The Brenton Hotel — Hotel in Newport

Okay, it’s not Venice (or Paris), and you’re unlikely to run into Ernest Hemingway in the lobby bar, but still. The chief factotum for the Living Room at the essential hostelry on the waterfront in Newport sets the tone for this delightfully clubby alternative to the corporate options nearby. His name is Harry, a former collegiate hockey player, and he represents the best of a friendly staff who will do whatever it takes to ease the tension from a day on foot or on the water. ||The lobby at the Brenton is one flight up from grade level, and while a couple of elevators and a small check-in desk stand off to the side, the larger footprint is occupied by a circular staircase and, well, a living room, offering stylish food and a decent wine list, along with a full bar and at least one burning fireplace. There’s a sense of scale here, intimate without being crowded. The chairs and sofas are upholstered, but not stuffy. In short, if you leaf through a dictionary in search of the word “unwind,” you might find a picture of the Living Room.||I spent two separate weekends at the Brenton in April and May, the latter on Memorial Day weekend (of course it rained), so I was able to confirm first impressions. Staff are unequivocally friendly, dogs are definitely welcome, and there are many clearly marked dog walks throughout the small city. And if my experience is a guide, always pack rain gear for your stay. This is the North Atlantic waterfront, and weather can change in an instant.||Following Newport’s rich seafaring history, the Brenton features nautical themes in its furnishings, starting with hurricane lamps outside each room along an ocean-blue and white color scheme in the hallways. I can attest to the freezer containing ice cream bars and water ice next to the ice machine on the penthouse floor.||The guest rooms are compact. The bathrooms are well appointed and while not spacious, certainly not cramped. Other reviewers have described the challenge for couples not accustomed to an extremely high level of familiarity with each other’s bathroom habits. Simply put, there is little to no privacy between the bathroom and the bedroom, and I’ll leave it at that. I’m sure it was considered trendy design, but it lowers the hotel an entire rating star.||Weather prevented me from enjoying the much-heralded rooftop bar and lounge, but I can report the views from the upper floors of the hotel are directly onto the Newport Harbor. Pricing is above the nearby Marriott, but what you give up by not using Bonvoy points for a corporate property, you gain in privacy and quiet.||Arrival and check-out are equally seamless. Approach from either America’s Cup or Long Wharf to enter a ground-level parking area. A skilled cadre of competent young men will grab you a baggage cart and pull your bags from the trunk before steering you to the elevators. NB, high season (May 1-Oct. 31) parking fees are $40/day. ||But if you choose to stay, you’ll be short walking distance to some of the freshest seafood restaurants, part of the harbor and marina scene that is essential Newport. More importantly, you’ll find wonderful retail shops featuring something besides cookie cutter clothes from every mall in the country. Want a souvenir t-shirt? I urge a visit to the Bite Me Bait Shop, essential to the collector’s wardrobe.||Brenton in brief: good food (limited menu edition), good drink, good vibe, good value, great people and location. Unequivocal...

I read the reviews in detail en route to this hotel. Some had me really looking forward to staying at the hotel and some other ones had me wondering what type of person was actually writing the reviews. I'll preface this by saying that while we used to travel frequent, the care of my elderly disabled parents combined with the current state of things (looking at YOU Rona!) has brought those travel times to a screeching halt. My husband and I rarely have time alone and we try to get away for a night or 2 every few months. Newport is a 4 hour drive from the Jersey Shore and packed with so much to do. Like another reviewer, I too, booked through AmEx FHR program to utilize the benefits that come with booking through them. I was so excited to see The Brenton as a newly listed hotel that I never remember seeing before. We had THE MOST AMAZING 36 hours away from home. Unlike another reviewer, we were able to use just about every FHR benefit minus the late checkout since we had to get an early start back home. The hotel is centrally located with it's own parking lot. Adjacent to the Marriott, it gives all the seaport-y vibes with a boutique hotel experience and when I tell you luxury bedding, I mean the comfiest, airiest bed you'll ever sleep in. There's a Matouk outlet in Fall River, MA. I highly suggest going. The beds are hands down our favorite bed we have ever slept in.  The entire hotel from the lobby bar to the guest rooms embraces luxury textiles. The finishes are high end. Blackout, tall curtains. The overall interior design is clean, modern and fresh with a cozy feel. The main floor, 2, hosts the reception desk and opens up to an area referred to as The Living Room where meetings or meals and drinks can be shared among guests. The area seems to sit quite a few people and yet still manages to seem intimate and quiet. The bartender Maurice will whip you up a variety of concoctions. Food is great and has a good mix of New England favorites and staples to please any diner. We arrived really late due to a last minute change in plans (extending our stay to 2 nights instead of 1) and were greeted by Katrina and Scott who were so informative about the various features of the property (like bikes!) and made it well known to just contact them should we need anything during our stay. Every single person we met had such a great, positive energy around them and were so friendly. Maggie serving breakfast is like morning sunshine. I feel like overall, that hospitality has been lacking in some places, but this was definitely not one of them. Despite being right on America's Cup, the noise level was nearly nonexistent. Balcony doors were very well insulated. Shower pressure was great (loved the fixtures). You can tell a lot of thought went into the design and a lot of love goes into the managing of this hotel. There was a small room on our floor with glass bottles, a purified water refilling station and freezer drawers which contained bagged ice and complimentary frozen treats. The minibar in the rooms also had complimentary mixers and soda at the time of this review. These are nice touches you just don't see everywhere and they set The Brenton apart. Overall 10/10 with this one. We cannot wait to return or sleep in...

The nicest, cleanest, most accommodating hotel I have ever stayed in. My husband booked a room on a Sunday night the week before Christmas for my 40th birthday. Here's the cliff notes in bullet point version of everything that we think makes this hotel amazing:

Beautiful CLEAN rooms with large showers and seating area. Comfortable beds. -Complimentary wine to great us in our room. In room bar with mini fridge. LOTS of options and some items are complimentary (Fevertree, juice, etc). Nespresso maker for morning coffee. Reusable glass bottles to fill at water station on every floor. This station also includes complimentary ice cream. Italian ice is available for us non dairy guests. Complimentary cocktail hour at 4:00 p.m. to include wine, beer, and charcuterie board. (High season months only now). Parking included. Extremely friendly and helpful staff that will go out of their way to make your stay pleasant. Great location, walking distance to all shops/restaurants. Keep your car in the lot after check to spend time shopping. Restaurant in hotel with a wonderful breakfast menu (not included in price of room). Fantastic lobby (The Living Room) and bar area where you can have a cocktail. ROOFTOP deck with lounge areas and bar seating that have incredible views. Great anytime of year if the weather is mild enough. We've used this space even when not staying at the hotel. The staff will let you up to the top floor with your fresh drink in hand.

I would recommend spending extra for the water views opposed to the city views. The ocean side stunning day or night.

UPDATE We went back two months later for my husband's 40th birthday. The experience was just as wonderful. The only difference was the complimentary bottle of sparkling wine was for our first stay only as a welcome gift. We have already booked a room for the weekend before Christmas (2022) again and convinced 2 other couples to join us.

THIRD UPDATE (2023) We have now made The Brenton Hotel our yearly Christmas date night in lieu of gifts giving. This is now our 4th stay. The staff, food, rooms, and amenities are top notch. Don't hesitate booking here for one minute.

4TH UPDATE (2025) We have continued the tradition and now stayed in this lovely hotel 6 times. It doesn't change, Dean greeted us at Valet, Aiden mixed us a fabulous cocktail, and Kerry served us a beautiful breakfast. The staff retention echos the impeccable service you will receive. I just...