A Rhode Island Bed and Breakfast Retreat: the Margin Street Inn

On our recent trip to New England, we explored charming small towns, gawked at beautiful old farmhouses, ate our way through every oyster house in five states, and drank a classified number of great cocktails. But as it turns out, this much bivalve-and-booze fun can be pretty exhausting (weep for me), and our ceaseless pursuit of lobster rolls and sailboats left us in need of some rest. That’s why one of my favorite parts of our trip was the eye in the chowder hurricane: our relaxing visit to the Rhode Island bed and breakfast Margin Street Inn.

Before we arrived at the Margin Street Inn, lolling around the property for days wasn’t our plan. In fact, we were excited about this bed and breakfast because it was so close to other places we wanted to check out. To its west is the seaport village of Mystic, Connecticut which boasts an impressive culinary and cocktail scene (Engine Room and Oyster Club are unmissable), and to its south is Watch Hill, Rhode Island and its grand Ocean House resort (stop in for a tour of the grounds you can’t help but feel like a Vanderbilt). We were eager to visit them both.

However, as soon as we arrived at Margin Street, our plans for leaving it evaporated.  One look at its pristine facade and we were firmly committed to staying as long as they’d let us.

One of the things that immediately made me fall in love with Margin Street was its perfect blend of history with modern comfort. While some people find that drafty windows and ancient carpets confer cozy vintage charm to a place, I am not one of those people: I like my ancient buildings immaculately clean, comfortably luxurious, and looking like they’ve never been lived in. It may not be reasonable or fair to want something that has existed for hundreds of years to look brand new, but luckily for me, Margin Street satisfied even my irrational standards completely.

The bed and breakfast comprises two different newly restored houses from the 19th century Perry Homestead on the Pawcatuck River. The two buildings border a sprawling lawn dotted with Adirondack chairs, inviting fire pits, and magnificent old trees. It was chilly when we visited, but I could imagine spending hours enjoying their outdoor spaces in the warmer summer months.

After being given a warm welcome, we noticed that the exquisitely decorated porches and living rooms measured up to the promise of the exterior. Pristine yet cozy, each room was designed for comfort and peace.

We sat in the sun soaked porch with our host Sarah who told us a bit about the building’s history. After complimenting her on the remodel and decorating, she shared with us that the owner of Margin Street Inn was Charles Royce— the owner of nearby Ocean House! We had loved visiting Ocean House for years, so the connection between the two properties suddenly made this hidden gem look even more precious than before.

Next it was time to see our room.

Decorated in calming whites and pastels, if we weren’t already planning on spending the day in full relaxation mode, our room would have fully seduced us. Just the sight of their fluffy robes, clawfoot tub, and comfortable bed was completely restorative.

We managed to tear ourselves away from our room eventually thanks to the promise of afternoon refreshments on the sunporch. Sarah put out a beautiful spread alongside wine and some favorite local beers.

Sadly, we had too good of a time chatting, so I didn’t get to use cocktail hour as an opportunity to annihilate my husband at a game of backgammon on their locally-made board (look how it’s color-coordinated with the room. Wow).

After a great night’s rest, we enjoyed a leisurely delicious breakfast in the dining room. Tea, coffee, baked goods, granola, and a homemade frittata left us full and happy (happy until we realized we were about to leave, that is).

Thanks for the hospitality, Margin Street Inn. We can’t wait to come back soon.

Margin Street Inn is located at 4 Margin St, Westerly, RI 02891.