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Red Lion Inn
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Breakfast, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
12 reviews for Red Lion Inn
If you're looking for old world hotel charm, impeccable service in a quaint little New England town, check out the famous old Red Lion Inn in historic Stockbridge, MA. Set in the heart of the Berkshires, Stockbridge was last home to Norman Rockwell and the site of the museum dedicated to his work. In one of his paintings showing a side of a charming street in downtown Stockbridge, you can see the Red Lion building in the far right.
The building houses the Inn, the Tavern, and a pub downstairs, all excellent, each with different character. We tried them all in a spontaneous decision to eat dinner and spend the night there. Starting with the pub, the decor of tin ceilings are complimented with great local brews (try the Berkshire IPA), and the best French onion soup I have ever had. The Tavern upstairs has a rustic old pub/barn restaurant feel to it, nestled in the heart of the Inn itself. Then, the large old resort style dining room has more elegance and is a great setting for the wonderful breakfast we had. All of the eating establishments have a "Sustainable" separate menu offering locally made, grown food. And delicious too! The Inn has a bronze turn-of-the-century "birdcage" elevator with operator, and there was an amazing casual piano player who was subtly playing near one of the stairwells. Can't forget the old mascot cat who has the run of the place (and yes, small pet friendly I believe). We had a deluxe room with a bathroom and free dvd rentals. Boy, I hate brass beds though! (Sorry, rooms 209 and 205!).
Overall, a magical, comfortable, delicious, friendly, nostalgic stay!
Ok, as a college kid with a limited budget, this would be the last place I would find myself grabbing a bite to eat on a lazy summer afternoon. However, a friend of mine invited me out for lunch on our day off working at a sleepaway camp just half an hour away from Stockbridge and her mother insisted on picking up the tab. Awesome.
It was a beautiful day so we decided to dine outside. Although there was a line forming, we were seated in under 15 minutes. Our waitor was attentive considering the fact that the place was packed. Our food came about 15-20 minutes after we placed our order. I ordered the Roasted Turkey Sandwich with Cranberry Mayo. It was so delicious! It came with a side of garden greens which I barely touched. My friend ordered a hamburger that looked amazing. If I ate red meat, I would have probably ordered the same thing. Alas, the taste of red meat isn't for me. Her mother ordered salmon on salad which also looked really good.
I would definitely go here for the scenery and the history. Stockbridge is painfully picturesque. We walked up and down the streets and into old-fashioned candy shops and ice cream parlors. It was enchanting.
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This is definitely a place to come here for the ambiance more than the food. Walking in the door, you are greeted by the warmth of the fireplace and the stately appearance of the dining room and check-in area. You are surrounded by hockey team medallions and tsochkes hanging from the ceiling. The old wood and pictures of ages long ago, including the evolution of the inn are plastered on the walls. You can peer out the windows at the courtyard. It has its charm, but the guests somewhat detracted. I felt very uncomfortable with the rest of the clientele definitely acting... in a world of their own, but that is no fault of the inn.
Service was slow, but that could not be blamed on the staff, but rather the management. A single waitress handled the whole bar. She was working at a very reasonable pace, but there were just too many customers. Lunch took about an hour to come out after walking in the door.
The clam chowder here is very heavily thickened with flour, to the point where the taste is depreciated of everything else within. Not enough flavor of broth. It was quite watered down.
The venison stew I had was very hearty in terms of richness, with the basic vegetables, just carrots and potatoes, but nothing spectacular. There wasn't broth, it was reduced to the point of sauce-coated vegetables and meat. It was very, very soft, but in doing so, seems to lack character in the texture, everything bearing the same feel. At around $20, it was certainly highly priced for the amount of effort put into it. I was still hungry afterward, and I am not a man of a large appetite.
Good place to go to soak in a sense of New England in terms of the physically historical, but I do not feel 'right' surrounded by people acting entitled and bratty. A beautifully preserved place, but not worth the price for lunch. An unfortunately well-disguised tourist trap.
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Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not into quaint or charming or rustic when it comes to wear I lay my head. Those adjectives usually mean old, drafty, dusty, and most likely involves bugs. I was extremely skeptical when I looked up the Red Lion Inn for a meeting I was attending in Stockbridge last fall, thinking I'd be A)bored to tears and B)staying in a creaky old "rustic" house..oh, how wrong I was! The Red Lion Inn definitely qualifies as quaint, but in all the right ways.
I didn't know what to expect while staying in the Berkshires, and thought this would be more like a B&B, which I hate, but it's a very well run, enjoyable place to spend a few days. Walking thru the front door feels like walking into Aunt Bee's parlor for a holiday family gathering. Our room was a bit on the small side, but very cozy and had a super comfortable bed. A tad bit too creaky ifyouknowwhatimean, but otherwise very nice.
