Rock Hall is a grand 23-acre estate built in 1912 by architect Addison Mizner, known as “The Architect of Palm Beach.” Owners and innkeepers Stella and Michael Somers have lovingly restored Rock Hall as a year-round luxury destination.
Gardens, orchard, meadows, specimen trees and hiking trail
Private movie theater
Fitness room
Billiard room
Game room
Library
Great room
Dining room
History C. 1912
Rock Hall was built as a residence for Jerome Alexandre, an heir to the Alexandre Steam Ship fortune and his wife Violet Adelaide Oakley. Addison Mizner, known as “The Architect of Palm Beach,” designed and built their 10,000 square foot manor house in his signature Spanish Mediterranean Revival style. Today, Rock Hall is the only surviving Mizner residence north of the Mason Dixon Line.
For more information about Addison Mizner, click here.
Rock Hall’s grounds are attributed to a collaboration between Mizner and the firm of Olmsted and Olmsted who were also commissioned to redesign Bushnell Park in nearby Hartford, Connecticut. Rock Hall features one of the largest private collections of specimen trees in New England, including several Connecticut prizewinners. Glorious flower gardens dot the property and an apple orchard and fruit and vegetable gardens provide the bounty for incredible breakfasts and snacks.
Innkeepers
Stella and Michael Somers fell in love with the beauty, arts & culture of the Litchfield Hills and Southern Berkshires many years ago. Having traveled all over the world, they created Rock Hall as a year round international destination with modern luxury and true country charm. Michael was a Managing Director at Dillon Read & Co., one of the country's oldest investment banks. He shares his passion for fine food with Rock Hall guests with his sumptuous breakfasts, hand-crafted cocktails and lite bites. Stella works in interior, fashion & jewelry design. Her fine jewelry collection is represented by Fragments in NYC and is sold in jewelry, specialty and museum shops in the US and abroad.
Restoration
Stella and Michael Somers originally purchased Rock Hall in 2005 and supervised its complete restoration. The estate has been meticulously renovated to its original glory. Calling upon her design background, Stella supervised the work and stocked the property with an amazing collection of antiques; from furniture to dishware to carefully edited antique accessories.
For more on the restoration, click here.
The ground floor features a "Great Room" with soaring columns and chestnut coffered paneled walls reaching to a beamed ceiling, massive fireplace and baby grand piano. At one end of the "Great Room" is a formal dining room with a monumental crystal chandelier. At the other end, there is a library/bar, game room and rock-walled sunroom.
There are 4 corner rooms and a penthouse suite with wonderful views of the beautifully manicured grounds and gardens. The rooms are huge by any standard and exquisitely decorated with wonderful fabrics, antiques and accessories acquired during the innkeeper’s travels. The renovation modernized the rooms with things like wi-fi and flat screen TV’s, but the delightful charm of the nearly 100 year old house remains; high ceilings, hardwood floors, crown moldings, spacious closets, original bathroom fixtures and working fireplaces. Add luxury linens, plump beds with down duvets and pillows, plush, soft, fragrant towels and wonderful bath amenities.
Award-Winning Luxury Lodging & Spa
In 2008, the Somer’s decided to turn their home into a luxury lodging and spa destination, and their efforts have created a wonderful oasis. In its first year of operation, Rock Hall was named an Editors’ Choice for Yankee Magazine’s Best of New England Summer 2009 issue. In 2010 and again in 2011 Rock Hall was named a “Best of New England” by New England Travel and in February of 2011 OUT Traveler named Rock Hall a “Best Wedding Venue.”
Yankee Magazine Jan/Feb 2012 named Rock Hall one of the 6 inns in New England that define the word "Romantic!" and in Jan 2012 Fathomaway.com short listed Rock Hall as one of the top romantic destinations in the US and Caribbean .
Make Rock Hall your own private estate and enjoy exclusive use of the estate and grounds. Rock Hall is the perfect setting for weddings, celebrations, corporate retreats, business meetings, bar and bat mitzvahs, sweet 16's, parties and reunions. Short-term rental of the estate by the owners is available year round. Please call 917-696-4955 for information & reservations.
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