The Cottage B&B

The Cottage B&B isn’t really a cottage or a B&B, as other reviewers have said, but we had a fun, clean, comfortable stay that felt like stepping into a Brady Bunch home from the 60s or 70s. The hostess was charming and helpful, with tips on places to see and eat. We came over New Year’s, and the location was ideal for getting to some of the Berkshires’ most beautiful views. I’ve never enjoyed communal breakfasts with strangers at traditional B&Bs anyway. The WiFi and TV weren’t great, but that wasn’t why we came to Stockbridge. We had a great time, ate well, saw the sights, and caught some great live music. Thanks for hosting us!

The four of us decided it was better to give up the $300 the owner, Carol, is “keeping on a tab for us” than stay and risk our health. Our rooms were dirty, the carpets stained, the towels dirty, and the lampshades had what looked like mold. Breakfast was left in a closet in the room, with old fruit, store-bought quick bread already opened with pieces missing, and store-bought quiche that could only be heated in a microwave. When I said we wouldn’t need breakfast until the second morning, Carol replied, “what’s your point?” She clearly wasn’t planning to serve coffee and tea at a breakfast table, something we’ve always had even at very basic B&Bs. There was one tiny bathroom with room for a shower and toilet; the sink was in the bedroom shared by two of our group. We had to be at Kripula by 6:AM, which Carol knew, and she should have told us about that setup. When I politely said we needed to leave, she was rude and sarcastic. She said she always had problems with Kripula 'girls", claimed their standards were too high, and said she might stop renting to them. Please don’t waste your money.

The price and location are good, but this wasn’t what I expected. It’s someone renting out two separate spaces in her home, not a B&B. Our group used both sides, and both the place and the owner were pretty quirky. In one unit, the bathroom sink was completely clogged, and she handed me a plunger. I’m not there to do that, get a plumber. In the other, a two-bedroom unit, everyone has to walk through one bedroom to reach the bathroom. That bathroom has no sink, either, since it’s outside the door in the bedroom.

Carol was sweet and even gave us brownies when we arrived. The room was spacious, the location was great, and we were about a mile from the lions den. There was a steam room in the shower area, too. For the price, I’d stay again. The walls are the issue. You can hear people talking even quietly, and sometimes it got so loud I thought someone was in the apartment beside me. I live in New York and don’t usually complain about noise, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you want to sleep late. If you’re up around 7 am, it may not bother you. I think the price is reasonable for what you get, including the noise.