The changing Northwest Corner hospitality scene

SALISBURY — The White Hart Inn has sold, at last, and plans are afoot for a new iteration of the historic hostelry to open by next summer. As this summer’s tourism season begins, The Lakeville Journal thought it would be helpful to share a scorecard of sorts of area inns. Several are for sale, but most remain open and are still taking guests. The other big news in area hospitality this summer has been Ragamont House, owned by former Sotheby’s art expert Pete Hathaway, which is now on the market. Formerly a hotel known as The Ragamont, it was purchased and renovated by Hathaway in 2004, originally as a private residence (with sales of antiques and artwork on an appointment-only basis) and then as a bed and breakfast. Guests are still welcome there and catered events are still planned into the future, according to Hathaway. “It’s business as usual!” he said.The inn is listed with Mimi Harson of Sotheby’s in Lake-ville for $2,250,000. Also for sale is the Troutbeck Conference Center in Amenia, listed with Houlihan and Lawrence. The listing price is $8,750,000. It’s been on the market for many years and is presently not open for business.Lakeville’s Wake Robin Inn had been for sale but was taken off the market last November.“With kids in school and the state of the world elsewhere, we recommitted and have been continuing with renovations galore,” said Shaffin Sharif, who is owner and innkeeper with Michael Loftus. The inn is particularly well-known for wedding parties and for hosting groups and events such as reunions and retreats but, Sharif said, “We also gladly welcome individual guests.”Many of their visitors come here for events at Lime Rock Park and the Skip Barber Racing School at Lime Rock. There are also parents and families of area private school students and of course people just here to enjoy the scenery. Like many hotels and inns in the area, the Wake Robin is in a historic building (at one time it was a boarding school for girls).Ironically, one of the newest facilities in the area is also one of the oldest inns. Lakeville’s Interlaken Inn was apparently a stagecoach stop as long ago as the 18th century. Only one of the original hotel buildings remains as part of the Interlaken property: an1890 stone building known as Sunnyside, which has multiple guestrooms and a Pilates exercise studio.The original buildings had been upgraded and improved over the years; according to the inn’s history on the website, “a major modernization program was near completion in the spring of 1971, when the inn was totally destroyed by a catastrophic blaze on May 20, the week before the planned opening.”Rebuilding began, and the new-looking historic inn opened in October 1973.Plenty of other interesting and comfortable hospitality options exist in the area — including the refurbished Sharon Country Inn, in the village center, which offers simple accomodations and has been gaining in popularity. We’ve put together a list of area accommodations. All the listings are subject to change; it’s always good to call ahead. The Cornwall Inn, 860-672-6884Housatonic Meadows Lodge, Cornwall, 860-672-6064The Falls Village Inn, 860-824-0033Fife ‘n Drum Restaurant and Inn, Kent, 860-927-3509Starbuck Inn, Kent, 860-927-1788The Inn at Kent Falls, 860-927-3197Inn at Iron Masters, Lakeville, 860-435-9844The Interlaken Inn, Lakeville, 860-435-9878Wake Robin Inn, Lakeville, 860-435-2000Sharon Country Inn, 860-364-0036The Hopkins Inn, Warren, 860-868-7295Rooster Tail Inn, Warren, 860-868-3100Racebrook Lodge, Sheffield, 413-229-2916No. 9 Restaurant and Inn, Millerton, 518-592-1299