The Mount

Recommended by a friend and then persuaded by Fodor’s Travel’s declaration that The Mount is one of the «10 Best Home Estate Tours in the U.S.», my gal pals and I decided to visit author Edith Wharton’s summer home. We started with a relaxing lunch (pre-​boxed cold meals from Guido’s Market are available for purchase) on the awning-​covered terrace, which overlooks the gardens. Unfortunately, it was too early for me to partake but they also offer a nice selection of fine wines and craft beers. Instead, I deliberated between the home-​made lemonade and fresh iced tea. Next we experienced the optional (usually on the hour) house tour. It was excellent! In part because our guide, Ann Shea, was captivating as she spoke about Edith’s architectural preferences, friends and period social behaviors. An hour later we took an equally enjoyable garden tour with Marge. Highly recommended for adults. Don’t forget your camera.

The Mount is a really special place! We opted for the guided tour which was very informative but also a little repetitive. Our guide was very nice and very welcoming. The highlights were the library and Edith Wharton’s bedroom suite area. The grounds are very special and they provide a lovely back drop for the impressive house. I really can’t wait to go back and have a picnic on the grounds. I deduct a star for a few things: they chose leopard print carpet for the stair case, and the fact that a lot of the rooms are devoid of historical objects and furnishings (I understand that the pieces they do have are not original to the house for the most part and that’s ok considering Edith took her things with her when she moved out) and only have placard with information and not many pictures. Other than those complaints, the Mount was very enjoyable!

Besides being the summer home of Edith Wharton. I believe the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize, they have an enchanting evening of Jazz on the back terrace overlooking the gardens a
On Friday nights from 5 – 8.
It is a covered area, so rain or shine you are … Covered !!!
If you are in the area, go. I promise you will fall in love.

This is one of those places that you have to go to even though it might not quite live up to expectations. I think they need substantially more funds to continue preserving Edith Wharton’s home. One big problem is that Edith Wharton took all of her furniture with her to France when she absconded to Europe. Someone on staff had a great idea when they called for modern designers to put their own spin on various rooms in the mansion. It’s a bit disappointing that there aren’t more of her furnishings, but not the fault of the staff.
My husband and I did joke that the tour guides need to eliminate the word «symmetry» from their vocabulary. They use it altogether too much to describe Wharton’s choices. It stops being descriptive after a while. Perhaps copying parts of her design manual would be helpful? We overheard the garden tour guide also using «symmetry» repeatedly after our repetitive house tour.
I was also intrigued by the idea of the Terrace Café, but was disappointed with its limited dining options and not terribly comfortable seating. Again, I suppose this is a funding issue.
I bet a wedding would be very beautiful here. I hope they work a bit more on the tour material.
I am a bit shocked that there isn’t more financial support for Edith Wharton as she is one of our national treasures!
(Side note: I guess Laura Bush is a supporter because we were told she was touring while we were there and we saw a picture of her attending an event while she was First Lady. Perhaps the Bushes could contribute monetarily as well??)

Went to lenox for a berkshire weekend. Didnt know what to expect when I visited the mount. Although a fan of age of innocence, I didn’t know much about edith wharton. Therefore the tour was a pleasant suprise. The tour without the guide is not the same! We had Ceciliy as the tour guide and she was passionate about the life of edith and her through explaination of the life and artitech of the house was charming, which had me smiling home thinking of the times of the past.

Please go here as soon as you can. This remains the absolute highlight of my Berkshire Botanical Garden Tour and eating lunch on the back porch of this mansion while staring out at Gardens that could rival Versailles’ is one of my fall-​time favorite memories. In addition to being a pioneering female writer at a time where women’s rights was a mythical concept, Edith Wharton, the owner of The Mount was a woman of means and placed millions in making her home and gardens something she saw in a dream. The volunteers do not get paid and talk about the author and her home with an unparalleled reverence. They work there because they love Edith Wharton’s legacy, the amount of attention and detail she placed in the grounds, in addition to the kind manner in which she treated every person who worked at The Mount.

