trip report - castle hill inn / newport, Rhode Island
Apr 17, 2018, 7:36 pm
#31
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 3,457
Any recent experiences? Considering Chanler vs Castle Hill in early June for a quick getaway...
- only Beach Houses available at Castle Hill
- Chanler has queen bedded rooms (not ideal) with outside hot tub (ideal)
Ocean House is like 2K per night.... ouch
Would prefer not to get a car but seems both properties aren't terribly convenient for walking....
thoughts?
FDW
- only Beach Houses available at Castle Hill
- Chanler has queen bedded rooms (not ideal) with outside hot tub (ideal)
Ocean House is like 2K per night.... ouch
Would prefer not to get a car but seems both properties aren't terribly convenient for walking....
thoughts?
FDW
Apr 18, 2018, 10:03 am
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
curious if anyone has seen / can compare top rooms at chanler
ask about scheduled boat transfer at castle hill?
castle hill requires car, although cant comment on availability/use of things like uberx etc
castle hill beach houses/cottages very different from chanler, but walk/etc to inn
if wanting to dine outside at chanler, ask re events
(not sure re restaurant buyouts at either property)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ch...!4d-71.2981964
chanler location lacks the 'privacy' , would ask/confirm re avoiding rooms on road
rates get pretty crazy at all the properties, exact timing varies
some ocean house rooms are condos, also rents houses
last july >
ask about scheduled boat transfer at castle hill?
castle hill requires car, although cant comment on availability/use of things like uberx etc
castle hill beach houses/cottages very different from chanler, but walk/etc to inn
if wanting to dine outside at chanler, ask re events
(not sure re restaurant buyouts at either property)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ch...!4d-71.2981964
chanler location lacks the 'privacy' , would ask/confirm re avoiding rooms on road
rates get pretty crazy at all the properties, exact timing varies
some ocean house rooms are condos, also rents houses
last july >
I am here at Castle Hill now (after a less than impressive stay at the Wentworth). I was moved directly to a beach cottage for the week, though I don't have a standalone beach cottage (wish I did, my 'neighbor' is a bit clunky), but otherwise, enjoying the beach, the room and the food. Will probably venture into town on Monday on the boat (thank you for that suggestion) when it should hopefully be a bit quieter.
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Apr 18, 2018 at 3:21 pm
Apr 18, 2018, 6:07 pm
#33
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 39
We stayed at Castle Hill last year and really enjoyed it. Quick summary below, let me know if you have any questions.
- We booked one of the beach cottages which was great - plenty of space, nice view, comfy bed, etc.
- Service on the beach was friendly and attentive.
- The two restaurants both get very busy during the summer period, but thankfully they hold tables for guests and we never had trouble getting a table. The food, service and views were all excellent.
- In terms of transport, we drove to the property but never used our car after that - we took the boat into town which was easy and had nice views, and then it was simple taking an Uber back. I'm assuming it'd be easy to get a taxi/uber from the hotel to the town if needed. For the daytime, there are nice walks around the property and surrounding area, which is a welcome change from the busy town.
- We booked through FHR (the property isn't Virtuoso) and unexpectedly received an upgrade on arrival along with the regular benefits.
- While this isn't the Maldives/Indonesia/etc with an amazing beach and incredible service, I still think it's one of the best summer options I've found in New England.
