A Gorgeous Lakefront Resort Just Opened in Massachusetts' Berkshires With 49 Luxe Cabins—and I Was the First to Stay

Travel + Leisure

5 days ago

Prospect's location offers a best-of-both-worlds scenario with its secluded lake setting, charming nearby towns, and easy access to renowned cultural venues.
Guests can dine and unwind on a sweeping porch that seats them over the lake.
Each cabin has an idyllic perch, especially in the lakeside bungalows, where guests are just a few steps from a dip in the water.
The hotel's seasonal programming is packed with fun activities, such as jazz at the pool, sunset paddleboarding, floral arrangement workshops, and cooking classes.
Nature-based or 'landscape hotels' can often feel like carbon copies of each other. But once in a while, I come across a place that breaks out of the mold and reignites the spirit like a turmeric-ginger shot to the soul. I was recently caught off guard by a sizzle of such joy while pulling into Prospect, situated in a remote corner of the southern Berkshires. The site of 150-year-old picnic grounds, the 30-acre retreat welcomes you with open stands of white pine trees, cedar cabins seamlessly tucked into the lush landscape, and a glistening 56-acre lake.
Prospect feels less like a tourist destination and more like a timeless return to camp. As much as this hidden Eden is an attraction on its own, the hotel isn't resting on its laurels. From the reimagined dining venue at the Cliff House to the cinematic pool area, the vibe is well curated and undeniably frolicsome. Back in 2021, the owners and creative couple behind the project, Ian Rasch and Jade-Snow Carroll, set out to transform what had become a dilapidated park with abandoned RVs into a restorative educational space, cultural center, and community hub for both overnight guests and the public. The restaurant and resort day passes aim to keep it that way. Panoramic views seen from a cabins dining room.
'Nature is the antidote to all that is happening right now,' said Carroll, while identifying a witch hazel plant on a walking tour of the grounds (navigable by foot, bike, or golf cart). Carroll also co-owns a block-printed bedding company, Sister Moons, and designed the interiors for Prospect, which is a love letter to her Berkshire roots (she grew up two miles down the road) and Cape Cod summers camping at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Rasch's formative years in Norway, spent sleeping in hyttes —cozy, wooden cabins symbolizing closeness to nature — also had a distinctive influence.
Strolling among red maples, flowering dogwood trees, and wind chimes, the lake always twinkling at the corner of my eye, I had the urge to chuck my phone in the woods to cultivate presence instead of Instagram followers. The biophilic architecture, a major collaboration, led by Rasch and partner Roman Montano at their design-build firm Alander, includes an ecological restoration of the entire site, such as constructed wetlands to improve the riparian edge and water quality of the lake, the removal of invasive plants, and the addition of over 600 native trees, shrubs, and grasses.
After a few short days, simple pleasures like a walk in the woods, a cold plunge, a good meal—and a dragonfly resting on my hand—were enough to send me back out into the world feeling a little more present than before.
Below is my full review of Prospect. A view from one of Prospect Berkshire's cabins.
There are four locations offering two types of cabin accommodations, each cabin cluster named for its unique setting: Lakeside, Lakeview, Knoll, and Hillside. All 49 Scandinavian-style structures face the lake, are pet-friendly, and hand-built locally with cedar, marble, and floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors. Every cabin is configured to lure guests into nature's playground, whether you're a couple booking a 135-square-foot King Hideaway nestled in the forest or a family staying in a 400-square-foot cabin a stone's throw from the lake. (Note that the Hideaways share a nearby luxe bathhouse with changing rooms, lockers, and showers with yellow striped curtains by Quiet Town.)
I stayed in Lakeside cabin #7, overlooking the waterfront, with what felt like my own private swimming hole (though I was more than happy to share it on occasion with six fluffy yellow goslings). Inside the sunlit cabin, Carroll's minimalist approach reveals a few thoughtful touches: pre-loved books like "The Hobbit" and "The Pearl," a Bluetooth radio, a deck of cards, and a small pink acorn vase with a vine plant on the bedside table. In an age of constant connectivity, there is purposefully no TV or phone in the room, which I didn't miss, as the concierge would promptly reply via text message if I needed anything. While there is solid Wi-Fi available, guests may soon have the option to disconnect their individual cabin from it.
