TL;DR

Location: Historic Newport, Rhode Island, on the beginning of the Cliff Walk.
Style: Mansion-turned-hotel with vintage charm and Lark Hotel sophistication.
History: Victorian-era building with past owners’ personalities preserved in rooms.
Art: Features works by painter Beatrice Turner.
Brand: One of three Lark Hotel properties in Newport.
Check prices here

Finding a mansion-turned-hotel is not hard to do in historic Newport, but one as charming as the Cliffside Inn can be elusive.

Perched on the beginning of the gorgeous Cliff Walk, it’s one of three Lark Hotel properties in the city. And here again this local New England hotel brand offers style and sophistication.

It’s a fairly common tale for an upscale Newport property – in 1876 a nearby Governor built a Victorian-style mansion to ‘summer’ in.

It was briefly converted into a schoolhouse, but a beautiful house in Newport can’t last long until it’s someone’s summer home again.

Unless, of course, it turns into a hotel, and The Cliffside Inn honors its history by maintaining the varied personalities of its owners in its different rooms.

It’s captured some of the grandeur of a governor, the flair of a socialite, and the creativity of the reclusive painter Beatrice Turner.

She summered in the house all her adult life, and developed a close relationship to Newport. Cliffside retains all her known works, many of which still adorn the walls.

What are the rooms like?

Number of rooms: 16
Room style: Each room unique, with individual themes and Lark Hotel decor.
Bed options: Queens, Kings, and all Suites with King beds.
Highlights: Cliff Suite with separate bedroom, living room, and sitting room, plus fireplaces and skylights.
Amenities: LED TVs, blackout shades, Lark room essentials, luxurious robes, and Lather toiletries.
See each room in detail here

As often happens in historic hotels, each room at the Cliffside Inn is completely unique, with its own theme and own decor.

They can be loosely divided into Queens and Kings, with all Suites sporting King beds.

All are decked out with the ornate but tasteful touch you’ll learn to expect from the Lark brand.

Queen Rooms range from 250 to 400 square feet, including the small but gorgeously decorated Blue Room, gilded in a blue and white patterns and bold black accents.

Kings are spread between a completely charming 320 square foot Loft Room and the 675 square foot Cliff Suite.

The Cliff Suite & Atlantic Suites will tempt visitors with a separate bedroom, living room, and sitting room. These are gorgeously furnished with a fireplace and skylights.

They, along with the Garden Suites, also have semi-private outdoor areas.

Anywhere you choose will include the same LED TVs, blackout shades, and Lark room essentials, which always includes a wine key and glasses. Bathrooms sport luxurious robes and Lather toiletries.

What are prices like?

Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

Style: B&B accommodations, cozy and intimate.
Food & drink: Upscale breakfast, afternoon beverage hour, 24/7 coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.
Dining spots: Parlor, library, porch, or communal fire pit.
Extras: Wine list available for guests, casual yet refined experience.

It’s B&B style accommodation, which means anyone requiring extensive fitness facilities or a late night bar in the lobby should look elsewhere.

Those used to B&B, however, will be enticed by an extensive wine list, an afternoon beverage hour, and 24/7 coffee, tea, and hot chocolate in the common area.

The breakfast at the Cliffside Inn is decidedly upscale and a great way to start the day.

Enjoy it in the parlor, the library, the porch, or one of the chairs surrounded a communal fire pit.

It’s a gem of a property you’re welcome to explore.

How is the neighborhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Main attraction: Cliff Walk, 3.5 miles with Atlantic views and Newport mansions.
Beach: First Beach within 15-minute walk.
Cultural: Newport Art Museum, Auto Museum, Elms Mansion nearby.
Shopping & dining: Bowen’s Wharf and Bellevue Avenue for cafés, shops, and restaurants.

Unsurprisingly, one of the Inn’s main attractions is the famed Cliff Walk, a 3.5 mile path that circles the peninsula and affords stunning views of the Atlantic, the rocks, and Newport’s famous mansions.

First Beach will be a 15-minute walk or less.

If you want something less outdoorsy, head into town, where the Elms Mansion, the Newport Art Museum, the Auto Museum and more are waiting.

Bowen’s Wharf is the perfect place to hang out near the sea with less sand and less walking. It offers a lively set of cafés, shops and restaurants.

You’ll find most of the tour offices here as well.

Bellevue Avenue is an easy walk, and there you can find an exhaustive selection of restaurants and bars. Ask at the Inn for recommendations and they’ll be sure to point you in the right direction.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

”Amazing breakfast, happy hour and snacks. Incredible location. Lots of other sweet little amenities like umbrellas and beach chairs. Our room was glorious and the tub was heavenly. lovely!…”

”Breakfast was delicious with many choices. We liked that the serving sizes were small so we could try all of the yummy options. Location was perfect for a stroll on the cliff walk and visits to the mansions….”

Some things guests didn’t like:

”The stairs. I’m 77 and we were on the 3 floor Walkup. Also shower was in the free standing tub with no safety rails. Something I never thought about asking….”

”Not easy to navigate for anyone with physical limitations. Stairs could be a challenge for some….”

> Read all the reviews right here