Coastal Winter Getaway | Beauport Hotel in Gloucester, Massachusetts

By Jeanne O’Brien Coffey

Winter afternoons at Beauport Hotel: Floor-to-ceiling windows stretch across the lobby, inviting the late-day light to paint the walls in glowing pink and orange and framing the setting sun over Gloucester Harbor. Some days, the display even stops busy employees in their tracks.

Locals say the spectacular sunsets are a by-product of reflections off the area’s granite-rich geography. But regardless of the cause, the hotel’s southwestern exposure—uncommon among New England oceanfront properties—takes full advantage, with cozy seating areas and a horseshoe-shaped bar and deck just beyond. A basket full of bright red blankets by the door beckons guests to step outside and grab a seat by the firepit, perhaps with a cup of tea or a cocktail. When it’s stormy, sheltered rocking chairs offer a peaceful spot to watch the snow fall and the sea swell.

Beauport is all about gracious relaxation—it was designed to echo classic New England resorts, and it feels as if it’s been there forever. But the property is actually less than 10 years old: It opened in 2016 on the site of the old Birdseye plant, where it stands in luxurious contrast to Gloucester’s working waterfront churning away across the street.

An escape here begins in the grand lobby, where two bars tempt you with craft cocktails or local beer, and perhaps a platter of oysters. Hungry for more? The hotel’s 1606 Restaurant & Oyster Bar, wrapped in water views, offers a menu centered on modern American fare—think locally sourced lobster Benedict for breakfast and an all-day menu stretching from falafel to long-bone rib-eye.

In an era when most properties have done away with daily housekeeping, Beauport provides daily cleaning and evening turndown service, with slippers placed by each bed and locally made chocolates left on each pillow. Of course, there’s room service and fluffy bathrobes, too, in accommodations done up in yacht-club chic and decorated with historic photos from the collection of the nearby Cape Ann Museum.

Request a water view and a fireplace. If it’s available, ask for Room 326: This corner room has windows on two sides to bring in the ocean views and a balcony where you can ponder the odd structure standing just offshore (it’s a greasy pole platform, the scene of a spirited competition during St. Peter’s Fiesta every summer).

In winter, the price of such luxury can plunge by as much as 75 percent, but the amenities all remain—right down to complimentary jaunts in the property’s hippie-chic vintage Volkswagen van or elegant Cadillac SUV. Not surprisingly, rides are a lot easier to come by in winter, and if staff aren’t too busy they’re happy to take guests on a tour of Gloucester, pointing out Good Harbor Beach and the massive mansions of Bass Rocks.

To simply explore downtown, though, there’s no need to get a ride. The shops and restaurants of Main Street are a five-minute walk from the hotel, and most are open year-round. But don’t worry: If the chill is too sharp, or your purchases too heavy, someone will drive you back in time for sunset. —Jeanne O’Brien Coffey

Nightly rate for typical room option: $269 winter vs. $495 summer. beauporthotel.com

Beauport Hotel: Beyond the Lobby

BREAKFAST SPOT: Regulars chat in Italian while sipping espresso out of tiny cups at Caffè Sicilia, a no-frills bakery where dozens of Italian-inspired sweets are made in-house daily (try the lobster tail, a crisp, flaky pastry that’s so long it hangs off the plate and which is filled with a special blend of whipped cream and mascarpone cheese). Gloucester; Instagram

NATURE OUTING: Bundle up to walk the granite cliffs atop an abandoned quarry in Halibut Point State Park, where the windswept views can stretch all the way to Mount Agamenticus in Maine. Wintering birds, like brilliantly colored harlequin ducks feeding near the shoreline and loons hunting for fish, are the focus of free programs the third Sunday of every month. Rockport; mass.gov/state-parks

RETAIL THERAPY: Just steps from Beauport Hotel, on Gloucester’s Main Street between Pleasant and Washington, you’ll find unique independent retailers such as Bananas (978-283-8806), a vintage shop packed to the rafters with flapper dresses, rhinestone jewelry, and outrageous hats. Down the street, Dog Town Books (dogtownbooks.com) sells everything from collectible tomes on New England history to pulp fiction.

DINING PICK: Named for the Italian word for tuna, Tonno Cucina e Cantina happens to be one of the few places that T.J. Ott, a captain on the Gloucester-based reality TV show Wicked Tuna, will eat the prized fish. Beyond pristine local seafood, look for Italian favorites like handmade pasta with Sunday sauce and pork chops with vinegar peppers. Gloucester; tonnorestaurant.com

CULTURE HIT: Step through the doors of Shalin Liu Performance Center’s unassuming storefront to find a breathtaking 330-seat theater with rock-lined walls, exposed wood beams, and a grand two-story window overlooking Sandy Bay. The center hosts a diverse array of classical, jazz, folk, world, and pop music concerts, as well as HD broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera and England’s National Theatre. Beauport guests enjoy complimentary transportation to and from events. Rockport; rockportmusic.org

DON’T-MISS STOP: Situated on a peninsula jutting into Gloucester Harbor, the Rocky Neck Cultural District has been attracting artists since the 1800s; everyone from Edward Hopper to Mark Rothko has drawn inspiration from the unique quality of the light and the rocky geography. While many of the galleries and studios are seasonal, the Salted Cod Arthouse is open daily year-round, selling local art along with excellent coffee, wine, and snacks. Gloucester; saltedcodarthouse.com