Cranwell Resort Historic Hotel
Lenox, Massachusetts United States of America
Cranwell Resort Historic Hotel
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stephanlJ1716XI
3 years ago
Lovely (but imperfect) early spring visit My adult daughter and I visited Miraval Berkshires for two nights and three days in April. Despite the non-stop cold rain, we had a very nice time and, because of the long corridor connecting most of the buildings, almost never went outside. High level review with details below — the activities and instructors and leaders were excellent, though indoor offerings with no sur-charge were somewhat limited; the spa is beautiful with many offerings; the menu was excellent, but preparation uneven; the room and facilities were clean, new and fresh; the check-in process was terrible.
I visited Miraval in Arizona a few months ago, so much of my review is comparative. The facility is attractive with a modern take on New England architecture. There are some lovely views. I imagine during nicer weather that the hikes, sitting by the pool and other outdoor activities would be very special. Nevertheless, two fireplaces in the common areas, and plenty of heat made the vibe cozy and enabled wearing tights and workout wear without layers of fleece and sweaters. The long corridor is a bit institutional, but an excellent art exhibit with various artists gave it a bit of a gallery feel. One of the lights in our room didn’t work, and it took several calls for someone to arrive and fix it. (All of that should be checked between guests).
The food was pretty good, imaginative, and healthy without feeling spartan. The servings were surprisingly large for spa food. The wine list is limited but with reputable selections. So the menu planners are doing a good job. It’s useful to know that there are some things off menu. For example, I asked about fries with the burger and they offered regular fries and crinkle cut sweet potato fries (excellent!). The execution, especially the meat, was a bit iffy. The burger ordered medium rare was charred and well done. The duck ordered medium rare was medium to well and sliced too thick (actually there was too much of it. One duck breast would have served two). Ingredients at the salad bar were fresh. The fruit was moderately ripe. At the cafe where coffee, tea, smoothies and prepared food are on offer, the food was good. I was disappointed that there were two smoothies on the menu and no option for creating your own (as in Arizona).
Classes and instructors were generally excellent and probably the high point. Since the occupancy was modest, there was no problem getting into classes as in Arizona, though the selections were somewhat limited (since we cancelled all our outdoor activities because of rain). On the other hand, there were no last minute additions to accommodate the crowds as in Arizona. Brittany and Josh in the BMC are appropriately upbeat, well informed, clear in their instruction, etc. The Power Flow yoga class was appropriate for all levels with modifications, which requires some skill and was well done. They said the most popular class is Floating Meditation, which I can understand — there’s no guided meditation, but lying cocooned in the silk is lovely. The paid class, aerial pilates, was also fun. As a regular pilates practitioner, I wish I had followed up with a private aerial pilates class. I would have liked more lecture type classes (as in Arizona) — consultations on make-up or skin-care, or managing your life, for example. I loved the “Seasonal Elixir Cocktails” with Nick. He is a delightful host, informative and the drinks were delicious. I would have appreciated a follow-up email or print-out with the recipes, but at least they provided paper and pen for note taking.
The spa is beautiful and functional. My daughter bought a photo of how she wanted her hair and had a fabulous haircut. She also raved about the facial. My massage with Jony was nice, though be sure to ask when you book what each massage actually is. Miraval Relaxation Massage is basically a Swedish massage. The express pedicure was great, especially since I can’t remember my last pedicure. I wish I had planned to spend more time in the spa in the relaxation room or the whirl pool (if that’s what it is). You don’t have to book a service to go there.
Finally, the terrible check-in. As much as I wanted to love everything, we got off to a very rocky start, perhaps because it was someone’s second day. (I understand training, but they should have had better supervision). Although the place was not crowded, there was a long wait behind other people. The activities coordinator was too busy and never met with us even though we wanted to consult about substitute activities in light of the rain. Our card keys were not activated, which we discovered when we couldn’t get beyond the reception area. Our room was wrong — one large bed instead of two beds (for mom and daughter). After they moved us to an appropriate room, they said they’d move our bags from the first to the second, but our bags were not in the first room and it was another hour (and several follow-up calls by them and me — “What did you say your bags look like?”) after we moved before we got the bags. They didn’t give us a print-out of our itinerary. When I went back to request it, my daughter’s was fine, but mine had only the first day. Anyway, this was far from seamless and created a terrible first impression. On the plus side, we were able to check into our room early (in the morning), and we got a one-hour extension on checkout. And in checking out, they brought my car with the correct bags (picked up from our room) and a shirt I’d apparently forgotten already in it.
So all in all, an enjoyable visit, but not quite up to what I think of as the Miraval highest standard.
Cranwell Resort Spa And Golf Club Is The Premier All-Season Resort In The Heart Of The Majestic Berkshires Where You Will Enjoy One Of The Largest Spas In The Northeast Distinctive Accommodation Fine Dining Outstanding Amenities And Exceptional Service. Recipient Of The Coveted Four Diamond Award For Excellence From The American Automobile Association The 380-Acre Resort Features 114 Guest Rooms And Suites - A Spectacular 18-Hole Championship Golf Course And Golf School - Spacious Meeting And Banquet Rooms For Conferences And Weddings - And The Spa At Cranwell With A State-Of-The-Art Fitness Center And Glass-Enclosed Indoor Heated Pool And Walkways.
