For 150 years, families have relaxed around the shores of Prospect Lake in Massachusetts. The brand new Prospect Berkshires brings something slightly more upscale to the old campground, but keeps the easygoing vibes.
By Mark Fedeli
Director of Marketing & Editorial, Tablet Hotels
Book Prospect Berkshires on Tablet Hotels.
Arriving at Prospect Berkshires, the first sign that everything was going to be okay was the fire pits. As I was shown to my cabin, we passed a handful of them, and they were all lit, despite the surrounding chairs being mostly empty. In a lakeside cottage retreat like this one, time around a fire is canonical. To see them already raging before their audience had even arrived showed that the hotel understood the importance of the ritual.
A cold, dark fire pit is not welcoming. Wondering when they’ll be lit, and who will light them, is not comforting. We’ve all wandered into empty, liminal spaces in hotels, where at some point there will be some activity for some group of people, but not you, and not right now. It’s a hollow feeling. You’re suddenly an outsider in a place you paid quite a bit of money to be inside of.
Back to my arrival: I wasn’t sure what type of lakeside cottage retreat this would be. They all fall somewhere on a spectrum of rustic to luxurious, and pictures rarely communicate accurately how far to either direction they’ll tip. Prospect Berkshires sits slightly on the luxe side of the scale, but not so far as to be stuffy or incongruent with the woodsy campground vibes — or the history of this particular plot of land. More on that in a moment.
The cabins are minimalist and solidly built with beautiful blonde wood, large floor to ceiling windows, tastefully curated amenities and decor, and a lot of smartly used space. I booked a lakeside cabin, which had a perfectly functional kitchenette area, a Japandi-influenced bathroom and shower (with water pressure and temperature control that passed all the tests), and a lovely window reading nook with a view out over the aptly named Prospect Lake.
Watching the sun go down over the lake, or as the hotel calls it, “watching the light show,” was a treat both from the cabin and the Cliff House restaurant, which hangs out over the water and, during our visit at least, was the hang out for a family of adorable little birds. Like the cabins, the restaurant is elevated without being fussy or intimidating. I really enjoyed the octopus and hamachi appetizers, and while the steak and salmon were excellent, the paleta de bellota paired with a Nebbiolo might’ve stolen the show.
In 1876, this property debuted as a public picnic ground. A big, peaceful piece of nature for local families to enjoy. The Cliff House of then — a tavern and lodge — stood exactly where today’s version does, and remnants of the original have been meticulously preserved in its latest iteration. For Prospect Berkshires to stray too far from this history wouldn’t be unforgivable by any means, but it would risk calling upon bad vibes from the ghosts of yesteryear. Fortunately, they nailed the balance. This is a place to enjoy quiet and nature and time with loved ones, like it had been before, but with a modern upmarketing that ensures the whole experience still feels like a special treat.
“Easy” is the word I keep coming back to for how sum up Prospect Berkshires. The resort seemed designed to make things as easy as possible, without any hassle or nickel-and-diming. Using the saunas, kayaking on the lake, playing tennis, grabbing lunch by the heated saltwater pool, getting emergency dinner delivery from the restaurant… all just easy. And there’s a full calendar of seasonal, nature, and wellness-based activities and events. Again: easy.
And of course, that all starts with the staff. Everyone who worked there seemed to be genuinely happy to be there, and genuinely eager to help. There was a sincere, youthful, joyful energy that was actually quite addictive, and that you don’t find at every hotel. That you find it at Prospect Berkshires maybe isn’t so surprising. 150 years ago, picnic blankets, camp fires, and laughter lined the shore of this lake. Today, that spirit lives on.
Book Prospect Berkshires on Tablet Hotels.
Mark Fedeli is the marketing and editorial director for Tablet Hotels. He’s been with the company since 2006, and thinks you should subscribe to our newsletter.