Want to find out where to stay in Newport, RI? You can choose between staying in Newport itself or one of the surrounding cities. Each of them is quite special in its own way!
You’ll find detailed information about the best places to stay in Newport, RI and the surrounding areas in our guide. We’ll also share tips on things to do, where to eat, and what attractions you shouldn’t miss in the area. Let’s begin!
The 4 Best Places to Stay in Newport, RI
- Newport. The center of the area, where the biggest attractions are concentrated — mainly, the famous Gilded Age mansions.
- Middletown. Fairly close to Newport, it’s a finely balanced city that offers both historical monuments and natural beauties.
- Narragansett and South Kingstown. Located to the west of Newport, these two small cities have great beaches and cheap accommodations.
- Fall River. Located north of Newport, this area is famous for its history, the Lizzie Borden case, and the lively Portuguese culture.
The Best Areas & Hotels in Newport, RI
Newport and the areas around it are mostly known as a tourist’s paradise. That means there are many accommodation options of all types — budget, mid-range, and luxurious. The choice is up to you and what kind of hotel or motel you prefer for your trip.
Newport is full of hotels and hostels of all kinds and sizes, ranging from cheap but decent two-star hotels and motels to very luxurious and expensive five-star hotels. The offering here is wide since the demand is also great.
The situation in the other cities is fairly similar — the differences are in degrees and not kind. Middletown is basically a continuation of Newport and offers practically the same things.
The hotels in Narragansett and South Kingstown are not very expensive, and Fall River is full of great mid-range options. What is constant among all these areas is that the hotels in each city are of very high quality.
1. Best Area for Beaches: Newport
The historic seaside city of Newport, Rhode Island features iconic architecture, whimsical signs and colorful displays of nature on December 19, 2020/George Wirt/Shutterstock
Newport is a small New England city with a population of only 25,000 people. It’s famous for many things, but especially for being the best New England summer resort and some of the most beautiful historic mansions in the country.
There’s also the intricate tennis and sailing history. That said, we recommend you focus mainly on enjoying the beautiful landscapes and visiting as many mansions as you can.
Newport is surrounded by water, which means only one thing: Beaches. Spend at least a part of your trip strolling along the ocean and visiting some beaches, no matter the season — they’re beautiful year-round.
There’s a lot to choose from here. Start from Easton Beach, which is basically located in the town, at the beginning of Cliff walk (where most of the mansions are), and then continue to the Second Beach and the Third Beach.
The Second Beach is the longest one in Rhode Island. It’s perfect for a long stroll at sunset during your trip!
Once you’ve seen the beaches, it’s time for Newport’s main attractions: The mansions. This small city attracted the American “aristocracy” of the Gilded Age, so the Astors, the Vanderbilts, and the like built their palaces here.
The list is pretty extensive, so here’s a quick enumeration of the most famous mansions in the city:
- The Breakers, which was the Vanderbilt’s jewel
- The Elms with its marble columns
- Marble House, which is another item in Vanderbilt’s collection
- Rosecliff, a modern imitation of Versailles
- Rough Point, which is the last palace to be opened to visitors
- Chateau-sur-Mer with its distinctive Victorian look
Newport is a town that strives to keep its tourism going. That means it’s full of hotels, motels, and inns of all types and classes. It shouldn’t be too hard to find a place to stay in this city — just make sure you do it on time. The restaurant situation is basically the same.
Newport Budget Hotels
- Motel 6-Newport, RI is a quite cheap two-star motel that doesn’t offer much but comes at a really low price — and Newport is not the cheapest place in the world. It offers free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, a private bathroom, and cable TV. A big plus is that the motel is pet-friendly and has facilities for disabled people.
- Harbor Base Inn is a slightly better and slightly more expensive two-star hotel. It doesn’t offer much, but it’s quite clean and decent looking, with free Wi-Fi and free air-conditioning, but also has room service and free parking. It’s located a few minutes outside of Newport’s city center.
