Rhode Island retreat: Newport New You
Recapture the decadence of the Gilded Age with a weekend of pampering in Newport, Rhode Island, near Boston.
In 1904, Theresa Fair Oelrichs, the heiress to America’s largest silver fortune, threw a party to outdo all other social ga therings— no easy feat for a nouveau riche hostess summering in Newport, Rhode Island, at the pinnacle of the Gilded Age. Oelrichs, who was famous for dressing only in white, held a White Ball: All female guests were to wear white and powder their hair. The flowers, tables and candles—all were white. She even commissioned a fleet of faux life-sized white-sailed ships to float in the bay.
A century later, such wealth and ostentation is rarely seen. But a weekend in Newport, an hour and a half drive south of Boston, can still offer a glimpse of the high life. The natural beauty of the spot remains the same, with countless wooden sailboa ts dotted across the aquamarine-colored Narragansett Bay. The bustling port t own’s 17th- and 18th-century buildings house high-style shops, spas and restaurants that cater to the summer throngs.
To set your own gilded scene, stay at The Chanler at Cliff Walk, a boutique hotel that recaptures the elegance of the age. The 20-room reno vated mansion, with sweeping views of Narragansett Bay, once belonged to Congressman John Winthrop Chanler and his wife, Margaret Astor Ward. Lovingly restored, each room offers a distinctly different experience. The R enaissance room evokes a feminine boudoir with paneled walls, plump blue and gold brocade chairs and stunning views of the coastline, while the English Tudor room is more masculine, with a four-poster leather king bed and its own Jacuzzi enclosed in an ornate oak cabinet. There are also three ocean villas, replete with private outdoor hot tubs and saunas.
The Chanler is home to one of t he area’s best restaurants,
The Spiced Pear. The dining room offers panoramic views, but visitors and locals alike often choose to eat at the “chef’s table,” which sports an equally good view of the open kitchen. The menu changes seasonally and features fare like butter-poached lobster with spicy green tea pearls and exotic fruit, and roast guinea hen with wild mushroom ragout and fresh pea tendrils.
Beyond the hotel’s grounds, just outside the gates, is the start of the popular 3.5-mile cliff walk along the sea. It’s hard to know which way to look—across the ocean or at the parade of mansions. Eleven historic homes are open to the public, including the Vanderbilts’ summer cottage, The Breakers; former Governor of Rhode Island, George Peabody Wetmore’s Chateau-sur-Mer; and of course Rosecliff, where Mrs Oelrichs threw her glittering party.
After you’ve rustled up an appetite, head into to wn to grab an ice cream cone or sit down for something more substantial at The Black Pearl, a Newport favorite. Run by Daniel Knerr, who used to work at New York’s La Côte Basque, the historic tavern offers well-executed regional fare, including clam chowder, crab cakes and fresh-caught lobs ter.
No luxury weekend would be complete without a decadent pampering treatment. The Hotel Viking is the height of tradition but its resident Spa Terre focuses on the foreign and exotic, such as Balinese massage involving acupressure, rolling motion and percussion to relieve tension, and Fijian milk and honey body-wraps to rehydrate dry skin.
Pampered, well fed and well rested, you’ll be a glittering version of yourself. No doubt even Mrs Oelrichs would approve.
Words by Jane Black