Spring / Summer 2015 Weekapaug Inn Newsletter

Innsights
Weekapaug Inn Newsletter
Spring / Summer 2015
Friends tell friends who tell friends, and good words
about the Weekapaug Inn bring new families each season.
Robert C. Buffum, The Weekapaug Inn / The Best of All Possible Worlds, 1899-1999
Weekapaug Inn
I
Welcome
t has been a great privilege to be Innkeeper at Weekapaug Inn for the past three years. To be at the
helm of a team of professionals who practice the art of welcoming guests to the Inn—our hidden
gem, off the beaten path, where one can find a genuine home away from home—has been a
wonderful experience.
≈
So much has happened in the three years that I have been here. The
renovation, with all its challenges, resulted in a rebirth of this special piece of the history of a
hundred Rhode Island summers. The Inn has gracefully taken on its expanded identity as a yearround destination, where our guests can now enjoy the pleasures of all four New England seasons.
≈
As we grow and move forward, the time has come for me to move on to another project. In
fact, I’ll be just down the road, returning to my old home, Ocean House, in a new position, and I’ll be passing on the role of
Innkeeper at Weekapaug Inn to my friend and colleague Simon Piers Dewar. You might like to see his profile (page 8) as he
comes on board. His experience makes him an ideal choice, for he knows well how to balance treasured traditions with the
modern touches that today’s travelers seek.
≈ It’s true I won’t be far away, but from one Innkeeper to the next, I think we
both know what an honor it is to be part of the history of a truly special place, a history that I hope will endure far into the
future.
≈ Farewell!
Innkeeper
Wildlife sightings
weekapaug inn 2 0 1 4 – 2 0 1 5
Weekapaug Inn
On the Pond
More Summer Sounds at the Inn
If you check out the latest iteration of Weekapaug Inn’s website, and click in the lower left
hand corner, you’ll hear some of the sounds that reverberate throughout the spring and
summer: the happy notes of the many birds who come here for the warm weather and
peaceful surroundings—much as our guests do. But in addition to this beautiful natural
music, joined by the continuous low beat of the ocean on the shore, we’re making a few
more sounds of our own.
On Thursday evenings, from June 18 through August 27, we have a steel drum player
at our weekly outdoor clambakes, and we’re also gearing up for two very special musical
evenings this summer. On Saturday, July 18, Broadway, television and cabaret
veteran Scott Dreier will offer the season’s first program of Love Songs on The Pond.
It will be a memorable night on the lawn, with an assortment of sweets, coffee and tea
served up as you listen to Scott’s rendition of some beloved classic tunes.
To round out our summer schedule on August 29, music will again enliven an evening
on the lawn as Chris Jason—who has more than 15 years’ experience performing the works
of Ol’ Blue Eyes—brings a diverse selection of ballads from the Sinatra catalog to entertain
our guests and friends at our second Love Songs on The Pond event. It’s truly a not-to-bemissed way to end your summer on a high note.
Did You Know?
About Our Stickley Furniture
When you’re having cocktails in the Garden
Room, or relaxing in one of our other public spaces, you
may find yourself in a very comfy chair with the look of
another era: dark wood, in the very angular style of the Arts
& Crafts era in the early 1900s. If so, you’ve happened upon
a Weekapaug Inn treasure: a piece of the past that extends
back to the days of the Inn’s origins in its former, pre-1938
location on Noyes Beach.
Some of the furniture you see today survived even the
Hurricane of 1938—infamous on the Rhode Island coast,
and the reason that the Inn was moved to its present
location, rebuilt and triumphantly reopened the summer
after the storm. When the Inn was restored, updated and
reopened three years ago, our little treasure trove of original
Inn chairs, rockers and tables found a place here.
L. and J.G. Stickley were brothers and founders of a
furniture company in upstate New York, and from the
moment they opened in 1904, their Mission furniture line
gained a widespread reputation for its quality. The Buffums,
who founded and built Weekapaug Inn, became customers,
knowing that the furniture could endure the heavy use of
their summer guests—including many very active children.
Their purchase proved to be an enduring one.
Our antique Stickley furnishings are carefully maintained by
a Warwick, Rhode Island, company called V. Mignanelli & Son.
A family enterprise for four generations that includes 87-year-old
Roland Mignanelli, his son Ron—the current proprietor—and
26-year-old Ron Jr., the company is known throughout Rhode
Island, and beyond, for high-quality repairs and restorations of
furniture heirlooms. In fact, some of their refinishing and
reproduction work can be seen in Hollywood films.
