Looking for a perfect 24 hour getaway? The Vanderbilt Hotel, an Auberge Resort in Newport Rhode Island might be just the destination! Originally built by Alfred Vanderbilt in 1909, the building had served as the Vanderbilt residence for just one year before it became the Newport YMCA which it remained until the 1990s when it was transformed into a hotel. The Auberge group came into the picture in 2021 and reimagined the property into something truly special; an intimate and sophisticated yet quirky destination with a very high level of service and attention to detail.
We traveled to Newport to meet up with our middle son and his girlfriend who live in Boston for a fun-filled birthday weekend. We booked two suites through our travel agent so our room came complete with breakfast as well as a $100 credit per room, both very worthwhile perks. A word about about our travel agent for this trip, we used my younger sister, a travel aficionado who has recently gotten into the travel game after many years exploring just about every corner of the globe. If you would like to avail yourself of her expertise you can access her contact here.
We arrived at the hotel at noonish on Saturday, in time to drop our car with the Valet and walk to the lunch we had booked around the corner on Thames street. I was able to check in and take a few snaps on the way to the restroom before we headed off to make our 12:45 reservation.
The Vanderbilt is situated in a perfect spot to explore Newport on foot, though we did resort to using the car a couple of times during our stay. My son had requested Italian food for lunch so I did some reconnaissance and booked Restaurant Lucia via Resy (which I feel is generally a positive sign). Rhode Island is known for its delicious Italian cuisine, but alas Lucia turned out to be real dud. When we showed up at the appointed time we found the door to the restaurant locked and what appeared to be a private party finishing up their dessert. The proprietor came out and apologized, asking whether we might come back in 20-30 minutes as they were running late. I should have followed my gut and found another restaurant but we decided to do some strolling to kill some time.
When we returned at 1:15 we were starving and the restaurant had cleared out. We were seated in the alcove overlooking the street which at first seemed to be the choice table but as lunch wore on we found ourselves literally baking in the hot sun. We finally resorted to pulling the shades down to get some relief, but that is neither here nor there. The food at Lucia was not good, and that is going to be the extent of my review.
We set off after lunch to continue our exploration, eventually returning to the hotel in order to check out our rooms. Located on the second floor (without a view to speak of) I found myself really liking the decor, especially the bathroom tiles. The vibe was classic and masculine, chic with a little attitude. The bedding was of really high quality and the room overall was spotless. There were plenty of Nespresso pods (Decaf too which I love) as well as complimentary water boxes. The macarons that were presented as our welcome gift were delicious and finally succeeded in getting the awful taste out of my mouth that lingered from lunch!
A special mention with regards to the terrific guest experience we enjoyed, most impressively the concierge worked with our travel agent to determine a thoughtful token to give to my son in honor of his birthday and they agreed upon a commemorative coin as he is an avid collector. A memorable gesture to be sure.
We decided to explore a bit more (Newport is so compact it is the perfect walking city) and found ourselves at Bannister’s Wharf to catch the sunset. If we didn’t want to ruin our appetites in anticipation of dinner we surely would have grabbed some chowder and a cocktail at The Black Pearl.
Our next activity was one I was especially excited about, the Sparkling Lights display at The Breakers. Not only did we get to enjoy an extensive light show on the grounds of the most magnificent Gilded -Age mansion, but we also got to enjoy the interior decked out in Christmas splendor. The Sparkling Lights/Breakers combination ticket is available from 4-8pm mid November through the end of December. Check the website for availability, this is a very “hot” ticket and you must purchase in advance. While I have visited the Breakers in the past, this was the first time I have experienced it decorated for the holidays, and as you would expect it was quite impressive!
After wandering through the mansion and the gardens we had worked up a hearty appetite, so we returned to the hotel for a festive dinner in the well regarded restaurant at the Vanderbilt (you can book a table here). I had dined there a couple of months ago (as well as visited the terrific roof top bar ,open seasonally, which you can read about here).
We each took advantage of ordering creative cocktails off their tempting menu while we pondered the menu. Cast Iron Octopus and a Fall Radicchio Salad got us started, and then it turned out that three out of four of us opted for the Vanderbilt Burger, while I stayed veggie with the Honeynut Squash entrée. We decided to bring a special bottle of wine for which the restaurant charged us a very reasonable $45 corkage fee. Dinner was very very good, and the atmosphere was upbeat and buzzy. At the end of the meal we celebrated with two delicious desserts (accompanied by a happy birthday serenade) which we devoured before I was able to snap a photo. The flourless Chocolate Nemesis was especially satisfying. The service during dinner was attentive and professional, and special effort was made to make the birthday “boy” feel special.
Sunday proved to be a real washout weather-wise so I very indulgently pulled the covers over my head and slept until 9, which for me is unheard of. The only thing on our agenda was brunch in The Conservatory, a lovely spot in the rear of the hotel.
Once again the servers at the Vanderbilt impressed us with their friendliness and professionalism. I did not get a chance to photograph our eggs or duck fat fries, but I was sure to capture the custom mix of herbal tea called “Color of the Year” which not only matched the decor but was yummy as well. To be honest I also started researching where I could get the same personalized china that was featured, as it was absolutely adorable.
When our leisurely breakfast came to an end we checked out and loaded up our cars to make the rainy trek home. Our 24 hours in Newport was a perfect quick celebration and the Vanderbilt is a place I would not hesitate to recommend and I will most certainly return.
So glad you had such a great experience! It was fantastic working with the team there!