Newport Mid-Range Hotels
- Mill Street Inn is a great three-star hotel located one block away from the city’s waterfront in a renovated 19th-century mill. It offers a great combination of historical gusto and contemporary amenities, such as a nice gym and a tasty complimentary breakfast every morning. Finally, the hotel is completely pet-friendly.
- The Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina is another fully-equipped three-star hotel located on the Newport harbor itself. It has a great view, an indoor salted pool, a bar, and a great restaurant on the premises. The rooms are equipped with free Wi-Fi and cable TV and are especially suitable for families and couples. This is a great location with amenities for a reasonable price.
Newport Luxury Hotels
- The Vanderbilt Auberge Resorts Collection is the most luxurious and expensive hotel in the city and the only five-star accommodation. It’s both historic (built in 1909) and very elite, boasting an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a bar, a luxurious spa, a fully equipped gym, and a beautiful garden. There’s free Wi-Fi, free air-conditioning, and a plasma TV in every room.
- Newport Marriott is a gorgeous four-star hotel overlooking the ocean. There’s an indoor pool and a luxury spa on the premises, as well as a restaurant and a bar. The rooms are furnished with all the amenities, including 55 flat-screen TV, a refrigerator, and a coffee/tea machine. The hotel is also customized for receiving disabled guests and offers a nice complimentary breakfast.
2. Best Area for Nature Lovers: Middletown
Faina Gurevich/Shutterstock
Middletown is a small city of 17,000 people, located between the two bigger cities in the area. Newport is just to the south and Portsmouth to the north, sandwiching this quaint town in the middle.
It’s mainly famous for two things: Its early colonial history and beautiful nature. Middletown offers a variety of different kinds of accommodations and many tasty restaurants.
If you’re on a hunt for early colonial historic buildings and narratives, Middletown has a few unexpected hidden jewels that may satisfy your appetites. Visiting The Whitehall Museum House should be the first thing on your list.
It’s a lovely historic farmhouse with period furniture and organized tours. St. Columba’s Chapel, with its beautiful stained glass, is a close second. Prescott Farm is a great transition between culture and nature, having a lot to offer from both perspectives.
On one hand, it’s an important example of an 18th-century farmhouse; on the other hand, it’s around forty acres of lively nature with massive windmills. The site tours are also mixed.
Some concern the early Revolutionary history of America, while others focus on the local horticultural practices, flora, and fauna. The natural life in Middletown is simply breathtaking.
Visit the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge and its three miles of uniquely preserved nature, especially rare types of birds. Norman Bird Sanctuary is an immense 225 acres of land along the Atlantic Ocean, with many hiking trails, great educational programs, and museums.
The hotels in Middletown are simply marvelous. There are hotels ranging from two to four stars, and many of them — even the ones with only two stars — have indoor pools, on-site restaurants, and bars.
The restaurants are quite cheap and tasty, preferring a more homemade, cozy, and family-friendly atmosphere.
Middletown Budget Hotels
- Quality Inn and Suites Newport – Middletown is an unusually good two-star hotel that comes at a cheap price. It offers free Wi-Fi, an outdoor pool, and a great breakfast every morning. The rooms are spacious, with a cable TV and a microwave, and especially suitable for couples overall.
- The Carriage House Inn Newport, Ascend Hotel Collection is another great two-star hotel that has a lot to offer at a very low price. Located in a historic Victorian mansion, its rooms have free Wi-Fi, cable TV, refrigerators, desks, and microwaves. There’s breakfast available every morning.
Middletown Mid-Range Hotels
- Hampton Inn & Suites Middletown is a pet-friendly, three-star hotel with high-speed free Wi-Fi available in every room. It’s quite luxurious for a three-star hotel, having both a swimming pool and a gym on the premises that you can use free of charge. The hotel serves breakfast every morning.
- Atlantic Beach Hotel Newport is another beautiful three-star hotel with an indoor swimming pool. Other interesting and practical amenities include an indoor gym, a seasonal rooftop sundeck, and a full-time working restaurant. The parking and Wi-Fi are free.
