Frequently Asked Questions for Starlight Llama

Can you accommodate vegetarians, vegans or gluten-free?

Yes, as long-time vegetarians ourselves, we make a variety of meatless, delicious breakfast options.  We easily adapt our recipes for gluten-and dairy/soy or egg-free guests. Please let us know if you have a food allergy.  

 

We are coming for Smith College graduation.  What should we know?

YES, please book early for graduation (a year in advance is not too soon) and make your restaurant reservation then as well or your party may have to wait for hours to get a place to eat. 
Alumni weekends are not as busy, but we suggest that you make a reservation as early as you can.

What is your cancellation and refund policy?

Reservations will require a 50% deposit. Cancellations in advance of 2 weeks will be fully credited.  Cancellations within 2 weeks will be charged 50% which we will credit to you during a future visit.

 

What are your check-in and check-out times? How do we book a room? 

• Weekdays check-in is after 5:00 p.m. or as arranged. 
• Check-out is 11 a.m.
• To book please call us at 413-584-1703 or email starlightllama@gmail.com. Why no booking online? We like to talk to our guests, answer your questions, be sure we know if you have any food allergies or special concerns, and we aim to make yours a personal experience. We respond to emails several times a day so we are easy to reach, and quick to respond.

Can I bring my dog? 

Sorry.  New dogs upset the animals and mostly our birds who have a free-range lifestyle and are not behind fences.  In fact, the peacocks have decided that the B&B area is their favorite place to hang out, so dogs are absolutely not an option.
If you want to visit the area and travel with your dog, Bed and Bowl in Chesterfield accepts pets but no humans, and several of the local veterinarians board dogs.

 

Can You accommodate smokers?

Starlight Llama is smoke-free in the building and grounds.  A $250 fee will be charged if the room or bed smells of cigarettes. 

I am coming for Alumni weekend.  Is there anything I should be aware of?

Alumni weekends are not as busy as Graduation, but we suggest that you make restaurant reservations as early as you can.  Alumni weekend often falls on Paradise City Arts Fest weekend.  Be sure to check it out!

 

We are visiting the area to hike/bike/snow-shoe/ski, but the weather is not cooperating.  What else would you suggest we do?

We live in a wonderful place where there is much to do.  First on Dee’s list is to visit the area's art museums.  The region’s art and historic museums jointly advertise as Museums 10 so you can easily find what is onview.  Smith Art Museum at Smith College, the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, Museum of Contemporary Art at UMass are all easy to find, and some, like Deerfield Museums boast wonderful hands-on activities on select weekends which are great for kids.  MassMOCA is about an hour northwest and is always worth a visit, and The Springfield Museums, a set of 5 museums on a Quad or green in Springfield has something for everyone, including the Dr. Seuss sculptures. 
If you have limited time , shop downtown Northampton and visit some of the hot spots for coffee and people-watching (we will give you suggestions), and  if you crave warm weather visit the Victorian Greenhouses at Smith College, or the Butterfly Museum in South Deerfield.   
We also love to send people to the Montague Book Mill and the Peace Pagoda in nearby Leverett.  John was a volunteer on that project and can tell you more over breakfast. 

 

Where do you hike? 

We walk our land and you are welcome to as well, but we also recommend Mt. Tom or Mt. Toby, the Roberts Meadow Trail, the Notch in Granby, Skinner Mountain, and if you want simple and flat, the bike path and Look Park.

 

Is there good biking nearby?

Yes!  We have terrific and easy to reach bike paths nearby and we have maps you can borrow to explore the Northampton and Norwottock trails.  Our house is located in Western Northampton where the Northampton Bike Club rides, so just leaving the driveway is an adventure and Sylvester Road’s slalom curves are particularly fun and it is relatively flat.  We suggest that you ride to Westhampton to see the quintessential New England view; white church spire peaking out among rolling hills.  It is stunning and feels timeless.  If you want a challenge, ride to the top of the hill on Rt. 66 to visit Outlook Farm.  Seasonally you can pick apples or get an ice cream; but anytime we suggest a coffee, sandwich or one of their incredible baked apples and take in the view of the Valley. 

 

What do we need to know about the area?

Pedestrians have the right of way here, and people will walk in front of your moving vehicle expecting you to stop. There is a hefty fine, so please drive with care.

 

What can we do at night?

This area has wonderful music venues and incredible restaurants.  If you want to eat and listen, check out the Iron Horse.  The Calvin Theater and the colleges all have active calendars (see 5 College Calendar) and the Academy of Music has a mix of music and films.  Pleasant Street Theater shows indie and small releases, and the mall in Hadley shows the more traditional blockbuster-popular movies.   Amherst Theater has a mix of new releases and interesting films.  The colleges all boast much to do, so visit the onliine UMass Fine Arts Center calendar, the 5 College Calendar, and each college or university activities calendar for the latest news.

 

Where do you suggest we eat?

Northampton has incredible restaurants and you cannot go wrong.  Want Thai, Mexican, Tibetan, Vegan fare, sushi, pizza, pasta, Cajun, elegant dining for an anniversary or a brew pub atmosphere for a birthday?   Are you craving vegetarian Chinese or serious Argentinian beef?  We are happy to recommend places, but of course, that varies by what you want to spend, the occasion, and what you are hungry for.  We are happy to share our favorites, but always suggest that you walk downtown and compare menus.  We have restaurant guides in each room, and we keep a stack of reviews from Preview magazine, a local arts magazine, to give you a greater perspective.