Nestled in the verdant Berkshires town of Lenox, Massachusetts, the 118-year-old Blantyre Hotel makes for the perfect, relaxing weekend retreat. With handsome wood-paneled walls, lush lawns, acres-upon-acres of wooded trails and sophisticated yet cozy guest suites, it’s just waiting to be explored.
To give us an idea of what’s in store for our future visits, we asked its current owner, Linda S. Law, to indulge us in a virtual tour of the storied Gilded Age estate and the cast of characters to which it has played host throughout the decades. Here, she breaks it down for us by the numbers.
The lobby’s intricately-carved wood staircase and mullioned windows date to the original Tudor-inspired manor house.
1902
The year the original estate of Blantyre was completed. Built as a summer home for wealthy Scottish native Robert Warden Paterson, it was one of the first mansions in the area to have electricity and ensuite bathrooms—the height of luxury in the early 20th century.
Blantyre’s Tudoresque main hall as seen in this photograph from 1902.
The main hall as it appears today with its exquisite wood paneling and carved coffered ceilings.
The estate’s dining room as it would have looked in 1902, complete with tapestries, decorative millwork and a tiled fireplace.
Sleek, contemporary seating in The Bar, one of Blantyre’s two restaurants, makes for a modern contrast to the elegant Gilded Age architecture.
3,120 miles
The distance between Blantyre in Lenox, Massachusetts, and Blantyre, Scotland—a tiny town outside of Glasgow that was the ancestral home of Paterson’s mother.
A creekside view of the 17th-century Crossbasket Castle in Blantyre, Scotland.Courtesy of Crossbasket Castle Hotel
110 acres
The size of the property. Guests are encouraged to wander the estate’s rolling lawns and endless miles of walking trails.
The grand Manor House, cloaked in ivy, beautifully blends into its rural surroundings.
1938
The year that the legendary movie producer D.W. Griffith bought Blantyre with the intention of building it into an East Coast movie studio.
1980
The year that Jack and Jane Fitzpatrick bought the estate, after it had suffered several decades of tumultuous turnover. They later transformed it into a hotel, which their daughter Ann continued to run until her death in 2016.
Warm neutrals and dusty blush tones give this corner room a wonderfully serene but sophisticated feeling.
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The very minimum number of artist guests whose creative work has been inspired by the estate. Award-winning composer John Williams wrote the score to three of the Harry Potter films during his time in residence here, and director and author Julian Fellowes has stated that the flavor of “Downton Abbey,” his hit TV series, “seeped out of Blantyre.”
The light-filled white-walled Music Room makes for a bright antithesis to the darker wood paneling of the main hall and dining room.
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The beloved Hollywood couple who were regular guests. Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward frequented Blantyre’s Blue Room [scroll down for a peek!], which was recently redecorated in a soothing watery palette. “It’s our most popular room,” Law notes of the accurately named guest suite, which features gorgeous views of the expansive grounds. “There’s something so ethereal about the fabrics, and the coziness of the fireplace. It’s always booked, so I’ve never actually been able to spend the night in there!”
Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman in 1963, featured in a Town & Country story by Alexandra Styron. See the story at townandcountry.com
The famous Blue Room is at once soothing and refreshing with a variety of calming neutrals and lively patterns, all by Schumacher Hospitality.
GET THE LOOK:
Hothouse Flowers fabric
Emile fabric
Palazzo Chenille fabric
Sarong Weave
Antique Strie Velvet
Lexington fabric
