Located at the center of campus, the Sally Hart Lodge serves prospective students, parents, and alumni alike.
As one of the most central buildings on campus, the Sally Hart Lodge and Alumni Center is also one of the most obscure. Built in 1850 by Roderic Curtis, a descendant of one of the 38 founders of Wallingford, what is now known as the Sally Hart Lodge served as the home of Choate headmasters from 1908 to the mid-1990s. It was first purchased for The Choate School in 1906 by Judge William Gardner Choate and his wife, Mary Atwater Choate. Two years later, the succeeding headmaster, George St. John, declared the building the house of the Headmaster and his family, naming his new home The Lodge. The building retained its name until 1973, when it was dubbed Curtis House after its original builder. Its name was changed to the Sally Hart Lodge in 2002.
The name honors Sally Hart, the late wife of Larry Hart ’32. A generous donation from the Harts allowed the building to be renovated as a guest house and alumni center in 2001, a function that the Lodge continues to serve today. Larry Hart was also an active benefactor to Choate’s Annual Fund and the Larry Hart Pool.
Furnished with seven guest rooms, a kitchen, and an outside patio, the Sally Hart Lodge stands at the center of campus at the corner of the four-way intersection. The three-floor building also houses a living room, a dining room, and a study area — all of which are available for guests to use. Modeled after Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford in Scotland, the Sally Hart Lodge is a fine demonstration of Gothic Revival architecture with its front-facing gables, shuttered windows, and steeply pitched roof. Inside, the building is just as aesthetically pleasing. The Lodge’s leather-bound armchairs, arched windows, and framed paintings on solid-colored walls evoke a traditional yet comfortable feel. There are still modern aspects to the house, however: for example, an in-room cable TV and an elevator.
Currently, the Sally Hart Lodge and Alumni Center hosts special events and Choate-affiliated guests. Events include department head brunches, retirement dinners, cocktail parties, and dinners for guest speakers. “Oftentimes, alumni will have their wedding receptions on the patio outside the Lodge,” Mr. Brian Sahlin, the innkeeper of the Sally Hart Lodge, described. Four dedicated ABM employees are responsible for keeping the guest rooms and common spaces clean and immaculate.
Guests who stay at the Lodge overnight are typically parents of current students, prospective students and their families, alumni, friends and family of Choate staff members, job candidates, members of the Board of Trustees, and guest speakers or performers brought in by Choate. Those affiliated with Choate Summer Programs are also welcome to stay at the Lodge during the summer.
Regarding his most memorable experience running the Lodge for approximately seven years, Mr. Sahlin said, “The nicest thing is just the guest interaction. Some of the notable guests were fun to meet, and a lot of them are graduation speakers, like Seth Meyers and Chris Matthews. Most guests, regardless of their station in life, are very nice and just happy to be here because you’re just in the middle of campus; it’s very convenient.”
According to Mr. Sahlin, October, April, and May are the busiest months of the year, when events such as Parents’ Weekend, revisit days, and graduation occur. During other months, typically one to two rooms out of seven are booked each night, with the Lodge closed every August for renovation. With each room having existing space for two residents — three with a cot — the Lodge’s guest capacity is between 14 and 18 people. Each room is equipped with its own bathroom, queen or twin beds, and other amenities typical of a hotel. Each guest is also afforded privileges to specific Choate facilities, such the Hill House dining hall and Worthington Johnson Athletic Center.
To make a reservation, one can book a room online on the Choate website, through email, or over a phone call to the Lodge. Prices are set depending on the resident.
“If you’re faculty and staff, you get a special rate, and that’s $110 per room per night,” explained Mr. Sahlin. “Everybody else pays $180 per night from Sunday to Thursday and $200 per night on weekends.” No taxes or fees are added to this cost.
Caroline Donatelli ’18, who stayed in the Sally Hart Lodge last year during Parents’ Weekend, commented, “The beds are very comfy, and the staff is very warm and helpful. The ambiance is comfortable, and the decorations work. I would definitely recommend it to a friend.” She also noted that there was no significant difference between the Lodge and a regular hotel — except the fact that “it’s on Choate campus.”
Mirialie De Jesus ’18, who has visited Sally Hart Lodge before but not stayed there as a guest, said, “It seems like a little cottage house; it’s very comfy and cozy. It feels like you’re in someone’s house. It gives a very warm feeling.”
As new architectural additions populate Choate campus, the Sally Hart Lodge and Alumni Center has proven the test of time, existing for more than 100 years as a center for lodging and accommodations.
