Ocean House

I echo the comments above. We travel to some lovely places (resorts, hotels, inns) and I have not been anywhere that does it better than the Ocean House. They pay attention to all the details and the rooms are exceptional. The location on East Beach is perfect. As a lifelong New Englander who has been almost everywhere along our amazing coast, I feel very comfortable saying that the OH is the best oceanfront resort in New England.

If perfection is achievable in a difficult industry, Chuck Royce and the Ocean House have reached the pinnacle. The hotel, the amenities, the service were superb when we stayed this past summer.

The hotel is magnificent. The setting, the grounds, the decor....all exude classic New England luxury with a fresh and modern twist. The spa is lovely. The gym is fabulous. The beach is delightful. Season's restaurant is outstanding with an excellent wine list. We loved sitting at the chef's counter and watching the open kitchen, and we loved even better, our meal in the bistro just accross from the counter. The homey menu is perfect and we enjoyed the best meatloaf ever. We happened to have reservations just after the 2011 hurricane which hit in August. Since the beach had limited service at the beginning of our stay, we were offered a SMALL price adjustment on our room (note that there is no outdoor pool and the spa pool only permits children during limited hours, so without the beach the allure of the hotel is severely compromised if it's summertime). Without this small compensation, we would have been upset, as the construction and rebuilding of the beach was annoying during the first few days, but worth it for the last few days when the beach was glorious and the chairs, cabana, etc. were available again. In spite of the beach disruption, it still would have been a great stay were it not for the unprofessional and poor service provided by the front desk and front office. We requested an early check-in and were told that our room would be ready shortly after our arrival. Instead, we were kept waiting for over an hour. Of course, sometimes it's not possible to honor an early check-in, but its best to communicate that upon arrival rather than to keep guests waiting there, being told, "any minute". In the end, we waited until several minutes after the 4:00 check-in. We actually chatted with several other guests who had a similar experience -- it seems that this is a common issue in this hotel (no early check-in but guests are kept waiting for such). The worst problem was when we discovered our two bedroom residence had a King bed and a Full size bed, instead of the King and Queen we paid for (and had confirmed in writing). This is an important distinction with children the size of mine. For two hours and about ten phonecalls, the hotel could not find a solution to this problem. One manager suggested that we just go home (if we hadn't just driven four hours to get there, we would have). Another unbelievable service problem came when we discovered that the master King bedded room had no bedskirt (at these prices, we are obviously interested in the decor and don't wan't to look at a raw box spring). When I called to ask to have the bedskirt put on, I was told that this room does not come with a bedskirt. That comment alone, shows the lack of professionalism of the front desk. Note that I did receive an additional small discount as a result of the inconvenience (loss of an afternoon). But, I spent hours trying to resolve a problem which was the hotel's fault. Also worth noting is that I phoned the GM twice and left messages, but never received a call back. In summary, I recommend the property, but don't expect Four Seasons service in spite of Four Seasons prices (and in fairness, with Four Seasons surroundings).

Ocean House, a very special place and one of the finest properties we have ever stayeed in the USA. This hotel has it all. Don't miss it. July 2011