The Wauwinet
290 reviews
#7 of 12 Hotels in Nantucket
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120 Wauwinet Rd P.O. Box 2580, Nantucket, MA 02554-4213
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About
#7 of 12 hotels in Nantucket
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
THE WAUWINET is situated in between the Atlantic Ocean and Nantucket Bay, The Wauwinet is the island's only Relais & Châteaux hotel. An adults-only escape, it is the stuff of storybook romance. Its grounds are beautifully landscaped, with unmatched views and access to two beaches - one on the ocean and one on the bay. The 33-room inn is a study in luxe comfort, from Pratesi linens to antique furnishings and private sundecks. TOPPER'S, its New American cuisine restaurant, is consistently ranked one of the top in New England. A continual recipient of Wine Spectator's "Grand Award," the restaurant features over 1,400 American and international wine vintages. Guests who want a casual open-air lunch can linger on TOPPER's Deck before ambling out to the beach for sunbathing, a little fishing, or a boat trip. The relaxing and effective menu of treatments features therapies using locally-sourced ingredients.
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Full view
Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Bar / lounge
Beach
Bicycles available
Free shuttle or taxi services
Business Centre with Internet Access
Banquet room
Parking
Wifi
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Tennis court
Shuttle bus service
Spa
Concierge
Gift shop
Non-smoking hotel
Dry cleaning
Laundry service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Private beach
Housekeeping
Room service
Safe
Flatscreen TV
Room types
Ocean view
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Bay View
Great View
Location
Full view
290Reviews5Q+A56Room tips
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Popular mentions
Thank you to the staff at Wauwinet especially Amy, the manager for her concerns to make our anniversary trip memorable handling our every concern. Beautiful location with convenient transportation to town to enjoy wonderful dinners. Amazing room 101 !
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Helpful
Response from Eric Landt, General Manager at The Wauwinet
Responded 9 Sep 2020
Dear BranfordinCt, Happy Anniversary! Thanks for visiting during these unique times. Glad we could bring a little normal back to special occasions. Hope to see you again soon! Regards, Eric LANDT General Manager
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Went for drinks on the lawn during sunset. We were excited to get there early enough to get a great spot on the lawn to enjoy drinks for the sunset. Unfortunately, the service made the whole experience very disappointing. Service was rude, unorganized, and extremely understaffed. It took an hour to get our first $20 drink and we could barely get the attention of the staff to get a second drink. We saw multiple other couples struggling with the same thing, and even witnessed an altercation between a couple and the wait staff. They make non-guests of the hotel feel guilty for being there. We originally looked at staying at the Wauwinet for our hotel, and I’m glad we chose another. I will never be staying at the Wauwinet in the future because of this experience.
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Helpful
Response from Eric Landt, General Manager at The Wauwinet
Responded 30 Aug 2020
Dear Connor S, Sorry about your experience on the lawn! It has been very popular and our team is doing the best they can with the social distancing and accommodating all the guests just coming for drinks and not dinner. The expectations are high and we are doing a great job considering the circumstances and how safe the state of Massachusetts is! Please don't be so quick to judge us on the 2020 season we hit the ground running and we were just so happy to be open and operational. Our restaurant has had to make some changes in light of the covid -19 we will come back in 2021 even stronger and ready to deliver exceptional service. I do hope you will return and know that we will be here in the future to welcome all guests to a magical place called The Wauwinet!
