We managed to get a loft at the last minute for Memorial Day weekend. The building is beautiful; furniture is tastefully done (colonial style with a bit of a modern twist) without being stuffy. Our loft was very spacious, with separate living and sleeping areas. Location is great - close to the centre of town yet very quiet and tranquil. We had initially thought that it might be better to stay near the water, but we found that the waterfront tends to be too noisy and swamped with tourists.

In spite of the above plus points, we had one major negative experience. The room across ours was taken up by a group of college students on a binge drinking weekend. They were truly your nightmare neighbors: noisy, slamming doors, one attempting to throw up on the corridor, overall being terribly inconsiderate - all this extending way past midnight. I cannot imagine how a hotel, which sells itself as a "quiet", "relaxing", "romantic" locale, could possibly allow ten people (at least) to check into one room. The receptionist must have seen them coming in; there are close circuit televisions at the entry/exit points.

This has certainly marred our experience at what could have been a great hotel. We would not stay here again if we returned to Newport.

The Vanderbilt Residence Club is a membership club whose hotel and restaurant are open to the public. It is ideally located next to famous Trinity Church, a block from the shopping/restaurant district on Thames street, and on the edge of the historic residential area--nearly everything is within walking distance (and those that aren't can be easily reached on the town's shuttle bus).

The Vanderbilt is nearly finished with an extensive remodeling of the historic building (currently working on the gym and pool in the basement). The new interior has beautifully designed contemporary interiors that complement the historic colonial revival design. My suite included a comfortable living room with a desk and bar (sink, counter, fridge, and microwave), a bedroom, walk-in closet, and two bathrooms (one with a tub and the other with a large shower). Flat-screen tvs were in the living room and bedroom. The size of the suite was quite generous and with the great interior design and front desk service, I felt quite pampered.

The restaurant features contemporary American food in a cozy oak-trimmed Arts and Crafts room on the first floor, however, you can also take meals in a bright sun room in the courtyard of the hotel (a lovely private spot outdoors). My breakfast featured an assortment of pastries along with coffee and juice, however, I found the pastries to be a bit tough and dry (day old??). The table service was outstanding.

Parking in Newport is limited but the Vanderbilt has valet parking for $18 per day.

If you're seeking a special place to treat yourself or your spouse, this is ideal for you. I don't recommend to families with young children--it's a very quiet place and there's not much for kids to do (except watch tv), so they'll be bored.