(FORTUNE Magazine) – Built in 1893 by financier H.H. Cook as a wedding gift for his daughter, Wheatleigh is a Florentine-style palazzo in the heart of the Berkshires. It was purchased 20 years back by Lin and Susan Simon--a lawyer and a partner in a Chicago art gallery, respectively--who have run it as a 19-room hotel ever since. Five years ago the Simons decided to redecorate, and millions of dollars later, Wheatleigh is nothing short of spectacular.

Outside of the Tanglewood music festival, held nearby, the region is blissfully devoid of attractions--in other words, nothing need interfere with a serious program of lolling about. Luxuriate in a freestanding tub, then lounge around the room in a plush Frette robe, a breeze sighing through the French windows. Have a massage, or float in the pool. You'll still have time to sip an aperitif on the patio or explore the 22-acre gardens. The recent addition of the casual Library restaurant is a welcome option to the more formal Dining Room. For all its grandeur, Wheatleigh isn't stuffy. When Yo-Yo Ma stayed one summer during Tanglewood, the only time he donned a suit was when he borrowed one and played doorman to astonished guests.

--Leslie Brenner