July 22, 2025
Newport, Rhode Island doesn’t need much fanfare. Its weathered shingle homes, cliffside paths, and quietly storied past speak for themselves. For those looking for a refined and visually thoughtful place to stay, The Gardiner House, which opened in fall 2023, offers a fresh way to experience this historic town.
Co-owned by Newport residents Howard Cushing and Wirt Blaffer, the 21-room boutique hotel draws heavily from Cushing’s family history and artistic legacy. One of the hotel’s standout features is a stunning two-story mural that climbs the wall beside the winding central staircase. This digital recreation is based on a mural painted in 1905 by Cushing’s great-grandfather, renowned American artist Howard Gardiner Cushing, in the entryway of the family’s Newport estate, The Ledges. The original painting still exists today. For the hotel, the mural was reinterpreted in collaboration with twenty2 wallpaper + textiles, a Litchfield County, Connecticut-based design studio known for its contemporary take on classic textile arts. This partnership beautifully ties together history, art, and modern design in a way that feels both personal and timeless.
On arrival, we explored nearby shops and galleries before settling in for dinner at Flora, the hotel’s main restaurant. The interiors are beautiful and elegant, and the food, led by Chef Ted Gidley, is polished without pretense. Our meal featured scallops with ginger-carrot purée, crab bucatini, and a simple, perfect olive oil cake. Service was warm, professional, and friendly.
The next morning, after indulging in avocado toast and poached eggs in Flora’s airy dining room, we set off for the Cliff Walk, Newport’s well-known path that edges the coastline and offers dramatic views of both the ocean and some of the town’s storied homes. From there, we toured The Breakers, the 70-room Italian Renaissance-style mansion built by the Vanderbilt family in 1895, still jaw-dropping in scale and detail. A place where no detail was spared.
Just a few blocks inland, we visited the recently reopened International Tennis Hall of Fame Museum, housed in the historic Newport Casino. The museum has been thoughtfully updated with new exhibits and interactive features, making it a must-visit for tennis fans and history buffs alike. The museum also hosts the prestigious Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and various tennis-related events throughout the year, keeping the spirit of the sport alive in this charming coastal town.
Lunch was quick and casual at Yagi Noodles, where we enjoyed pork dumplings, freshly made ramen noodles, and matcha boba tea before boarding an afternoon sailing with Gansett Cruises, which offers narrated tours of the harbor. From the water, Newport’s dramatic shoreline, bobbing sailboats, and landmark homes tell a different version of the town’s layered past.
Back at the hotel, we joined local resident Chef Kevin Des Chenes — a Newport-based culinary personality known for his appearances on Top Chef and The Today Show, and for cooking for celebrities and political leaders alike — for a cocktail in the richly colored, green lacquered lounge. Des Chenes recommended we have dinner that night at The Cooke House, a longtime favorite for fresh oysters, lobsters, and seafood dishes in a cozy, historic setting.
In a town where history is often viewed through velvet ropes and audio tours, The Gardiner House offers a quieter, more layered experience. It’s a stay grounded in place yet attuned to design — a thoughtful, beautifully executed addition to the Newport landscape.
For those planning a visit, Newport’s vibrant cultural calendar includes the Newport Jazz Festival, the Mansions Food and Wine Festival, and the Folk Festival, and of course the summer sailing season, each bringing a unique energy to this coastal town. discovernewport.org
