Bruce Finn, the general manager of the Red Lion Inn, said the last week in August is normally a slow one for Berkshire County's oldest lodging establishment. The BSO has usually completed its summer program at Tanglewood by now, and parents aren't traveling because they're children are getting ready to go back to school.
"Typically, we have 60 to 70 percent occupancy this week," Finn said. "This year, we're sold out from Wednesday through the weekend."
Taylor's events at Tanglewood begin today and end on Sunday.
"We call it the ‘J.T. effect,' " he said. "We love it, believe me."
Some Berkshire County lodging establishments have done well this year. The Hampton Terrace Bed and Breakfast in Lenox had a 59 percent increase in occupancy percentage between January and June, and a 14 percent rise last month without raising its room rates, according to owner Stan Rosen.
But room revenue in general is down 18.2 percent nationally and 14 percent in Western Massachusetts this year, said Finn citing statistics compiled by Smith Travel Research, which monitors the national lodging industry. Room revenue for full-service hotels in the Berkshires, which includes the Red Lion, is down 26 percent, according
Based on those statistics, James Taylor's presence in the Berkshires this week is more than welcome. Lenox Chamber of Commerce President Phil Halpern, who owns the Brook Farm Inn, expects a "spike" in room rentals considering that Tanglewood has sold at least 60,000 tickets for Taylor's entire four-day stay.
"Do the math," Halpern said.
Halpern said the Brook Farm Inn had booked all 15 of its rooms for Taylor's stay by February. Rosen said Hampton Terrace was sold out for this weekend by March.
Judging from the chatter on an online network of local innkeepers, Rosen said vacancies will be hard to come by this weekend.
"Every room in the Berkshires hasn't sold out yet, but it's going to be," Rosen said. "That's a tremendously positive thing."
According to Halpern, 40 percent of the available rooms in Berkshire County are located in Lenox. He said the town's Bed and Breakfast establishments are sold out every weekend in August, and that hotels receive the "overflow."
Sam Padya, the owner of the Econo Lodge in Lenox, said on Tuesday that he had a few rooms left for this weekend, "but I'm pretty confident that we'll be sold out."
"People are still looking for last-minute deals," said Padya, who said his revenue this summer is down 10 to 15 percent due to the wet weather and the economy.
"Having this weekend will help us a lot," he added. "James Taylor playing for four nights extended our season by one week."
The "J.T. effect" has also spilled over into Pittsfield, where weekend reservations at the 179-room Crowne Plaza Hotel on West Street are up about 20 percent, sales manager Tracie Barry said.
"It's good when you have special events that draw like James Taylor," Barry said. "He's always been busy for us."
To reach Tony Dobrowolski:
TDobrowolski@berkshireeagle.com
(413) 496-6224
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