Wauwinet, Nantucket

The Wauwinet is a beautiful property; the restaurant, lawn, and beach are all highlights. Staff were so friendly and helpful as well. Good to know: the restaurant is open to the public for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The hotel feels like it’s totally open to the public and there’s a constant stream of people walking around the property to explore, have a look, visit the bar, and lounge on the chairs in the lawn. Nothing is really off limits besides the guest rooms, and by cocktail hour there isn’t an empty seat on the lawn. Because of this, there really isn’t a lot of privacy or exclusivity and for the price we would rather stay elsewhere and enjoy the property in the daytime like everyone else.

$2,000 a night setting — $200 a night rooms. We stayed at the Wauwinet for four nights over Labor Day weekend, and would highly recommend — with one caveat re: price. The positives (many!): First, the staff are delightful. Helpful without being too officious and just make you feel very welcome. Second, the setting for Nantucket cannot be beat by anything else on the island. You have the charming bay on one side and the expansive, beautiful beach right across the road. Chairs, towels and umbrellas are always at the ready for either, as are paddle boards and kayaks. Third, you’re far from town. Now, I know some people would find this to be a downside but we loved being away from the crowds and dipping into town when we felt like it. Being in the thick of it at the height of summer — no thank you (for us!) Here’s the caveat: the price. Yes, we stayed during a holiday weekend in summer in Nantucket, but $1700 a night for what it is — that price sets an expectation and The Wauwinet simply doesn’t meet that expectation, at that price. That price is what Hotel du Cap in Antibes charges, for example, and there’s simply no comparison. The Wauwinet is out of its depth at that price: 1) Tiny rooms — in ours, no desk, no desk chair (so if you need to do any work…) 2) The bathroom door barely cleared the vanity when opening and closing 3) Decorating that can only be described as a step up from a motel, but not much higher. So we recommend the Wauwinet, for sure, but be sure you understand what to expect based on the price you will pay, so you’re not disappointed and your expectations are managed.

I had an outstanding experience at The Wauwinet. My stay was for a business trip and I was managing more than one room. My personal checkin was smooth and friendly. My first impressions were formed from the shaded rocking chairs on the way to the reception and a clean lobby area. After walking in, there were three employees at the reception desk. They all looked up and smiled. The desk associate checked to see if my room was available for an early checkin and didn’t just default to the posted checkin time. My room was light, clean, and well kept. It was further equipped with books, board games, and Sonos speaker. Recreation was covered! I didn’t find any of the maintenance/cleaning issues that are usually overlooked at hotels. When checking-in a second room for a colleague, the desk associate could not have been more accommodating. In this instance, I had many requests outside of a normal stay. She didn’t bat an eye. Everything was done to accommodate our requests. Don’t hesitate when questioning whether to stay here. You will not regret it.

Beautiful setting and comfortable hotel on the bay. Extremely pricey, but the relaxing setting makes up for it. We enjoyed the extra amenities of using the property BMW for a half day and riding into town on the house boat

Lunch stop! Great food and quick service. Beautiful old place worth a drive and a stop but not inexpensive but it seems that nothing on Nantucket is so… Food was delicious. I’ll be back.