Plywood Banquettes, Vintage Sofas, and Moccamasters: Bury Me at These Berkshires Rentals
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From dreamy decor to top-notch amenities, Domino’s “Wish You Were Here” series is your first-class ticket to the most design-driven getaways around the world. Whether you’re looking to steal away for a few days or just steal a few ideas for back home (we encourage both, for the record), check out where we’re checking in.
In 2018, the sleepy Berkshires town of North Adams, Massachusetts, got a design boost when Tourists, a 46-room roadside hotel opened along Route 2. (You may remember us talking about it here.) Even today, the laid-back—yet meticulously decorated—wood-paneled rooms and “adult summer camp” vibes make it a year-round destination for nature-starved New Yorkers and more. But now there’s a new reason to make the trek to North Adams: Tourist Homes, two independent structures just north of the main property.
Recently, my husband and I spent three nights at 1392 Mass, a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom 1,800-square-foot former millworker house that, from the street view, recalls its 1860s origins, but from the back is mostly windows that overlook the Mount Greylock Preservation. And because this is 2024, those glass panels come with automated blinds.
There are plenty of reasons to wander the surrounding area (Mass MoCA being my all-time favorite; Berkshire Emporium & Antiques a close second), but thanks to our home’s interior, we were more than fine to crank up the vintage speakers, light up the wood-burning stove, and kick back on the vintage leather sofas with books. All were sourced by Julie Pearson, who makes regular pilgrimages to the Round Top Antiques Fair. (Fun fact: Rancho Pillow founder Sheila Youngblood is her sister.)
This is the kind of home you’d share with friends or family on a long weekend. There’s a full stove and oven, plus a Domino-beloved Moccamaster set out on the counter. Tucked in the island you’ll find fridge and freezer drawers. The plywood breakfast nook is the kind of place where you’d fight over Phase 10 well into the night. And if you’re traveling with a musicians, take note—Wilco’s bassist is a Tourists co-owner—there’s a vintage Rhodes piano just waiting to be played.
Regardless, find a way to sleep in the primary bedroom, where the bed faces the window and you can wake up to a view of the great outdoors. (You’ll also have access to the best shower in the house, though the second full bathroom has a tub.)
The homes are close to the main Tourists property: just a three-minute car ride or a 10-minute walk through the woods away. We mostly drove back and forth, partly because I had borrowed an all-electric Audi Q8 e-tron—which, to my delight, made the entire 3.5-hour drive from Manhattan with 70 miles of juice to spare—and it was much too fun to not drive it even a short distance. But when we had to plug it in overnight before going back to the city, we took a walk through the forest, where fireflies paparazzied us, lighting our path and, sometimes, stopping us in our tracks so we could take in the glittery spectacle, a view that was second only to the one from inside.