Prospect: A New Lakeside Cabin Resort in the Berkshires

One of the loveliest areas in the Berkshires has a new landing spot. Prospect is a lakeside cabin resort in Egremont, just outside of Great Barrington, Massachusetts, dreamed up and brought to fruition by three locals who saw the potential of what had been a campground-turned-RV park.

Ian Rasch and Roman Montano are eco-minded designer/builders and Ian’s wife, Jade-Snow Carroll, runs the organic bedding company Sister Moons—with her mother and sister. The property’s 30 wooded acres sit on a choice patch of Prospect Lake that in the late 19th century was developed as a picnic spot. The trio envisioned recapturing the grandeur by creating a luxe, camp-style, year-round retreat. Once the land was cleared of invasive plants and meticulously renewed, it received 49 custom cabins as shells that Alander Construction, Ian and Roman’s firm, finished and Jade furnished in a sprightly Scandinavian style.

The Cliff House, a historic but crumbling lakeside hub, was rebuilt as the resort’s gathering spot, with a restaurant and a gift shop that Jade stocks with an inspired wild-card mix (on a recent visit, I unexpectedly snapped up a neon-orange striped beach towel, Korres tinted lip balm, and 1970s Bjørn Winblad ceramic trivets). There’s also boating, a spool big enough for lap swimming, tennis and pickleball, and a choice of lakeside and poolside saunas. And, yes, Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, and the Berkshires many other famous attractions are within striking distance. But Prospect is a secluded world unto itself.

Photography as credited, courtesy of Prospect (@prospectberkshires).

Above: The modernist cedar-clad cabins are clustered in the woods facing the lake, some right on the water. They were designed by Alander Construction and the frames were built by Zook Cabins, a Pennsylvania company that employs Amish carpenters. Because the property was zoned for trailers, the structures are mobile—the wheels are hidden behind removable slats—so they have a minimal footprint. Photograph by Allie Goldberg. Above: Alander Construction finished the cabins with pine paneling and radiant-heat wood and marble-tiled floors—they’re equipped for year-round stays. Inspiration came from the minimalist retreats that Ian stayed in during childhood summer travels: “I spent a lot of time with my family in Scandinavia,” he told The Berkshire Edge. “There’s a whole tradition of 400- to 500-square-foot summer cottages (known as hyttes) where people immerse themselves in nature and disengage, often with the help of saunas.” Photograph by Cole Wilson. Above: Large windows and sliding glass doors frame lake and woodland views. Photograph by Cole Wilson. Above: Sister Moons’ Crisp Whites bedding is paired with striped blankets by heritage brand MacAusland’s Woollen Mills of Prince Edward Island. Photograph by Cole Wilson. Above:There are forty 400-square-foot cabins with bathrooms, as well as nine 135-square-foot “hideaways” that share a bath house. Photograph by Cole Wilson. Above: Each cabin has a kitchenette and a stack of vacation reading. Photograph by Allie Goldberg. Above: The Adirondack Chairs are from Rejuvenation’s Vaugh Teak Outdoor collection—my friends and I liked them so much, we turned them over to find the source. Landscape designer Raina Weber collaborated with eco design firms Andropogon and BioHabitats and consulted with the Yale School of the Environment to shore up the property, introducing 2,650 native trees and shrubs and 4,800 native perennials. Photograph by Allie Goldberg. Above: The waterside Cliff House serves as the resort lobby, restaurant, and bar. Photograph by Allie Goldberg. Above: In the bar, Ethnicraft Osso stools and a Murano striped globe light from Denmark: go to Remodelista Reconnaissance for the source (also find candy lights like these on Etsy). Local artist Jess Marsh of Hired Hand Signs painted the mural. Photograph by Allie Goldberg. Above: Ethnicraft Bok Dining Chairs and tables—and Prospect’s own sheepskins. Photograph by Cole Wilson. Above: On the lakefront, 200 native species were hand-planted to protect the floodplain and improve the microclimate, and in place of imported sand, docks and wetland gardens were introduced. The powder-coated aluminum Lancaster outdoor table and chairs are available from Webstaurant. Photograph by Allie Goldberg. Above: One of two lakeside saunas. Photograph by Allie Goldberg. Above: The pool and tennis courts stand alongside a Pool House. Photograph by Cole Wilson. Above: The Pool House sauna. Photograph by Cole Wilson. Above: A lovely way to get your feet wet. Photograph by Allie Goldberg. Above: Egremont, in Western Massachusetts, is just 10 minutes from lively Great Barrington. This lone 150-year-old elm tree is a town landmark. Photograph by Cole Wilson.

The resort is an approximately three-hour drive from NYC and Boston. Go to Prospect for more details.

More Berkshires standouts:

• Tourists Welcome: The Hip Berkshires Escape Everyone’s Talking About
• A Tourists Welcome Kitchen
• The Inn at Kenmore Hall: A Stately B & B in the Berkshires

And Camptown: A High-Style Cabin Retreat in the Catskills is less than an hour from Prospect.