Middletown Luxury Hotels
- The Sea Breeze Inn is a four-star hotel, located around four kilometers from Newport. The hotel offers free parking and Wi-Fi, and every room has a private bathroom, cable TV, and a balcony with a view. There’s also a cafe on the premises, where complimentary breakfast is served every morning.
- Wyndham Newport Hotel is another four-star hotel with a beautiful view of the Atlantic ocean. The hotel is surrounded by a lush garden and there’s an indoor pool on the premises. The rooms are spacious and equipped with free Wi-Fi, cable TV, and other usual amenities. The restaurant is quite nice and serves a complimentary breakfast every morning.
3. Most Budget-Friendly Area: Narragansett and South Kingstown
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Narragansett and South Kingstown are two small towns located next to each other, west of Newport. You’ll cross the two bridges — the Newport Bridge and the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge — to reach the northern parts of Narragansett.
These towns are small but charming, and both of them offer a lot of accommodation options and restaurants, which is always a welcoming thing for tourists. Let’s start with Narragansett. Since the 19th century, the town has been swarming with tourists because of its beautiful beaches and small-town charm.
Talking about the beaches, there are a few of them you just have to visit: The Narragansett Town Beach, the Scarborough State Beaches (North and South), the Roger Wheeler State Beach, and the Salty Brine State Beach.
All of them are worth your time and energy. Narragansett’s Towers (or just The Towers), located near the Town Beach, are the symbol of the city. Formerly an entrance to a famous casino, today they serve many functions.
They’re used for dancing, weddings, summer music series… You can even get a historical tour. Narragansett is also great for hiking, fishing, and boating.
South Kingstown is somehow less attractive than Narragansett but also more historically “important” — meaning it has many interesting historical landmarks and monuments.
Kingston Village Historic District is definitely the first place on the list, but also don’t forget Peace Dale Historic District, the Usquepaug Road Historic District, Wakefield Historic District, and Hannah Robinson Tower.
All of them give witness to the rich historical heritage of this part of America. The accommodation and restaurant situation in both cities is great.
Maybe the only problem is the general insufficiency of budget hotels or motels, but all the other accommodation options are not too expensive. There’s also a wide variety of restaurants, and we particularly recommend the seafood ones.
Narragansett and South Kingstown Budget Hotels
- Scarborough Beach Motel is a quite cheap three-star motel. Its strongest side is its close proximity to the ocean. The hotel itself offers free parking and rooms with free Wi-Fi and air conditioning, flat-screen TV, a microwave, and a refrigerator. According to the reviews, it’s especially suitable for couples.
- The Atlantic House is a relatively cheap three-star hotel located in the city of Narragansett. It’s quite close to the beachfront and offers free parking and Wi-Fi. All of the rooms have private bathrooms, a microwave, and a refrigerator. Some of them have flat-screen TVs and sitting areas.
Narragansett and South Kingstown Mid-Range Hotels
- Holiday Inn South Kingstown-Newport Area, an IHG Hotel is a relatively cheap — given the circumstances — three-star hotel located in South Kingstown. It’s not your typical mid-range hotel since it offers a swimming pool and on-site restaurant with an available breakfast. The rooms are also quite nice, furnished with free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. According to the reviews, it’s especially suitable for couples and is also pet-friendly.
- Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott South Kingstown Newport Area is another quite beautiful three-star hotel in South Kingstown. It offers free parking, free Wi-Fi and air conditioning, a private bathroom, and a flat-screen TV in every room. According to the reviews, the hotel is especially suitable for couples or families.
Narragansett and South Kingstown Luxury Hotels
- The Break Hotel is a beautiful four-star hotel located in the southern part of Narragansett. There’s a concierge service, a gift shop in the hotel, an outdoor pool, and a gym on the premises. All the rooms have free Wi-Fi and air-conditioning, and some of them have seating areas.
- Shepherd’s Run is a castle-looking four-star hotel located in South Kingstown. It offers rooms equipped with free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a desk, flat-screen TVs, and a private bathroom. There’s also a bar on the premises of the hotel and breakfast is available every morning.
