The Apple Tree Inn
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About us

Claire took over the hotel in April 2024, realizing a lifelong dream.

For three summers in college, Claire worked at the concierge desk of the Chatham Bars Inn in Cape Cod and fell in love with the industry. She loved the hours sitting at her desk in its glamorous old lobby, helping guests experience the best of the area. She later interned at Rosewood and then, after business school, managed hotels from the corporate side for Starwood. After three years there, she decided she understood enough to strike out on her own, and is excited to now be in a position to run it end-to-end: build the business, craft the guest experience, and introduce you to town.

She lives on the property with her husband, Toph, who works remotely for a different job but does some social media for the hotel and is making this website right now.

Claire and Toph

Christian and Max

Christian is Claire’s right-hand man. He followed us out here from the Boston area to escape the office desk job life and try something different, and judging from some of the stuff we’ve got him doing (climbing ladders to update security cameras or cleaning up bird poop), we bet we have achieved “different”. His mom is in Toph’s mom’s book group and has always worked at bookstores, which is how she met Christian’s dad. Christian is currently reading:

  • The Year of the Locust, by Terry Hayes
  • Martyr!, by Kaveh Akbar
  • Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy, by Isadore Sharp

You’re also likely to meet Christian’s German shepherd Max, who is not yet trained to use the point-of-sale systems but is otherwise a startlingly good listener. Max will be very grateful if you kick a ball down the hill for him to fetch, and then he will gently toss the ball at your feet and wait, and so on ad infinitum.


Abby

Abby (front desk) grew up like a mile from here; she went to Lenox High and UMass Amherst, where she played soccer. We think maybe she likes Disney movies but we’re not sure. Her brother goes by “Toph” but weirdly she didn’t even tell our Toph for like two months.

Hagai Adi

Hagai and Adi (chefs) moved here from Israel a couple years ago. Hagai’s been doing dinner in the Ostrich Room since the start of the summer, and now Adi is coming aboard for our new brunch restaurant, Baladi. Hagai once bought a didgeridoo in Australia and lugged it all over the world and has learned to play a little bit.

Sean

Sean (bar manager) just started so Toph doesn’t know much about him as of writing this but idk he seems great.

Giovanna

Giovanna (bartender) studied linguistics and teaches literacy to kids in North Adams; ask her about phonemes and stuff. Or Aquinas. Or her dogs. Or how much she loves the cows at High Lawn. Or the Death & Co. cocktail book.

Nic

Nic (bartender), also born and raised somewhere around here, is an interior designer by day. Ask him about boating around the lake, his parents’ professional ski careers, or navigating the Tanglewood ticket counter.


Scrapbook

Bar crew
June 1: Bar crew on opening night. Left to right: Kari, Finn, Rory, Giovanna, Danny, and Claire. Danny had gotten us these branded hats and totally redecorated behind the bar. (Previously it had some contemporary art; he went to local flea markets for like two months to find new-old stuff for it.) Not a single customer came!
Staff barbecue
June 10: Staff barbecue with some staff and their families, including Memo and Demetrio (maintenance), Karla (housekeeping), Kari, Giovanna, and Nic (bar), Danny (“opening consultant”), Christian, and Claire.

June 19: Introducing the bar crew on the first day of live music

October 8: Repainting the house