Winter is my time to disappear. Whether that means jet-setting somewhere warm or leaning fully into cabin life where the snow falls thick and my only obligation is to slow down – you can count on me being gone. This year I drifted east to the Southern Berkshires. Just 2.5 hours from both New York City and Boston, it’s an easy escape no matter which skyline you call home. Unlike the Catskills, which can often feel like New York’s bustling annex, the rhythm here is slower, steadier, and far more grounding. I felt it’s pull immediately.

A quick Google search will tempt you on Prospect Berkshires in its summer glory — lakeside cabins, stand-up paddle boarding, and dives off the dock. But I came for a different season entirely: a weekend spent quietly inside a snow globe, reimagined with vintage Scandinavian charm, and just enough glamping to make you look forward to winter again.

The Back Story

Long before it became a luxurious landscape hotel, the space at Prospect Lake Park was home to a picnic ground where people would gather with horse and carriage, later it became a private boys’ camp, and it even existed as a worn-out RV park once upon a time ago. In its latest iteration, the property continues as a gathering place, paying homage to the land’s legacy. Today, summers here feel like a timeless return to ‘90s camp culture and the shared feeling of being outdoors.

The Property

Open year-round, Prospect has 49 nature-forward cabins set across a massive 30 acres in the heart of the Berkshire mountains. Accommodations are split between Cabins and Hideaways, each one locally hand-built from cedar, marble and glass. Thoughtfully positioned to blend into the landscape, cabins are designed to frame the outdoors at every turn. Whether you’re travelling with kids and need bunk beds, bringing the dog along, or simply escaping as a couple in search of a king bed and quiet, there’s a configuration to match.

Imagined as a gateway to nature, the property does everything in its power to make sure you get to experience it. A heated saltwater pool (which we sampled mid-blizzard, and can confirm, it is in fact heated) pops against the forested backdrop. Indoor and lakefront Finnish saunas are a reprieve, and come stocked with sandals, hot tea, and even slices of oranges to cool down between rounds. We lingered at the communal fire pits as much as we could, roasting marshmallows and soaking in the cold air around us.

Come the summer, the energy shifts. Paddle boards, kayaks, and even bicycles are available to rent, and pickleball and tennis courts come fully equipped – no scrambling for gear required.

The Check-in

Before you arrive, a handy field guide is texted to you, complete with on-property activities, nearby dining recommendations, alongside your cabin number and a personalized door code. There’s no formal front desk waiting under bright lights. Instead, a call-button summons a golf cart, and within minutes you’re being whisked directly to your cabin. The process is seamless and refreshingly hands-off.

If you need anything, even a drive to the sauna, the staff are just a text away. Though the setting is secluded, any interaction with the team is unmistakably warm and feels more like a New England neighborly welcome than a rehearsed hospitality script.

The Rooms 

Everything is aesthetically pleasing and minimal but still design-forward. The neutral palette is earthy and clutter-free, with intentional pops of color that keep the space interesting. Texture does most of the storytelling. Think peach-toned merino wool throws, sheepskin draped over rattan chairs, and woven jute rugs on your feet, making it all feel lived in. Floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors frame the lake and woods like living artwork.

Rooms are kept purposefully bare in hopes that guests would take advantage of the outdoors. And yet, every essential is accounted for, from beach chairs and umbrellas to flashlights and a wine opener. Beds are plush and dressed in organic Sister Moons linens, while bathrooms are stocked with plenty of towels and biodegradable, plant-based Oneka bath products.

The in-room coffee setup is complete with Irving Coffee Instant Mixes, Rishi Tea bags, sticks of honey, and plant-based single-ingredient powdered oat milk. All high quality, and not just the standard hotel afterthought. A statement kettle makes pouring hot water into something ceremonial. Enamelware mugs hang artfully within reach, and woven rope lines the cabin exterior ready for you to hang your dripping towels or swimsuits. Electronics are kept to a minimum, with a ‘70s-style Sangean Bluetooth Speaker and an analog alarm clock.

In February, the heated kitchenette and bathroom floors felt like peak luxury, and individual temperature controls let you warm the room (and floors) in minutes. Sculptural globular lights cast a warm glow at night, including one tucked beneath the bed for extra coziness. And despite the property’s secluded feel, the Wi-Fi is impressively strong, ideal if your escape (like mine) happens to include a bit of remote work.

The Food & Drink

It’s in your best interest to end up at The Cliff House at least once, ideally twice, for dinner and breakfast. Set in its own building with a crackling fireplace and a bar that spills onto scenic outdoor seating, it functions as the social heart of the property. Original timber from the building that once housed local campers runs throughout, and as the sun sets, a sea of taper candles casts a warm glow across the room.

The menu is seasonal and comfort-forward, but following chef’s visit to the Basque region, there’s always something with a Spanish accent worth ordering. Guests are encouraged to sample from each section of the menu if appetites allow. Kick things off with the Pintxos, made with skewered gordal olives, boquerones, and piparra peppers. The Fish Croquettes were a favorite of ours, charred lightly and paired with a scallion aioli. And of course, given the chef’s relationship with purveyors in Spain, we couldn’t resist the Jamon Iberico, the quality of it briefly transported us back to Barcelona. After spotting a few tables ordering the Buttered Toast, we knew we had to follow suit.

Elsewhere on the menu, we were taken with the Scallop Gratinee, a decadent combination of buttered leeks, miso butter, and alpine cheese, finished with breadcrumbs, and served directly in the scallop shell. For mains, two dishes stood out. The Short Rib Ragu pairs tender braised beef with perfectly al dente cavatelli, layered with a tallow-cooked cabbage and Calabrian chili. Equally satisfying was the Flageolet Cassoulet, a deeply comforting take on the French classic: duck confit, boudin noir sausage, and richly smoked pork belly, nestled among creamy flageolet beans. Cross your fingers that the Citrus Olive Oil Cake is on the menu, it’s a perfect last bite, topped with bay leaf ricotta and a blood orange marmalade.

Sights & Bites Nearby

Skiing, snowboarding and tubing are as convenient as ever with Catamount (5 minutes) and Butternut (15 minutes) practically next door. Ten minutes down the road is Great Barrington, a charming town that’ll keep you busy all afternoon long. Grab a flakey hand pie at Pixie Boulangerie and wander the shops. We loved the ladies at One Mercantile, a home goods store with locally made products that had us making multiple stops for soaps and trinkets. Nearby, Yellow House Books holds an exceptional collection of used books, and its neighboring Boho Exchange has rooms full of thoughtful vintage fashion for decent prices. If hiking is more your thing, there are access points to the Appalachian Trail, and an incredible sunrise hike at Monument Mountain.

The Berkshires has a way of making you forget what you were so busy with before you arrived. And Prospect proves that nature doesn’t have to mean roughing it. Whether you come in the thick of winter or the height of summer, it earns a return trip either way.

Prospect Berkshires
Prospect Lake Road
Egremont, Massachusetts
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