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We travel often and usually stay at a Relais & Chateaux property or an American Express Fine Hotels property (a lot of the time the two coincide) and have never been disappointed. Our trip to the Wauwinet was no exception. I was very wary given some of the other reviews so I will try to address some of that here. For our friends we booked a room in the main building. Their room was small but adequate. The bathroom did feel a little small to me when I went to see their room. They mentioned that they often saw the staff wiping down doorknobs and banisters and such to deal with COVID. We stayed in one of the cottages and it was a beautifully equipped cottage. During our stay, a few things in our cottage went wrong such as the fireplace not working, and the trip was extremely rainy so we wanted to sit by the fire with our friends and drink champagne. The hotel staff took care of these types of issues fairly quickly. As far as the pre-arrival concierge complaint that someone mentioned in a review, I too saw on the website there was a pre-arrival concierge. I saw the email address and contacted them for dinner reservations and for a Barton & Gray boat cruise. They were responsive and took care of the dinner and brunch reservations at Topper's and the Brant Point Grille, but I was told that they cannot make reservations for the other restaurants on the island because of the restaurants' policies regarding reservations during COVID (I took this to mean that most restaurants require a deposit which is totally understandable). We showed up to check in around 2pm. We were greeted by Abby, a front desk staff member who is just wonderful. She told us she believed one of the rooms was ready but the other wasn't and allowed us to check into our room. We used our AMEX privileges and had late checkout so that wasn't a problem either. I had read online regarding the BMW and asked about it the first day there. I was informed that it's first-come first-serve, but you actually do put your name down on the list for the time you want it. We were able to get it on one of the afternoons so we could drive around the island and explore. The first full day we were there, the bellmen took chairs over to the beach for us as well as towels and water and made sure we had a pleasant day on the beach. We then retired to the lawn where Macarena served us. She did inform us of the policy regarding ordering food and we did that to go along with our drinks. The rest of our trip was filled with similar experiences and while I consider that we are a high maintenance group, Abby, Tiffany, Macarena, Deklan, Jordan, Joe and the rest of the staff really made a difference. I think the devil is in the details. I took care to learn these people's names because they are human beings and they are just trying to do their job in a very difficult environment. We, as travelers, should know that the days of waiting hand and foot over hotel guests is temporarily suspended, and you have to work with the staff to make your own experience. The Barton & Gray boat thing, for example, was a bust. As previously mentioned it was a very rainy and windy trip and the company had to cancel our trip for Saturday. But Abby worked relentlessly to try and get it to happen for us on Sunday (then that day also had to get canceled) and on Monday (which also had to get canceled). Not once did she complain about having to work with them. We rented a jeep to go to the Great Point Lighthouse (a beautiful drive on the beach which requires a 4x4 with slightly deflated tires). The staff overheard us saying that was something we were doing and they offered to help us with the tires. I did see some behavior from guests that was appalling to me during my stay there and perhaps some of the people who have written extremely negative reviews either behaved that way or were just looking for the days of 'yore when personalized butler service was still a thing and we weren't operating in a pandemic.…
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Date of stay: August 2020
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Eric Landt, General Manager at The Wauwinet
Responded 20 Aug 2020
Dear JMFlynn1, Thank you so much for the amazing feedback! You trip sounds like a perfect summer visit! My team will be so happy! Thank You!
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GENERAL MANAGER NEEDS TO LEARN HOW TO RUN A HOTEL: we recently visited the Wauwinet, and are absolutely appalled by the lack of service and attention to detail. The entire staff we interfaced with was lovely, but they were completely overwhelmed and understaffed. 1) we called ahead to ask if we could grab a drink prior to dinner but tie to our dinner reservation because we heard about governor baker’s law, and the person on the phone said it was ok. Not the case when we got here early. 2) we stood by one of the Chez lounge chairs waiting for the chairs to be cleaned and one server said it would take time because there was one server for the whole area, at sunset, and it never got serviced. 3) we arrived at the hostess table for our reservation and when brought to our table, it had not been cleaned (in covid times!!) and the hostess quickly sprayed it for us and wiped it down. We then waited about 15 minutes for our server to arrive with menus and place settings. Super sweet server but clearly running the show single handily. It’s clear that the hotel and restaurant is lacking the management and leadership needed to effectively run a luxury property. Will not be back and will absolutely not recommend to anyone else. Please treat your staff better by providing training and enough support to handle a busy summer night.…
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Eric Landt, General Manager at The Wauwinet
Responded 20 Aug 2020
Dear Joshinboston88, Thanks for the feedback. As we deal with Covid-19 our hotel and restaurant have become a very safe place to find sanctuary! The state of Massachusetts and Nantucket Island are considered some of the safest places to be! We have had to make adjustments to our operation to accommodate all the new rules and yes they are changing daily. Yes the island is busy and we appreciate all the efforts our team has done to gear up for a busy summer! We are thankful to be operating. I am sorry for any delays or related service and hope that you would be understanding safety and the front of house staff are doing an amazing job. No excuses we can do better so please accept our apologies.