I spent my time either reading on a comfortable bench with plush pink pillows beside a big picturesque window or on a wooden lounge chair with a sheepskin throw, made from the owners' herd of 40 sheep that will be making their Prospect debut in June. Classic lawn chairs can be found hanging in every cabin, and I wish I had thought to take one down to sit outside in the grass. Carroll said that picnic tables and Adirondack chairs will be added to cabin areas later this summer.
I slept soundly on the organic cotton Sister Moons bedding, topped with soft MacAusland wool blankets from Prince Edward Island (available for purchase at the hotel store). Each room features an electric kettle with complimentary Share Roasters instant coffee and Rishi Tea & Botanicals provisions. Mini fridges will be stocked with picnic products by July. The spacious bathrooms have frosted windows, Sister Moons bathrobes, and biodegradable plant-based bath products from Oneka. An exterior view of The Cliff House.
Scenic restaurants are a ubiquitous part of the Berkshires, yet the Cliff House may have them all beat for the best table with a view. With an expansive porch suspended over the water and wide windows—picture swooping blue barn swallows, hypnotic ripples, rustling maple trees, and rolling hills of the Taconic Range—this 5,000-square-foot space harnesses the power of Prospect Lake and fine culinary craftsmanship; every meal here is a thrill.
During the restaurant's soft opening, I opted to play musical chairs, first sipping a sublime rhubarb gimlet on the outdoor porch, bedecked with grass-green Hays furniture, before moving to an emerald settee in the middle of the dining room. I had pintxos, a quiet firework of an anchovy bite with its skewered gordal olives, boquerones , and piquant Piparra peppers (a nod to Chef Damian Evangelous's Spanish travels), and a sheep's milk ricotta salad with tender beets, sweet grapes, and almonds. I overheard several guests raving about other appetizers, such as the asparagus with hazelnuts and the buttermilk-drizzled rainbow carrots. For the main course, I sat at a table by the window, where the lake glowed at twilight, and I enjoyed succulent Hudson steelhead trout accompanied by an aromatic sunflower salsa verde sauce.
A kids' menu with staples like chicken tenders and pasta is available, but most young patrons were happily digging into whatever the grownups were eating. With the Mezze Hospitality Group at the helm, you can trust the menu is going to feature bright, eclectic dishes that champion small local farms. 'I came for Ian and Jade's commitment to enriching the Berkshire community,' said Nancy Thomas, co-founder of the hospitality company, which also owns Bluebird & Co. and Mezze Bistro.
With the natural panorama being the chief design motif, the Cliff House is not an aesthetically demanding experience. (Carroll doesn't subscribe to 'decorating for the sake of decorating.') The interior's modern rusticity feeds off the warm cedar walls affixed with botanical sconces, the rich mahogany floors, and the American Chestnut beams that date back to 1876, when the building originally served as a viewing platform before expanding into a residence and tavern. The soaring 25-foot ceiling lends breadth to the space, which comfortably holds the main dining room, bar area, and a fern-filled lounge with a fireside marble bench. Above the emerald-colored Anthropologie chairs and leather sofa hangs a 1960s elk antler chandelier that Carroll, an antiques enthusiast, discovered and restored herself. At the swanky bar, flanked by golden Murano glass pendants from the 1970s, try another cocktail, such as the Delores del Rio with passionfruit, tequila, jalapeño, and lime, or the Prospect mocktail, a refreshing citrusy drink with palo santo and basil.
The Cliff House opens at 8:00 a.m. for continental breakfast. From a corner table on the porch, I watched a fisherman reel in a catch while I enjoyed a cappuccino, fresh sourdough croissant, and a DIY yogurt parfait. A full brunch menu will launch on weekends in late June.
A store located at the front of the Cliff House offers grab-and-go fare, sodas, and beers, some of which alcohol-free. Come June, the pool house will have slushees (spiked or not), chips, ice cream, and picnic offerings, including assorted seasonal salads and sandwiches available for order poolside. Loungers by the outdoor pool at Prospect Berkshire.
