Castle Hill Inn
Hotel · Newport ·
Elegant inn with rooms, beach houses, cottages, and fine dining.
Elegant inn with rooms, beach houses, cottages, and fine dining.
"Housed in the historic Agassiz mansion, this Newport icon keeps things pristine and personal—no two rooms alike—and the duplex Turret Suite is a showstopper with its spiral stair to a soaking tub ringed by windows and panoramic harbor views. Fine dining is matched by casual hits at the Terrace Bar (the burger is infallible, the housemade peach barbecue sauce unforgettable), and overnight guests wake to a full gourmet breakfast; I’ll end the day in an Adirondack chair on The Lawn with a Dark and Stormy, waving to passing sailboats, before warming up by the inn’s fireplaces." - Jessica Chapel
"Newport’s undisputed crown jewel, this waterfront compound blends vintage whimsy with modern polish across 40 pristine acres at the far tip of Aquidneck Island—about a 10-minute drive or house ferry from Thames Street’s bustle that you won’t miss. Accommodations range from unique rooms in the Agassiz Mansion—where the Turret Suite’s soaking tub with panoramic views might be one of the best baths on the East Coast—to beach cottages and harbor houses overlooking a private rocky beach rumored to have been Grace Kelly’s favorite hideaway. As part of Relais & Châteaux, food shines with Champagne and cheese trolleys, local seafood at Aurelia, and casual bites at the Terrace Bar. Don’t miss a drink in an Adirondack chair on the “Lawn,” where watching sailboats glide by remains one of Newport’s most cherished, quintessential experiences." - Todd Plummer
"Perched where Ocean Avenue meets the bay, this 1875 seaside retreat—commissioned by marine biologist and naturalist Alexander Agassiz—later gained a lighthouse in 1890 and even served as an impromptu base for naval officers during the Second World War. Today it’s a family-owned Relais & Châteaux “castle” on a private 40-acre peninsula, with sweeping lawn, water views in every direction, and walking trails to craggy rock shorelines perfectly positioned for sunset." - Vogue
"If Ocean Avenue has to end, at least it ends at one of Newport’s finest hotels: Castle Hill Inn. First built in 1875, the property was commissioned by local marine biologist and naturalist Alexander Agassiz and served as his family’s summer home for years before a lighthouse was added to the property in 1890; it later served as an impromptu base for naval officers during the Second World War. Now, it’s a “castle” on a hill overlooking Narragansett Bay, ensconced by a sweeping rolling lawn that guests can enjoy year-round.Family-owned and operated, the hotel (which is also a Relais and Chateaux property) is set on 40 acres across a private peninsula. To stay at Castle Hill is to experience what a Gilded Age beach cottage must have been like on the outskirts of town—water views abound, and walking trails lead you to craggy rock shorelines positioned right where you want to be if you’re seeking a sunset." - Vogue
"Castle Hill sits at the halfway point along Newport’s famous 10-mile-long Ocean Drive loop. You’ll feel like you’re making your way to the end of the earth as you pull up to the Agassiz Mansion, home of the Castle Hill restaurant, where you’ll be greeted by a valet and guided through the elegant wood-and-leather studded lobby of the hotel to the Aurelia dining room. The prix-fixe, six-course menu starts at $165 per person, but is worth it for things like Rhode Island fluke prepared with rhubarb and wasabi, or venison with white asparagus. We also love going for lunch, grabbing a lawn seat or something on the Lawn Terrace, and watching the boats as they sail through the narrow channel. Use it as a summery daytime spot to enjoy sweeping views of Conanicut Island, Narragansett Bay, and the Newport Bridge with a drink in hand, much like the Vanderbilts probably did back in the day." - danielle rose