Apr 19, 2018, 8:54 am
#34
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Denver
Programs: AMEX Cent., Relais & Chateaux, LHW, SLH
Posts: 427
We're going to stay at Ocean House next month and want to visit/dine at Castle Hill, can't stay there cuz we're traveling with our small dog and I don't think Castle Hill accepts dogs
Apr 20, 2018, 8:15 am
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
most here do things off property especially dining, those who do not usually do not mention transport
edit >
im trying to think of how i would describe castle hill in one word, probably space
i liked the oceanfront rooms, although now on west coast there is nobu ryokan
could ask about whether / number of kids booked during dates being considered
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Apr 20, 2018 at 9:02 am
Apr 20, 2018, 10:43 am
#37
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PBI and PVD
Programs: DL Silver, (used to be somebody here) Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 567
we live in Newport in the summer and have been to both locations (not overnight - just drinks and dinner)
The Chanler is a very nice "boutique" hotel basically in town. You could walk to most of Newport proper. The hotel also has an in-house car service that can transport you locally back and forth. There is a small lawn (compared to CH) that allows for drinks on chairs overlooking the beach. Great restaurant. I would choose the Chanler if you were looking for most of the time being spent in Newport walking/dining/shopping
Castle Hill is definitely a ride from town, but not far - 10 minutes. Uber is readily available in summer. There are more non-hotel visitors at Castle Hill due to the lawn and outdoor bar, so it is not as clubby as the Chanler. There is more space to wander around, but they can hold some bigger weddings on property and that means bigger crowds. i would stay here if you wanted to go into Newport for the afternoon
The Chanler is a very nice "boutique" hotel basically in town. You could walk to most of Newport proper. The hotel also has an in-house car service that can transport you locally back and forth. There is a small lawn (compared to CH) that allows for drinks on chairs overlooking the beach. Great restaurant. I would choose the Chanler if you were looking for most of the time being spent in Newport walking/dining/shopping
Castle Hill is definitely a ride from town, but not far - 10 minutes. Uber is readily available in summer. There are more non-hotel visitors at Castle Hill due to the lawn and outdoor bar, so it is not as clubby as the Chanler. There is more space to wander around, but they can hold some bigger weddings on property and that means bigger crowds. i would stay here if you wanted to go into Newport for the afternoon
Apr 20, 2018, 2:45 pm
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
although the tent i saw was not 'oceanfront' , and saw some chairs not being used by guests
i think usually located here >
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ca...!4d-71.3610265
but seem to recall both hotels did restaurant buyouts, so not sure re those
too few properties have dedicated guest seating ('bar' & lawn) like castle hill
(similar with breakfast & tea, since included and guest-only, no bills)
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Jun 11, 2018 at 11:07 am
Jun 8, 2018, 5:06 pm
#39
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Body in the CLE, soul still in New England
Programs: In 2023? Does it matter? SPG/Marriott: Plat; DL: Plat; B6: Mosaic
Posts: 2,979
I seriously considered the Chandler, but I seem to remember hearing some complaints on Trip Advisor about the road noise...and to me, I valued quiet over walk ability...and I LOVED taking the boat shuttle into town. So easy and relaxing. Castle Hill always had availability for guests. I liked watching the hordes while waiting for my meals, like gate lice but more well dressed (I kid, well sorta not).
I'm completely agree with jctrav's review. I would also add that room service food was top notch...which was important to me as I had very limited mobility during my stay. They were also able to customize some of the meals, since I ate the majority of my food at my bungalow. The beach attendants were wonderful, and the staff was the perfect balance of attentive, warmth and professional. There were a few niggling issues, but only the quality of the massage is one I clearly recall a year later...so that says something. Okay, maybe I remember they only have 2? sets of dinnerware, which I found a bit lacking...but again, I am sure if I asked for more, they would have delivered it in 30 minutes or less.
Would not hesitate a bit to return.
I'm completely agree with jctrav's review. I would also add that room service food was top notch...which was important to me as I had very limited mobility during my stay. They were also able to customize some of the meals, since I ate the majority of my food at my bungalow. The beach attendants were wonderful, and the staff was the perfect balance of attentive, warmth and professional. There were a few niggling issues, but only the quality of the massage is one I clearly recall a year later...so that says something. Okay, maybe I remember they only have 2? sets of dinnerware, which I found a bit lacking...but again, I am sure if I asked for more, they would have delivered it in 30 minutes or less.
Would not hesitate a bit to return.
Oct 29, 2018, 7:50 pm
#40
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 181
Just returned from a quick weekend stay at Castle Hill Inn in a beach house. Some quick thoughts below.
Room/Location:
- Great location. The beach houses are literally right on the beach (very small beach though) and on a nice day would’ve been nice to sit on the porch and relax/watch the waves. The main house is on top a hill and offers spectacular view of the surrounding area.
