Some hotels and inns are simply places to lay your head at night, while others are destinations, sought out by travelers from across the country and – if it’s Castle Hill Inn and Resort – from around the world.
A mansion-turned-inn located off famed Ocean Drive in Newport, Castle Hill has been accepted this year by Relais & Châteaux to become a member of its prestigious hotel association. Natalie Ward, general manager for Castle Hill, described it recently as “a shining moment” for the inn and staff.
Castle Hill Inn, Rhode Island’s only hotel to be accepted as a member of Relais & Châteaux, is among the association’s 45 U.S. properties. The association has 470 members worldwide in 55 different countries. The inn is also Rhode Island’s only hotel to be selected for TRAVEL + LEISURE magazine’s 2008 list of 500 Best Hotels in the World; one of only 82 chosen from the United States.
According to Ward, it’s not just the scenic location that consistently puts the property on the world’s best lists (the stately inn sits high on a cliff, surrounded on three sides by Narragansett Bay). It is also the work that goes into giving each guest a true Rhode Island experience.
“When we look out our windows we see God-given perfection, and we try to bring that into everything we do; to stay authentic to our history, authentic to Rhode Island,” Ward said. “Rhode Island is rich with agriculture and aquaculture, and our chefs work so hard to give all Rhode Island has to offer to our guests.”
One of the inn’s goals in applying for membership with Relais & Châteaux was to tap into the international marketplace. After much research, Castle Hill Inn chose Relais & Châteaux because of its international recognition and commitment to first-class hospitality. The association began in 1954 with seven properties in France.
“We are an independent, small luxury hotel. We wanted to be associated with an organization that would help us promote our business,” Ward said.
“This puts us on an international stage. There are people who travel exclusively on Relais & Châteaux properties,” Ward explained. “We are already getting bookings from Switzerland, Germany and France. The reach is much larger for us now.”
Owner Paul O’Reilly said Relais & Châteaux has provided tools and advice on marketing a U.S. property internationally, and he credits them for their internal marketing and branding efforts. “In the last couple years, Relais & Châteaux has become more aggressive in marketing their own brand. They are in over 10 cities now, all over Europe and Asia,” he said.
The hotel’s management isn’t alone in hoping to catch the eye of international travelers. Local Chamber of Commerce leaders are keenly aware of the benefits international tourists can bring to the local economy.
About three million tourists visit Rhode Island each year; 10 percent of which are international visitors. “Out of those 3 million, [most] of those are day trippers. Although they are important, they don’t spend the time and the money that international tourists spend,” said Keith W. Stokes, executive director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce. “Each day they’re here, they spread more money to different stores. It plays a very important role in sustaining quality tourism.”
“[Castle Hill] brings quality visitors and hosts corporate meetings,” said Stokes. “It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality, and Castle Hill attracts a quality visitor.”
To qualify for Relais & Châteaux membership, hotels and restaurants must put together a hefty application file attesting to their exclusive nature and proving they embody Relais & Châteaux’s five ideals: courtesy, charm, character, calm and cuisine.
“They want to see everything: menus, photographs of guest rooms, staffing ratios. It’s really comprehensive,” said Ward.
According to Relais & Châteaux, properties are visited anonymously after the initial screening and the reports are “rigorously reviewed” by the board of directors, who make the final decision.
Castle Hill Inn was originally built as a private home in 1874 for oceanographer and explorer Alexander Agassiz and is “a classic seaside home, with cedar shingles and clapboards,” Ward said. “All the restorations have worked to retain its authenticity.”
Guests can stay in one the nine guest rooms in the Agassiz mansion, which also houses four dining rooms. Each room has its own unique character and in keeping with 19th-century seaside décor. Guests also can stay in private beach houses, located about 100 yards from the mansion. •
