While Newport embodies tradition, it’s also a place of innovation. Along with its Gilded-Age mansions and Colonial-era landmarks, groups will find a vibrant culinary scene driven by an influx of talented young chefs, an array of behind-the- scenes experiences in everything from aquafarming to cutting-edge sailing technology, and plenty of ways to put a creative spin on classic New England events.
Among the ways that Newport keeps current is by continually upgrading and adding new features to its hotel inventory, said Tim Walsh, vice president of sales for Discover Newport.
Earlier this year the former Hyatt Regency Newport, one of the city’s four major meetings properties, was acquired by investors who also own Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa, a popular resort in the Hamptons area of Long Island. Renamed Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina, the property underwent an $18 million renovation that included new restaurants and helicopter and yacht service between the two resorts.
“It was already a great hotel but the new owners are making it even more upscale,” Walsh said. “Their Montauk property is very well known in the metro New York market, so this should provide us with some good opportunities to expand business from that region.”
Major renovations have also been completed at the three other major meetings hotels in the city: the Newport Marriott, Newport Harbor and the Hotel Viking. While the four downtown meetings properties can jointly host groups of 500 or more, Walsh said small meetings are Newport’s “bread and butter.”
“We also have a nice range of smaller boutique properties, some of them overlooking the water, where groups can take over the entire hotel,” he said. “We recently had a group take over two small properties with a shuttle running between them.”
Varied Venues
Newport also shines when it comes to the scope of off-site venues and activities it offers. Its newest option is the Newport Car Museum, which opened in June and displays a collection of Corvettes and other iconic automobiles from the 1950s to the present. Its Thunderbird Ballroom, adjacent to an exhibit of tail-fin classics, accommodates up to 500 people for a reception, while the Hellcat, Viper, Cobra and Mag Wheel rooms are suited for small gatherings.
Among Newport’s most historic and versatile venues, the Tennis Hall of Fame recently expanded with new features that include interactive exhibits in the history galleries and the Canfield House, a Victorian-era venue for catered functions.
“The Tennis Hall of Fame offers so many different event experiences for groups, including the chance to play tennis on the historic grass courts,” said Cheryl Twiss, director of sales for Newport Hospitality, a local DMC. “It’s a wonderful legacy of the Gilded Age.”
Newport’s historic mansions also continue to offer new options for visitors. Small groups can now arrange to tour Belcourt, an opulent estate built in 1891 and inspired by Versailles, that is undergoing a meticulous restoration. Another new offering is Beneath the Breakers, which explores the basement, underground tunnel and other areas of The Breakers, the Vanderbilt “summer cottage” considered to be the grandest of the Newport mansions. The tour gives visitors a look at what was once cutting-edge household technology and how it would change domestic life.
“The new Breakers tour is a fascinating peek into a time when America was just becoming industrialized—when things like elevators, heating and cooling systems and electricity were still very new,” Twiss said. “The Breakers pioneered some of the latest innovations of its day.”
Three of the Newport mansions, The Elms, Rosecliff and Marble House, are available for private events, including elegant dinners and receptions.
“Each has a different layout, so choosing one depends on the size of the group and how formal they want to be,” Twiss said. “For example, Rosecliff has the biggest ballroom, so it’s great for larger groups. It was where The Great Gatsby with Robert Redford was filmed in the 1970s, so it’s a natural for Gatsby-era theme parties. Marble House is especially good for summer events because you can dine on the terrace.”
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Summer is also the prime season for thrilling sailing regattas where attendees can take the helm of ultra-modern America’s Cup racing yachts as they learn sailing techniques from an expert crew.
“If the group isn’t inclined for this much action or if there isn’t enough time, another option is go out in a beautiful schooner for a sunset cocktail cruise,” Twiss said. “When they come in from off the water, they can go on to a classic New England clambake with lobster, clams, sausage and chowder. You can have a master griller on hand who explains the heritage of the clambake—how the colonists learned to prepare these foods from the Indians.”
Among the many locations for a clambake is Fort Adams, a state park and historic fortification that has guarded Newport Harbor since 1799.
“It’s open to the public for tours during the day, but groups can reserve it in the evening,” Twiss said. “The views of the harbor from the rooftop are amazing.”
Food tours and dine-arounds that give groups the chance to sample Newport’s array of restaurants and nearby wineries are also popular.
“There’s a great culinary scene throughout Rhode Island, with a steady flow of chefs who graduate from Johnson & Wales in Providence and stay on to enter the local restaurant scene,” Walsh said. “As a result, there’s always something new to try.”
Many of Newport’s restaurants are concentrated in the harbor area, making dine-arounds and progressive dinners walkable options for small groups, according to Twiss.
Newport Hospitality also arranges events at group-friendly wineries such as Newport Vineyards, which offers an event space constructed from reclaimed barn wood that accommodates up to 200 people. Another option is an excursion to Matunuck Oyster Farm to learn about local aquaculture and then sample some tasty bivalves at the on-site restaurant
Off-Season Advantage
A highly popular destination between mid-May and mid-September, Newport offers the best value and availability for meetings at other times of the year, according to Walsh. He added that warm ocean currents give the city a milder winter climate than is typical in New England.
“November to April are the months we are looking to drive meetings to Newport, and hold the best opportunities,” he said. “Midweek is also better, too, as we do very well with transient visitors on weekends. The off-site venues are not in such high demand then so negotiations can be managed.”
Twiss agrees, adding that there is a notable uptick in groups choosing to take advantage of off-season and midweek opportunities.
“Weekends in high season are very difficult because many of our venues are so popular for weddings,” she said. “But the off-season is great because, with the exception of water activities, pretty much everything else is available. The preservation society keeps at least three of the mansions open at any time of year.”
Always a good practice in Newport is to plan off-site activities as far ahead as possible, Twiss advised.
“Try to plan a year out, especially if you want something like the America’s Cup yacht experience or a specific mansion on a certain day,” she said.