Summers may be for swinging a racket and floating in the pool—and this one makes a chic splash with stark white chaise lounges and retro Tuuci umbrellas—but nature is in abundance at Prospect, and there are many fun ways to engage with it. A centrally located dock features two Sunfish sailboats, six stand-up paddleboards, and two kayaks for exploring the lake, where motorized boats are prohibited. Beginning in July, guided outdoor experiences will include bass fishing, sailing, birding walks, morel mushroom foraging, and hikes along nearby trails.
An evolving events calendar will present movie nights and jazz at the pool, sunset paddleboarding, floral arrangement workshops, and cooking classes. If you're staying on days without programming, the general store at the Cliff House has painting supplies to inspire your inner artist. The hotel may be named after its eponymous lake, but the owners chose the name because it also means possibility. 'We would love if people came here and left with great memories and maybe something learned, a craft, a piece of art created, a pause in time,' said Carroll.
There are five firepits set up throughout Prospect, and you can build your own fire. Complimentary s'mores kits can be found in the rooms.
Beyond the two lakeside Finnish saunas and an additional two saunas at the bath house, there isn't a dedicated spa area. Come summer, Prospect will offer several à la carte wellness services, such as yoga, in-room massages, and facials.
In addition to most on-site experiences being suitable for children, Prospect will unveil a forest jungle gym and an arts and crafts corner at the Cliff House by mid-summer.
As much as I reveled in my free-spirited time at Prospect, paddling and swimming in the lake, and having a whole bowl of chocolate pudding to myself, I kept thinking about how I'd love to come back with my two kids and parents for a multi-generational vacation. Nature and outdoor adventure can be one of the best ways to bond as a family, and this place has something for everyone.
Prospect offers two ADA-compliant cabins in the Knoll section, #33 and #35, and they are the only accommodations with adjacent parking spots. Rooms include roll-in showers, accessible toilets, grab bars, multiple stool rests, and more.
Sustainability is an essential part of Prospect. Both Rasch and Carroll said the Prospect vision was to create a hospitality and educational experience using restorative environmental design, 'incorporating the complementary goals of minimizing harm to natural systems and human health, as well as enriching the human body, mind, and spirit.' All buildings are electric and equipped to meet the hotel's net-zero energy goals. The water system includes rainwater harvesting and low-flow fixtures.
Over the next year, the Prospect team plans to continue cultivating the landscape through permaculture design, expanding a century-old apple orchard with additional fruit trees, herbs, and pollinator gardens. The general manager, Max Scherff, who previously worked at the historic Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, said, 'As we build out the infrastructure, we look forward to offering opportunities to our community—locals and guests—to participate in regenerative agriculture and restoration practices.' A cabin located by the lake at Prospect Berkshire.
Egremont may seem way off the beaten path, but savvy travelers have been flocking here for one great establishment or another long before Prospect—there's hallowed music hall The Egremont Barn and nightlife newbie Hy's Fried (and pizzaiolo Rafi Bildner's much-anticipated Hilltown Hot Pies). Within a roughly 30-minute drive of the hotel, which is about 2.5 hours from Boston and New York City, guests can enjoy world-famous cultural attractions, such as Tanglewood, Jacob's Pillow, and Shakespeare & Company. A ten-minute jaunt north, you'll find the trendy town of Great Barrington, where Carroll recommends And All that Jazz, an antiques store for vintage treasures, and a five-minute drive east will bring you to the W.E.B. Du Bois National Historic Site, where the activist and NAACP founder's childhood home once stood.
As this region is a hiker's paradise, spectacular trails abound. There's a beautiful 3.3-mile route along the Appalachian Trail and Alford Springs Reserve with its moderate 4.3-mile Father loop and 2.4-mile Mother loop, two under-the-radar trails that are great for birding. In 15 minutes, you can be at the popular 3.8-mile trek up Monument Mountain, where Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne did the 1,739-foot climb together in 1850.
Prospect offers discounts for longer stays or multi-room bookings. A $30 daily 'adventure' resort fee covers activities like the pool, sauna, tennis, pickleball, and aquatic sports. Food and drinks are not included in the room rate.
Nightly rates at Prospect start from $75 during the low season. During high season, nightly rates range from $175 midweek for a King Hideaway to $550 for a Lakeside Cabin on weekends.
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