Rhode Island, or 'Little Rhody' New England, is a favourite spot for family reunions and beach holidays for New Yorkers and Bostonians seeking low-key outdoorsy holidays with long days spent languishing on the beach - think Cornwall with better weather. Following its recent refurbishment the historic Ocean House sitting atop the Watch Hill Bluffs overlooking the Atlantic has much to attract travellers from further afield looking for a pampering, luxurious holiday.
Opened in 1868, this Victorian hotel welcomed guests for 135 years before closing for a much needed renovation that was completed in 2010. Much of the original design and some of the furniture and artefacts from the old structure were kept intact so today's hotel has the air of an ocean liner from a glamorous bygone era mixed with colonial beach house - all sparkling brass, gleaming woodwork, marble & leather, plus fresh ocean interiors and plantation shutters.
The 63 guest rooms, suites and Residences at Ocean House are light and airy completed in yellow, blue, turquoise, and cream, and most feature private balconies with stunning ocean views and fireplaces. The Signature suites on the top floors of the hotel are quite simply stunning and range from a one-bedroom studio to three bedroom residences each individually conceived by different interior designers. Some have spacious roof terraces, others full kitchens and the Tower Suite has a spiral staircase leading to the Crow’s Nest and a ladder up to the historically replicated widow’s walk, with dramatic 360-degree views of the ocean.
Seaside Terrace Restaurant offers farm-to-table cuisine that changes daily and an excellent wine list and you can either sit in the Seaside Terrace for the ocean views or in a cosy booth or banquette by the fireplace or at the bar overlooking the open kitchen. Locals flock to the Sunday brunch accompanied by a jazz and blues pianist. Dune Cottage is a shaded pergola perched above the private beach, and creates a dramatic setting for lunch and early dinner in season and offers a simple, yet sophisticated Mediterranean inspired menu prepared from its outdoor kitchen.
To complement the farm-to-table ethic, the Ocean House offers Farm + Vine: Led by the hotel's Food Forager guests are able to enjoy complimentary cooking classes and trips to local farms, fishing docks and the Chef’s on-site herb garden as well as wine tastings led by the Sommelier.
The OH! Spa, is a 12,000 square foot spa with seven spacious treatment rooms pre or post treatments chaise lounges point out to sea. There is a fitness/yoga studio with 20-meter indoor lap pool and two squash courts or for a slower pace take to the croquet lawn. Westerly is charming, and the Mystic Aquarium is not far down the road. Art lovers will be kept busy with fifty art galleries within a 50 mile radius of the resort. The sleepy waterfront village of Watch Hill is just 3 minutes walk down the hill with a selection of boutique shops and cafes.
