When current Stirling Guest Hotel co-owner TJ Sophy was a child growing up in Schuylkill County, his family took regular trips to the Reading area to visit the outlets. And on those excursions, TJ remembers passing the grand homes and mansions in Reading’s historic Centre Park.
“The Stirling always intrigued me, even when I was a child,” says Sophy.
The mansion, constructed between 1890 and 1892 by Reading iron and steel magnate James Hervey Sternbergh, is named after Scotland’s Stirling Castle. “Sternbergh’s wife loved Scotland, and the views from the Stirling of the Berks countryside reminded her of the views from the Scottish castle,” explains Sophy.
A Family Affair
The mansion was the private home of the Sternberghs for more than a century, with Gertrude Sternbergh, James’ youngest daughter, as the family’s last resident. She passed away in 1996, and in 1998, the Mansion was purchased by Kaj Skov, an experienced and talented hospitality entrepreneur.
“Mr. Skov appreciated the history and beauty of the mansion,” says Sophy, “but wanted it to be open to the public.” To that end, Skov converted the mansion to a 15-suite guest house and continued the Sternberghs’ tradition of hosting garden parties and chamber concerts.
And that is how the Stirling Guest Hotel came to be.
Still About Family
In 2009, Skov retired and Sophy (already employed by Skov), along with his husband Peter Sutliff, purchased the Guest Hotel. Together, the men lovingly care for and run the Stirling Guest Hotel in a manner of which the Sternberghs would approve, muses Sophy.
Sophy serves as the Stirling Guest Hotel’s main innkeeper and event planner.
The mainstay of the Stirling Guest Hotel is, as one might expect, weddings and private parties, both held throughout the year. Sophy and private chef Ron Liszcz work closely with guests to create a variety of menus and options to ensure that every event is professional, personal and memorable.
Events are held on the main floor of the Guest Hotel, but “of course, the suites can be rented for guests to stay overnight,” says Sophy.
Getting Down to Business
However, Sophy offers that the Stirling Guest Hotel is the perfect location for business meetings and retreats.
“We have five large rooms [on the main floor] of the Hotel,” Sophy notes.
Many business meetings start with a light continental breakfast, and then Chef Liszcz prepares afternoon and evening meals (if requested) to suit attendees.
With five rooms, visitors can come together in the main room for large group meetings and then break out into smaller rooms for individual sessions.
“It really is the perfect location for business retreats,” says Sophy.
One of Sophy’s most enjoyed “hosting” events is when bus tour attendees stop for lunch. He explains, “We have buses schedule a stop here at the hotel, and we serve them lunch and give them a historical tour of the mansion and the grounds.”
For Sophy, owning and working in the Stirling Guest Hotel was almost preordained. He reminisces, “As a child, I admired this mansion whenever we drove past; there was always something about the mansion that spoke to me…and now I own it!”
