The Best Newport, Rhode Island, Hotels

Eclectic yet charming, Cliffside Inn gets you a great location plus all the little things that make a stay easier, like free parking and free beach gear.

Located in Newport's Historic District, Cliffside Inn was once home to painter Beatrice Turner and pays homage to the American artist in its decor. Perched on the cliffs overlooking the ocean, the 16-room hotel skews maximalist in its decor: Common rooms are filled with antiques and Turner’s paintings, while guest rooms are decorated in bright colors and patterned textiles.

Rooms offer generous-sized bathrooms plus four-poster beds and nice upscale touches, such as homemade chocolates during evening turndown or gas fireplaces. The heart of the inn is its outside space: There's a wrap-around front porch plus a big front lawn with a fire pit. 

Cliffside Inn is generous in what it offers guests. There's free breakfast, free onsite parking, and complimentary beach gear (towels, chair, sunscreen, and more), for starters. There's no restaurant on site but the inn's location puts you within walking distance of several top restaurants–and the concierge is happy to provide recommendations.

You'll stay in a former mansion, now under the Auberge Resorts umbrella, where every detail has been thoughtfully taken care of.

After you tour a Vanderbilt mansion, why not stay where a member of the elite family used to live? That's the proposition at The Vanderbilt, once home to businessman Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt. The mansion turned luxury hotel offers guests a peek into the past, where mansions like this were the center of a vibrant social scene. Now, the hotel’s well-appointed parlors and lounges serve as gathering places, where you might partake in an immersive guest experience, like a cocktail class or tarot reading. 

The hotel’s small size means thoughtful attention to every guest. Suites range from 400 to 2,000 square feet; each suite has its own in-room seating area. Dining options at The Vanderbilt include New England seafood, reinterpreted by a James Beard Award-Winning chef.

Close to Newport's entertainment and dining area, the Newport Harbor Hotel offers harborfront views and nice amenities.

The Newport Harbor Hotel is located near Bowen's Wharf, Newport's nightlife, dining, and shopping area. While you'll have to drive to mansions and the beach, a stay here means walkable access to the city's entertainment hub. Perks like paddleboards, kayaks, and bicycles for guest use make it easy to enjoy Newport by land or sea. 

The 133-room hotel offers generous in-room amenities including kimono-style robes, free HBO, pillow-top mattresses, and free WiFi. On rainy days, the place to be is the heated indoor pool or sauna (there are separate ones for men and women). Outside, the hotel supplies lawn games, and when it’s time to relax, choose from a hammock on the lawn or a sundeck with Adirondack chairs and bistro tables.

Between its unbeatable location on a 40-acre private peninsula, upscale amenities, and attentive service, Castle Hill Inn is the top pick for luxury travelers.

When your goal is to get away, you can’t do better than Castle Hill Inn. Perched on a 40-acre peninsula with a dedicated private beach, the inn offers top-class amenities in a stunning natural setting. Whether you’ve booked a room in the inn proper or one of the summer cottages dotting the property, you'll enjoy amenities like Farmaesthetics bath products, plus robes and slippers, and a minibar stocked with local products. Some rooms feature perks like a soaking tub, gas fireplace, or semi-private deck. 

During summer months, enjoy Saturday yoga classes outside or a Sunday evening bonfire with stargazing. For a fee, the inn can arrange private excursions aboard a yacht. You can fish off the beach, though you'll need a Rhode Island fishing license. Castle Hill Inn provides full breakfast plus afternoon tea. For dinner, choose from the prix fixe restaurant noted for a wine list of over 800 bottles or an al fresco restaurant with New England seafood cuisine.

Steps from the Cliff Walk and Easton's Beach, The Chanler at Cliff Walk is an ideal romantic retreat for couples as well as a Newport wedding venue.

Set in a 19th-century mansion built by a New York congressman, The Chanler at Cliff Walk offers the privacy of a garden estate with Atlantic Ocean views and easy access to Newport beaches and Cliff Walk. The hotel's 20 guest rooms are lavishly decorated with oversized furniture that honors a historical period or chosen theme. In-room massages or aromatherapy baths let guests unwind and reconnect. 

When it's time to eat, choose from a casual al fresco cafe restaurant or a fine dining restaurant lauded by Wine Spectator and Forbes for excellent food and drink options. The cocktail lounge is perfect for sipping bespoke cocktails by a gas fireplace. While you may never want to leave the romantic ambiance, when it's time to go, the hotel offers bicycles complete with picnic baskets for carrying a prepared picnic lunch or car service to Newport mansions and downtown via custom-fitted Cadillac XT6s.

Gurney's Newport, the Rhode Island outpost of a Montauk-based resort, will appeal to boaters and families alike.

Set on an island in Narragansett Bay with 360-degree ocean views and a full marina, Gurney's Newport has an exclusive feel. Family-friendly amenities might come as a surprise, but a kids club for the under-12 set means they’ll have fun and you’ll unwind without guilt, thanks to amenities like a full spa, outdoor pool with sun beds, and fire pit lounge area. Onsite dining options include the Pineapple Club, a poolside restaurant, the seafood pop-up Showfish, and a lobby cafe that makes sandwiches and salads. 

Guest rooms have beachy decor, plush beds, and nice features like oversized soaking tubs. Separate work areas with oversized desks make remote work possible, though with all the amenities, you may not feel like clocking in! With 257 rooms, the resort doesn't have the intimate feel of other Newport properties. One way around this is to sail up, stay in the 22-slip marina, and make use of full resort privileges.

Modern design, bright hues, and a location in the Bellevue Avenue Historic District make this hotel a smart pick for style seekers.

You'll find the personalized service you expect from a small hotel in a smartly appointed setting. Think contemporary rooms done in vibrant colors. Note that there's no onsite elevator though; getting to most rooms requires walking up one or more flights of stairs.

Rooms do run on the small side, particularly the king and queen rooms. While you'll find a fitness room, there are no pools or entertainment features onsite. If your main criteria is a comfortable, quiet, elegant place to lay your head after a day at the beach, this is for you. Common areas include thoughtfully curated seating where you can enjoy a snack of cookies after a day exploring the nearby mansions.

While this LEED-certified hotel strives for eco-consciousness, this isn't just a virtue pick–the prime harbor location puts you close to all the best downtown spots.

Boaters are more than welcome at this lively downtown spot. They're catered to at a full-service marina with perks like free WiFi and dockside dining. Landlubbers have a wide choice of rooms, including separate cottages with full kitchens for apartment-style getaways. Decor is simple and understated; think neutral hues and natural fabrics. Environmental touches are woven into every detail, from low-flow showerheads to sliding doors that let the fresh salt air into your room, but never at the expense of comfort. 

The hotel's numerous food and drink options draw crowds, especially on summer nights when the Pavilion Bar on the harbor is open. Dining options skew casual comfort–think burgers and seafood–but well-executed with fresh local fare. For a quieter night in, escape to the Library bar for a game of pool by the fireplace.