The Cliffside Inn
Victorian-meets-contemporary romantic retreat with an artistic, literary character. Think working fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, ornate wallpapers, and complimentary Veuve Clicquot if you ask nicely. Decidedly couples-focused.
The Cottage Suites (Atlantic, Hydrangea, Cliff) have private exterior entrances and are the three pet-friendly options — book well ahead if you're bringing a dog under 30 lbs.
Why It Matters
Dual Michelin Key Award winner with a genuinely interesting backstory — the building has been a governor's villa, a boarding school, and an artist's studio. The 2019 renovation kept the quirky Victorian soul while adding serious bathroom upgrades. Rooms range from a snug 210 sq ft turret perch to a 675 sq ft pet-friendly cottage suite.
A 16-room boutique inn inside a Second Empire Victorian mansion (circa 1876) smack in the Newport Historic District. Lark Hotels took the bones of this house — once home to Maryland governor Thomas Swann, then a prep school, then the eccentric cotton-merchant family whose daughter Beatrice Turner became a painter — and turned it into something genuinely special. Every room is named after a character from that history and decked with her actual artwork. The Cliff Walk is literally at the end of the street.
Where You'll Stay
16 room types available
Adele's Room
Named for Adele Turner, owner from 1907. Second-floor room in calming hues with patterned wallpaper, wood flooring, and a Victorian fainting couch as a nice touch. King bed. The bathroom has a clawfoot slipper tub alongside a walk-in rainfall shower.
King
Atlantic Suite
Upper-level Cottage Suite with a partial ocean view, private entrance, and a semi-private furnished deck. Dramatic decor in blue, gold, purple and white with vaulted ceilings and patterned textiles. Separate living room with sofa bed. Double-sided gas fireplace between living room and bathroom. Cathedral-ceiling bathroom with Italian tile, a two-person whirlpool tub, and rainfall shower. Pet-friendly.
Queen
Beatrice's Room
Named for the inn's most famous resident, artist Beatrice Turner — her original paintings are on the door panels. Ocean view from the second floor. King bed with bay window seating. Carrara-marble and black-granite bathroom with a whirlpool tub and rainfall shower, both large enough for two.
King
Blue Room
Second-floor room with French countryside-inspired blue-and-white decor, heart-pine flooring, and antique furnishings including an armoire. Bay window with a cozy seat. Antique mahogany queen bed and a walk-in rainfall shower big enough for two.
QueenCliff Suite
The largest suite on the property at 675 sq ft — upper-level Cottage Suite with a semi-private furnished deck. Coastal decor in blue, grey and cream. Separate living room plus a sitting room with a twin day-bed. King four-poster in the bedroom plus a queen sofa bed in the living space. White-tiled bathroom with a whirlpool tub under a skylight and a walk-in shower. Sleeps up to four, pet-friendly.
KingGarden Suite
A two-story suite with a private entrance, spiral staircase, and French doors opening onto a private garden patio. Bedroom on the upper level with a bay window and garden/ocean views. Lower level has a reading nook, small library, and its own fireplace. Heated limestone bathroom floors with a two-person whirlpool tub and rainfall shower.
QueenGovernor's Suite
The suite honoring original owner Governor Thomas Swann. Vintage-style decor with blue accents, patterned wallpaper, and an antique king bed. Sitting area with antique sofa. Travertine bathroom with a whirlpool tub, walk-in rainfall shower with extra jets, and twin Queen Anne pedestal sinks.
KingHydrangea Suite
Lower-level Cottage Suite with a private entrance and a furnished patio surrounded by hydrangeas. Coastal feel with fieldstone accent wall, printed wallpapers, nautical touches, and a separate living room with sofa bed. Travertine bathroom with an illuminated walk-in rainfall shower. Pet-friendly.
KingLark Suite
The only room in the Victorian-style Carriage House, with a private courtyard entrance and a peek of the ocean. Custom decor with floral patterns, heart-pine flooring, beadboard wainscoting, a sliding barn door, and a cozy window seat. Marble bathroom with a whirlpool tub and walk-in shower, both sized for two.
QueenSt. George's Suite
Named for the boarding school that occupied the inn from 1897 to 1901 — you can see the school's current campus from the window. Third-floor position with sloping walls and skylights. Separate parlor with a small library and fireplace. Carrara-marble bathroom with a large walk-in shower featuring multiple rainfall heads and extra jets.
QueenSun Room
South-east corner room on the second floor with garden and distant ocean views. Grey and yellow tones, original stained-glass transom, and antique furnishings. The standout here is the bathroom: a steam bath and spa shower with aromatherapy, chromatherapy and an iPod audio system.
QueenSwann Room
The smallest and most atmospheric room in the house. Named for Maryland governor Thomas Swann who owned the property when it was called Swann Villa. Third-floor location with sloped mansard walls, hardwood flooring, and jazzy zebra-striped decor with pops of emerald. Gas fireplace in the corner. French doors lead to a bathroom with a walk-in rainfall shower under a skylight.
QueenThe Loft
Third-floor room in the mansard roof with sloping walls, wood-beamed ceiling with a skylight, and soothing grey hues. King bed and antique butler's armoire. French doors lead to a marble bathroom with a whirlpool tub big enough for two and a walk-in rainfall shower.
KingTower Suite
A two-story suite with a private entrance set inside the inn's turret. The upper-level octagonal bedroom has an ornately carved antique queen bed, a gas fireplace, and a window seat looking over the gardens and ocean. Travertine-marble bathroom is on the lower level with a whirlpool tub and walk-in rainfall shower with extra jets. One of the most character-heavy rooms in the house.
QueenTurner Suite
Named for the family that renamed the mansion Cliffside in 1907. Set in the mansard roof with sloping walls, skylights, and bright patterned wallpaper. Separate parlor with a reading nook and gas fireplace. Marble bathroom with a skylight, vintage slipper tub, and walk-in rainfall shower.
QueenVictorian Room
Set across from the parlor on the ground floor. One of the more historically authentic-feeling rooms, with original 19th-century heart-pine flooring, a carved mantel, and a bay window. Small sitting area with slipper chairs. Walk-in rainfall shower with a bench and extra jets.
QueenThe Property
Eat & Drink
2 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Staff can arrange sailing, mansion tours, 12 Meter Yacht Charter bookings, the America's Cup museum, and other Newport activities. The inn provides a curated Newport guide on its website.
Large stone-surrounded communal fire pit in the inn's gardens. A popular evening gathering spot, especially in shoulder season.
The inn features a library with books including Beatrice Turner's biography. Stately common parlors are open to guests for reading, socializing, or parlor games.
The Cliff Walk entrance is at the end of Seaview Ave — literally steps from the front door. The 3.5-mile coastal path runs along the backs of the Gilded Age mansions with ocean views the whole way.
Well-maintained grounds and garden areas around the property, including the hydrangea-lined cottage patio areas.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
In-house library featuring general reading and books about the inn's history including Beatrice Turner's biography.
Complimentary WiFi available throughout all rooms and common areas.
Waffle kimono robes provided in most rooms.
Lather bath products provided in all rooms.
Working gas fireplaces in all 16 rooms. Seasonally switched off June 1 through October 1.
Lark Hotels' loyalty program offering room upgrades, complimentary stays, and custom recommendations.
Three dog-friendly suites with private exterior entrances: Cliff, Hydrangea, and Atlantic Suites. Dogs must weigh 30 lbs or under. $50/pet/day fee. Dog bed, bowl, and welcome toy provided.
One complimentary parking space per room. Available from 3:00pm on check-in day until 1:00pm on check-out day.
BUILD YOUR THE CLIFFSIDE INN PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
Start Planning