Picture the quintessential inn in a quintessential New England town. You
probably thought of a stately building, maybe white with black trim,
with a sign out front that hints at the building’s historical nature or
the town, or is, perhaps, a clever play on words.
What, then, do you make of Stay at Jimmy’s, the newest guest house in
Woodstock, located in the town’s East End? Yes, the building is stately,
but it’s painted dark green with lighter green trim. What do you make
of the sign with fat, drop-shadowed block letters? And what’s up with
the rolled-up yoga mat?
Go inside the inn and you’ll find walls of warm, wooden horizontal slats
like what you might find at a spa or sauna. Enter the inn’s rooms named
“Hangout,” “Relax,” and “Chill,” and you’ll understand their names. Each feels surprisingly large, and though they
are different from each other, they all lean toward midcentury design
and feature a seating area with comfortable, stylish chairs or sofas and
energetic art. Your room is perfect for putting your feet up and
sampling the local cheese or beer you purchased when you explored
Woodstock. What you don’t finish, you can put in the in-room
refrigerator.
When the day is done, your room’s king-sized bed practically ensures a
good night’s sleep, and when you wake, the in-room coffee maker and
bakery-made pastries await you to start your day off right. Your
swoon-worthy bathroom with artistic tile bold enough to be featured in
an upscale showroom will tempt you to take extra-long showers.
Your room will undoubtedly be one of the many things you’ll talk about
when you recall your time at Stay at Jimmy’s. But what—or instead,
who—you’ll wax on about the most will be the namesake of the sign.
Taking a Chance
When I met with Jimmy Serrano, Bronx-born and Puerto Rican by descent,
we sat on the inn’s inviting porch, enjoying a beautiful day. Jimmy
answered my first few questions respectfully, politely, professionally.
But as we talked, Jimmy read who I am and what I wanted, an essential
quality for someone running a guesthouse, and he relaxed a bit, sinking
into his chair only to launch himself forward minutes later,
smiling—always smiling—animated, and excited about even the minutiae of
innkeeping or how he ended up in Woodstock, telling a now-familiar story
with his unique charm and flair.
COVID-19, Jimmy asserts, made us all stop and think about where we were
in life. Prepandemic, Jimmy was—not surprisingly—a yoga instructor in
Boston, teaching several classes a day in studios all over the city.
With an impetus to change things, Jimmy and his partner, John Curtis,
who is creative director of a Boston ad agency, moved to Vermont.
“Coming here felt like a no-brainer,” Jimmy says. “The feeling, the
energy, the vibe of Woodstock was welcoming. The friendliness is what
drew me in. I knew I was taking a chance, but it felt right. I never
thought I’d be in the country. And now I would never go back to the
city.”
Jimmy brought his teaching skills to Woodstock and, inadvertently, some
of the stress of his city life. Instead of rushing all over Boston to
teach yoga, he rushed around the Woodstock area, teaching several
classes a day including yoga, aquatic fitness, Barre, meditation,
Pilates, and dance at the Woodstock Athletic Club.
Jimmy and John considered opening a yoga studio at 15 Central Street,
their other building in the Village, to house their fitness brand, Boss
Yoga & Pilates Inc, and then lodging yoga instructors at the house.
But why just yoga instructors? Why not anyone? And why not have a small
yoga and Pilates fitness studio for private instruction at the B&B
instead, that would be open to guests and the public alike?
Find Your
Relaxation
To be clear, Stay at Jimmy’s is a retreat but not necessarily a yoga
retreat. You may find yourself visiting the inn’s Hydration Station to
grab the always available water, milk, juice, coffee, tea, and granola
or other snacks to bring into the lounge at the back of the inn, an
inviting cross between a study from a cozy country manor and a
light-drenched fashionable loft. Relaxing into the shallow curve of one
of the modern chairs arranged around a low wooden table, you may never
want to leave this room.
If you find relaxation differently, you may pass through the Hydration
Station to the yoga studio. There, you will experience Jimmy in his
element as he teaches intimate two-person-max classes suited to your
needs. “When You’re Here, You’re Family” Embracing his role as innkeeper as much as he does yoga instructor,
Jimmy’s approach to the inn and the experience he wants to give his
guests is one of celebration. “We’re here to have a good time, to
explore Woodstock, to laugh, to listen to music, to dance, and smell the
flowers.” But his approach is also caring and nurturing. “They drive somewhere,
and their cars break down,” Jimmy says, “I will go out and grab my
guests. They can’t figure out where they’re going to eat, I’m going to
make something to eat. When you’re here, you’re family. I love the idea
of just doing what I can to make their experience a wonderful
experience.”
Jimmy still teaches at the Athletic Club and Twin Farms, but far fewer
classes than when he moved to Woodstock. And though he is high energy,
he needs time to be calm. And that’s where yoga and meditation help.
“When I’m not meditating or practicing yoga, I’m not a nice guy,” Jimmy
jokes. “And when I’m done with yoga, I’m wonderful.”
The inn’s name now makes sense. It’s an inherent and intimate
invitation, a promise of a different experience in Woodstock. When
travelers preparing for a weekend in the country tell their friends,
“I’m going to Stay at Jimmy’s,” it sounds like they’re staying with a
friend. After a short time at the inn and with Jimmy, they’ll realize
they are.
Stay at Jimmy’s
45 Pleasant Street
Woodstock, VT
(802) 255-2450
stayatjimmys.com
