Renovations
While we’re closed for “some months” Claire will share all the debates, blueprints, wrecking balls, and progress.
What’s “Avaloch”?
The Apple Tree Inn is returning to its original name. Learn more.
Can I book a room for the summer?
In the lodge, yes; learn more. The main house is still closed for renovations, and we don’t yet know when it will reopen.
Can I book a private event?
Not yet!
What’re you doing?
- Demolishing the front porch and round room.
- Building a new glassed-in café and private dining room.
- Reorienting the primary entrance to be on the east side.
- Adding garden space.
- Redecorating the Lodge.
- Rebranding to Avaloch.
Rebranding from “Apple Tree Inn” to “Avaloch”
Claire never loved the name “Apple Tree Inn”. It’s very common — there are about ten in the U.S. — and “cute”. As she researched the history, she learned about Roy Rappaport, who initially opened the house as an inn, and who named it Avaloch. We still don’t know why. It seems to be a variation on Avalon, the island of the apple trees from Arthurian legend, where Excalibur was forged and where King Arthur went to die.
We’ve always liked Roy’s vibe! He seemed to have a cool thing going on here. “Avaloch” appears on some old maps of the area; see if you can find one next time you’re in the lobby of the Red Lion Inn. Michael Bakwin carried it on, and we’ve revived the logo from that era. We still don’t know who designed it; tell us if you know! The name’s last era was “Alice’s at Avaloch”. Before she died, Alice told us it meant “over the lake”, i.e. the Stockbridge Bowl, which our hill looks over.
Watch Claire’s announcement.
Updates
March 25 — The floor is in, the walls of the private dining room are up, and we’re beginning to see traces of a roof.
February 28 — They’ve begun timber framing over the basement.
February 22 — They’ve filled the dirt in around the new concrete foundation so we can walk around it for the first time. Honestly, just being able to walk fully around the hotel on level ground is incredibly gratifying.
February 5 — The new foundation is fully dug out, and they’ve started pouring concrete. It’s a lot more fun when you move on from the melancholy demolition to building something new!
January 15 — Posted our 2025 in review reel on Instagram. It’s especially sweet to look back at everything operating, in full swing, now that we’re closed.
January 13 — In two days of hard work, the front porch and round room have been demolished. Until now, there was hardly any trace of renovation; now it’s dramatic and feels very real.
November 3 — Held our last event of the season (a memorial for Alice Brock) and closed.
October 8 — Announced that we’re closing. Claire will be posting lots of renovation content on our Instagram. The problems she’s trying to solve, the books that inspire her, the iterations of the blueprints, the people involved… follow along!