first time visit to Block Island

Two couples will be going to the island in late Sept. We won%26#39;t have a car so should we stay in Old Harbor? If so, where? Also, has anyone stayed at the Barrington Inn? Is it a nice place to be or is it too close to airport and electrical plant? Bed and breakfast or hotel?

first time visit to Block Island

My husband and I took a quick trip to Block Island, our first visit there, in early August. We had a great time: the island is small and easy to bicycle around (and the rental bikes are good- not clunkers), the lifestyle is cheerful and relaxed, the beaches and the scenery are terrific. We stayed at a nice hotel, Spring House, but we had a terrible time sleeping. The ceiling in our second floor, ocean view room was very low and there was no air circulation in the hot August night. Even opening the door to the hall to get cross-ventilation (there was a window in the hallway) was little help. In late Sept. hot weather should not be a problem. Our hotel felt to me like a bed and breakfast, i.e., no television, no phone, no air conditioning.

first time visit to Block Island

Greetings,

Late Sept is a wondeful time to visit BIRI. Crowds are gone-the Atlantic Ocean is still warm--Ahhhh. It is truly a beautiful little place. How are u arriving to the isl? Are u taking a ferry into Old harbor? Atlantic Inn, Spring House are 2 very nice Inns w/i walking distance from Old harbor. They%26#39;re a bit pricey but quiet(no TV, Phones etc) and have great views as well as great food.

Blessings of Peace

Old Harbor is where most of the Island%26#39;s shopping, dining, and night life is. But since BI in its entirety is seven square miles, you don%26#39;t much need a vehicle no matter where you stay. It%26#39;s easy to get around on foot or by bike, and taxis are plentiful.

My impression of the Barrington is neutral in that I%26#39;ve never set foot inside and didn%26#39;t have a ';wow'; reaction in a good or bad way. It has no restaurant on the premises, so my assumption is that it would operate as a B %26amp; B. Proximity to the airport and power plant is not an issue. The same is not true for the Island Home or the Highview Inn, and the latter is so sketchy and rundown that it wouldn%26#39;t be a viable option for staying at no matter where on BI it was.

The Surf Hotel is my perennial place to hang my hat on the island: well-maintained 1860%26#39;s gabled Victorian; famed wraparound porch; inviting terraces; comfortable lobby with games, library, and TV; airy dining room for the complimentary and more-than-adequate breakfasts; affable owners who%26#39;ve run the place since 1956 (and their gruff-on-the-outside daughter who%26#39;s also kind and friendly once you%26#39;re familiar); cozy accommodations which draw no noise other than the ocean rolling onto the beach if you%26#39;re on the ';sea side;'; steps-away convenience to everything from the ferry to the library to churches to the late-night coffeehouse...but there are potential drawbacks. If you have to have a marble bathroom with double Jacuzzi and a full line of complimentary ';products,'; %26#39;tain%26#39;t gonna happen. There are sinks and medicine chests in every room at the Surf, but the baths are clean - and shared. Satellite TV with remotes and 259 channels and free HBO? No way! The set%26#39;s in the lobby. Free in-room phones? Nope - you%26#39;re welcome to use a phone on the main floor for local calls, or to charge for long-distance. Whoever is on the front desk is happy to take incoming messages. High-speed wireless Internet access? Don%26#39;t make me laugh. ';Because they can,'; the Surf does have a two-night minimum stay policy on weekends.

Anyhow, that%26#39;s what I like. Other places in the Old Harbor area worth considering are the Old Harbor Inn, Gables and Gables II, Sheffield House, Manisses Hotel and 1661 Inn, Blue Dory Inn, and Sullivan House. Outside ';downtown,'; the list includes - but isn%26#39;t limited to - the Old Town Inn, Sasafrash B %26amp; B, Atlantic Inn, Hygeia House, Rose Farm Inn, and the Adrianna Inn. Most likely NOT worth considering: The Old Bakery, Harborside Hotel, Water Street Inn, The Seacrest, Ballard%26#39;s, and the National Hotel.

I highly recommend the Inn at Old Harbor. We stayed there in 2004 and will be going back again this summer. Clean, close to everything, friendly staff. Complimentary breakfast and afternoon wine and cheese hour. You don%26#39;t need a car on Block Island, you can walk or bike to everything, or if you%26#39;re tired of walking and biking there are inexpensive taxis. I can%26#39;t wait to go back to BI!

My wife and another couple stayed at the Barrington Inn. It was fantastic. The only draw back was it is a distance from the action of Old Harbor. We were able to bring a portable table grill and cook our own food. Check with them and see if they have a grill to use. They were very nice people. Check their web site for info.

Hello all,

I am a TA employee, and through the nominations submitted, this thread was brought to my attention. First, many compliments on the excellent material submitted here.

Second, I just wanted to let everyone know that I took my first shot at preserving this information in a format that will allow you to link to it without always having to ';bump'; it to the top. This is with our new TripAdvisor Inside feature, where anyone can edit and update information.

The page is here:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g54061-s2/Block-Islan鈥?/a>

To see (and edit/create) more Paris pages, go here:

tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g54061-Block_Island_鈥?/a>

Again, this first pass was meant to be exactly that ... a first pass. From here, it%26#39;s up to you to update and maintain the information, and add things I missed from the thread!!! :-)

Have a great day!