“What was this building before?” is Howard Cushing’s favorite question. That’s because this patrician, shingled white building facing Newport harbor fits in so completely with the other buildings in this Rhode Island town known for its 18th century houses but also for sailing and society socializing. Though Cushing has a history in Newport as a descendant of a prominent family that includes the artist Howard Gardiner Cushing, his great grandfather, the building doesn’t: it’s a new build created by Cushing and partner Wirt Blaffer. But as Gardiner House, a boutique hotel that soft opened in September, it feels immediately in sync with Gilded Age grandeur-just with contemporary style.
That grandeur is visible as soon as you enter. Framed by an intricate Murano chandelier, a colorful, fanciful mural of tropical birds, trees and vines sweeps around the lobby walls and up the grand staircase, as murals would in Gilded Age mansions. This one, however, is a digitally produced reproduction of one that Howard Gardiner Cushing created and is still on the walls of The Ledges, the house that he built here, now passed down to Cushing. It’s obviously an item of curiosity since nonresidents of the hotel frequently climb the front stairs to come in to take a look.
The other rooms on the lobby floor have an easy elegance that reflects back to an earlier age but with a contemporary edge. Cushing explains that there’s so much more to Newport than just its famous grand mansions. “There are so many layers to Newport,” he says. “Especially the community here.” On any given night, many in that community are here in the Studio Bar, a forest green room with a crackling wood burning fireplace in the center, a golden ceiling and a bar for classic or creative cocktails and lighter meals such as lobster sliders. (The hotel’s restaurant is scheduled to open late spring/early summer with a chef who was previously in charge of the kitchen at Richard Branson’s Moskito Island. Located on the second floor, it also has panoramic views of the waterfront.)
Waterfront views are also prime components of the other lobby level rooms. The Sun Room, where a light breakfast is currently served (accompanied by an aristocratic touch: linen napkins embroidered with a bird and branch scene from the mural along with the initials GH) has floor to ceiling windows extending on both sides of the room filling the room with harbor scenery. The 2,400 square foot Gardiner Ballroom is destined to become an event space for both locals and outsiders who want to hold their weddings in Newport based on the conversations of event planners I overheard checking out the space. But now, it’s a breezy, sunny room with peacock chairs, contemporary silver light fixtures
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The way people usually travel is all wrong, says visionary hotelier Thierry Teyssier. And for more than two decades, he’s been showing them how to do it better. His latest venture, 700,000 Heures Impact, is spreading to a new continent—and proving that regenerative travel doesn’t have to be lectures and compromises but can instead be real encounters and comforts.
A visit from the Windy City to the City of Seven Hills just got easier. On Sunday, ITA Airways, Italy’s main airline, launched new service connecting Chicago and Rome. The route will initially operate six times a week, and will soon increase to seven times a week in June, the airline shared in a press release. The 9 hour and 20 minute flight will depart Chicago's O'Hare International Airport at 3:00 p.m. and arrives in Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport at 7:20 a.m. the next morning. The route will operate with three different cabins (Business, Premium Economy, and Economy) on an Airbus A330neo aircraft.
Looking to do something unique this summer? Skip crowded cities like Paris and Rome and consider a chic (and much less crowded) island getaway off the coast of Spain.
The competition to nab a highly coveted license to operate a casino in New York City is heating up, and as new names enter the fray, it's likely to get even hotter.
In a groundbreaking move, the prestigious MICHELIN Guide unveils its inaugural ranking of MICHELIN Keys for France today, marking its first foray into hotels. With 189 distinguished establishments across France among the 600 hotels in the new guide, Michelin celebrates the talent and dedication of these hospitality professionals, setting a new standard for excellence in the hotel industry. As MICHELIN's inspectors continue to scour the planet for the best in class, hotel rankings for other destinations are to follow later this month.
There’s magic in a good hotel bar—you never know who is coming or going or what interesting things they might be getting up to pre- or post-cocktail. Hotel bars are one of the best ways to cultivate a feeling of travel at home, or on the other hand, enjoy a nightcap before heading up to your hotel room or a refreshment before exploring your destination.
One of the world’s most legendary properties, Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, reopens its doors this week for what promises to be a busy season in the Venice lagoon. This year, the Venice Biennale celebrates its 60th edition, while timeless attractions continue to draw crowds. Whether you visit for art, gastronomy or romance, Venice is a destination that never goes out of style — and its popularity means it is invariably busy. But for those in-the-know, and with the means to spend, there’s one hotel that stands out thanks to its serenity and position.
The luxurious Aguas de Ibiza Grand Luxe Hotel reopens for the 2024 season with a new Peruvian group dining proposition to complement its existing eco-wellness offering. Ideally located in the vibrant Santa Eulalia region, the 5-star hotel comprises 145 airy and spacious rooms and suites, many of which offer breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea. The pet and family-friendly hotel embraces a holistic approach, rooted in Feng Shui interiors based on natural elements. Characteristic seashells and iridescent tiles feature across the hotel’s rooms and shared spaces, said to eliminate bad energy and restore harmonious balance.