Nantucket.

Doesn’t the very word conjure up images of money and summer and blazing white sand and the foamy sea?

“I worked myself to the bone in Nantucket last winter. And it’s so flashy and loud! Impossible place to relax,” said nobody, ever.

When E. and I were trying to decide where to spend a few idle days in Massachusetts, Nantucket immediately sprang to mind. I’ve been dying to go there for years, and once we discovered there was an amazing Relais and Chateaux property called The Wauwinet on the island: ’twas done.

Nantucket is a tiny island–14 miles long and 3 miles wide–that’s only accessible by ferry or plane. The Wauwinet is about 15 minutes from the center of town, nestled at the far end of the island with Nantucket Bay at its back door and (mere footsteps away) the Atlantic Ocean at its front. There are 32 guest rooms and 4 cottages, and the whole place has the feel of a giant, rambling Victorian beach house. Basically, it feels like your rich grandmother’s retreat and E. and I were ready to move in forever.

It’s all about the little things at The Wauwinet.

The Hunter wellie rain boots lined up by the front door…

The complimentary sherry, port, fruit and cheese offered every afternoon from 4 – 5 pm…

The stack of board games in the library…

A complimentary BMW X5 during your stay for guests in the Coatue Suite…

S’mores by the fire at Toppers, the best restaurant on the entire island…

Cozy old world bedrooms with imposing wooden armoires…

The world’s most comfortable bed…

Amala products (my favorite!) in the spa…

A slower pace of life, where cell phone use is discouraged…

The Wauwinet wagon (there’s also a shuttle that goes into town/returns every half hour)…

And blue skies, blue water, and white sand…

The Wauwinet is the kind of place where regulars return year after year. E. and I were there during this season’s opening week, so we heard many exchanges like this:

“Mr. Jones! Welcome back! How is your daughter Sarah? Did her stay in Paris go well?”

“We’ve missed you. Sarah sends her love. Where is Charlie? We noticed he’s no longer at the front desk…”

It’s like Cheers, where everybody knows your name–if Cheers were impossibly glamorous and filled with people who have arrived there by private plane.

E. and I spent our days writing, drinking coffee on the porch overlooking the expansive lawn and bay, and exploring Nantucket. Nantucket is synonymous with preppiness and whaling (there’s a Nantucket Whaling Museum; also Ron Howard was in town filming Moby Dick). It was not only opening weekend but also the Nantucket Wine Festival, so the tiny Main Street area was overflowing with good cheer.

We spent our nights on property at Topper’s, where we had one of our favorite dining experiences ever….

We were seated by the fire, chatting with the Maitre’d and waiter. At one point, E. offhandedly said how cool it would be if we had some s’mores to roast. Twenty minutes later, as if by magic, the Maitre’d presented us with a plate of graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows. He’d called his girlfriend, who picked them up and drove them to Topper’s for us.

That’s the sort of place The Wauwinet is.

It’s one of the few hotels I’ve ever stayed at where you don’t simply feel like a guest: everybody there is family.

E. and I can’t wait to return and to make it a part of our own tradition!

Disclosure: The Wauwinet offered us one night’s complimentary stay. E. and I paid for the second night ourselves, and also paid for our own meals, spa treatments, and transportation to/from the island. As always, all opinions remain my own.