- Clean and well maintained room, although the furnishings and finishes felt a little cheap to me...especially the kitchen. It was like a nice Airbnb. The room was also a little cramped, I think ~400sf?
- I know this is personal, but the mattress has got to be one of the worst I’ve slept on recently. Hard and lacking support. Both my partner and I woke up with lower back pain.
Service:
- Well intentioned in general. The doorman / porters were especially friendly and pleasant to deal with. Dining room staff eager to help though a few of them could be a little more polished. Anthony (sommelier / beverage director?) was a star.
- One observation is that they were definitely understaffed. Everything took longer than it should’ve from getting checked in, getting seated for lunch/dinner, to fulfilling housekeeping requests.
- We were quite annoyed at dinner as we arrived at 8:10pm
for a 8:15pm reservation and was told “we can only seat you closer to 8:15pm”. Really? They did not seat us until 8:40pm
in the end.
Food:
- As the weather wasn’t cooperative we had both lunch and dinner in the dining room (in addition to breakfast). Lunch was...average. Okay food and very slow service.
- Breakfast was good. Enjoyed the lobster hash very much and loved the banana bread. Coffee was weak though.
- Food at dinner was quite good, and I thought it was reasonably priced for the quality. Very well put together wine list, and again, very competitively priced.
- The chef was not very flexible though. We all went for the tasting menu which started with the beef tartare. One person in our party does not eat raw beef and asked if we could get it exchanged. The waiter offered to switch it to the oysters but came back and said the chef said no and it’s either all oysters or all beef tartare. I’ve rarely had simple substitutions like that rejected at a tasting menu restaurant...surprising to say the least.
Others:
- One of my friends had a massage in the spa. Said it was good and the treatment room was cozy.
- They use a local organic brand (Farmaesthetics) as amenities. Really liked the body wash and bought a full sized bottle in town.
- I am still waiting for my electronic folio to arrive...
All in all I thought the hard product was honestly mediocre for the room rate ($1k+ last weekend, and apparently $2k in the summer??), the service was nothing to write home about, and even though dinner was good, I can easily come have dinner without staying here. We will not be returning.
Room/Location:
- Great location. The beach houses are literally right on the beach (very small beach though) and on a nice day would’ve been nice to sit on the porch and relax/watch the waves. The main house is on top a hill and offers spectacular view of the surrounding area.
- Clean and well maintained room, although the furnishings and finishes felt a little cheap to me...especially the kitchen. It was like a nice Airbnb. The room was also a little cramped, I think ~400sf?
- I know this is personal, but the mattress has got to be one of the worst I’ve slept on recently. Hard and lacking support. Both my partner and I woke up with lower back pain.
Service:
- Well intentioned in general. The doorman / porters were especially friendly and pleasant to deal with. Dining room staff eager to help though a few of them could be a little more polished. Anthony (sommelier / beverage director?) was a star.
- One observation is that they were definitely understaffed. Everything took longer than it should’ve from getting checked in, getting seated for lunch/dinner, to fulfilling housekeeping requests.
- We were quite annoyed at dinner as we arrived at 8:10pm
for a 8:15pm reservation and was told “we can only seat you closer to 8:15pm”. Really? They did not seat us until 8:40pm
in the end.
Food:
- As the weather wasn’t cooperative we had both lunch and dinner in the dining room (in addition to breakfast). Lunch was...average. Okay food and very slow service.
- Breakfast was good. Enjoyed the lobster hash very much and loved the banana bread. Coffee was weak though.
- Food at dinner was quite good, and I thought it was reasonably priced for the quality. Very well put together wine list, and again, very competitively priced.
- The chef was not very flexible though. We all went for the tasting menu which started with the beef tartare. One person in our party does not eat raw beef and asked if we could get it exchanged. The waiter offered to switch it to the oysters but came back and said the chef said no and it’s either all oysters or all beef tartare. I’ve rarely had simple substitutions like that rejected at a tasting menu restaurant...surprising to say the least.
Others:
- One of my friends had a massage in the spa. Said it was good and the treatment room was cozy.
