We were looking forward to our stay at the Pearls for our anniversary weekend. I had booked the B&B through Expedia about a month in advance and had paid for the room. Upon arrival at the Pearls we found the lobby empty so we left a note with our contact info and decided to grab a bite. We got a call from Lisa to stop by to check in, however, once we got there we were told by Ray that there was no room for us and that he did not even have our reservation. This was rather strange given that I had a hotel confirmation number on my expedia reservation and had been charged for the room. We asked if we could stay at a different room, but Ray told us that he was busy checking in some people in their other location and would be back to help us soon. He disappeared for a while, and then informed us that they had no other rooms, that he had never received a notice from Expedia, and that he had never charged our credit card. What I found upsetting was his attitude towards the issue. At some point he started being more apologetic and polite, perhaps fearing a poor review, but the damage was done. I could not comment on the condition of the rooms, etc., since I did not stay here, but overall I would rate their customer service pretty poor. We ended up staying at the Newport Jewel Inn a few doors up (which thankfully still had a beautiful room available) and thoroughly enjoyed our stay there.

I am exceptionally well traveled - been to all 7 continents, stayed in castles and been camping. Ray and Lisa have put together a wonderful place, beautifully decorated, and with impeccable service. Their warmth, attention to detail, and hospitality are authentic and refreshing in the world of hotels.

The location is just a few blocks from town - away from the noise but easy to walk to restaurants and the harbor.

You will not be disappointed! Enjoy! ~ Diane Darling, author

The Pearls is a very cool / hip / funky / cozy hotel with a fantastic location, and if that is worth a premium price to you, you'll love it.

Because I couldn't find any online reservation system for the hotel when I was booking, I called the hotel directly along with some other B & B's I was contacting.

I told the owner what my budget was and asked what they had in that range. I was told, or at least, I was certain at the time, that they could put me in a suite - for the same price that other places were offering a simple bedroom w/private bath.

I went ahead and booked, but never received a confirmation email, nor did my card get charged. A week later I called back - just a few days before my trip - and asked what had happened. The owner recalled speaking to me previously but had forgotten to follow through the paper work. Then, he asked me what rate was I paying, again? This time I was told that it wasn't a suite I would be in, but a single room - and the bathroom was separate but private. I was also told the parking would be around the block. I didn't feel like making another round of calls, so went ahead and booked.

When I arrived at the Pearls, I was escorted over to my hotel & room at 204 Spring St. It's a gorgeous old colonial. It turned out that my room was on the 3rd floor - and I was stuck carrying my heavy suitcase up two flights of stairs. Not happy.

Next, I found out that my parking was not just around the block, but around the block and up two more - uphill. I also discovered the only reason my bathroom could be called private was because no one else was staying on that floor at the time.

Okay, those negatives out of the way, here's what I enjoyed: a very comfortable, yet firm, bed to sleep in; A cozy, lived-in looking downstairs parlor (I almost fell asleep on the couch); perfect location for getting out to Thames street and the major foot traffic areas. Mostly, though, the selling point is the uniqueness of the quarters. This is not a could-be-anytown, soulless hotel, nor is it over done with cutsieness and kitsch the way some B & Bs are.

Breakfast was okay, but a warning to meat-eaters: there won't be much for you except occasional turkey sausage and lox.

While I would stay there again, it wouldn't be my first choice, and I would make certain to write down everything I was told about my reservation from the owner and make sure it matches up - or raise hell.

Went to Pearls last year during a visit to Newport with my fiance. Overall, we had a good experience and Pearls seems to be a pretty solid choice for most people. We stayed in a "Scottish" themed room in the main building and we found the accomodations to only be "adequate" given the price paid. The room we stayed was rather small and the bathroom unremarkable with a standing shower. This was a bit discrepant considering that the other parts of the house itself appeared elegant in its Victorian flair. Another oddity was that the amenities provided (e.g. shampoo, soaps, etc.) was from Trader Joe's as was the wine ("2 Buck Chuck" as it is known) ... Not that there's anything wrong with that (I shop there also) but it just didn't fit with the "Boutique" feel that the B&B had established.

Breakfast was excellent overall. And the other spaces that we had seen looked really nice. The outdoor space would be very suitable for a wedding party or family get-together as well.

Overall, this B&B was "good" in our opinion, but it wasn't "great." We were expecting a bit more given it's boutique name and its price and having stayed at a few other B&Bs in Newport, we just expected more.