The Wauwinet Nantucket

The best part of Wauwinet for us was the kind, attentive staff, both at the front desk and running the shuttle into town. Our cottage was comfortable, beautifully decorated and tidy. A delivery of chocolate covered strawberries for our anniversary was delightful and we enjoyed the afternoon port and cheese gathering in the library. Since we were there in the offseason (October) and the weather was particularly blustery, we were unable to enjoy even walking the gorgeous beaches which on another day, would have been a highlight for us. Because the hotel is a 20 to 25 minute shuttle ride into town, I think, particularly in the offseason, we may have been happier closer to the action. My major complaint was the pre-concierge service (which is a terrific idea) highly recommended the in-house restaurant Topper's for our anniversary dinner. They apparently did not know that the usual menu had been discontinued and we were stuck choosing from a glorified lunch menu, a huge disappointment for me on our last night in Nantucket.

My wife and I were eagerly looking forward to our stay at this luxury resort, but our excitement quickly turned to disappointment. We had booked what was advertised as a "superior room with a view" for $800 a night, only to find ourselves charged $1,200. This was not peak season, in fact the summer beach activities like Kayaks were no longer available for the season. But we were charged for peak season. As we made our way to the room, we were greeted by outdated furnishings, mismatched artwork, and a musty smell that the staff seemed to be attempting to mask with a ceiling fan running at full speed. The room was not only small but also decorated in a style that reminded me of my grandmother’s old cottage, complete with hand-me-down, hand-painted furniture. To add to the confusion, there was a "happy birthday" cupcake waiting for us. When we mentioned it wasn’t our birthday, we were told that our original room had been given to someone else who requested a change, leaving us with this cramped space. There was barely enough room to unpack our bags, and entering the bathroom required fully opening the door. The television was poorly mounted, with exposed wires, and its odd placement made it impossible to watch from the bed. The carpet had noticeable stains, and the bathroom mirror was hanging off the wall, desperately in need of caulking. The "superior view" consisted of two small windows that barely offered a glimpse of the dunes. When we inquired about a better room for the price we were charged, we were told the hotel was fully booked. On a positive note, the resort provided a nice car for us to use to explore the town, though it was a 20-minute drive, necessitating their shuttle service for trips back and forth. There are certainly better places to stay in town that offer more convenience. We also dined at Toppers, which is touted as one of the best restaurants on the island. Unfortunately, the décor felt stuffy and dated. The three-course meal started at $125 per person, but the portions were small and lacking in flavor. When my wife asked for a specific dressing on her salad, the rude waiter replied, "You should order something else," making for an uncomfortable dining experience. Fortunately, breakfast was enjoyable, and the servers were professional and courteous. We reached out to the manager, Shaun, to discuss our concerns about the room quality and the high charge. He indicated he would consider adjusting the bill but never followed up. What was supposed to be a special first-time vacation turned into a disappointing experience marked by poor customer service and unmet expectations. Just because you are paying a premium does not mean you will get it here, Beware.

My mother and I go to the Wauwinet every year. We always enjoy every minute of our stay there. From the minute we get picked up from the ferry everyone is super sweet. The food is exceptional. As someone with celiac disease eating out can be challenging and they are always so accommodating. Just made my reservation for this July and I am counting down the days.

My wife and I celebrated our wedding anniversary on the island and stayed at the Wauwinet. First of all, the staff was amazing, so helpful and friendly they really made our stay that much more special. I can't say enough about how professional warm and accommodating the staff is. And a special thank you to Venosha for her exceptional care and assistance. We stayed in a cottage that was very nice and private, the hotel is very beautiful, with many interesting antique pieces throughout. We dined at "Toppers" and enjoyed a delicious gourmet meal. I would definitely recommend a stay at the Wauwinet and we would love to return to such a magical place.

We had a fabulous pre-season visit to the Wauwinet where Sean Burpee and his team lived up to everything we've come to expect from Relais & Chateaux properties: top-quality service, decor and cuisine. The real advantage of the Wauwinet is its location, away from the tourists and crowds of downtown. We made use of the hotel's well-maintained bikes and had a great trip to 'Sconset and its bluff footpath overlooking the Atlantic. The regular shuttle service to downtown makes it easy to get to other island offerings like the Whaling Museum where we spent several hours learning about the island's fascinating history. Our 4-course dinner at Toppers made creative use of local seafood and produce. The amuse bouche on its own was like a fifth course and revealed Kyle Zachary's innovative style. Great wine recommendation from sommelier Jason Irving. Wonderful way to welcome spring and recharge the batteries with quiet walks along Wauwinet's pristine beach and cycling excursions on excellent bike paths.

My wife and I recently stayed at the Wauwinet for three nights on our first trip to Nantucket, and we had a very positive experience. The Wauwinet is a small luxury inn that really impressed us with its good sense of place, warm and thoughtful service, and generally lovely décor and views. Although it is isolated from most of Nantucket, staying at the Wauwinet is tranquil and upscale. Location: We’ve wanted to visit Nantucket for many years, and a lot of the information I read pointed to the Wauwinet as being one of the most luxurious hotels on the island, with the only con being its location 9 miles from town on narrow, winding roads (an approximately 20-minute drive). The hotel really is out on its own at the very end of the paved road, and we received advice not to stay there for our first trip to Nantucket. Despite this, as we looked at hotels, we just never quite found another hotel that we liked as much as the Wauwinet. It ultimately was a good choice, but I do certainly see the benefit of staying in town, especially on a first trip to the island. You simply can’t beat the convenience of walking right out of your hotel and having all of the dining and shopping at your fingertips. However, for a more serene experience with grounds overlooking the water and its own beaches, you can’t really beat the Wauwinet. I did appreciate that the hotel does its best to minimize difficulty caused by its location, such as by offering a free shuttle to town, which drops off and picks up guests outside the tourist information office. The shuttle also stops closer to the ferry docks as well. The shuttle leaves the hotel half past the hour starting at 9:30 am, and then leaves to return to the hotel at the top of every hour, with 11:00 pm being the last trip back from town. The shuttle was comfortable and the drivers were wonderful and friendly every time we used it. We took the shuttle when we could, but the timing didn’t always quite work for us, particularly when trying to get to town for specific meal reservation times. In my ideal world, the shuttle would depart the hotel every half hour to be the most useful. We ended up choosing to Uber instead when the times didn’t quite work, or when we wanted to go elsewhere on the island. I also believe there is a boat transfer into town, but it was too early in the season for that to be offered when we visited in early June. Ubers are pretty reliable on Nantucket, but they can take a while to get to the hotel since it’s isolated, and we had a couple of issues where drivers would cancel once they realized where we were located. We found that Ubers were usually around $30 each way to town or the airport, and slightly less to Sconset. Another transportation option the hotel offers that isn’t well publicized is a complimentary BMW X5 that guests can check out for a half-day period. We never saw anything about this before our stay, but the staff mentioned it at check-in. My understanding is that the car can’t be r