ago, and for more than twenty years, the well-known company was located at The Mount, Edith Wharton's home.   But in 1999 they had the opportunity to assume control of their own 63 acre campus, and they set to work converting an old gymnasium left over from the Lenox School for Boys into their "Founder's Theatre."

Ten years later, that theater is the centerpiece of their campus as they celebrate its anniversary with "Richard III," "The Winter's Tale," and  "The Taster."     In the Elaine Bernstein Theater, "The Comedy of Errors."

More information can be found HERE.

Hampton Terrace is located walking distance from Shakespeare & Company and we enjoy a special relationship with the company, having hosted many of their equity actors over the years, including Olympia Dukakis recently.     Her assessment of her stay here?   "Three thumbs up!"

As we wind into the final days before Christmas, we are all falling into the trap I just encountered.   My wife wanted something specific, and I went to the web.   At Amazon,  for an $89 item, I accepted a $29.00 two-day-delivery fee to make sure it got here in time.   Normal shipping and handling was $5.95.

But the $23.00 diffrence was STILL better than driving to the mall and checking six stores to see if I could find one on the shelf.
 

Imagine a couple of nights in a historic inn.   Fireplaces. Jacuzzis.   Full breakfast buffet.    Call or e-mail Hampton Terrace, and I will send a Gift Certificate right back that you can print yourself.    I also send a photo-quality brochure that prints on 8 1/2 x 11 photo paper and adds pizzazz to your gift.   You may purchase a number of nights….or….just pick an affordable amount, even $50, and we'll print it up.    We will personalize your Gift Certificate to say exactly what you want.

Hampton Terrace is located in the Berkshires, the #7 travel destination in the world, according to National Geographic Traveler.    We are less than a three hour drive from most points in New England or New York.    Our phone # is 800-203-0656.   

Worried about the perfect gift?   DONE!

Hampton Terrace is one of the "Berkshire Cottages."   In general terms, around the turn of the century, if someone built a  home to participate in the Lenox/Stockbridge late summer social register scene, their home was a "Berkshire Cottage."  Some, however, are great estates, and Ventfort Hall is one of the best. 

Built by J. P.Morgan's sister, Sarah, and her husband, George (his cousin), Ventfort Hall is such a good example of the genre that it has become "The Museum of the Gilded Age."   Ten years ago, it was slated to be torn down.

Thanks to some very strong supporters, especially Tjasa Sprague, who is still intimately involved, Ventfort Hall has not only been saved but predominantly restored.   There is much to do, but the exterior, the main downstairs rooms, and several of the upstairs rooms are now completely restored and open for tour.    More importantly, the facility hosts numerous events and productions throughout the year, adding significantly to the Lenox scene.

Hampton Terrace is very fortunate to be located just several hundred yards from Ventfort Hall and we gratefully share our Gilded Age heritage.    It is not possible to stay at Ventfort Hall, but Hampton Terrace has been a well-known inn since 1937.    We invite you to combine a stay at Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakast inn, visit Ventfort Hall either for a tour or an event, and then stroll into Lenox, a 2-square block village that embraces its Gilded Age past.

Most visitors to the Berkshires, and many of us who live here, recognize that Norman Rockwell's America is still alive and well.    A recent Berkshire Visitors Bureau poll revealed that the #1 answer to why people come back to the Berkshires for vacation year after year is that "it never changes."   Considering this little corner of the world with 30+ hill towns draws 2.5 million visitors per year, spending $500 million….there seems to be a lot of people seeking nostalgia.

Nowhere is this best illustrated than this weekend, when the Main Street of Stockbridge is taken back in time to Rockwell's iconic portrait.   For the 21st year, the street will be cleared of modern automobiles and the streetscape will be recreated according to the details of the portrait.    It does not take much…   Ever since the street was immortalized, zoning prohibtions have frozen all buildings and signage for 40+ years.

December 5, and 6, 2010.    For more information, visit the Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce site.

And stay at Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast.     Lenox  is the next town up Route 7, about an eight minute drive to Stockbridge.    Lenox, well-known as the summer home of the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood (the actual venue straddles the Lenox/Stockbridge line) consists of two square blocks of upscale shops, restaurants and galleries.   Hampton Terrace features 14 rooms, fireplaces, Jacuzzis, full breakfast and a Romantic Weekend Special until late June.