I am very excited to sit down and write the recap of my recent getaway to Newport, RI – partly because I just want to relive that weekend over & over again! It was one of those weekends where I kept repeating, “is this real life?”. I felt very lucky to be invited, alongside a group of talented and influential ladies, to stay at the new Gilded Hotel (a Lark Hotel) and explore Newport. 
Let’s take a moment to talk about the interiors, shall we? The Gilded Hotel was designed by award-winning interior designer & Director of Design for Lark Hotels, Rachel Reider, who I also had the pleasure of getting to know over the weekend. Each Lark Hotel finds unique and unexpected ways to embrace its location. The concepts all begin with Dawn Hagin, Chief Inspiration Officer, who explores the property and surrounding areas to get a feel of what the hotel could be. The Gilded Hotel, for instance, is a modern and clever twist on The Gilded Age – it’s filled with beautiful jewel tones, bold wallpaper + patterns, ornate gold accents & many moments that make you stop in your tracks to snap a photo.
Because the hotel is an old victorian home, each room is laid out a bit differently. A few of the rooms had more feminine elements with velvet, lavender accents & softer lines. Then the rest were a bit more masculine with leather + nailheads, bright blue accents, and houndstooth drapes. Both equally as beautiful and luxurious.
Okay, so I really need to take a moment to talk about the bed…I don’t think I’ve ever slept in a more comfortable bed. So much so, in fact, it sparked an entire breakfast conversation between us gals about how we had the best night’s rest and how we wanted the specs for the bed. Rachel – I am still coming after you for those! 😉 I definitely think the bed is such an important feature for a hotel as traveling can be exhausting…and they absolutely nailed it with the comfort + style!
The bathroom details were my favorite – black and white striped tile floors, brass fixtures and subway tiles + grey grout. I am definitely taking note for our new home!
How great is the billiards room?! We ended both nights in this room – there was lots of laughter, cocktails (and sparkling non-alcoholic drinks for me), and many pool sharks. Right..ladies?! 🙂
When we arrived on Friday, the beautiful lounge pictured above was transformed to accommodate us for a sparkling wine + small plates pairing dinner prepared by Erica Archer of Wine Wise Events and Delsie Catering Events. It was delicious and their teams were so creative!
Each morning we started the day with the most gorgeous curated breakfast tapas! I literally tried one of everything and it was incredible to say the least. I think two of my favorites were the blueberry oatmeal and the baked eggs with goat cheese. What I would give to wake up to this spread every morning… 
On Saturday, the Lark Hotels team treated us to manicures on the front veranda, private croquet lessons from a pro in their private courtyard, a fabulous motor yacht tour of Newport Harbor (Classic Cruises of Newport), passes to tour the mansions and some time to explore other local newport spots! Kate of Domestikated Life, and I had a great time touring the mansions together – we visited The Breakers & Rosecliff. By the end of the day, it definitely felt as though we were apart of The Gilded Age. 
Extra Touches I LOVED at The Gilded Hotel:
– You receive an ipad with your room (with fun things to do in Newport pre-programmed in)
– Complimentary Wi-Fi & Apple TV
– USB Charging Stations (I always forget my charger, so this saved me)
– Curated small plates breakfast
– Lather Products in the bathroom
– Firepit in the courtyard
– Beach bags + chairs
Newport Local Spots I Visited:
– Empire Tea & Coffee (I recommend an iced London Fog & caprese sandwich!)
– The International Tennis Hall of Fame
– The Breakers & Rosecliff Mansions
– Hope Restaurant (I recommend the Honey Mustard Pork Belly & the Tomato Salad!) Their cocktails looked delicious – but they were so gracious and made me a special mocktail!
– Castle Hill for a cocktail + a cozy Adironack chair to watch the sunset 
I cannot thank the entire Lark Hotels team enough for going above and beyond to make this weekend one to remember! Every detail of the weekend was beautifully executed and I felt like a gilded age socialite! On that note…it was definitely hard to transition back to “normal life”…I know…poor jessica 😉
I also want to thank the other ladies that were apart of the gilded getaway, it was so amazing to get to know each and every one of you!! Feel free to follow them here: @domestikateblog, @nantucketblackbook, @jackiegreaney, @sarahkjp, @jenny_johnson3, @honeyandfitz, @bosfashionista, @rrinteriors, @jaclynnbrennan, @dailyfashionista_dana). Be sure to check out our hashtag #GildedGetaway for more photos from the weekend.
Alright, who’s ready to venture to Newport with me?? Because I am more than ready for trip #2! If you are not planning on heading to Newport…but want to check out some of the other fabulous Lark Hotels, click here.
