Wainwright Inn Bed & Breakfast

The Wainwright Inn Bed & Breakfast is located in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, a short distance away from the city proper. The home was built in 1766 and was originally a tavern. Over the years, the property served many purposes and as many different businesses. It wasn't until the year 1990 that it was converted into a bed and breakfast. The current owners of the property strive to create an atmosphere that is different from chain hotels in as many ways as possible. The hosts' service and the quality of the breakfast are some of the features of the property that are most commonly mentioned in guest reviews.

About

Before the United States of America officially formed in 1776, the property now known as the Wainwright Inn Bed and Breakfast was constructed in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The building is a three-story, colonial-style home with white columns and gray roofing. Red accents border the windows and parts of the front porch. The property sits on three-quarters of an acre, consisting of trees, ferns, flowers, and a small garden with fruits and vegetables. Plans have been made to replace the grassy areas of the premises with more flowers in an effort to remove any semblance of a "suburban" atmosphere. 

The house was built in the year 1766, making it one of the city's oldest edifices. The property's historical significance is the inspiration for many of the decorations and themes of the bed and breakfast. For instance, one of the rooms—the Mr. Pope Room—is named after one of the previous owners of the property from a few hundred years ago. Mr. Pope was an inventor, and he worked alongside Thomas Edison, for whom a different suite is aptly named the Edison Room. A few other historically-named rooms include the Ingersoll Room—which derives its name from a common surname of Norwegian descent, which many early American settlers inherited—and the Federal Room, emphasizing governmental themes and decorations. 

There are nine rooms available for reservation at the Wainwright Inn Bed and Breakfast. Seven of them are in the main home, and they contain amenities such as towels, electric fireplaces, televisions, Wi-Fi, blow dryers, private bathrooms, and access to common areas and porches on the first and second floors. Separate from the main home, there is a Carriage House with two larger suites, and a third is currently under construction. These suites are significantly more sizable than the rooms in the main house, offering guests access to kitchenettes in addition to the amenities mentioned above. Both the main inn and the Carriage House have received upgrades on their heating and air conditioning systems, placing them at twenty-first-century standards despite the property's age. 

Complimentary breakfast is served at the Wainwright Inn Bed and Breakfast, typically consisting of fruit, eggs, French toast, pancakes, and other baking goods. The meal is served on fine chinaware and silverware and includes three complete courses. 

The area is mountainous and full of greenery, and due to the town's rich history, there is an abundance of museums, theaters, and other historical sites. The city is known for being near Lenox, Massachusetts, which is home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer home: Tanglewood. The Wainwright Inn Bed and Breakfast is open year-round, and their busiest season is generally from June to October due to the many activities and events that take place in late summer and early autumn.

Culture

The current owner of the Wainwright Inn Bed and Breakfast is Chris Kulaga, who has a distinct vision when it comes to the culture of the bed and breakfast. His goals are best summarized in his own words: "Anything that a chain hotel is doing, we want to do differently." His strongest desire is to separate the Wainwright Inn Bed and Breakfast from big chain hotels, instead emphasizing more personalized service and higher-quality experiences. Each of the nine rooms at the bed and breakfast is distinct in its themes and decorations to contrast the generally identical rooms found in most chain hotels. Even breakfast is designed to stand apart from chain hotels; as Chris says, "It's nothing like breakfasts in chain hotels." 

Though lower prices could be found elsewhere, Chris prides himself and the property for providing a quality experience on a historic property. Patterns of the inn's occupancy indicate that people are willing to pay the difference. Typical demographics to the inn include people visiting friends with second homes in the area, couples seeking a historical retreat, "leaf peepers" (who come to sightsee during the fall), and those from the United Kingdom, Britain, and Australia. Other visitors come for a range of nearby activities and attractions, such as classical music, nature trails, museums, theaters, and the mountains. In particular, the Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer home—Tanglewood—is a cause of more massive influxes of tourists and visitors. There are a handful of cultural events in the summer months of western Massachusetts. 

Guests have spoken positively of the Wainwright Inn Bed and Breakfast across all major review platforms, emphasizing the cleanliness, charm, food, and service from the host and hostess Chris and Barbara. One guest stated, "Chris and Barbara still treated us royally with delicious breakfasts and a consistently running fire in the shared room. They also had good tips for Berkshires activities. They did some Google research for us when we asked for specifics. Above and beyond. They also were very accommodating to my girlfriend's gluten allergy - provided multiple breakfast options and also tailored desserts." 

Chris says that his ability to help guests find interesting things to do is important to him. He has personally visited many of the area's activities to offer genuine suggestions based on guest preference. The area directly surrounding the property is quiet and has a small-town vibe. Chris personally describes it as borderline "boonies," though day trips to New York City are possible because of the inn's central location.

History

The city of Great Barrington was officially founded in 1761, prior to the founding of the United States of America. In 1766, five years later, the building currently known as the Wainwright Inn Bed and Breakfast was constructed by Captain Peter Ingersoll. The house was built over existing constructions made by Peter's father Moses in the 1720s. Its original function was to serve as a local tavern: the Troy Tavern and Inn. During the Revolutionary War, the house operated as a fort and colonial armory. 

In the early 1790s, a man by the name of David Wainwright—a citizen of Great Barrington—purchased the home. His granddaughter, Electra, and her husband, Ebenezer Pope, used the house as their personal residence before handing it down to their son Franklin Pope as part of his inheritance. By the 1890's he had added many of the porches on the property and renamed it to Wainwright Hall. For a time, Franklin worked with Thomas Edison, and together they invented the ticker tape. 

Over the remaining century and a half of the Wainwright Inn's existence, the property passed through the hands of many different owners and served in various capacities. One example of its function was acting as an apartment building for some time. In 1990, the property was converted into the Wainwright Inn Bed and Breakfast. In 2014, the home was bought out by Chris Kulaga, who is the current owner and manager of the property. Chris talks about how he had worked for years in the business world and had reached the point where he couldn't progress any further up the corporate ladder. He decided to try something different and escape it all, so he got into the lodging industry. Chris says that he "couldn't be paid enough money to go back" because of how much he loves what he does.