“Stickley used quarter-sawn oak,” notes Ron Sr. “This is
the best and sturdiest cut, and very expensive to use today. It’s
part of the reason that these pieces have held up so well.”
When repairs are needed, each piece is taken apart and put back
together without the use of nails or screws.
“It’s hard to duplicate the wood, and the construction of these
pieces today,” says Ron. “Working with family antiques every
day, you get to appreciate the quality.”
We hope you’ll enjoy sitting in our Stickley treasures during
your stay with us.
Weekapaug Inn
Inn Nature & Recreation
Recreation Preview
Off the Beaten Path:
Pond Paddles
One of the Inn’s many attributes is its
unique location between the waves of
our Sound beach and the quiet ripples
of Quonochontaug Pond, which gives
our guests so many options for water
recreation. The pond, especially,
provides many opportunities for
interacting with the natural wonders
that surround the Inn.
In addition to kayaks, we also offer
stand-up paddleboards—another relaxed
and very popular way to enjoy the
gentle waters.
This summer, the Inn will offer three
special events for paddlers. The fun
starts with our Paddle Open House
on Saturday, July 11. This is a day set
aside for paddlers of all skill levels, with
plenty of on-site supervision, should
you need it.
Notes From The Naturalist
One of the really grand
birds we have during the summer is
the osprey. Also known as the sea hawk
or fish eagle, they are big, strong flyers that feed almost exclusively on fish.
Here at the Inn we have a nesting pair
within sight of our deck. Perhaps you
have seen an osprey nest—they are
large stick constructions, typically atop
of a phone pole or a purpose-built
nesting platform.
In our area, ospreys begin arriving
in early April. Ospreys typically mate
for life and produce a clutch of two or
three eggs per season. Chicks hatch in
early June and quickly start crying out
for food. During our July outings we
often see chicks flapping their wings
and stretching their growing bodies,
while mom and dad work double shifts
to keep up with the insatiable appetites. By mid August the youngsters are
close to full body weight and ready
to fledge. This past year one of our
tour boat groups watched the first
clumsy flight of a fledgling as it circled
the nest and then tried to land on a
branch much too light for its weight.
Over the following weeks the young
will work out the details of flight and
learn essential survival skills. Come September or early October,
individuals will start heading south. If
they are fortunate, the north winds of
autumn will provide a tail wind and
sweep them along their way. Based
on data from satellite tracking we
know that ospreys nesting in our area
migrate along the East Coast to the
Florida Keys, and then island hop to
South America. This spring or summer, when our
osprey population returns from South
America, why not come and stay at
the Inn? I will be happy to point out
the nesting birds and their growing
chicks, along with a wide variety of
other fine birds.
—Mark Bullinger
Choose a kayak, or test your skill
on the paddleboard; Quonnie Pond is
a great place to explore at this time of
year.
Next up is the opportunity to
experience the special beauty of the
pond at night. In late summer, an
evening paddle will reveal local
species of small, non-stinging jellyfish
that inhabit the waters of the pond.
These ctenophores (the “c” is silent)
will glow like fireflies when jostled;
run your hand through the water, and
phosphorescent plankton glitter and
sparkle around you. Guided by our Inn
Naturalist, a nighttime paddle on Friday,
August 14, will bring these seemingly
otherworldly features of the pond to
your fingertips—literally.
Finally, the shore and its unobstructed
horizon provide a view of yet another
wonder on August 29, with the full
moon at its brightest and closest. Take
out one of our paddle fleet for a look
at this amazing sight at its most magical
time—at night over our beautiful pond.
Weekapaug Inn
It’s Beach Time!
One of the great features of the Inn is its nearby, beautiful and
pristine ocean beach; its given name is Noyes Beach, but our guests know it as “the
Inn beach.” When we renovated the Inn, we also decided to make a day on the
waterfront even more appealing, with the addition of a brand-new Bathhouse. This
convenient stop on the way to the shore has become very popular, not only with our
guests but also with residents of the Weekapaug community who are permitted to
use it as well. The Bathhouse is equipped with restrooms, showers and a food
counter where our Inn staff serves snacks and drinks, including an icy cold favorite,
locally made Del’s lemonade. Guests who would rather snack at a table will find a
number of them on the Bathhouse deck—it’s a great sheltered spot to sip something
cold and pass the time with friends or a book.
