Breakfast And Bed At The Point Pleasant Inn In Bristol, Rhode Island
Come to the Point Pleasant Inn for the waterfront views, tasteful décor, warmth of the staff, and all that Bristol, R.I., has to offer. Stay for the open bar and delicious food.
Just 15 miles north of Newport, Point Pleasant Inn is a luxurious resort located on 25 acres on the Poppasquash Peninsula at Bristol Harbor. Similar in price and reputation to some of the prestigious inns in nearby Newport, Point Pleasant Inn is more secluded country house resort than Gilded Age mansion. And the people in historic Bristol, which is an historic sailing-oriented town with upscale shops and fine dining, are more low-key than the mega-yacht crowd in Newport.
There are seven guest rooms in the 33-room inn, which was built in 1940. Several of the rooms have fireplaces and they all have a private bath. I stayed in the spacious Bristol Harbor suite, which has its own private deck facing the harbor, a sitting area by the fireplace, an antique writing desk, and a really comfortable four-poster mahogany bed. The inn also has a library, gallery area, living room, formal dining room, and a billiards and Ping-Pong room, as well as a sauna and fitness area. There's an outdoor swimming pool and hot tub, bicycles, and a tennis court.
All the activities are included, and so is the fully stocked liquor cabinet and refrigerator of mixers, wine, beer, and soft drinks, which guests have access to anytime. There are homemade cookies in the entry foyer and they serve hot and cold hors d'oeuvres in the afternoon. There's a refreshment room and espresso maker by the second-floor guest rooms with a variety of complimentary chips and candy, soft drinks, ice cream flavors, coffees, and teas. The all-inclusive feature makes the room rates more palatable.
Every morning, Franny, the chef, prepares a homemade breakfast buffet that includes juice and coffee, fruit, breads, yogurt, salmon and bagels, and several hot dishes. I enjoyed the oven-roasted Scotch egg, which is a hard-boiled egg wrapped in breakfast sausage and breadcrumbs, a gastro-pub favorite, and the cream cheese- and blueberry-stuffed French toast.
The Hafer family, who own Point Pleasant, hasn't missed a detail. The house is beautifully decorated but has a feeling of understated elegance that is welcoming. I took advantage of the various places inside and out to sit and read, and enjoyed sipping a glass of Absolut on the rocks and nibbling on hot mushroom and cheese hors d'oeuvres before heading out for the evening with my travel companions. The beds have super soft linens and there are robes, DVD players, and Bose iPod stations in all the rooms, and books and televisions throughout.
To add to your luxury experience, call ahead to arrange for a massage therapist from Alayne White Spa in Bristol to come to the Inn. And, when you're done, head off to the America's Cup Hall of Fame/Herreshoff Marine Museum, Linden Place Museum, Blithewold Mansion, Gardens, and Arboretum, or take a walking tour of the Federal and Colonial homes in the waterfront district.