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It is easy to see that the Wauwinet Inn is no different from most other organizations, where a deficient management team poisons the customer experience and probably the experience of everyone who has to work there. In the Wauwinet's case, the two primary front desk managers in the hotel are the problem and are responsible for the unhappy, unhelpful "no" culture that permeates the staff when interacting with guests. I have never encountered customer service this poor anywhere else in the world at comparably priced hotels when I've paid $1500/night as I did here on each of my two 3 night stays this summer, once over July 4th and once at the end of July. The property is beautiful, the restaurant is serviceable and some of the junior hotel staff who have not worked there for very long are personable. Additionally, they had adequate precautions and procedures for handling COVID. As for the primary front desk managers, my experience was more or less ruined after dealing with them. A guest should not dread interacting with the hotel staff but that is exactly what happened for me during both of my stays. Their tact is to say no to even simple requests like a later check out by 2 hours, which would leave 3 hours for the staff to clean my room before the 4pm check in time. In a property with only 33 rooms (according to their website). Pointing these facts out to very tall maie manager at the front desk, he stared at me dead eyed and repeatedly said no, even going so far as to insult my intelligence with some sort of semantics game about 4pm being the "guaranteed" check in time "although guests may check in earlier". Of course, I personally was refused an earlier check in when I arrived but by the time this unpleasant exchange occurred, I was accustomed to being treated disrespectfully by this particular manager, and his female colleague who worked during the day shift. Sadly that is just one illustration of our experience here and the 3-4 others similar to it were identical in tone, lack of tact by the managers. dismissiveness etc. As per the title of my review and the body of my review above, I would return to the Wauwinet if the management changes because it is a beautiful property in a nice location and has much potential. I hope that these poor management hires are aberrations that are addressed by the time I consider returning.…
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Date of stay: August 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip: bay view rooms are worth the view
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1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Eric Landt, General Manager at The Wauwinet
Responded 11 Aug 2020
Dear 44456543, Thank you for you review and feedback. Sorry to hear about your interactions with our front office team. While we can meet at times special requests for additional items we do our best to exceed exceptions. Sorry that we were not able to meet your requests for a late check out. We are lucky and feel very fortunate to be able to be open the hotel this season and give some sort of normal safe hospitality experience during these unusual times. We will always welcome you back! We are in the business of creating great vacation memories and I know my team can deliver! I do hope you decide to return! I will welcome you back personally! Regards, Eric LANDT General Manager
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Joan A asked a question Jul 2020
Maynard, Massachusetts2 contributions
Answer from wauwinetmanager
Jul 2020 |
about 150 yards
Barbarasmid asked a question Jun 2020
New York City, New York4 contributions1 helpful vote
Answer from wauwinetmanager
Jun 2020 |
The cottages are really nice and offer the most room. The main inn is also very nice. We are located 9 miles from town so the property is much quieter than town. We have a very nice lawn to relax on so our outdoor space is very private. If you have any more questions please call and speak to any of our team or visit our website. Hope to see you soon!
andyepst asked a question Sep 2017
new jersey5 contributions4 helpful votes
Answer from Traveling_NJ_Girl
Sep 2017 |
No, dogs are not allowed at this property. Their sister property, "The Cottages & Lofts at the Boat Basin" does permit pets. Great place for them too - very welcoming with special treats for your extended family.
Bob J asked a question Apr 2017
Connecticut1 contribution1 helpful vote
Bob J asked a question Apr 2017
Connecticut1 contribution1 helpful vote
Answer from vincentd972
Apr 2017 |
Don't believe so. Best to check w team there.
allaroundtheworld wrote a tip Aug 2020
13 contributions6 helpful votes
"bay view rooms are worth the view"Read full review
Megan A wrote a tip Aug 2020
Vienna, Va39 contributions23 helpful votes
"Must request things ahead of time - complimentary car, coffee, newspaper, in"Read full review
Martie P wrote a tip Jul 2020
Birmingham, Alabama85 contributions1 helpful vote
"Cottage was wonderful"Read full review
Lawrence O wrote a tip Sep 2019
Edgewater, New Jersey1,800 contributions250 helpful votes
"Cottage suite. Idlewild #406"Read full review
jandc8491 wrote a tip Oct 2018
Wilmington, Delaware1,142 contributions274 helpful votes
"Higher floors have a better view"Read full review
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PRICE RANGE
€246 - €932 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
the wauwinet hotel nantucket, wauwinet hotel nantucket, wauwinet nantucket
LOCATION
United StatesMassachusettsNantucket
NUMBER OF ROOMS
33
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Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about The Wauwinet
Which popular attractions are close to The Wauwinet?
Nearby attractions include Great Point Light (0.1 miles), Sankaty Head Lighthouse (4.1 miles), and Egan Maritime's Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum (3.6 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at The Wauwinet?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at The Wauwinet?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and breakfast during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to The Wauwinet?
Conveniently located restaurants include The Chanticleer, Topper's, and Sconset Cafe.
Are any cleaning services offered at The Wauwinet?
Yes, dry cleaning and laundry service are offered to guests.
Does The Wauwinet offer any business services?
Yes, guests have access to a business centre and a banquet room during their stay.
Are there any historical sites close to The Wauwinet?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Wauwinet (0.07 miles).
Does The Wauwinet have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the harbour view available here.
Is The Wauwinet accessible?
Yes, it offers facilities for disabled guests. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.