Castle Hill Inn, Newport, RI

NOT YOUR ORDINARY GETAWAY

Alice Shane

You won’t discover Castle Hill Inn between the pages of Budget Travel Magazine, though it is mentioned in Travel & Leisure as one of the Top 500 Greatest Hotels in the World. For good reason: it’s rooms and beach cottages have spectacular views facing the ocean and Narragansett Bay, impeccable service and a fine restaurant offering gourmet breakfasts and dinners.

Admittedly, it’s quiet now in Newport – yachters have yet to moor their boats in the city’s marinas and many of the Gilded Age mansions Newport is famous for are still closed to tourists. But we were only too happy to avoid crowds, check out sailboats offered for sale at the Oyster boatyard and to luxuriate in our cozy Harbor House accommodations where we had an up close view of the Narragansett. We also planned to indulge our passion for seafood.

Our comfortable, immaculate room, priced at off-season rates, had a gas fireplace --the perfect warmer-upper on cool evenings and chilly mornings. Thick terry bathrobes hung in the closet, cookies were on a night table when we arrived and chocolates appeared at turndown time. True, the bathroom was tiny and the hand-held shower required a learning curve, but there were generous bottles of toiletries and plenty of ultra thick towels.

Dinner in the Inn’s dining room offers a fabulous, panoramic view of the Narragansett and an eclectic Southwestern/New England menu -- expensive, of course -- our three-course price-fixed dinner tallied up to $222.00 after taxes and gratuity – a drop in the bucket compared to the 5-course and 8-course tasting menus accompanied by wine which could easily skyrocket to $300-$400 for a couple.

But the service was impeccable and the food good (though not exceptional). We ordered the pan-seared scallops appetizer and the chile-barbecue glazed grilled cold water lobster tail entrée. Dessert was chocolate fondue with assorted fruits, petit fours and cookies – all dippable and yum yum.

Gourmet breakfasts, included in the cost of the room, offer an extravagance of delicious choices – eggs benedict with smoked salmon and Portabella mushrooms, lobster hash, “create your own omelets,” freshly baked breads, miniature coffee cakes --- all graciously served by attentive waiters.

If you’re yearning for a great escape from the hustle of urban life, this is it.

© 2007; Alice Shane/Alice Shane Communications. All rights reserved.