I have had the opportunity to stay at the Hotel Viking in Newport a handful of times now. It is a great choice when staying in this classic New England coastal town. The rooms are very affordable for such an upscale place.
You can’t miss the imposing brick building located right on Bellevue Avenue which is the same sought after address as the gilded age mansions. The hotel has been in operation since 1926 and was built to accommodate the guests who attended lavish balls at the mansions.
There is usually valet parking but that is not happening due to covid. I was able to self park in the parking lot right around the corner and that scored big points for me in a city where parking is hard to come by.
What lost points for me was the late check in. Check-in was 4:00 and check-out was 11:00. I feel like check-in’s are getting later and check out’s are getting earlier everywhere I go. There is an option to pay $50 for a late check out.
I had a quick salad at the Hill Market. This little cafe near the lobby offers freshly brewed coffee, handmade pastries, on-the-go bites & fresh pressed juices. It was really nice to have such an easy option right there.
I had scheduled a massage at the spa because this weekend was about relaxing. I had just survived a year of homeschooling and needed some stress relief.
SpaFjör is a really peaceful atmosphere. I was brought into a locker room and handed a robe. From there I moved to a relaxation room and was given a wellness beverage to enjoy.
I felt like it was the first time I had taken a deep breath in a year. Everyone wore masks and my massage therapist had been vaccinated so it all felt very safe.
The Hotel Viking has a nice indoor pool that my kids would have loved. There is also a state of the art gym with Peloton bikes and weights.
I really wanted to head up to my room to shower afterwards but my room was still not ready. I head out for a walk but felt really yucky covered in oil. The spa has showers but they are closed due to covid.
I like the Hotel Viking because it is located right between the two main attractions of Newport- the mansions and the Newport Harbor. The harbor is about a 10 minute walk down the hill and the Mansions are a 20 minute walk in the opposite direction. Newport is a very walkable city. Ditch your car as soon as you can and wear good shoes.
I head to the Cliff Walk which is my favorite activity in Newport. The Chandler is located right at the start of the Cliff Walk so it’s a great place to start.
I had heard about the hot chocolate bar set up outside The Chandler and wanted to check it out. I sat in a white Adirondack chair overlooking the ocean sipping on a hot chocolate that looked almost too pretty to drink. It was May and people were just emerging from the New England winter. There was even a man surfing on Easton Beach.
Once my sugar level had spiked, I head to the trail. The Cliff Walk is 3.5 miles long and provides the most spectacular views. On one side, there are ocean waves crashing on the rocky shore. On the other side are gilded age mansions. Most of the way is paved so it is stroller friendly.
I walked for so long, I realized I should probably head back for dinner. I looked at my map and realized that I was a 40 minute walk from my hotel! I was enjoying it so much, I hadn’t even noticed how long I had been walking.
Back at the hotel, my room was finally ready. I was so happy to take a long hot shower and then fall into the crisp white linens on the bed. I loved the artwork in my room which gave a nod to the Suffragette movement that was prevalent in this area.
I didn’t rest too long because there is just so much to see in the area. I got ready for dinner and headed down to the Newport Harbor.
At sunset, I walked along the piers admiring all of the pink and purple hues. It was a Sunday during the off-season but it was still hard to get into a restaurant. I settled into Jo’s American Bistro and was so glad I found this cozy little place. The food was amazing and the staff was delightful.
Related: The best things to do in Newport, RI
The following morning, I head back to the little cafe for coffee and breakfast since it is not included in your stay. It was nice to have a quiet lazy morning in the room. I thought I would get a lot of work done, but really I just got a lot of relaxing done. The 11:00 check out came too soon.
The Hotel Viking in Newport is known to be a great wedding venue as well as a conference venue. The down side is that there is usually a big event going on so it can be noisy.
Although Katouche didn’t join me on my trip, the Hotel Viking is pet friendly. This hotel is also a great option for families.
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