Harbor View Hotel: Best Place to Stay on Martha’s Vineyard?

Ahhh, what a difference a good vacation makes! In the five months since our baby was born, my husband and I had not left Boston together, and so it was high time. Scanning the map, we decided on Martha’s Vineyard: the famed island where New England relaxes, yet I (naughty Bostonian that I am) had never visited. But where to stay?

We were guests of this hotel, and some links here are affiliates that provide a small commission at no extra charge to you, but all opinions are our own.

Some sleuthing revealed that one hotel’s name comes up again and again due to its long and illustrious history: the Harbor View Hotel (click for availability and rates) in Edgartown, Massachusetts.

Built in 1891, the Harbor View has been slathered in accolades, from “Top 50 U.S. Resorts” by Travel + Leisure, to “Best Hotel on the Vineyard” by Martha’s Vineyard Magazine. One the best New England hotels for the win! It didn’t hurt that the Harbor View folks are highly charming on Twitter. We became oh so intrigued…

And soon our room at the Harbor View was booked! But it was not just any room; it was a “Captain’s Cottage,” one of eight cottages in the hotel that feature multiple luscious rooms, and the feeling of a full home (just without the dust bunnies that seem to accumulate in mine).

The Harbor View Hotel is often described as the “Grand Dame of Martha’s Vineyard.” Indeed our cottage did have the feel of a stately New England lady welcoming us into her comfortably elegant summer home. Why, our bedroom even had a functional gas fireplace, and the living room boasted a chandelier!

The dining and kitchen area made our cottage eminently livable, meaning we could dine in as well as out with comfort. And see that cute little jug of three umbrellas provided to guests in the event of rain? I love those little thoughtful touches.

I’m a sucker for soft furniture and good light, and our cottage had both. There was a front AND back porch, and so many poofy sofas and chairs inside that I nestled in a different one every few hours.

Our baby enjoyed our new digs immensely. He even let us pose him like a cute little couch potato with the remote (large flat-screen plasma TV not shown, but existing) before falling asleep on our downy bed. (Yes, we were safe little parents and transferred him to his travel crib once he was sleeping deeply enough.)

An unexpected delight of our cottage was found draping languorously in our walk-in closet: Two bathrobes that belong in the Hall of Fame of Happiness. These robes were so plush that you could stride outside in winter and not feel a chill. Wearing one was as if the world’s softest stuffed animal was hugging me from head to toe!

So of course we had to pose the baby with the bathrobe. He liked it! As my cousin Eric says, Devi is a little cuddle monster, so it’s no surprise that he and the robe got along like old chums.

This brings us to the bedroom. Like each room of the cottage, the high triangular ceilings let light and air dance around. The bed had a rich wood frame and was swathed in downy white linens. It was all I could do not to dive in head first upon seeing it!

On the other side of the bedroom sat my new love: a piece of furniture that is sort of a mix between a couch and an armchair. My only complaint was that there weren’t two, as my husband and I battled each other for who would get to sit in it each day.

With a cottage this nice, I’m inclined to recommend the Harbor View just as much in the off season as the high season, because it’s so relaxing to lounge inside. As we visited in April, the air outside was still a bit chilly, and we had no qualms about spending luxurious chunks of the day relaxing in our amazing suite.

Stay tuned for more Martha’s Vineyard articles, from scrumptious food photos, to sunny beach walks, to a visit to an alpaca farm (no joke)! But until then, let us appreciate how rejuvenating a great hotel space can be. Thanks for a great time, Harbor View!

Enjoyed this article and still planning your trip? Click here for deals on the Harbor View Hotel!

We were guests of the hotel, but all opinions, baby drool, and bathrobe cuddles are my own.