The Chanler at Cliff Walk♡

A beautiful hotel that feels more like a gracious home than a luxury property, and one we left already planning to retur

8.0

The Chanler succeeds because it feels inhabited. Newport is full of houses that ask you to admire them from behind velvet ropes. This one invites you to stay awhile. The rooms are handsome without feeling staged. Ours overlooked Easton’s Beach, where the weather seemed to change every half hour and the light with it. Breakfast on the terrace became the part of the day we looked forward to most. Good coffee, thoughtful food, and enough sea beyond the table to make conversation slow down. The design deserves special mention. The bathrooms alone are remarkable. Victorian fixtures sit comfortably beside botanical wallpaper, black millwork and polished brass. Nothing feels as though it was ordered from the same catalog. It feels collected. That curiosity stayed with us throughout the hotel. The stair runners, the ironwork, the lighting, the artwork and textiles all suggested careful hands behind them. More than once my wife asked, “Who made this?” I found myself wishing for a small cabinet near reception introducing the artists, designers and craftspeople who gave the building its character. Beautiful work deserves its authors. Most of all, the staff understood that good hospitality is quiet. They never seemed to perform service. They simply practiced it

− There was very little to fault, and most of it felt more like opportunity than criticism. One of the hotel’s two restaurants serves only a tasting menu with no substitutions or dietary accommodations. My wife is vegetarian, so we happily dined at the second restaurant, which was excellent. I admire a chef willing to stand behind a complete vision. Still, in a world where allergies, vegetarian diets and other restrictions have become ordinary, it felt like an unusually firm line to hold. The open kitchen beside the bar is one of the hotel’s pleasures. We heard the chef pressing the line more than once. Good kitchens are rarely quiet, and there is something reassuring about a cook who cares enough to raise his voice. But the bar is close enough that, for a few moments, the kitchen belonged more to itself than to its guests. On a warm afternoon the air conditioning worked hard, and we both wandered over to the windows to let in the sea air before discovering they were sealed. I suspect every summer guest repeats this same little ritual. A simple note explaining the decision would turn a moment of confusion into one of understanding. Finally, the Wi-Fi was inconsistent enough that even the in-room television occasionally struggled. It was the only part of the property that felt less carefully maintained than everything around it.

Guest review

10.0

Location, staff, facilities ,food,grounds. Great space,definitely will return.

− Wedding party taking over the morning we were departing. Felt a little rushed.

No ocean views for lunch at Remy’s Loose.

6.0

The whole point of our two hour drive was to sit and look at the ocean. We heard Remy’s Loose had wonderful food and were very excited. Sadly, the outdoor space is pretty underwhelming (it was also quite hot, though windy, so with plastic curtains covering the view) and the indoor Remy’s Loose has incredible ocean views but those are reserved for Cara only. We could easily afford Cara, but we wanted the Remy’s Loose menu, and it was lunch time. Why wouldn’t they let us sit in the dining room overlooking the Ocean? Unacceptable that a hotel of this caliber would not have ocean views, when it’s right on the Cliff Walk. The saddest part is they have amazing ocean views, but leave it completely unused for lunch. We were very disappointed.

Disappointing

2.0

The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming, but the rooms, especially the bathrooms, are quite outdated. We had a pleasant experience during our weekend visit, but the management was quite rude and unfriendly. They acted as if we were lucky to be able to pay $2000 a night to stay at their hotel. The staff, on the other hand, was fantastic. The rooms are in need of renovation, and the lobby is chaotic and doesn’t align with the Newport theme.

Issues & concerns

6.0

It is such a lovely setting and the public areas are charming and intimate, but choose your room well, they have specific issues that should be addressed when booking this property.

Best in the Northeast U.S.

10.0

I am fortunate to stay in luxurious hotels around the world. The Chanler is among the best boutique hotels anywhere, and in my opinion, the best in the northeastern U.S. I have visited twice and will do so again. I highly recommend The Chanler to my family and friends.