I just got married at The Mount in October and I can’t say enough about not only the venue, but the Mount’s amazing staff, especially Ross Jolly, Director of Facilities and Special Events.
First off, I was a very, very picky bride. It was important to me to have not only a venue with a mega wow factor but one that would work if it rained and one that would be private only to my wedding. I had a big fear of having to go through a hotel lobby in a wedding dress and getting instagrammed by someone’s Aunt Mildred. Let’s just say that will never happen at The Mount. Not only do you have full use of the historic house and stunning grounds, but they are so flexible with what you do with the space. Want the gorgeous settee in the living room to stay? They’ll keep it. Or want to strip it all and do lots of lighting? They let you do that too. But that would be a shame because the décor is wonderful. I saved so much money on lighting and flowers just because the Mount is a beautifully decorated space on its own.
Another huge plus for me was the enormous, rain proof terrace. There is a very pretty awning that runs all the way across and I was able to have one long table outside for 75 which looked epic. There is a lot of flexibility with where to dine and dance and even if you want to tent, but I think one of the biggest draws with The Mount is how much money you save by using what they have and not tenting or bringing in a dance floor.
Now on to Ross Jolly. He is such an asset to The Mount. With him there, you do not need a wedding planner. He helped us create such a gorgeous day and was so accessible, professional and flexible. When we got to Lenox, we ran into him in a restaurant and he recognized us from a photo we had sent. He offered to give us a tour of the Mount then and there instead of the next morning even though it was his birthday and he was in the middle of his birthday dinner. That is the kind of person you want helping with your wedding.

After watching a slideshow on this beautiful property and gardens I realize just how much work has gone into the restoration. And while the house and grounds are stunning, I would have liked to have seen a more faithful attempt at recreation of the interior, even despite the absence of the original belongings. Leopard print carpet? Really? But what I felt to be most lacking was a focus on Edith Wharton’s writing, especially since some of her most successful work was written while she lived at The Mount.

Beautiful gardens and beautiful setting. The guide we had was super enthusiastic and nice. The house is pretty neat on the inside but not super historic. They have restored some of it but not necessarily the way Edith had it. For example, they have installed leopard print carpets going up the stairs (eeek!). I think if they continue to add correct period furnishings and inject some more history to the inside of the house it could be fantastic. Go on a beautiful day because the gem is really the outside.
What my ratings mean:
1 star: Horrible. I’m annoyed I wasted my time and/​or money here.
2 star: Not bad but nothing special. A decent place if you can’t find something else. I’d equate this to something like McDonald’s.
3 star: I enjoyed my experience there and would go back to try or do more things there.
4 star: I loved it and would be excited to go back. I’d also recommend it to a friend.
5 star: A real gem of a place. A must on anyone’s list.

I will be the first to admit that I don’t know much about Edith Wharton’s writings but I do know a beautiful mansion when I see one and this is one. We attended a wedding and reception at the Mount and what a lovely venue. The wedding was in the held in the gardens and while the weather was unseasonably cool and rainy, the gardens maintained their beauty for a lovely setting. The reception was indoors on the first floor, primarily in the Ballroom, very nice. The dinner was on the back porch overlooking the gardens with the glorious views. Really a spectacular setting for all to enjoy. Great venue for the occasion.
I would have loved a guided tour but this was not meant to be this trip, perhaps next time. There would be much to learn about this grand dame.

I’ve been to The Mount twice now. The first time, I did a self-​guided tour and the second time, I ponied up the $ 2 for the guided tour. Hands down, you must do the guided tour at least once. Our tour guide, Wendy, was simply excellent. You can get a lot out of a visit if you do the self-​guided tour, but the guided tour just really adds an extra layer of information about the house itself, Edith Wharton’s life, the beautiful grounds – everything. Our guide pointed out details that I never would have noticed, and she knew the answers to every question that was asked.
I honestly don’t even like Edith Wharton’s writing, but I still like her house very much, and she lived a very cool and interesting life. It’s heartening to know that even though she had the means to never work a day in her life and just be socialite, she sought out education, traveled, volunteered for the war effort, wrote the authoritative work on interior design and took care of herself at a time when women didn’t really have that choice – or it was unfashionable. She’s a cool broad, so even if you had to read Ethan Frome in 8^th grade and the memory still pains you, you should still go see her house.
The café on the terrace is reasonably priced, everything I’ve had there has been delicious, and even if you’re not hungry, it’s worth getting a coffee to sit there and look down over the amazing gardens.
In the gardens, there are little benches dotted throughout so you can sit and bask in perfectly cultivated nature. There are fountains, tiles, walking paths, a cemetery for dogs, manicured hedges and even on the hottest days you can find shade.

I visited The Mount this past weekend and had a lovely time. Our tour guide was energetic and knowledgeable. The grounds were sprawling and gorgeous — with lots of places to sit out of the sunshine to take in the views, and the terrace café was relatively affordable, had good food, and provided a nice view of Wharton’s beautifully manicured grounds. I think what really made the trip, though was the guide, who provided wonderful insight into Wharton’s ideas for designing the home. I frequent lots of literary home tours — and the guide can really make or break your experience, Our docent really made my experience!

The Mount is the estate of the celebrated American Gilded Age author Edith Wharton, and is still in the process of being restored to the way it was when she was in residence. She only lived in the house for about 10 years, but she truly made it her own. We had a great experience here — all of the employees were so nice and friendly. Clearly, The Mount does not have the funding that the Newport Mansions have, but the building is no less important. I enjoyed my glimpse into the past, and the gardens were absolutely gorgeous, not to be missed!

