But don ’ t be deceived by its colonial aesthetics . Beyond the Dutch-built doors there is an avant-garde energy — a distinctive vibe co-managed by an intergenerational father and son , both deeply rooted in music and a shared fondness for the unconventional .
Spread across 100 acres , Race Brook , once a Dutch stable , serves as the main lodging area , with guest rooms and a communal space . Next door stands a tavern , situated along an old stagecoach route between Hartford and Albany .
Frequented by passing carriages , The Stagecoach Tavern ’ s exposed beams echo with stories dating back over 250 years . Legend has it that George Washington stayed here in 1776 , and Shays ' Rebellion was rumored to have been planned in the basement . In the mid-20th century , it transformed into a pub , a popular pit stop for race car drivers traveling to and from Lime Rock Park in Lakeville , Connecticut .
In 1990 , celebrated architect and famed Music Inn co-owner David Rothstein purchased the property as a landing pad for his globetrotting children . “ I was living in a little bungalow on Laurel Lake in Lenox and didn ’ t have room for Sarah , Casey , or Mike to visit . I figured , if I had rooms , maybe they ’ d come . The intention was not to have an inn , but they didn ’ t come . So I hired Van Sickle from down the road to be an innkeeper , and that ’ s what started it as an inn . Oddly enough , as soon as it got running , the kids started showing up .”
Wandering the property , traces of Rothstein ’ s beatnik spirit are felt in every creative nook . From a reimagined children ’ s play space to the 200-year-old barn uprooted from Hudson , New York , and reassembled as a 2,000-square-foot events venue , Race Brook Lodge exudes bohemian boutique energy .
In 2015 , David ’ s son Casey Mead Rothstein-Fitzpatrick , who grew up immersed in both the eclectic counterculture of the legendary Music Inn and the classical auspices of iconic Red Lion Inn hospitality ( the Fitzpatrick family
22 // BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE Holiday Spring 2024 2023