4. Most Historic Area: Fall River
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Fall River is a really authentic and quirky city — but in a good way, as you’re about to see. A famous textile town, rich and developed throughout the 19th century, today, Fall River is famous for the Lizzie Borden House, the Battleship Cove, the Fall River Historical Society, and the lively Portuguese culture and food.
Let’s start with the weird stuff: What is Lizzie Borden famous for, and why is her house worth visiting? Lizzie Borden’s case was the talk of the day in 1892 because she killed both her father and stepmother with an axe and somehow got away with it.
She continued living in Fall River till her death in 1927. Both of her houses, the one where she committed the murder and the one where she last lived, have been turned into museums.
The second biggest attraction is connected with naval and military history — the maritime museum called Battleship Cove. It offers both the biggest collection of World War II battleships and many different activities, such as tours, veteran’s museums, and other events.
All fans of ships and war history are going to be delighted to visit this place. The Fall River historical society is a true gem for everybody who wants to hear the stories that circulated through these parts of America.
Located in a sublime French Second Empire mansion, it offers exhibits, photographs, archives, libraries, events, lectures, and much much more. History buffs will definitely have a blast.
There’s a little-known fact that many people from Portugal came to New England — Fall River was one of those places — and settled there.
Immediately they developed a lively culture, mainly concentrated on food and restaurants. Portuguese food is famous worldwide, and here’s a chance to try it.
Fall River Budget Hotels
- Orbits Inn is a decent two-star hotel that comes at a really low price — a great choice if you’re on a budget. It doesn’t offer much aside from its cheap price. There’s free Wi-Fi and free air conditioning all over the premises, a private bathroom, and free parking.
- Riverview Inn & Suites is a relatively cheap accommodation with an interesting surprise for a budget option: it has a beautiful indoor pool and a fitness center. The rooms are equipped with free Wi-Fi and tea and coffee machines are also available. There’s a hotel bar and a terrace.
Fall River Mid-Range Hotels
- Hampton Inn Fall River/Westport is a great three-star hotel. It offers an indoor swimming pool and rooms with free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. Breakfast is also available at the hotel buffet every morning. According to the reviews, the hotel is especially suitable for couples and families.
- TownePlace Suites by Marriott Fall River Westport is another great three-star hotel with an indoor pool. Part of the famous Marriott chain of hotels, it also offers a fitness center, rooms furnished with all the amenities, including free Wi-Fi and a complimentary breakfast every morning. Interestingly enough, it also has a barbeque facility on the premises.
Fall River Luxury Hotels
- Vacation Home is a whole apartment listed with three stars, located in the center of Fall River. It’s a great accommodation option, especially if you’re traveling with a bigger bunch of people. It offers three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room with a plasma TV, and a fully equipped kitchen. The private parking, the Wi-Fi, and the air conditioning are all free.
- Fall River cozy apartment can be called a luxurious accommodation only in relative terms since there are no four or five-star hotels in this area. That being said, it’s quite a beautiful apartment with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a sitting and dining area, and a fully equipped kitchen. There’s also free Wi-Fi, parking, and air conditioning.
Save Big on Your Trip to Newport
Smart travelers (aka you) know that the best way to save big on a trip to Newport is to shop around. As travel experts, we know a thing or two about saving money on a trip.
We suggest browsing both individual resort offers and also flight/resort packages on Booking.com and Expedia.com to see what awesome deals are available. We’ve spent countless hours on these sites, and can confidently say that there are some smoking deals right now.
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Book Your Trip to Newport Today!
We hope that reading this guide helped you choose where to stay in Newport or its surrounding area. It’s a place so full of history and natural beauty that it’s really a challenge to make your choice. So, let’s do a quick summary!
| ⛱️ Best for Relaxing on the Beach | Newport |
| 🌳 Best for Nature Lovers | Middletown |
| 💸 Most Budget-Friendly area | Narragansett and South Kingstown |
| 🏰 Most Historic Area | Fall River |