The Wauwinet — Hotel 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 But we were charged for peak season.||As we made our way to the room, we were greeted by outdated furnishings, mismatched artwork, and a musty smell that the staff seemed to be attempting to mask with a ceiling fan running at full speed.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...

Looking for a relaxing getaway to recharge without the hustle and bustle of downtown. The Wauwinet fit the mark perfectly and even more so. Picked up at the ferry and whisked about 25 minutes away to a secluded charming resort. Check in was a breeze, our luggage whisked away without worry. Our room was not yet ready so we changed into our bathing suits and relaxed in the most comfortable chaise lounges overlooking the bay. Ordered lunch and just chilled out, all our cares washed away immediately. Our room 101, was ground floor with an outdoor deck which overlooks the bay, unfortunately when sitting in the chaise lounges on the deck the hedges block the view but give tremendous privacy. Standing the bay is in full splendor. Would not change this. We also had access to the lawn right from our deck, thinking the best room for privacy. The bathroom was a bit tight but we managed. The bed was a dream, slept like a baby all night long. Only issue was the bed lights have this orange button that does not shut off, so if you need total darkness this could be an issue. We did bring it up on departure and they are aware not sure what can be done but certainly not a deal breaker for us. Cleanliness was top notch!!!!! Since it was our 40th anniversary, we were treated with chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of champagne and lovely card, a great surprise!!!!|The whole resort is fabulous from the complimentary bikes (next time we'll give it a go), the shuttle to town (frequent service so never a worry about catching it), the Wauwinet Lady boat to the White Elephant resort (great ride and lots of info from the captain), the boxed lunch for the beach, Topper's (high end restaurant on the island), complimentary use of the Mercedes (most definitely next time!!!!) and the best part having the bay on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other side (in our opinion the best beach on Nantucket, secluded, gorgeous sand, walk for miles and hardly any people). |As you can tell we had a fabulous time and are going to make it an annual tradition. 3 nights was just perfect to relax and recharge!!!! If you crave seclusion but still want to be able to enjoy...

I’m incredibly disappointed and disheartened by how the Wauwinet handled what was supposed to be a special birthday getaway.

We drove 5 hours from New York to catch the ferry to Nantucket, only to find that all ferries were canceled due to dangerous weather conditions. We stayed in a nearby hotel overnight hoping to catch an early boat, but even the earliest ferry was fully booked until 7 PM the next day—leaving us stranded and stripping away nearly two full days of our planned stay.

We immediately called the Wauwinet to explain the situation, assuming that a 5-star hotel would show even a hint of empathy. Instead, we were told bluntly that weather-related cancellations do not qualify for any kind of refund or credit. Even more shocking, we were told that “this is one of the ways we make money.”

When we asked if there was anything they could do given the extreme circumstances—complete ferry shutdowns, unsafe travel conditions, and this being a once-a-year birthday trip—the response was cold and completely dismissive. They even suggested we find a flight instead, despite the dangerous wind conditions and my anxiety around flying.

This is not how a luxury hotel should treat its guests, especially those who made every effort to honor their reservation but were prevented by conditions totally outside their control. The hotel showed no flexibility, no compassion, and no understanding—even after Chase Sapphire (through whom we booked) reached out on our behalf.

Travel to Nantucket is always at the mercy of the weather, and for a high-end resort like the Wauwinet to have no policy in place to accommodate guests under such circumstances is unacceptable. They chose profit over people, and it left us feeling taken advantage of and deeply disappointed.

Think twice before booking here. If anything goes wrong—no matter how legitimate or unavoidable—they will not work with you. A true 5-star experience is about service, care, and hospitality. Sadly, Wauwinet showed none of that when it...