The Shore House — a historic, boutique inn situated directly on the beach in Narragansett, Rhode Island — has reopened with a completed property-wide refresh. Formerly the Ocean Rose Inn, The Shore House will debut with a new name and updated look that instantly transports guests to a modern, nautically inspired “home away from home,” that still pays homage to the rich history of the destination.
Located beachside and inspired by its New England setting, The Shore House received a thorough makeover, with its existing main inn and hallmark Victorian-style home serving as the base to the full hotel. Here, the hotel will welcome guests back with a vibrant refresh of nine of its 31 rooms — 18 of which were recently renovated the year prior and located in the Oceanside building— as well as state-of-the-art common spaces, a reimagined lobby and brand-new restaurant called Sea Craft set to open this summer.
Whimsical, Old-Meets-New Design
From the vision of leading interior designer David Ashen, Founder of Dash Design, the property’s design will invoke laid-back elegance through a well-thought-out reimagination of the retro-beachside hotels found in seaside towns across the country. The project will foster a union between old and new through the pairing of splendors from far-gapped eras.
“With an overall understated luxury feel, we wanted The Shore House to pay homage to its rich history and location,” said Designer David Ashen of Dash Design. “Guests can expect a space that mixes old and new, where antique furnishings are given a new life in an array of whimsical rooms, each one with a different type of wallpaper and color palette than the last. The hotel’s seaside Narragansett location inspired us to blueprint a restoration that was a playful, upscale rift on the quintessential beachy inns that populate the New England coastline.”
Guest rooms in The Shore House are equipped with king-sized beds, glass-walled rainfall showers, hardwood floors and marble vanities. Merging a connection between past and present, the rooms will feature upholstered, antique furniture pieces amidst a whimsical backdrop of quirky wallpaper, from beautiful botanicals to illustrations of the sea, as well as colorful walls and bedframes. An example of this is the Orange Room, which pairs eye-catching pops of orange with wicker chairs. Bathrooms will be dressed in neutral tones and refloored with glistening marble.
Drawing inspiration from Narragansett and the shore, the guestrooms in the Oceanside building exude beachside elegance and a natural simplicity, with light woods, both as floor material, and in unique forms including surfboard wall art that hangs above beds. The hotel maximizes its location as every room in this building has a view of the sea; first-floor rooms have private patios, and second-floor rooms boast standalone balconies.
Ashen reimagined the lobby and reception area to be a more inviting welcome area without a traditional front desk. Here, the designer created a common space with antique tables, wicker chairs, and Chesterfield Sofas, all hugged by paneled walls. The downstairs library is calm and relaxed, with old oak trim wood floors that support shelves stocked with a wide range of books, some with a publishing date as old as the hotel.
Sophisticated-Yet-Casual Beachside Dining
The Shore House will see the addition of new on-site restaurant Sea Craft – a sophisticated yet casual dining experience overlooking the water, featuring a modern, crafted edge to sea fare for guests and locals alike. The Sea Craft kitchen will be headed up by Chef Willis Stepp, formerly the Executive Chef at Italian eatery Centro Restaurant and Lounge in Providence.
While Narragansett is already famed for its impressive array of seafood dining establishments, Sea Craft will feature an expansive raw bar and a lunch and dinner menu concept that pays respect to the provenance of New England cuisine but with a unique spin on classic seafood dishes that will bring something new to the Narragansett dining scene. Menu highlights expected to be featured at Sea Craft will include an elevated take on a lobster roll, locally caught day-boat fish, and creative ceviche and crudo plates, as well as a unique, crafted approach to traditional beach cocktails.
Sea Craft will initially open for lunch and dinner, as well as host vibrant outdoor brunches on the weekends overlooking the sea and private dining for up to 12 guests. The restaurant will also offer in-house hotel guests a special "Beach Fair" continental breakfast as well as takeout service. In addition to the warm and welcoming interiors of the restaurant, the spaces include outdoor front lawn seating options with fire pits for cooler days and nights.
The restaurant space will be designed by local, award-winning interior designer Libby Slader, whose previous work includes freestyle Italian eatery Giusto in the new Hammett's Wharf Hotel in Newport and popular seafood institution George's of Galilee in Narragansett, among others. Slader's vision for Sea Craft’s design concept is a beachy yet sophisticated design tapping into the best of classic, iconic beach destinations including Palm Beach, the Hamptons and of course the nearby coastal scene of Narragansett, Newport and other New England waterfront icons. With dark woods, golden accents and refreshing added pops of color, the design will feel fresh and coastal for warm summer days, as well as a cozy respite for colder months.
History & Heritage
Built in 1901, the front Victorian house was the private residence of R. James Sullivan and came to be known as the Youghal Cottage. In the beginning, the home consisted of nine bedrooms and a small chapel, which were located on the second and third floors. The owners would reside on the former, the maids and butlers on the latter.
In the early 1920s, during the Prohibition era when alcohol was outlawed, the beachfront property became a speakeasy where the vacationing elite would party until the early morning hours. Supplementary to secret passages in the basement, the bedrooms on the second floor were transformed into small gambling rooms where roulette, blackjack and craps were the late-night entertainment. As years passed, the property morphed into a full-time hotel.
Narraganset, Rhode Island
This seaside New England town is a haunt for Northeasterners looking for a weekend getaway road trip, especially one that is quiet and away from the hustle and bustle of the region’s metropolises. In addition to its beaches and charming historical town sporting boutiques and restaurants, common activities include biking, hiking, horseback riding, swimming, fishing, parasailing, and sailing.
