We spoke with the team at Porches Inn to learn about their unique history, commitment to sustainability, and decision to join Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Hotels program. Read on to discover how they’re making a positive impact through thoughtful hospitality in the Berkshires.
Please tell us about your hotel.
Porches Inn is a one-of-a-kind boutique hotel in North Adams, Massachusetts, nestled in the heart of the Berkshires. Housed in a collection of renovated Victorian mill workers' homes, the property blends historic character with contemporary design, creating an experience that feels both nostalgic and unexpected. Located just steps from MASS MoCA, acontemporary art museum, Porches serves as a home base for guests exploring the region’s vibrant arts and cultural scene, outdoor adventures and small-town charm. What makes Porches special is its personality: it’s a place where architecture, art, music, history and a strong sense of place come together to create a memorable stay.
What makes it a special destination for your guests, and how is your location connected to the ocean?
Porches offers guests an experience rooted in the character of the Berkshires, with historic architecture, distinctive design and easy access to world-class art, independent businesses and the natural beauty of western Massachusetts. While we are not located directly on the coast, we recognize that our connection to the ocean is part of a much larger environmental story. The choices we make inland, from reducing waste to being mindful of the products and resources we use, can help protect waterways that ultimately flow toward the sea. We believe responsible hospitality starts with caring for the environment around us, wherever we are located.
Can you share the story behind the founding of Porches Inn?
Porches Inn was born alongside the vision to transform North Adams into a destination for contemporary art and culture through the development of MASS MoCA. As the former industrial city prepared to welcome a world-class arts institution, there was a need for distinctive lodging that could accommodate visitors and complement the creative energy taking shape in the community.
The vision for Porches was to breathe new life into a collection of historic Victorian row houses originally built for mill workers, preserving their architectural character while reimagining them as a welcoming, design-forward boutique hotel. Together, Porches Inn and MASS MoCA became part of a broader revitalization of North Adams, helping establish the city as a cultural destination in the Berkshires. Today, Porches continues to embody that original spirit of reinvention, celebrating the area's industrial heritage while offering guests a memorable place to stay just steps from one of the country's leading contemporary art museums.
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Why did you decide to join Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Hotels program?
We believe hospitality should be about more than creating a memorable guest experience; it should also mean being thoughtful about our impact on the places we call home. Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Hotels program offers a meaningful framework for connecting that philosophy with action. Participating provides an opportunity to continue evaluating our practices, build awareness among our team and guests, and contribute to a broader movement toward more responsible travel.
Tell me about your commitment to sustainability. Why is it important for your business to be ocean friendly?
For us, sustainability is an ongoing commitment rather than a single initiative. Every hospitality business has opportunities to make more thoughtful decisions about purchasing, waste, energy and the resources it uses. Food and beverage operations, in particular, can influence the amount of packaging, food waste and disposable materials entering the waste stream. Making more responsible choices in these areas can help reduce our environmental footprint and support healthier waterways and oceans. We also recently opened a new building on our campus which was thoughtfully designed and constructed with environmental considerations and an important part of our next phase.
What inspired you to follow sustainable practices and become an Ocean Friendly Hotel?
Our inspiration comes from the idea that the places we protect are the places that make travel meaningful. Porches is deeply connected to its surroundings—the history of North Adams, the creativity of the Berkshires and the natural landscape that draws visitors here. We want to be part of preserving those qualities for future generations. Joining a program such as Surfrider’s is a way to translate that belief into practical steps and encourage a more thoughtful approach to hospitality.
What role can you see the industry playing in protecting our ocean?
The hospitality industry can play an important role by making sustainable choices part of everyday operations, reducing single-use plastics, limiting waste, sourcing responsibly and educating teams and guests about environmental stewardship. Hotels can also use their purchasing power to support suppliers with stronger environmental practices and partner with organizations doing meaningful conservation work. Importantly, inland hotels can contribute, too. Protecting watersheds, reducing pollution and being mindful of what enters local waterways are all part of protecting ocean health.
Do you find that customers are receptive to your mission and eco-friendly practices?
Today’s travelers increasingly consider the values of a business and its relationship with the surrounding community when deciding where to stay. At Porches, our guests are drawn to a distinctive experience that feels connected to the place, and responsible hospitality is a natural extension of that philosophy. We believe the most effective sustainability efforts are those that feel authentic and thoughtful rather than performative. When environmentally conscious choices are integrated seamlessly into the guest experience, they can enhance a stay without compromising comfort. In addition to our Surfrider commitment, we are also part of the Hotels for Trees which allows guests to opt out of housekeeping services to put the hotel resources back into nature – to this date we have contributed to over 2,300 trees being planted on behalf of Porches Inn.
What kind of reception do you get from the public regarding that commitment?
We believe there is growing appreciation for businesses that take their environmental responsibilities seriously. Guests want to know that the places they visit are thinking about their long-term impact, and local communities benefit when businesses take an active role in protecting their surroundings. Our approach is to make sustainability part of the way we operate and the way we engage with our community. We see it as an opportunity to build trust and demonstrate that thoughtful hospitality considers both people and place.
What are your goals for the future?
Porches Inn is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year, so our ownership and team has been reflecting quite a bit about the next 25 years. Our goal is to continue evolving as a thoughtful, community-minded hospitality destination while preserving the character that makes Porches unique. That means protecting the history and individuality of the property, creating meaningful guest experiences, supporting the local community and continually looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact. We see sustainability as part of the long-term responsibility of operating a hotel, and we want our practices to evolve alongside our understanding of what responsible hospitality can be.
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If you're in the area, get involved with the Surfrider Massachusetts Chapter here! If you know a hotel that sounds like a great fit for the program, encourage them to sign up as an Ocean Friendly Hotel and join us in raising the bar for ocean-friendly hospitality.