There are vacations, playcations, and staycations… all good, informative, and restorative! But there are a few places that could claim to be all three.

The City of Newport is a well-laid-out town holding a cornucopia of shops and incredibly diversified restaurants, which very much reflect the international and historic nature of the town.

Prior to its settlement in the early 1600s, it was a pirates’ haven and shortly thereafter a significant hub for the international slave trade. In some of the shops today, you find a vast array of gold, silver, and copper coins which spilled out from the pirates’ treasure chests, sunken or stashed, or from the pockets of the early slave traders!

In the late 1800s through the early 1900s, many of the dynastic and industrial families of America had a “summer cottage” here. In truth, as many of my well-lived and well-informed friends from Europe claimed, these Newport mansions rivaled the palaces of Western, Eastern, and Central Europe. Several of these homes still exist today, perched on their waterfront ledges to be visited as museums, as well as for the historic period they represented. A few renowned estates, such as those of the Astors, Fricks, Whitneys, Vanderbilts, and others, live on in their glory to be visited, with gardens and homes intact, and appreciated for their historic splendor.

Some succumbed to financial reality and became hotels, and a few still exist as homes for the uber-wealthy Americans and foreigners found in the United States today.

Over the past several years, we have visited Newport, Rhode Island, three or four times, always eager to return and discover the next exciting experience.

With full exposure as a young girl, I had visited here as well, but in a different context. Four of my close friends grew up spending vacation time in the large family properties that today make up the “Historic Homes.”

This time we discovered, positioned on 40 acres overlooking Narragansett Bay, Castle Hill Inn. It is a world-famous destination for those who are seeking a quintessential Newport experience.

This 19th-century mansion was originally the summer residence of Swiss-American Alexander Agassiz, who was well known as a marine biologist and a member of the family that held the Calumet mines as one of their core assets. Under his leadership, the Calumet and Hecla mines rapidly increased production, and by 1870 were producing over half of the United States’ copper.

The family sold Castle Hill to a group that converted it into the chic and elite night spot of the glamorous flapper set in Newport. The “flappers” were young women, post-1920, who were freed from prior Victorian norms and social constraints. They defied convention by wearing short bobbed hair, knee-high dresses, and makeup while smoking, drinking, and dancing in the jazz clubs in defiance of the strict social protocol of their parents. Castle Hill’s gaiety resounded till the early hours of the morning, and the 20 bedrooms were equally utilized.

Today, Castle Hill Inn offers the luxury of a boutique hotel as a member of the distinguished Relais and Châteaux family of properties. It offers 20-plus comfortable and well-appointed bedrooms and stylish dining facilities, indoor and al fresco. The hotel extends its chic public rooms to include large ballrooms for the many elegant destination weddings that are held there throughout the year.

During our stay, there was an exuberant and joyful Spanish wedding, followed by a more subdued but elegant Chinese wedding. From the sounds resonating throughout, a good time was had by all!