I’m a regular visitor to Lenox. I and my travel companions have enjoyed Tanglewood, the Berkshires, October Mountain State Forest and everything else within a stone’s throw of Lenox. Everything but the Edith Wharton Estate. This coming from a big Edith Wharton fan…
I love Edith but I dislike the way her legacy has been preserved in the The Mount. I don’ t mind paying the hefty entrance fee. You have to expect that the cost of upkeep and low foot traffic would keep the entrance fee high. What I mind is what’s on display in her house. The restoration committee decided it would furnish her house like a cheap, two-​star hotel. Barely respectable contemporary art and second or third editions of books were lying around everywhere. The house is furnished in factory-​made furniture — the type you could find in any suburban Massachusetts home. I didn’t feel imbued by a sense of Edith. I felt the exigencies of a cash-​strapped restoration committee.
Do yourself a favor. Skip the tour and walk around the grounds instead. The gardens are the redeeming aspect of The Mount. Beautifully manicured and extensive — they are worth having a picnic on. Best of all? It’s free.

Historic homes can be revelatory, mildly interesting, or deadly dull. I’ve seen my share of the good, bad, and ugly. It is rare that a home reveals the life, talents, and aspirations of their owners. Fortunately, Edith Wharton’s Berkshire home, The Mount, is one of those places that make it all worthwhile. Having read several of her books, I knew she was talented, providing her readers keen insights to the stifling social conventions and stratification of the Gilded Age. Little did I know how driven, smart, single minded, and revolutionary she truly was. The house reveals many sides to the author.
Okay, full disclosure. Working as a curator at a historic site, I can be fairly biased and bitchy about what I see and hear. My experience at The Mount was quite good. Although you can walk through the ‘cottage’ on your own (with a rather sparse brochure), I chose to take a guided tour. The young docent was earnest, chatty, and seemed relatively knowledgeable on Ms Wharton and her home. The nonprofit that runs the place seems to have weathered their financial storm; the house looked great and the gardens magnificent. The two temporary exhibits in the second floor bedrooms provided further insight into the talents, activism, and legacy of Wharton and her work.
Upon leaving The Mount I felt imbued with the spirit of Edith. This is the power of place; this is what a historic house SHOULD provide: insight, awe, and appreciation… an emotional response of WOW rather than ‘why the hell did we come here.’

I haven’t taken their formal tour but was able to do a walk-​through early in their summer season. The home is above and beyond anything I’d ever experienced. I know nothing about Wharton’s work, but her lifestyle was clearly evident in the home. I had the good fortune of attending a couple guest lectures in their carriage house, which I highly recommend (the price was a bit high, but I’m sure the revenue helps them). Even just walking the grounds before or after the tour (on a nice day) makes The Mount worth visiting.

When we decided to visit Lenox, MA, I didn’t know much about the area, so I did some research. The Mount came up imediately as a place to visit. Having enjoyed some of Wharton’s short stories, I put this on the top of my «to visit» list. I also read (both on their website and in the LA Times) that The Mount was on borrowed time — they had been given the summer season to make enough money to pay their creditors so that they could remain open.
Upon visiting, I understood better why money was such an issue. Upkeep alone must cost a fortune, and they are undergoing a first-​class restoration. (In the years since Wharton sold The Mount, it has been, among other things, dorms for a private girls’ school.)The first two floors and the gardens have been beautifully restored, and they’re currently at work on the third floor. The gardens and views are spectacular, and you can enjoy lunch or a glass of iced tea on the terrace, where you can enjoy the views.
We found all of the staff (which was surprisingly young) to be very helpful and knowledgable. As Dan C. said, entry fees are a bit stiff ($ 16 when we were there), but given the financial challenge they are facing, I didn’t mind paying. Hopefully, this home will be open for years to come! Even if you aren’t a fan of Wharton, it’s worth seeing The Mount to get a view of how the «liesure class» lived in the early 1900s.

A real pleasure to visit. Even though my family would visit Tanglewood once a summer for a good 10 – 15 years in a row, I’d never known about this place until really recently. Restoration only began in the late 90s I believe, and they’ve done a fantastic job — so far. They’re still raising funds to renovate the upper floors of the mansion. For the time being, they are being used to display exhibits on various Edith Wharton things, which if you haven’t read any of her novels (which I haven’t) aren’t really interesting. There is a very nice gift shop which includes rare editions of Wharton’s books, a nice café on the terrace, with a wonderful view of the gardens/​grounds, which they have done a great restoring. Friendly staff too.
Oh also, tickets were maybe a touch pricey but… I suppose that whole area is rich person playground so no real surprises I guess…