I was there for a meeting, and was surprised to learn that it's a popular place in the area for that..who goes to the Berkshires for work? In any event, the staff was accommodating, friendly, helpful, and, brought us a tray of cookies for our afternoon break. Our first night there we had a cocktail party at the Norman Rockwell museum, and stopped at the Den for a few Guinnesses (is that the plural of Guinness, or is it Guinnei?) and really didn't want to leave. We were back later that night, but didn't stay long due to the stifling, heavy incense smell that was wafting down there. Low ceilings + high heat + funky incense = HELL NO. Other than that we had a great time.
Definitely the most unique thing about Red Lion Inn is the room special "Spend a night with Necco the cat." Apparently a cat named Necco lives at the Inn, and for a nominal fee you can have Necco spend the night in your room. I didn't actually ever see Necco during my stay, but, you know, if having paying to have a random (hopefully not feral) cat sleep with you is your thing, run with it.
If I'm ever in Stockbridge again I'll definitely stay at the Red Lion Inn. It's a nice change from the standard chain hotel. Probably won't request Necco's services, tho.
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On our way thru the Berkshires, my wife and I were looking for a simple bite when we wandered into what seemed like the Twilight Zone. Dim and quiet, the elegantly subdued 19th century ambiance made me thankful for wearing a blazer over my Bruce T. Otherwise I would've felt out of place and we would've left then settled for whatever. It turned out to be one of most profoundly serendipitous fashion choices of my life.
I couldn't help but notice that my wife and I were the only lay people there besides the staff, as the lunch time diners were either priests or nuns. One thing I know about the clergy is that they know quality cuisine so I wasted no time ordering the Cajun shrimp with rice. My wife took the server's advice and chose the seared scallops with raspberry vinaigrette. After what seemed like no time at all, lunch was served.
The cilantro lime sauce complimented the Cajun seasoning masterfully giving each bite an explosive flavor.
The scallops though were in a realm of their own as I found out after my wife awoke from her culinary swoon and blessed me with one. Talk about perfect texture and the raspberry vinaigrette is nothing less than an adventure. In such a state of bliss, she even allowed me another to my delight. No regrets; my shrimp was excellent but those scallops are a masterwork.
Parking is easy and the prices were reasonable considering the unforgettable experience. If anywhere even remotely near the Berkshires, make The Red Lion Inn a high-priority destination.
We're planning to head back soon to even spend a night or two so we can sample more of the spectacular fare.
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The food and wine were excellent. Though overpriced. And I must say the service was a bit slow which was dissapointing because the atmosphere is so beautiful.
I stayed here with my girlfriend in November and it was a beautifull weekend in the Berkshires! I highly recommend this inn. We stayed on the 2nd floor and it is so old and charming that it is jsut pure New England!! I higly recommend this inn. We ate in the dining room for dinner and it was phenominal!! the service was a thing of the past that you never see anymore!! The fireplace was blazing and smelled up the entire place to give it a warm sense! I would definetly stay here again!!
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The food here is tasty, but my night was mildly soured by the throngs of squealing out-of-control children running amok. If you're in the mood for a nice quiet dinner with your significant other following a day of cavorting in the Berkshires (antique shopping, skiing, etc.) be prepared for the mild craziness to be found here.
The pub/restaurant downstairs, however, is a great place for a midday nosh. The servers upstairs and downstairs were nice but a little harried. The food in both venues are what you'd expect, but I do have to compliment their vanilla-poached pheasant, which was beyond delicious.
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If you're traveling in New England but need to hear Long Island accents, you're in luck!
And, you'll have a very nice meal, too. Spacious colonial dining room in an historic Berkshire setting not far from, with prompt service. Rox had a traditional and comfy turkey dinner, I had an oyster and shiitake mushroom and baby spinach crepe. It was good enough to insist Rox try it after every bite.
Others have mentioned that men are required to wear jackets. It was not enforced during our seating, but I'm usually a little surprised whenever anyone lets me into a restaurant anyway.
I was not dissapointed! We risked heading to the Birkshires on Columbus Day weekend last month without any reservations anywhere and happened to get a room here that someone had cancelled.
We had a suite (bedroom, full eat-in kitchen, 2 full baths, living room). Would be the perfect place for a longer vacation!! (Not that it wasn't wonderful for one night!) Perfect location for checking out the Norman Rockwell Museum.
The food and wine at the restaurant was excellent too! Great wine list!!
We didn't have a chance to check out the pub - but they had live music too! I too give this place a 100% recommendation!!
My boyfriend was nicely dressed but not in a jacket. We were given some looks --- apparently it is supposed to be jacket required (according to a book we read later.)
This place is awesome. The rooms have a really nice feel to them, and the restaurant had great food. We had a room with two twin beds, which were T-I-N-Y but comfortable. The room was giant with a cute bathroom and nice period touches. I'd recommend this place 100%.
We had a relaxed breakfast in the main dining room of this historic 1793 inn. Food, service, and atmosphere were exceptional. Other attractions in this area are the Norman Rockwell Museum and Naumkeag Home and Gardens.
