Hyatt Newport

We%26#39;re heading to Newport July 13th. We%26#39;re staying at the Hyatt, which we chose because of the pool. It has a complimentary shuttle to Bannister%26#39;s Wharf. Has anyone ever used this service? It seems perfect. Hotel construction should have been completed by July 3rd so that doesn%26#39;t seem to be an issue any longer. If the weather holds up, I%26#39;m expecting a fabulous vacation.

I want to thank everyone in advance. This is a wonderful site. It has helped me enormously.

On my %26#39;to-do%26#39; list:

-Breakers and/or the Marble House

-Sail around Newport

-Chowder at the Black Pearl

-Cliff Walk

-Walk Bellevue Ave

-Shop on Thames (especially Lower Thames)

My %26#39;maybe%26#39; list:

-2nd beach

-Kite festival

-A tea at one of the Hotels

-Grand Slots Casino

-Drink?/Lunch?/Dinner at Castle Inn for the view

Any suggestions?

Hyatt Newport

I%26#39;ve had friends who have used the shuttle service, very convenient....but it is also walkable if you%26#39;re up for a leisurly stroll into town.

I%26#39;d move at least a drink outside at Castle Hill on the must do list if you are in the area.....perhaps towrds the end of a drive along Ocean Drive www.oceandrivenewport.com You can even check out the kites along the drive.

Most of the construction is done, and the Lobby area looks great....really only the parking garage has construction stuff around it.

And you do know that the pool is saltwater?....it%26#39;s so clean that it looks like freshwater but just wanted to give you a heads-up incase you didn%26#39;t know. The indoor pool is freshwater though.

Hyatt Newport

Thank you for all your help. My trip to Newport was wonderful and this site is partly responsible for that.

I missed some of the things on my %26#39;to do%26#39; list but the good news is that I%26#39;m going back mid August to give it another try.

Thanks again.

BTW, Martina Hingis was staying at the Hyatt. Ran into her this morning. (And, no, I didn%26#39;t address her, but must admit that I did stare a bit)

I%26#39;d also move ';2nd beach'; up to the front of the list. When I lived near-by we would goto the surfers end and just ';jump in';. Go after dinner and that walk into town mentioned before - maybe when you want to cool off and get some sand between your toes. (you can goto a pool anytime)

Another great evening walk and a small little beach is at Fort Adams. Great for little kids because the beach is measured in feet long. Very Quiet spot!!!

Hi, I like your list. We are staying at the Hyatt in early August. Did you like the hotel? Any suggestions about the hotel restaurants, floors to stay on etc? What were your top 3 things to do? Did you tour any mansions? If so, which were your favorites? We are from Newport CA so want to try the other Newport. Thanks for any suggestions.

Liked the Hyatt very much and would stay there again. Be aware however, that they tend to nickel and dime you to death. $10/day for internet connection, bottles of water in the room @ $4 apiece.

Also, despite the photos, you will probably not have a balcony in your room.

That%26#39;s the negative. There are many positives. The pool area is nice enough with towels provided and food/beverage service. There%26#39;s a lounge in the lobby which serves drinks and appetizers. The outdoor restaurant is nice, as is the more formal restaurant inside. Never had dinner there but breakfast and lunch were fine. The view of the harbor is excellent.

Never used the shuttle service as we preferred walking. It%26#39;s a hike but very doable.

As for my intinerary: We stopped at Castle Hill Inn for a drink on the lawn at the end of our Ocean Drive. Pricey but pretty. During the drive we saw all the kites in the sky which was entertaining. We toured The Breakers and then drove to the Cliff Walk. Never got to the Black Pearl for the chowder. Had it at the Hyatt but can%26#39;t say I liked it (couldn%26#39;t find the clams). Did a little shopping around Brick Alley Pub (where we had lunch).

We did go to the casino one night. Don%26#39;t bother.

My one disappointment was that we didn%26#39;t take a cruise but I intend to correct that when I return in August for a girls getaway.

This vacation was more geared towards R%26amp;R. The next will be busier.

Does that help?

YES, it does thanks. Did you hear which of the mansions are the best to tour? I too would like to walk rather than take the shuttle. We are going for R %26amp; R too. How long does it take to get there from Boston? Is there a bus that takes us there from Boston or do we need to rent a car? I gather we don%26#39;t need a car once we are in Newport and parking/gas are so expensive. Thanks for any tips on getting there and how long it will take.

You know that this was my first time in Newport, right? I%26#39;m no authority.

FWIW, we went to The Breakers. Unbelievable. Met a couple who live in Newport who suggested we go to Rough Point. Met another couple who just saw Marble House and loved it. So, I guess that whichever you choose, you will enjoy it.

As for walking, we did as much as possible but you must shuttle to the mansions and cliff walk. We walked to the Visitor%26#39;s Center and caught a bus. The wharfs and Thames St. are close enough to walk to.

Know nothing about getting to Boston. Sorry.

Just as a side note, your info about parking is correct. It%26#39;s a huge nuisance. Just finding a spot is difficult. Avoid it whenever you can.

And one last thing. We complained at the Hyatt because the on-line photo led us to believe that we%26#39;d have a balcony. The desk clerk said that they%26#39;re getting a lot of complaints and are changing their website photos. They did switch our room, however, and gave us one with a balcony. So, give it a try if you%26#39;re disappointed in your room.

Enjoy.

Thanks for all the advice. It is so nice to have Trip Advisor to find helpful people. IF you are ever out in Newport CA and need advice, just let me know.

You can take a bus from Boston to Newport, check out www.peterpanbus.com for schedules.

How long are you staying in Newport? While not completely necessary, a car is nice to have to do any side trips out to other parts of RI and the area.