What it is

Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt’s 1909 mansion retrofitted for well-heeled globetrotters, with a Beaux Arts spa.

What it isn't

Cramped and dark. Guest rooms are as airy as a new-build, and ginormous to boot (300-square-feet to 2,000).

What we think

Most hotels address experiences as an afterthought. Not so The Vanderbilt, a member of the illustrious Auberge Resorts Collection, where your to-do list can include a behind-the-scenes tour at the Vanderbilt’s 1895, Neo Italian Renaissance-manse, The Breakers; harvesting your own sea salt at Brenton Reef; and seal-watching aboard a sailboat in Narragansett Bay. If you opt to simply hit the two pools, then hole up in your room—charmingly outfitted in calming neutrals and sea-worthy greens—you wouldn’t be the first.

You're here because

In addition to a garden-decked outdoor pool, the hotel maintains a pristine indoor, heated swimming pool that will have you practicing your mer-moves even in the dead of a Rhode Island winter.

The Moment

You don’t have your own Downton Abbey-esque ladies maid, though after a day spent exploring The Breakers, you wish you did. So you decide to splurge on a bit of over-the-top pampering at The Vanderbilt Spa, starting with a 60-minute massage using hot stones pulled out of the Atlantic ocean at Brenton Point. Not even a Vanderbilt heir ever had it so good.

Restaurants & Bars

The Vanderbilt Grill - Classic and contemporary dishes that are beautifully presented.

The Bar - Superb selection of wines, spirits and cocktails.

The Roof Desk - Enjoy a glass of champagne or your favorite cocktail.

Garden Terrace - Exclusive cocktails and boozy popsicles, created by our resident mixologists.

Location

Smack dab in the center of the winding old streets of Newport (founded way back in 1784), just a block from circa 1725 Trinity Church, three from Georgian-style Old Colony House (home to the colonial legislature, NBD), and five from White Horse Tavern, a locavore restaurant that’s been wowing Newport visitors since 1673. Yes, long before the country of America even existed.