From a Tudor castle once claimed by Henry VIII to a vineyard hideaway where breakfast arrives at your door, these standout B&Bs make a commanding case for small-scale luxury rich in history, charm, and deeply personal hospitality
BY AMANDA McCOY
The Cliffside Inn — Newport, Rhode Island Newport has no shortage of grand addresses, but The Cliffside Inn offers a more intimate invitation to the city’s Gilded Age mythology. The circa-1876 Victorian mansion was born as the summer home of Maryland governor Thomas Swann. At the turn of the 20th century, it became a prestigious prep school for boys before it was acquired by the successful cotton merchant, Andrew Turner, and his Philadelphia socialite wife. Today, the 16-room hideaway still bears the original artwork of the Turners’ only daughter, Beatrice, an enigmatic 20th-century painter and fascinating figure in Newport lore.
In 2019, the property underwent an extensive renovation led by designer Rachel Reider, who layered rich jewel tones with velvet, patterned fabrics, abstract art, and early 20th-century furnishings to lend a contemporary mood to the historic manor. No two rooms and suites are alike, though all offer gas fireplaces and waffle kimono robes. The Swann room, for instance, features sloped mansard walls blanketed in a hypnotic black-and-white wallpaper and an emerald pillow-topped antique bureau four-poster bed, while the aptly named Blue room boasts an antique armoire, large bay window, and French countryside décor. The Turner suite is rendered in a sunny palette of marigold and cobalt, while the Loft turns up the charm with a wood beam ceiling and series of skylights.
Here, mornings begin with an included seasonal breakfast spread, served in the Victorian parlor or out on the veranda, and come early evening, the inn shifts into aperitif mode with complimentary wine and refreshments. There’s no full-service restaurant on the property, but several top-rated Newport restaurants are a short walk away, and coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and bottled water are available 24/7. larkhotels.com/rhode-island/newport/the-cliffside-inn
Thornbury Castle — Gloucestershire, England The backstory here could be written into an HBO period epic. Edward Stafford, third Duke of Buckingham and one of the wealthiest men in Tudor England, began building the fortified palace after receiving permission from Henry VIII in 1510. His ambition proved perilous: Stafford was executed for treason in 1521, and Henry promptly claimed the property for the Crown. After centuries of royal and aristocratic ownership, decline, and restoration, Thornbury finally entered hospitality in 1966, and today it is a lavishly restored Relais & Châteaux retreat and timeless postcard of medieval magnificence with crenellated stone walls, a 200-stem rose garden, and decorative fountains.
There is wonderfully little restraint in the atmosphere. Heavy timber doors open onto stone staircases, leaded windows, tapestries, carved wood, enormous fireplaces, and richly upholstered furnishings. Across the castle are 26 individually designed bedchambers and suites, and the headline accommodations are pure Tudor fantasy. The 700-square-foot Henry VIII Suite is the very room occupied by the king and Anne Boleyn in 1535, complete with a four-poster bed, fireplace, and original spiral staircase. Climb 77 stone steps to the Catherine of Aragon Tower Suite and things become even more extravagant: silk wall hangings, 24-carat gilding, and the largest four-poster bed in any UK hotel.
Expect a classic English breakfast to jump-start the day, from eggs Benedict and smoked salmon scrambled eggs to porridge, poached haddock, and French toast with bacon and maple syrup. Later, the castle’s restaurant draws heavily from British ingredients and produce harvested from its own kitchen garden, while afternoon tea is served daily in the lounge. Fill the time in-between meals learning longbow archery, embarking on a historian-led castle tour, or wander the gardens dressed for court in authentic Tudor period dress. thornburycastle.co.uk
The Vine House Bed & Breakfast — Temecula, California There’s a sweetly personal story behind this polished Cape Cod-style retreat on the De Portola Wine Trail. Owners Lacey and Rob Britton live on the property with their family, were married here themselves, and held their wedding reception in the barn that would eventually be renovated into their boutique B&B. The result is cozy yet chic, intimacy without sacrificing the fireplaces, plush linens, and vineyard views of a high-end wine-country hotel.
The accommodations make a persuasive argument for sleeping in. The vineyard-facing suites open through French doors onto private patios or small balconies made for a glass of local wine at sunset, while the Top Floor Grand Suite dials up the romance with a two-person soaking tub, double-sided fireplace visible from both bath and bedroom, and a Romeo-and-Juliet balcony overlooking the vines. A full gourmet breakfast is delivered to the room at 9 a.m. each morning, turning pajamas into perfectly acceptable dining attire. The menu rotates – a loaded omelet with hash browns and French toast one morning, then a breakfast burrito, fresh fruit, and pancakes the next – with coffee, orange juice, and tea.
Days here can be as active – or deliciously languid – as the heart desires. There’s a full-size tennis court, two pickleball courts, bocce, and a communal fire pit ringed with lounge sofas, plus a chicken coop where guests can stop by to feed and interact with the resident hens. Wine tasting requires little logistics when vineyards begin practically outside the door, and evenings have an appealingly simple rhythm: bring home a bottle, claim a sofa beside the fire, and watch the vines disappear into dusk. vinehousebedandbreakfast.com
La Divine Comédie — Avignon, France Mere minutes from Avignon’s Palais des Papes, La Divine Comédie has the air of a secret garden. Its story stretches back to the 14th century, when the site formed part of the residence of Cardinal Amédée de Saluces, an influential papal diplomat; later incarnations included an 18th-century residence, accommodations for an insurance company, and, for some 30 years, a language center that welcomed artists and cultural figures during the Festival d’Avignon. In 2009, decorators Gilles Jauffret and Amaury de Villoutreys took possession of the neglected property and spent more than seven years restoring it, finally opening La Divine Comédie in 2017. The house changed hands again in 2022, when their friend Béatrice fell for the property and became its new custodian.
Today, the five-suite hideaway feels like the fantastical private home of a well-traveled art collector, surrounded by the town’s largest private garden shaded by ancient plane trees. The house is a blissful stroll through light-filled salons, fireplaces, an art-and-design library, and nearly 200 paintings, engravings, gouaches, and watercolors. Jauffret designed each accommodation with its own personality – Aphrodite, Anatole, Consul, Naples, and Venice – mixing antiques picked up across France with contemporary luxuries like deep soaking tubs, plush bedding and rugs, Codage bath products, and Nespresso machines. The showpiece Aphrodite Suite features a round king-size bed and its own 323-square-foot garden terrace, where breakfast can be delivered from April through October.
Breakfast is given the proper consideration for a B&B of this caliber. It is included with every stay and, depending on the weather, served beneath the Winter Garden’s glass roof or outdoors amid the greenery. Afterward, there is remarkably little reason to rush out sightseeing. A secluded 50-foot swimming pool hides within the lush vegetation, alongside a seasonal outdoor Jacuzzi and an intimate garden wellness retreat with a sauna, hammam, rain shower, and treatment spaces. Massages can be arranged in-suite, too. la-divine-comedie.com
