Rhode Island, 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 31 room Weekapaug Inn has much to attract travellers from further afield looking for an intimate, laid-back, family-friendly, quintessential New England beach retreat.
Weekapaug Inn is approached along an ambling coastal road which passes by typical weathered shingle holiday cottages with spectacular ocean views. The Inn is perched overlooking the impossible-to-pronounce but peaceful bird and boat filled waters of the Quonochontaug Pond and the white sands of the splendid Weekapaug Community beach is only a few minutes walk away.
Interiors by designer Nancy Taylor are classic New England - beachy and fresh and with a nod to the nautical - plenty of tongue and groove, polished wood, white linen and pretty fabrics mixed in with antique furniture and prints. There are roaring fires to cosy up to with a book, pairs of binoculars for bird aficionados or for simply gazing out to sea.
The 27 guest rooms and one-bedroom suites are perfect for couples while small families and larger groups will love the four two-bedroom suites (really good-sized apartments) which can sleep up to six and come with fully-fitted gleaming kitchens and dining tables, a TV den and spacious living rooms. All rooms have frette linen, shaker-style maple furniture, sumptuous beds and state-of-the-art bathroom fittings (most have showers but some have free-standing bath tubs). There are also four suites in the Fenway Cottage which overlook the pool and Quonochontaug Pond.
As a member of Relais & Chateaux, food here is taken seriously, but much like the interiors is kept simple and straightforward: from New England staples such as clam chowder and buttery lobster rolls, to juicy burgers, artisan cheeses, seafood stew and homemade pasta. The menus throughout the hotel's various restaurants offer a modern interpretation of New England coastal cuisine and use traditional native foraging, local produce, and sustainable seafood. The Bathhouse is located at the beach - where you can deposit your valuables and swap them for an umbrella and deck chairs or cool off with a glass of homemade lemonade and sandwich. Guests at Weekapaug can also take the regular shuttle service to its sister property the Ocean House at Watch Hill where dining is a little more formal. If you're still feeling peckish, each floor has a pantry where guests can help themselves to cookies and hot drinks.
Other than the obvious attraction of the beach just a short walk away, there is a fabulous 23-metre Asian-inspired lap pool overlooking the estuary. The hotel has kayaks and a fleet of traditional wooden New England sailing dinghies (called Beetle cats). A great way to explore the coast is by bike which they had to lend and there are shuffleboard and Bocce courts.
