There are places that shift with the tides and there are places that hold—Weekapaug Inn, graciously, does both.
The first time I stayed here, before the $20 million renovation, the inn had a worn gentleness I adored. The wallpaper peeled in polite corners, the doorknobs turned like old hands, and the quilts were soft with memory. I remember salt breezes sneaking through loose windowpanes and the slightly crooked views of Quonochontaug Pond. It was imperfect in the way good things often are—full of soul, history, and the comfort of something held together more by love than lacquer.
the interiors hum with warmth and intention—feather-top beds, marble-accented bathrooms, and panoramic views
Now, more than a decade after its thoughtful reimagining, Weekapaug still feels deeply familiar—only now, it knows itself better. Painstakingly restored in 2012 and invited into the Relais & Châteaux family just three months after reopening, the Inn is still every bit the classic New England retreat, but one with modern grace and geothermal bones. The red cedar shingles and red shutters remain, but the interiors hum with warmth and intention—feather-top beds, marble-accented bathrooms, and panoramic views of the pond, the cove, or the Atlantic just beyond.
There are 33 rooms, including four two-bedroom Signature Suites and two Carriage House Suites. Each is subtly different, stitched with a mix of modern Yankee décor, vintage pieces salvaged from the original inn, and custom textiles chosen by longtime local designer Nancy Taylor. It’s this attention to emotional memory—not just aesthetics—that sets Weekapaug apart. There are guests who still request the exact room their grandmother once loved. The window placement. The direction of the breeze. It matters.
The Signature Suites—like the Osprey, Green Heron, and Piping Plover—are palatial and private, with windows on three sides, full kitchens, en suite laundry, gas fireplaces, and private decks with soaking tubs that overlook the pond and catch the late afternoon light like honey. The Carriage House Suites, just a stroll from the saline pool and fitness center, feel more tucked away—perfect for couples, longer stays, or guests who want to disappear (but beautifully).
Still, it’s not just the rooms. It’s the rhythm.
Dining at Weekapaug is a farm-to-table love letter to Rhode Island. Chef Andrew Brooks’ tasting menu is seasonally poetic: fluke mosaic with pickled fiddleheads, doppio ravioli filled with Narragansett ricotta, duck confit with kohlrabi and cherry, and goat cheese cheesecake with rhubarb. The wine pairings—Schramsberg, Ameztoi Txakoli, Sinskey—elevate it all without pretense. If you’d rather keep your shoes off and your shoulders loose, head to The Deck, where the lobster linguine, clam chowder, and citrus salads come with a breeze and a view.
Sundays bring family-style lobster boils on the lawn, and Thursday evenings in summer mean barbecue under the stars, toes in the grass and a house red in hand. For something more casual (or kid-friendly), the Bathhouse Menu offers white clam pizza, pulled pork grilled cheese, quinoa bowls, and smoothies with local honey—served with watermelon and a wink.
It’s easy to pass a day doing nothing: a book on the porch, a nap in the sun, a slow drift in the saline pool. But for those who need movement, the Inn’s onsite naturalist and activities team can build a custom itinerary around your mood—birdwatching, sailing, kayaking, sunrise fishing, bocce, biking, stargazing, even daily access to the Ocean House sister property in Watch Hill for additional spa or fitness offerings.
Weddings and gatherings unfold in chic indoor-outdoor function spaces, softened by sea air and candlelight. There’s even a fire pit for s’mores at night, a ritual that has become something of a sacred rite among guests both young and young-at-heart.
What I find most moving about Weekapaug, though, is not what it has—but what it holds. It holds time. It holds story. And it holds still.
It is New England, distilled: flannel and linen, rocky coastline and garden basil, restraint and romance.
You don’t come here to be dazzled.
You come to be remembered.
And long after you leave, you will be.
