Ahhh Nantucket…one of New England’s most coveted idyllic islands that you visit and soon realize that you just well, never really want to leave. My husband Cameron and I did a day trip to Nantucket last year and just fell in love with the incredibly beautiful architecture, breathtaking views, and picture-perfect backdrop for a perfect summer day. Not to mention some of the best hydrangeas you will ever see! The thing that most people don’t realize is that Nantucket is just as charming and gorgeous during it’s off-season. I went with my two sweet friends Kristy of Kristy and New England , Helen of Style Inherited, and our three little pups! We discovered that we all had small dogs about the same size on a road trip to Upstate New York a few months ago and joked about how cool it would be to all go to Nantucket one day and bring them along. Well, The Nantucket Hotel & Resort made our dreams come true and I can’t tell you how truly memorable and fun this experience was!
Today I will be taking you on our adventure as we visit Travel Advisors #1 Luxury Hotel in the country, The Nantucket Hotel & Resort . Ready to hop aboard?!
How we got there
I am based along the shoreline in the middle of Connecticut, so from the Fairfield County area to Hyannis, MA it – takes about 3-3.5 hours.
From here you will need to hop on a ferry to get to the island. There is also flights on to the island If you want to travel direct, but I will say that the ferry is so easy to travel on that I would recommend this first. The ferry that we used was the Steamship Authority in Hyannis, MA. The ferry ride is about one hour and it will drop you off at the Nantucket Terminal. You can also rent a car for your stay or bring your own car. For this trip, we used The Nantucket Hotel and Resort’s shuttle as well as used the hotel’s courtesy car for a day of adventuring around the island
Lodging
The Nantucket Hotel & Resort is one of those places that you will always remember staying at. It’s incredibly special and stunning and the experience in itself will leave a lasting impression on your heart – trust me. 🙂 I had always hoped to stay here one day, so this truly was an experience that I was excited to check off of my bucket list!
If you’ve been following me for a while you know that I have a deep love for historic inns and hotels! Well, The Nantucket Hotel & Resort was originally named Point Breeze and opened in the summer of 1891. The hotel would have good old fashioned clambakes and live music for visitors to enjoy – something that they still do to this day! The hotel has a really lovely page about the history of the hotel and they also have photos of the original structure of the building – be sure and take a look!
One of the best things about The Nantucket Hotel & Resort is that they are the only full-service hotel open on the island year-round. They also have a beautiful maritime decor inspired restaurant called Breeze that specializes in New England Coastal and International cuisine. The food was outstanding and the atmosphere is top-notch! More on this later…
I also was incredibly impressed with the hotel’s COVID-19 safety precautions. We felt 100% taken care of and safe during our visit. There was always a fresh bottle of sanitizer in eyesight in every room and masks are required at all times – as well as outdoors in Nantucket. One of the best things about our visit was the amazing staff! From the reception desk to the concierge to the bellman – it was as good as it gets. They anticipated our needs and made us feel right at home!
We stayed in East Cottage 1 which is a beautiful two bedroom two bath cottage that is pet-friendly! I swear I could live in this little cottage!
One of my favorite things about this cottage was the big private deck in front of your cottage. It really was the perfect spot to relax and drink our morning coffee as well as eat our tasty boxed breakfast that they offer to guests. It is also right next to the grass area for pets – so we were able to easily walk out throughout the day to let our furry friends out to do their business. 🙂
It also has a lovely living room with big bright windows that let the morning light in. The kitchenette is fully stocked and with all the goods and they even had a big kennel to use for our pups – not to mention the cutest dog bed ever (pictured above!).
The room that I stayed in had a beautiful and soft queen size bed. It was the perfect size room for a couple, littles or for yourself! I also loved the coastal decor. I need this whale pillow in my life!
There are two bathrooms in the cottage. The room that I stayed in with Kai had a large soaking tub and separate shower. It also had two sinks and lots of space to get ready!
They also gave us a tour of their three bedroom premium sweet! This suite was stunning and perfect for a family or friends trip! You can view this room here.
Hotel Ammenities
Dine at the Breeze…
Be sure and dine at Breeze – the restaurant at The Nantucket Hotel that specializes in New England Coastal and International cuisine. We enjoyed a lovely dinner here and were so impressed with the food! Be sure and try the Truffle Frites!
These outfits are all by one of our favorite local brands Sailor Sailor Clothing! You can find my dress here!
Enjoy a warm fire and smores outdoors at The Nantucket Hotel and Resort
We were so excited that the hotel offered a private fire pit for guests. It was definitely chilly in the evenings so this made for a great and very memorable experience with friends. We made our reservation to use the fire pit by calling ahead and they brought us all of the ‘smore makings to have at it! We were also very far from any other guests so we felt really well taken care of for covid safety precautions!
You can find this cozy holiday Chappy Wrap blanket here!