Cranwell Resort Spa And Golf Club Is The Premier All-Season Resort In The Heart Of The Majestic Berkshires Where You Will Enjoy One Of The Largest Spas In The Northeast Distinctive Accommodation Fine Dining Outstanding Amenities And Exceptional Service. Recipient Of The Coveted Four Diamond Award For Excellence From The American Automobile Association The 380-Acre Resort Features 114 Guest Rooms And Suites - A Spectacular 18-Hole Championship Golf Course And Golf School - Spacious Meeting And Banquet Rooms For Conferences And Weddings - And The Spa At Cranwell With A State-Of-The-Art Fitness Center And Glass-Enclosed Indoor Heated Pool And Walkways.
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Customer Reviews
Reviewed on
stephanlJ1716XI
|1 review
Lovely (but imperfect) early spring visit My adult daughter and I visited Miraval Berkshires for two nights and three days in April. Despite the non-stop cold rain, we had a very nice time and, because of the long corridor connecting most of the buildings, almost never went outside. High level review with details below — the activities and instructors and leaders were excellent, though indoor offerings with no sur-charge were somewhat limited; the spa is beautiful with many offerings; the menu was excellent, but preparation uneven; the room and facilities were clean, new and fresh; the check-in process was terrible.
I visited Miraval in Arizona a few months ago, so much of my review is comparative. The facility is attractive with a modern take on New England architecture. There are some lovely views. I imagine during nicer weather that the hikes, sitting by the pool and other outdoor activities would be very special. Nevertheless, two fireplaces in the common areas, and plenty of heat made the vibe cozy and enabled wearing tights and workout wear without layers of fleece and sweaters. The long corridor is a bit institutional, but an excellent art exhibit with various artists gave it a bit of a gallery feel. One of the lights in our room didn’t work, and it took several calls for someone to arrive and fix it. (All of that should be checked between guests).
The food was pretty good, imaginative, and healthy without feeling spartan. The servings were surprisingly large for spa food. The wine list is limited but with reputable selections. So the menu planners are doing a good job. It’s useful to know that there are some things off menu. For example, I asked about fries with the burger and they offered regular fries and crinkle cut sweet potato fries (excellent!). The execution, especially the meat, was a bit iffy. The burger ordered medium rare was charred and well done. The duck ordered medium rare was medium to well and sliced too thick (actually there was too much of it. One duck breast would have served two). Ingredients at the salad bar were fresh. The fruit was moderately ripe. At the cafe where coffee, tea, smoothies and prepared food are on offer, the food was good. I was disappointed that there were two smoothies on the menu and no option for creating your own (as in Arizona).
Classes and instructors were generally excellent and probably the high point. Since the occupancy was modest, there was no problem getting into classes as in Arizona, though the selections were somewhat limited (since we cancelled all our outdoor activities because of rain). On the other hand, there were no last minute additions to accommodate the crowds as in Arizona. Brittany and Josh in the BMC are appropriately upbeat, well informed, clear in their instruction, etc. The Power Flow yoga class was appropriate for all levels with modifications, which requires some skill and was well done. They said the most popular class is Floating Meditation, which I can understand — there’s no guided meditation, but lying cocooned in the silk is lovely. The paid class, aerial pilates, was also fun. As a regular pilates practitioner, I wish I had followed up with a private aerial pilates class. I would have liked more lecture type classes (as in Arizona) — consultations on make-up or skin-care, or managing your life, for example. I loved the “Seasonal Elixir Cocktails” with Nick. He is a delightful host, informative and the drinks were delicious. I would have appreciated a follow-up email or print-out with the recipes, but at least they provided paper and pen for note taking.
The spa is beautiful and functional. My daughter bought a photo of how she wanted her hair and had a fabulous haircut. She also raved about the facial. My massage with Jony was nice, though be sure to ask when you book what each massage actually is. Miraval Relaxation Massage is basically a Swedish massage. The express pedicure was great, especially since I can’t remember my last pedicure. I wish I had planned to spend more time in the spa in the relaxation room or the whirl pool (if that’s what it is). You don’t have to book a service to go there.
Finally, the terrible check-in. As much as I wanted to love everything, we got off to a very rocky start, perhaps because it was someone’s second day. (I understand training, but they should have had better supervision). Although the place was not crowded, there was a long wait behind other people. The activities coordinator was too busy and never met with us even though we wanted to consult about substitute activities in light of the rain. Our card keys were not activated, which we discovered when we couldn’t get beyond the reception area. Our room was wrong — one large bed instead of two beds (for mom and daughter). After they moved us to an appropriate room, they said they’d move our bags from the first to the second, but our bags were not in the first room and it was another hour (and several follow-up calls by them and me — “What did you say your bags look like?”) after we moved before we got the bags. They didn’t give us a print-out of our itinerary. When I went back to request it, my daughter’s was fine, but mine had only the first day. Anyway, this was far from seamless and created a terrible first impression. On the plus side, we were able to check into our room early (in the morning), and we got a one-hour extension on checkout. And in checking out, they brought my car with the correct bags (picked up from our room) and a shirt I’d apparently forgotten already in it.
So all in all, an enjoyable visit, but not quite up to what I think of as the Miraval highest standard.