Rhode Island Lodging 2009

LODGING

Best Look at the Future:
NYLO, Warwick
With architectural details such as exposed chrome pipes overhead, this ultramodern hotel combines chic urban flair with a futuristic Jetsons feel. Each of NYLO’s 163 “guest lofts” have large windows and high ceilings; 42 are allergy-free rooms. The onsite gourmet restaurant serves up a fantasyland lounge (think Star Wars meets Disney) and a large outdoor deck overlooking the Pawtuxet River. Rates: from $89. 400 Knight St. 401-734-4460; nylohotels.com/warwick

Best Victorian Atmosphere:
IVY LODGE, Newport
Just steps from where Vanderbilts and others once called home, Ivy Lodge is a full-fledged showcase of Gilded Age grandeur, complete with a three-story oak-paneled entryway with stained-glass windows, working fireplaces in each guest room, and delicate crystal wine goblets in the dining room. Finally, you’ll eat like it’s 1899, thanks to elaborate breakfasts cooked up by hosts Daryl and Darlene McKenzie. (We can’t get enough of the peach pancakes.) Rates: from $159, including full breakfast. 12 Clay St. 401-849-6865; ivylodge.com

Best Family Farm Stay:
HARMONY HOME FARM B&B, Little Compton
Tucked into a rural slice of Rhode Island, Harmony Home offers visitors a taste of the quiet life. Hostess Sheila Brady serves fresh-picked fruit for breakfast (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), with home-baked muffins or scones. Then there are your neighbors: the sheep, pigs, and Herefords that the Brady family raise right on the property. Rates: from $150, including continental breakfast. 456 Long Highway. 401-635-2283; harmonyhomefarm.com

Best Place to Play:
SHELTER HARBOR INN, Westerly
Set in a 19th-century farmhouse, carriage house, and barn, Shelter Harbor features two paddle-tennis courts, a croquet court, and for those who don’t want their short game to get too rusty, a putting green. Of course, for the less action-oriented, the hot tub, library, and private beach are just as inviting. Rates: from $106, including full breakfast. 10 Wagner Road. 800-468-8883, 401-322-8883; shelterharborinn.com

Best Inland Stay:
OLD TOWN INN, Block Island
Recently renovated, this nearly two-centuries-old inn matches convenience (it’s just a mile outside town) with classic New England style. Each of the 10 guest rooms is light-filled, with striking views of meandering meadows and stately stone walls. Even better: Host Dave Morrison turns out gourmet buffet breakfasts, including home-baked bread. Rates: from $195, including full breakfast. Old Town Road. 401-466-5958; oldtowninnbi.com