Litchfield 62

L I KE A ROL L I NG S TONE

F or more than 100 years, the Berkshire Mountains in the west of Massachusetts and Connecticut have been a quiet yet exclusive rural sanctuary. Artists, titans of industry and high society have escaped to these forested valleys and fashionable towns, drawn by their signature mix of undisturbed nature, rich history and surprising sophistication. That reputation will only increase with the re-opening and reimagination of Blantyre, a former private estate now reopening as a Relais & Châteaux, Forbes Five-Star hotel, restaurant and spa. The story begins in 1902 when a Gatsby-like millionaire, Robert Patterson, built a grand summer mansion on a sprawling estate outside Lenox, Massachusetts, modeling it after his mother’s ancestral estate, Blantyre, in Scotland. The house and its manicured grounds hosted lavish Gilded Age parties, and was transformed into a hotel in the 1980s, housing some of New England’s most treasured antiques. This Spring sees the beginning of a bright, new chapter. Now owned by Linda S. Law, a long-time Silicon Valley real estate developer and investor, the property has been restored with a multi-million dollar renovation. The hotel operations are managed by Ocean House Management (OHM) Collection, the company that not only saved three historic properties in Rhode Island — the Ocean House, Watch Hill Inn (both in Watch Hill), and the Weekapaug Inn (Westerly) — but transformed them Cinderella-like into three of America’s finest properties. Anyone who has eaten at, or stayed in one knows what to expect: classic décor, flawless service and truly memorable cuisine. From the outside, Blantyre still looks as if it had been uprooted from a Scottish glen, with ivy-clad brick, mullioned windows, slate-roofed turrets, gargoyles and manicured lawns that roll out through walled terraces and gardens. But on the inside, its timeless charm and historic architecture mix seamlessly with modern luxuries, fine craftsmanship and chic, classic décor incorporating historic fabric designs, rich velvets and pops of color. Altogether there are eight suites in the Main House, eleven Carriage

B L ANT YR E I S BACK A H I S TOR I C , F I V E - S TAR B E RKSH I R E D E S T I NAT I ON I S R E I MAG I NE D

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