Watch Hill, RI Travel Diary at the Ocean House

At the beginning of May I had the absolute honor of celebrating the Style Charade x Sail to Sable collection at the iconic New England seaside resort, the Ocean House in Watch Hill, Rhode Island!

Sail to Sable is a classic, colorful, and preppy brand that I’ve been wearing for years, and one of my good friends from the influencer/blogging industry, Jennifer Lake, has designed four unbelievable collections with them, the most recent being the spring collection that you see here. Jennifer’s blog, Style Charade, is full of phenomenal fashion and design finds and she’s an absolute must-follow if you don’t already!

Her collection with Sail to Sable is everything— classic, nautical, and full of pretty touches like eyelet, flutter sleeves, and playful stripes! Each piece is so beautifully designed and well made. It was a joy to get to style and photograph them to share for the launch of the collection, along with my stylish (and fun/hysterical) friends Allie of @allieprovost and Monica of @awedbymoni. Much more on where we stayed and what we did below.

But first, here’s a full look at all of the items in the capsule collection– along with a few accessories I packed for the trip!

daisy sunglasses // tortoise sunglasses // striped lounge set // rattan earrings // white eyelet dress // pearl bag // blue eyelet dress // stripe dress // maxi dress // pearl straw bag // embellished jute headband // sneakers

Where We Stayed

You can also see an overview of the trip in this Instagram Reel

The Ocean House— We had the pleasure of being hosted by The Ocean House, which has a long history of welcoming guests to its expansive 13-acre property right on its own private beach in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. It’s a five-star Relais & Châteaux property, so you know that you can expect the best and be delightfully surprised when they surpass just that. I had visited once before for a polo match a few years back, but had yet to stay overnight on the stunning property, so this was such a treat to be able to do so.

For some context, the Ocean House looks out on the Atlantic and you can catch glimpses of Montauk and Block Island– but maybe most notably, Taylor Swift’s home that inspired the song “The Last Great American Dynasty.” I could literally look out on her house from my room and I was absolutely not chill about it. The whole trip really felt like it could be a Taylor Swift music video (except my boyfriend was missing…!). 😊

I took an Amtrak train from Penn Station to Westerly, RI, which is a direct train ride that only took about three hours. You can schedule ahead of time for someone from the resort to pick you up at the train station upon your arrival, which the Sail to Sable team kindly coordinated for me and was so convenient (it’s a service that’s included in your stay– such a nice perk).

I read up on the resort’s history and it turns out that it opened up in 1868, just after the Civil War, and developed into a beloved spot for generations of families to visit throughout the 1900s. Over time it became worn and officially shut down in 2003, until it was rebuilt a year later with a design that replicated the original exterior.

Now the resort has 49 rooms and 18 Signature Suites, and all of its 247 windows are in the same positions as the original structure when you look at them from the outside (how cool is that). Besides the gorgeous beach and ocean, there are multiple sundecks where you can enjoy a meal or a drink, a croquet lawn, putting green, shuffle board court, and various beautiful gardens (not to mention a cozy fire pit!).

I stayed in a Deluxe Guest Room with a king bed on the third floor and couldn’t get over how spacious and lovely it was– the bath tub was the real show stopper (I was basically swimming in it it was so huge) and it had a TV right above it with a full spectrum of channels so I was able to catch up on the Real Housewives of New York while soaking in the tub… basically my version of bliss.

It would make the perfect weekend getaway from New York City, and is also definitely worth flying into as well (Monica flew in from Atlanta). The room I was in would be perfect for a couple, but they have plenty of other accommodation options as well– everything from standard guest rooms to their own collection of multi-level cottages (that couldn’t be more quaint or beautifully decorated, may I add!).

The weather was in the mid-60s and so nice (it actually got sunnier each day that we were there!) and we were able to enjoy a lot of time outside, wandering around the property. If you’re more into laying on the beach, I might suggest visiting between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when I’m assuming their beach cabanas and sun beds are available to reserve.

I also couldn’t help but imagine how magical the property is during the holiday season, and their Veuve Clicquot Fondue Village is now officially on my 2021 holiday bucket list! But until then, here’s a closer look at the property and all that we did…

I should note that the photographers for the trip were Allie Provost of Pret a Photo, and Bob Zigmund, the second half to Jennifer Lake and Style Charade! The images you see of me and the group were so beautifully captured by them. 

The sweetest welcome gifts from Sail to Sable, Monogram Mary (the owner, Brooke, was with us almost the entire trip and I adore her!!), & Jack Rogers. The huge monogrammed vinyl bag will be a summer weekend staple of mine for sure!

What We Did

Photos around the property— We were on the trip with the goal of celebrating and promoting the launch of Jenn’s collection with Sail to Sable, so our main activity included trying on the pieces and twirling about the property for photos (as bloggers do of course😊). It was the ideal location for a photoshoot, as the resort had so many stunning backdrops and adorable little nooks where we could snap photos. It’s easy to see why so many people choose the destination for special events and weddings!

Relaxing and bubble baths— Ok, back to my beloved bubble bath. I did manage to squeeze in some downtime while I was there which was amazing. The tub in my room was relaxing enough, but the spa will definitely be my first stop the next time I visit– it looks divine (and not to mention the indoor pool!)

Walk through Watch Hill— On my last day there I had a train ride back to New York City in the afternoon, so I spent the morning leisurely walking through the surrounding neighborhoods. I took lunch to go from The Bistro restaurant at the resort (more on that below) and walked down Pimpton Road to the docks of the Watch Hill Yacht Club, where I sat and ate my BLT on the dock (I was very happy in that moment). There are so many adorable boutiques, places to eat, and galleries in the buildings right along the water there in town.

Where We Ate

The Bistro— We enjoyed the majority of our lunches (and one dinner) in The Bistro, which was located right past the lobby area, in a number of rooms that faced the ocean. It was the perfect dining option for a group of people because there were plenty of options on the menu– everything from seafood to traditional American plates. I particularly enjoyed their lobster roll at lunch and the New England clam chowder I had one evening at dinner. The pan roasted Maine halibut and the buffalo chicken spring rolls were also fan favorites (oh and not to mention the salted butter they paired with the bread… unreal). You can take a peek into The Bistro dining room during the day in the video below!

The Club Room— We enjoyed dinner in this handsome room as well and it was impeccable (I had some sort of herbed chicken!). I believe it’s a members-only dining experience, but they were kind enough to host us in the cozy setting. The fireplace and wood-paneled bar couldn’t be beat on a cool May evening!

I know that there are also a variety of other culinary offerings available in the late spring/summer months, but those are the main ones we enjoyed most. Oh! And the insane ‘cocktail’ cart that comes around to everyone’s room between 5-7 pm to offer you a cocktail or a glass of wine, complete with some Old Bay peppered popcorn. I just about jumped for joy when I opened up my room to see that on my first night there. Why doesn’t every resort offer such a service?! xx

https://www.amylittleson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/cean-House-RI-Sail-to-Sable-x-Style-Charade-34.mov