While Newport has long been known as a retreat for the billionaire set, whose yachts and Gilded Age mansions are an indelible part of the landscape, its appeal for visitors is actually quite broad and accessible. Groups gathering in Newport need not come equipped with a Vanderbilt-size bankroll to experience a taste of the high life, whether it’s a yacht race, polo match or dinner in a setting that evokes a scene from Downton Abbey.
Newport is also a welcoming place for those who would just as soon get their hands dirty working in a local historic garden or get their feet wet mucking around in the waters of an oyster farm.
“Newport is all about experiences, both traditional and cutting edge,” said Laurie Stroll, president of Newport Hospitality, a local DMC. “You can do the tried and true—it’s hard to beat a sailing race for a teambuilding activity. Or you can help cultivate a garden at one of the historic mansions, go apple picking or take a downtown walking tour with a local chef. It’s all here.”
Tim Walsh, vice president of sales at Discover Newport, agrees, adding that Newport’s selection of activities and venues is nothing if not diverse.
“From a white-glove dinner to a traditional New England clambake on the beach, Newport is blessed with venues for every need and budget,” he said. “The array of lodging options, our portfolio of private venues and the beauty and architecture of this small seaside city are all things that come to mind of why Newport is a great meetings option.”
But when asked to name Newport’s top asset for meetings, Walsh said it’s all about location.
“Newport is situated on an easily accessible island right off Route 95 between Boston and New York City,” he said. “It is cooler in the summer months and warmer in the winter because of the ocean effect. This presents planners with an attractive option to gather their groups in a city that everyone wants to visit.”
While lacking a convention center, Newport offers a wide variety of hotel choices, including four mid-size, meetings-friendly properties in the downtown area: the Hyatt Regency Newport, Newport Marriott, Newport Harbor Hotel and Hotel Viking.
“Our inventory of small boutique hotels is also very strong,” Walsh said. “There are multiple properties with 35 rooms or less that pursue buyouts, giving groups the advantage of taking over the entire property. We also have a wide array of select-service hotels that have meeting space.”
While Newport focuses primarily on small to mid-size meetings of 350 attendees or less, its diverse hotel supply enables it to target a wide variety of groups within that range, he added.
“We pursue everything from Fortune 500 meetings, incentives, the financial, insurance and pharma markets to association meetings, government and reunions,” he said.
Venue News
Also ensuring Newport’s appeal to a wide range of groups is an expanding choice of off-site venues that capture the essence of the destination. Among its newest venues is The Bohlin, a nautical-themed event space at the Newport Yachting Center that includes a dockside terrace and adjoining 5,000-square-foot Sperry Tent with teakwood furniture and detailing. Receptions for up to 500 guests and dinners for up to 300 guests can be accommodated.
“The Bohlin has the feel of being inside an elegant yacht,” Stroll said. “You’re right on the marina and surrounded by boats and views of the Newport Bridge. It’s a great place for corporate groups to have anything from a lobster or clam boil to a formal dinner.”
Stroll’s other new favorite site is the Newport Beach House, a multilevel venue set on a private beach that has indoor and outdoor deck spaces accommodating up to 600 guests.
“It’s the only venue in town that’s right on the beach and it’s very versatile,” Stroll said. “You can make it formal or very casual. It’s laid-back luxury.”
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A landmark venue known for its distinctive shingled architecture, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is the setting for everything from elegant dinners and cocktail parties to tennis and croquet matches on the historic grass courts.
The Hall of Fame recently unveiled a major expansion and renovation that included new interactive features for its history galleries, additional retail space and the acquisition of the nearby Canfield House. Formerly a restaurant, the Victorian-era Canfield House with its stained glass windows and mahogany paneling is now an elegant banquet facility seating up to 120 guests for catered functions.
“The Tennis Hall of Fame has been totally transformed and is even better for events than it was before,” Stroll said.
Newport Experiences
For many groups, a meeting in Newport is not complete without the chance to experience a yacht race in sleek vessels with expert sailors at the helm, according to Walsh.
“To re-create an America’s Cup regatta in beautiful Newport Harbor is the most sought-after activity or teambuilding experience here,” he said. “It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most, especially for sailing enthusiasts.”
A water-based experience of a different sort is an excursion to Matunuck Oyster Farm, where groups can participate in the oyster harvesting process with aquaculture pioneer Perry Raso.
“We go out on Perry’s barge and he shows people where he does his oyster farming,” Stroll said. “Those who want to can put on waders and go out and help haul in the oyster crates. Then we go back to his restaurants and enjoy oysters and champagne.”
While elegant dinners and receptions in Newport mansions such as Rosecliff and Marble House are a standard offering, groups also have the more hands-on option of working with the Preservation Society of Newport County to help maintain the properties.
“We recently put together a corporate program where the group participated in the cultivation of the beautiful sunken garden at The Elms mansion,” Stroll said. “They worked alongside the head gardener in doing the trimming and weeding and planting, getting a real inside look at how these historic gardens are maintained. It was a huge success.”
Along with yachting, the upper-crust sport of polo is also part of the Newport experience. Groups can watch an international polo match at the Newport Polo Club in combination with a private event in the club’s open-air pavilion.
“You can also arrange for teambuilding activities built around polo,” Stroll said. “Groups can get instruction in polo, either using real horses or wooden stands, and even have their own match.”
