What it is

A spanking new 57-room retreat set directly on Newport Harbor, with design-y interiors, an already legendary pajama brunch and a rooftop bar.

What it isn't

Staying on dry land. The hotel has its own 36-foot-long Hinckley Picnic Boat—in case you feel like hopping on the frothy water for a sunset tipple.

What we think

Nothing about the Brenton is standard-issue—bringing a necessary dose of fun to Newport, founded in 1639. Let’s start with their debaucherous weekend brunch, where throwback cartoons play, dishes include homemade toaster pastries that put Pop-Tarts to shame, and showing up in your P.J.'s is a must. Or the fact that curated events with experts may include, say, an evening chat with author Peter Lance, who wrote “Homicide at Rough Point”—which details Newport heiress Doris Duke’s alleged murder of her decorator in 1966. Guest room interiors are nautical and vaguely Scandinavian-inspired at the same time, with touches of shiplap and plenty of yacht-esque blonde wood. Starter rooms feel large (beginning at 450 square feet), but to spread your seagull wings a bit, we recommend booking a suite—they’re 1,200 square feet; equipped with a living room, two king bedrooms and two baths; all set within the hotel’s rounded radius. Either way, you’ll be pampered with Malin & Goetz toiletries and downy beds swaddled in 400-thread-count Matouk linens. Aaah.

You're here because

It’s not a true vacay without a few cocktails on a rooftop bar—even better if it’s one within a few steps of your guest room. The Rooftop here has a seagull’s panorama over the harbor and a small but stellar menu (order the bacon-studded lobster rolls, grilled peaches with chevre, and Chef’s Kiss cocktail with tequila, pineapple and fresh herbs).

The Moment

After a sunrise yoga session on the rooftop and an in-room massage, your to-do list for the day is dwindling. Only one task left: kicking back Bluff Hill Cove oysters in sake mignonette in The Living Room restaurant. Living, indeed.

Restaurants & Bars

The Living Room - Local cuisine with an ocean-side view

The Bar at LR - Unique cocktails

The Rooftop - Light meals and cocktails

Location

Fronting America’s Cup Avenue and glimmering Newport Harbor, a two mile drive from The Breakers—the circa 1895 Beaux-Arts summer getaway of the Vanderbilt’s.