- They use a local organic brand (Farmaesthetics) as amenities. Really liked the body wash and bought a full sized bottle in town.
- I am still waiting for my electronic folio to arrive...
All in all I thought the hard product was honestly mediocre for the room rate ($1k+ last weekend, and apparently $2k in the summer??), the service was nothing to write home about, and even though dinner was good, I can easily come have dinner without staying here. We will not be returning.
Last edited by Fc912; Oct 29, 2018 at 7:57 pm
Oct 30, 2018, 9:15 am
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
do they still do unlimited bottled water and have coffee machine?
tradeoff between chanler operations (similar food quality?) and castle hill beach houses / superior beach houses (lighthouse suite had better hard product)
latter is part of location, some like it, some prefer chanler location
although i am one here who likes no-signing, which applied / applies for castle hill breakfast (agree re lobster hash, no more free smoothies?) and afternoon tea, both 'free' & guest-only. not sure if any other time or if at chanler
curious how common it is for properties to have mattress toppers on hand
north american rates/values, even for very best regarded, frankly make me not want to travel here much, situation same or worse for cities and EU summer
tradeoff between chanler operations (similar food quality?) and castle hill beach houses / superior beach houses (lighthouse suite had better hard product)
latter is part of location, some like it, some prefer chanler location
although i am one here who likes no-signing, which applied / applies for castle hill breakfast (agree re lobster hash, no more free smoothies?) and afternoon tea, both 'free' & guest-only. not sure if any other time or if at chanler
curious how common it is for properties to have mattress toppers on hand
north american rates/values, even for very best regarded, frankly make me not want to travel here much, situation same or worse for cities and EU summer
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Oct 30, 2018 at 1:48 pm
Oct 30, 2018, 1:49 pm
#42
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 181
do they still do unlimited bottled water and have coffee machine?
tradeoff between chanler operations (similar food quality?) and castle hill beach houses / superior beach houses (lighthouse suite had better hard product)
latter part of location, some will prefer chanler location
although i am one here who likes no-signing, which applied / applies for castle hill breakfast (agree re lobster hash, no more free smoothies?) and afternoon tea, both 'free' & guest-only. not sure if any other time or if at chanler
curious how common it is for properties to have mattress toppers on hand
north american rates/values, even for very best regarded, frankly make me not want to travel here much, situation same or worse for cities and EU summer
tradeoff between chanler operations (similar food quality?) and castle hill beach houses / superior beach houses (lighthouse suite had better hard product)
latter part of location, some will prefer chanler location
although i am one here who likes no-signing, which applied / applies for castle hill breakfast (agree re lobster hash, no more free smoothies?) and afternoon tea, both 'free' & guest-only. not sure if any other time or if at chanler
curious how common it is for properties to have mattress toppers on hand
north american rates/values, even for very best regarded, frankly make me not want to travel here much, situation same or worse for cities and EU summer
Oct 30, 2018, 1:58 pm
#43
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
unfortunate cost cutting, as it was nespresso when i was there, though not super high end
also interesting if they no longer do different smoothie each day, though 'first' one was small
if you ever dine again (btw - vs others in area?) you might ask if you can see lighthouse suite
also interesting if they no longer do different smoothie each day, though 'first' one was small
if you ever dine again (btw - vs others in area?) you might ask if you can see lighthouse suite
Oct 31, 2018, 12:16 pm
#44
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: PBI and PVD
Programs: DL Silver, (used to be somebody here) Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 567
i could imagine that they would be some under staffing in late October. Most of the staff are college students that are looking to head out in mid-August. Most businesses in town suffer from the same fate as Newport isn't a 12 month town. Used to be just the summer (post mid June) and now it is a shoulder fall and spring. Jan and feb are still tough
At one time they were hiring High School and college teachers for summer restaurant waitstaff - better social skills with the generally older patrons. Bar staff (outside) is usually kids
At one time they were hiring High School and college teachers for summer restaurant waitstaff - better social skills with the generally older patrons. Bar staff (outside) is usually kids
