Vacation Village in the Berkshires: A Review

Recently, my husband and I spent three nights and four days in the Berkshires to enjoy classical music at Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. As usual, the prices of hotel rooms in the Lenox, Massachusetts area went sky high due to the Tanglewood season. Hotel rates were between $250 and $350 a night. After some in-depth research, Vacation Village, in Hancock, Massachusetts seemed to best fit the bill for what we needed, and at $135 per night, the price was right.

Vacation Village is located directly across from the Jiminy Peak Ski area. While this is convenient for Winter visitors who want to ski, it's also perfect for visitors at any other time of year because the mountain scenery is beautiful.

Upon checking in, we entered a beautiful main lodge area with a large stone fireplace and comfortable couches. We learned that free coffee was served in this area every morning from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and newspapers were also delivered here so guests could enjoy a free cup of coffee while reading the morning paper. For those who want to read the paper in the comfort of their room or balcony, newspaper boxes with papers for sale were conveniently located on the property. The other half of the check-in area included a large indoor swimming pool, with access to a hot tub on the outside patio, a video arcade, and a small but adequate work out center. The work out center includes a weight lifting machine, stair climbers, treadmills, and one incumbent bike. There is also a business center that guests can access, and wi-fi is available to all condos at a $25 per stay fee. That means whether you are staying one night or 1 week, you still pay $25 for the internet. We were happy to find a large assortment of maps and informational pamphlets about Vacation Village itself, as well as a variety of maps and activity booklets about the Berkshire area.

When we arrived at our condo, we were quite happy with our accommodations. There are fourteen buildings with condos. Lodgers have their choice of condos A or B. We chose condo B, which was perfect for the two of us. Each set of A and B condos are side by side. As you are walking down the hallways of each building, there is a key card that lets you into a small hallway, and the doors to Condo A and B can be accessed inside a small entryway. The key card also opens the door to your condo. This made me feel more secure knowing that if an intruder were to try to access our condo, they would have to get through two doors to do so.

One of the more interesting things about Vacation Village is that dogs up to 35 pounds, are allowed in three of the buildings, but for a fee of $125 per stay. Up to two dogs are allowed, but the $125 fee per stay is assessed for each dog. That's $250 if you bring your dogs on vacation here. The pet-friendly buildings are the first three of the property, and a dog walking trail is located near these three buildings to keep dog leftovers in one area on the property.

One of the best things about Vacation Village is that there is plenty to do in the area. For those who like to ski, Jiminy Peak ski area is directly across the street. On the grounds are a very nice restaurant and a country store. The country store is a bit expensive so should only be used if necessities or food were forgotten at home, and you just need something to tide you over. For summer visitors, Jiminy Peak has a Mountain Adventure Park and an Aerial Adventure Park, both of which offer fun for the whole family. There are also state parks close by for those who want to hike.

The Berkshire Mall and a local Stop and Shop are fifteen and twenty minutes away respectively for anything you might need.

Tanglewood, for classical music aficionados, is approximately 40 minutes away. This is the summer home of the Boston Symphony and summer concerts are held in July and August. Indoor seating is available in a three-sided "shed" or lawn seats can be purchased for less money and concert attendees bring picnic meals which can get quite fancy complete with tables, fresh flowers, and candles.

One hour away is the Lee Premium Outlets, which is comprised of 60 outlet stores. Stores include Chicos, Aeropostale, Gap, J.Crew, Tommy Hilfiger, Eddie Bauer, Lacoste, Ann Taylor, and American Eagle Outfitters, to name just a few.

There are also timeshare opportunities at Vacation Village so I'm including a professionally done video so you can get more of a feel for the area, but not to promote buying a timeshare.

Pros:

* Vacation Village is a great place for people who want to enjoy the Berkshires in a resort atmosphere.

* The condos are clean and neat and nicely furnished.

* The amenities are wonderful and the recreation areas are kept clean.

* The views of Jiminy Peak from the resort are beautiful in any season.

* There are plenty of activities for guests to do in the area.

* The price is right!

Cons:

* The condo buildings are close together and it almost feels as though the main point of these condos is to make money.

* The cost of bringing pets is quite high compared to other hotels.

* The beds are not very comfortable.

Enjoy more photos of Vacation Village below...