Newport Hotel Recommendations for Feb 09

Planning a 3 day, 2 night trip in mid Feb to Newport. I%26#39;ve read reviews for many hotels and opinions can vary widely but I generally try to pick one in the top 15% of the traveler%26#39;s ratings. Can%26#39;t afford the Castle Hill Inn or other expensive resorts but we are not penny pinchers either. Looking for some feedback from those that have stayed in hotels such as Viking, Newport Harbor, Mill Street, Marriott and any others in the higher traveler-rated category and what would make one stand out over the other.

My wife is not much of a B%26amp;B person but the Atwater Villa looks like it breaks the mold a little.

Thanks for your help in advance!

Newport Hotel Recommendations for Feb 09

We%26#39;ve stayed at 3 out of 4 of the hotels you mentioned, and out of those I%26#39;d have to give the nod to the Marriott. Great locaton which is second only to the Newport Harbor IMO, and a bit more modern than the NH as well.

However, the preferred place to stay for my wife and I is the Admiral Fitzroy Inn. It%26#39;s more or less a cross between a hotel and a b%26amp;b. It%26#39;s in a great location on Thames St, offers free wireless internet, but the real bonus is the free off street parking. And the staff is very helpful, and friendly as well. Check out their reviews on this site, and you%26#39;ll see what I mean.

But if you decide to stick with just those you mentioned, I don%26#39;t think you can go wrong with any of them. And at that time of year you should get a great bargain on rates. Enjoy!

Newport Hotel Recommendations for Feb 09

Hyborian is right. You can%26#39;t really go wrong with any of the above. I guess it depends on what your looking for in a hotel. Marriott and Newport Harbor hotels have your standard, more generic rooms, while hotels like the Viking, Vanderbilt and Mill Street have the historic appeal. Both the Viking and Vanderbilt have recently undergone multi-million dollar renovations. Mill Street is in a old, restored mill (of course) and is all suites. I like the Vanderbilt but that%26#39;s just my opinion. I also agree with hyborian concerning the smaller Inns and B%26amp;B%26#39;s of Newport. Newport is one of those destinations that staying in a B%26amp;B makes sense. Most of them are historic, beautifully furnished and cozy, especially in the winter. The included breakfasts are delicious and you can also tap into the owners wealth of knowledge concerning Newport. With the economy so bad, I would prefer to give my money to these folks than a corporation like Marriott. Regardless of what you decide, I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll both enjoy your first visit to Newport and it probably won%26#39;t be your last. Enjoy and good luck.

The picture is getting murkier now. Maybe too much reading can be harmful to making a decision. I%26#39;ve been reading great reviews for La Farge Pery %26amp; Francis Malbone B%26amp;B%26#39;s. They are similar in price range for that weekend and both have fireplace rooms which Attwater Villa lacks (but AV has much lower pricing and rated #1 by travelers).

So now I%26#39;ve, eh hum, ';narrowed'; the list to the following weighing good reviews and low pricing versus more expensive w/ fireplace and other amenities as well as positive reviews:

Marriot

Attwater Villa

La Farge Perry

Francis Malbone

Vanderbilt

Please feel free to offer comments on any experiences at of these.

Thanks

You might be surprised at how affordable Castle Hill might be in the middle of February. I%26#39;d give them a call to see what mid-winter prices they might have.

Thanks LocalObserver. I did call last week for pricing at Castle Hill. Everything I was quoted was over $300/ni and I definitely wanted to stay under that rate. Although it may be beautiful, you really spend a minimal amount of your waking hours in the room. I want to be able to put some money towards tours, meals and other activities or souveniers while we are there. So it will be a delicate balance between luxuriousness and affordability. The establishments mentioned above are under the $300 threshold for many/most of their rooms.

I%26#39;ll put my vote in for Francis Malbone. Beautiful and historic with a perfect downtown/harborfront location. Free parking, gourmet breakfasts and crackling fireplaces add to the overall value. It is one of those 3 night minimum places. Are you aware of that?

Thanks Will007. According to what I read on their website, I don%26#39;t believe the 3 night minimum @ the Francis Malbone applies to certain periods of the year. Winter seems to be excluded except on certain holiday weekends. When I called to get some information on the Inn, the person who took my call did not mention that requirement when I gave her my dates of interest for reservation.

Hammer,

I just typed in your dates on their website and it came back as 3 night minimum. I%26#39;m sure it has to do with Valentines Day falling on a Saturday. I know you spoke with someone already, but maybe they forgot it was Valentines Weekend. Or maybe they will take you for 2 nights. Just be sure if that%26#39;s the place you%26#39;ve chosen. Good luck.