Take A Memorable Staycation In The Watch Hill Neighborhood Of Westerly, Rhode Island
By Melissa Mahoney|Published August 02, 2023
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Melissa Mahoney
Author
I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. I grew up in New England before moving to SoCal for several years. I then lived in NYC or a year before moving to AZ in 2009. I worked in the entertainment industry for many years of my adult life and have a deep love for photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream!
As local travel experts, we know what travelers are looking for when it comes to finding the perfect accommodations for their next trip. To compile our lists, we scour the internet to find properties with excellent ratings and reviews, desirable amenities, nearby attractions, and that something special that makes a destination worthy of traveling for.
Undoubtedly, the Ocean State is a desirable vacation destination for tourists. People from all over the world flock here to experience Newport’s sailing and yacht culture (not to mention the array of Gilded-age mansions), the ocean beaches of South County, and the food and art scene in Providence. Those who live here also know it’s also an incredible staycation destination. And I had the opportunity to stay here in my home state with my two children, my son’s best friend, my mother, and my sister and her family (including their dog). One of my mom’s favorite places to stay is the Ocean House in Watch Hill, an upscale coastal enclave that’s part of Westerly, Rhode Island. With this as our home base, we were able to explore Watch Hill’s quaint downtown, the beach, and natural areas on foot. It was quite a memorable staycation in Rhode Island and one of the best we’d ever had.
Hi! My name is Melissa, and I am a writer and editor for Only In Your State. I was born in New Hampshire but grew up in Rhode Island. While I’ve lived in many different states since including Massachusetts, California, New York, Maryland, Arizona, North Carolina, and South Carolina, I will always consider Rhode Island home. As small as Little Rhody is, I feel like there’s always something new to discover. And I am excited to share with you the experience my family had in Westerly’s Watch Hill!
The affluent Watch Hill neighborhood sits seaside on a peninsula in Westerly. It's home to less than 200 year-round residents and gorgeous homes with water views. When you visit, you can see why a superstar like Taylor Swift owns a vacation home here.
Associated with the Relais & Châteaux hotel group, the Ocean House is considered one of the best resorts in the world. It has won numerous accolades, received the AAA Five Diamond, and is a Forbes Five-Star Hotel.
The comfortable hotel rooms with water views, world-class service, delectable cuisine, luxurious amenities, and a private beach are only the beginning of the experience here at Ocean House. From check-in to check-out, we enjoyed every moment of our stay.
Upon arrival, the valet unloaded our bags and took our vehicle as we proceeded inside. We checked in and as we waited for our room assignments, we were handed welcome drinks. Every day in the lobby during check-in, the hotel also offers small snacks like bite-sized cupcakes and macarons as well as lemonade or iced tea.
Not only was our water-view room fairly large and comfortable with two beds but had a massive bathroom with a shower, a deep European-style soaking tub, bathrobes, and luxurious bath products. On top of that, the room came with a complimentary bottle of wine, boxes and jars filled with sweet and savory snacks, and a mini-fridge filled with complimentary soft drinks and beer.
And then there is the seemingly endless amount of amenities to enjoy. As a fitness fanatic, I was happy to see the exceptional equipment in the fitness room with a fitness studio attached. This is where yoga and pilates are taught nearly every morning.
The fitness room provides towels, water, fruit, RX protein bars, and protein drinks, all complimentary.
The indoor lap pool was another favorite spot. While kids are allowed in the pool, there are select hours during the day when it's adults only. The pool room opens up to an outdoor splash fountain with a shallow pool where kids can play any time.
Ocean House also offers daily cooking classes with one of the hotel's chefs and wine tastings with a sommelier. I was able to learn how to make fruit compote and shrimp cocktail sauce in two different classes I took and learned about underrated Italian wines at a wine tasting. I loved it!
I was also able to take a tour of the hotel one afternoon. Our knowledgeable guide gave us the history of the hotel as he led us around to parts of the hotel that are normally off-limits to guests. Areas like the members-only club and a privately-owned penthouse were probably my favorite parts of the tour. In addition to classes and tours, there is a movie room near the hotel's gelato shop that plays family-friendly movies twice a day, a billiards room, and squash courts. Outdoors, there is croquet and shuffleboard.
Then, of course, there's the private beach at Ocean House. Hotel guests can enjoy lounge chairs with beach umbrellas and concierge service. It was so relaxing to sit by the ocean and order food and drinks from the sand.
You also have the option of reserving a private cabana if you choose.
Also at the beach is Théa at Dune Cottage, one of the hotel's restaurants that serves casual beach fare. Other on-site restaurants include the five-star COAST, the casual Verandah Raw Bar located on the patio, The Bistro, and its Mexican restaurant Dalia by Dantón Valle. Reservations are recommended for the on-site restaurants.
Each of Ocean House's restaurants offers something different. But if you want breakfast during your stay, your options are dining at The Bistro or ordering room service. However, you can always venture down the hill into downtown Watch Hill and grab breakfast and coffee at a local cafe instead.
Ocean House is the perfect home base to explore Watch Hill. And you don't even need your car! Just head out the hotel's door and take a left down the street. Within five minutes, you'll be downtown.
As you're coming into downtown, you can't help but notice the carousel. This is the Flying Horse Carousel and it's one of the oldest carousels in the country. Built in 1876 as part of a traveling carnival, this historic carousel is a designated National Historic Landmark.
If you have kids with you, let them take a ride. However, only kids ages 12 and under are allowed. My daughter and nephews enjoyed many rides on this carousel!
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When walking around, I couldn't get enough of the small downtown area with boutiques, jewelry stores, souvenir shops, cafes, and a popular ice cream shop lining the streets. I loved popping into each one to see what goods were being sold.
When you're downtown, be sure to make your way to the peninsula where Napatree Point Conservation Area is located. Here you can take a hike along a 3.2-mile beach trail.
Closer to Ocean House is a road that leads to the Watch Hill Lighthouse, a must-visit historic site. Since 1745, there has been a beacon warning ships from this site. Over time, it's been added to, destroyed by the elements, rebuilt, and moved. It's had quite a history and is worth seeing.
If you find the pathway to East Beach, the public beach, you can get back to Ocean House from here. It leads right to the hotel's private beach. Just take a left and you'll find it!
One of the best parts of our stay at Ocean House was the use of one of the cars in the hotel's Mercedes fleet -- and it's complimentary with your stay! To reserve one, you must inquire at the front desk and they will take your driver's license information if one is available at the time. The valet will drive it up front and off you go!
Getting to drive a car as fast and expensive as a Mercedes SL63 was such a thrill! We drove around all these little side streets, to the beaches, and through Watch Hill and loved every second of it! If you're able to stay at Ocean House, I highly recommend taking advantage of this perk.
Needless to say, our staycation in Watch Hill was amazing! We all had such a great time that we want to come here again next summer.
So, how about heading to Watch Hill for a day trip or a staycation in Rhode Island? I can’t recommend it enough! With its natural beauty, pristine beaches, charming downtown, historic sites, and luxurious resorts, it’s an exceptional getaway destination in the Ocean State.
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