Enjoy the lounge and gift shop
The Nantucket Gift shop the cutest resort souvenirs for you to purchase to remember your stay! I loved the sweaters on display and cute custom Scout bags for lunches!
The lounge was filled with books and movies for you to peruse. They had a table filled with maps, newspapers and history of the island so that you could easily access plan your time while on the island!
Take a dip in the heated pool or visit the Nantucket Club
During the busy season they have two beautiful heated pools for you to use. They look so lovely and I can’t wait to check these out during the summer months. They also have The Nantucket club which is their fitness studio and spa!
Things to do in Nantucket
We visited the first week of November and were able to catch the tail end of fall right before we headed into the holidays. The island was so much quieter and it made the experience so relaxing and easy to get around. It also made us feel extra safe right now with Covid safety precautions.
Take a drive or rent a bike to go sightseeing…
If you’re able – I highly suggest renting a bike or taking the shuttle or car to visit the beautiful Siasconset know as “Sconset” on the Northside of the island. Imagine little seafaring cottages covered in blooms and old seashell doorknockers. My friends – it is right out of a storybook and in my opinion is a must-see when visiting Nantucket Island. We rented our bikes from The Nantucket Bike Shop and they were so great to work with! We just loved these little baskets. *I would not recommend riding a bicycle with a pup inside – unless they are safely harnessed in – it can be dangerous! I plopped Kai in for this shot and then carefully took her back out. 🙂
Visit a Lighthouse…Brant Point Lighthouse and Sankaty Head Light
Start at Brant Point which is just a 15 minute walk down the road from the hotel to visit the beautiful Brant Point Lighthouse. We enjoyed a tasty boxed lunch from the Nantucket Hotel and it really hit the spot!
Striped sweater by Saint James – you can find this here! ( I love this sweater so much and sizes go up to a size 20! I will note it is a fitted sweater so size up for a little more room.)
Up next you will want to head to ‘Sconset to visit the iconic Sankaty Head Light. I had always wanted to see this lighthouse and It was just as beautiful as I had imagined!
- You can find this cute zippered tote here by Barrington Gifts!
- You can find this lovely striped dress over at J. Alden Clothiers! (it’s one of my favorite dresses in my closet!)
Visit Siasconset and walk ‘Sconset Bluff
Once at Sankaty Head Light – head on back into the Old Historic District of Siasconset (Sconset)to walk the stunning ‘Sconset Bluff Walk. Cameron and I had done this before and It is a lovely walk right along the bluffs! You walk right along the water and also get to peak at the homes along the trail! After this, take a walk through ‘Sconset and slowly meander through the small roads and cottages and take in the history of the island.
You can find this fun holiday blanket by Chappy Wrap here! I’m such a fan of this brand and can’t get over the quality and warmth of these amazing blankets.
Go Shopping in Brant Point
Brant Point has an amazing selection of shops for you to walk through! The downtown is beautiful and has lots of lovely brick buildings and even a cobble stone road that goes right down downtown. Another fun thing is that a lot of the stores are pet friendly, so your furry well behaved friend can join in on the fun.
Below are a few of my favorite Nantucket shops! Please note there are SO many amazing stores on the island and I still have lots more of them to go see! :
- ACK 4170
- Murray’s Toggery Shop
- Mitchells Book Corner
- Polo Ralph Lauren- Nantucket
- Nantucket Looms
- 28 Centre Point
Walk Old North Wharf
Next up – head on over to Old North Wharf in Brant Point! This is a beautiful wharf that was built in 1770. The original homes were destroyed by a fire in the 1840’s but in the 1870’s the little wharf was up and running again. These fishing shanties and workshops were eventually converted to artists’ studios, summer cottages, and “picnic houses.”
You can find this super cute handmade clutch by my friend Roula of the beautiful New England brand, Sewcialite at this link!
Take time to relax and head to the beach…
Head on over to Steps Beach just down the road from the Nantucket Hotel and enjoy a gorgeous view of the bluffs and ocean! If you have a certified off road vehicle you can also drive on the beach – I want to do this one day!
Their are lots of other beaches on the island for you to visit, so If you have a bit more time be sure and check out! A few recommended beaches are Surfside Beach, Madaket Beach, Cisco, and Sconset Beach.
In conclusion…
The Nantucket Hotel and Resort is an iconic place to stay when you’re on the island! After visiting I definitely see why Travel Advisor rated it the #1 luxury hotel in the country. You will make memories here that will last a lifetime AND see one of New England’s most coveted places! If you haven’t been before I can’t recommend it enough. If you have been – I hope you visit Nantucket during the off-season and holidays!
If you would like to see our day by day experiences on the island please be sure and visit my Instagram story highlights at the link below:
—> Full video recap of The Nantucket Hotel
Thanks for reading and wishing you a very happy winter season!