To make things even more convenient for beachgoers, our beach attendant is on
hand to provide chair and umbrella service, as well as towels, and even toys for our
younger guests. Unlike the old days, when everything going to the beach—chairs,
umbrellas, food, drinks, towels and toys—had to be carried from the Inn, our
attendant has your beach needs well in hand, and from the Bathhouse it’s just a few
yards from the boardwalk over the dunes to the beach.
One special note for guests: The waves at the Inn beach do crash very close to
shore, so no boogie boarding or surfing is permitted here. However, for those who
want to use surfboards, the Fenway beach, located just a 15-minute walk from the
Inn, permits board water sports, and has calm shallows that are great for small
children who want to wade in. Bathhouse benefits are not provided at Fenway beach,
though our guests can get towels and toys before they walk over. There is
also a small, quaint, cash-only shop across from the beach.
Did You Know?
The Quiet Fourth
On Independence Day after
sunset, anyone who looks skyward can
see bursts of fireworks along the coast of
Long Island and Block Island Sound, in
every direction. But at Weekapaug Inn,
our beach is quiet, and most guests who
are with us on the fourth for our festivities wonder why.
Truth is, our beach is host to two rare
and wonderful things. The first is a small
colony of piping plovers that choose to
make their nests and raise their young
here. Because this species is endangered—there are only about 6,500 birds
worldwide—their ground nesting sites,
of which many are along the Atlantic
coast, are protected from human activity, and often cordoned off by netting or
other deterrents.
In 2014, our Naturalist Mark Bullinger reported nine nesting pairs on the
beach. Newly hatched plover chicks
look a bit like cotton balls with legs,
and are closely watched by their parents,
who will fake a broken wing to distract
predators from their young. If you’re
around at this special time of year, ask
Mark or one of his staff to help you
spot plovers with the Inn’s high-power
scope.
Of course, nesting plovers are frightened and disrupted by loud human
behavior—fireworks being one example
of things that scare the birds. So instead, we at the Inn are lucky to have a
fantastic substitute. Our first president,
George Washington, arrives at the shore
of Quonochontaug Pond in our launch,
the Quonnie Queen. Watch for him
as the sun sets at our Independence Day
celebration, which will be held on
July 3.
Weekapaug Inn
L a n d, S e a & S k y
From Chef Jen’s
Kitchen:
Few things are better in summer
than freshly picked ingredients,
served up with a little seasoning.
Here’s a simple salad that you
can make with cukes from your
own garden, or your local
farmers’ market. Good feta cheese
and olives add something special
to its flavor and texture.
Cucumber-Feta Salad
A Taste of the Season
Part of the benefit of farm-to-table cuisine is the opportunity
to taste things that have been grown nearby, and come to you fresh—often justharvested—from the producers. Of course, local means seasonal, and Chef Jennifer
Backman has made it her kitchen’s practice to make these fresh foods a major part of
the Inn menu; our offerings change regularly to coincide with what’s fine and newly
harvested in the Rhode Island regional marketplace. And, to augment this variety,
every month outside of high season, Chef Jen prepares a menu to spotlight “fresh and
local” with a custom, one-night-only dinner. A popular return engagement from last
spring, and as a hat tip to its super-fresh offerings, we call it Cooking Through
Yield: 8 portions
3 pints cucumber, sliced in half moons, quarter inch thick
¾ cup pitted Nicoise olives
1½ cup diced feta cheese
1 small red onion, julienne
2
⁄ 3 cup apple cider vinegar
10 mint leaves, chiffonade
½ cup olive oil
6 turns cracked black pepper
1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
Salt to taste
the Seasons.
On Wednesday, April 15, the program kicks off with a Land and Sea dinner, and
some of the best springtime ingredients you’ll find anywhere. The three-course meal
is paired with an excellent selection of wines; last year’s dinner included such gifts
from the sea as lobster and clams, and this year will have plenty of good selections.
On tap for Wednesday, May 20, the dinner’s theme is Barbecue, with
traditional grilling favorites, and everything that goes with them, accompanied by
sides of ice-cold beer.
Method of
Preparation
Finally on Wednesday, June 17, with the early local harvest in full swing, you
1. Combine all ingredients
will enjoy a meal made from all the freshest ingredients from one of our local
in a bowl.
farmers’ markets. The three-course dinner will of course be accompanied by great
2. Season. Serve cold.
wine pairings from our well-stocked cellar.
All Cooking Through the Seasons events are served family-style in the Inn
tradition of casual elegance; these dinners are a great way to take a break, leave
winter behind and welcome in the warmer months.
Cocktails are served at 7 p.m., and dinner begins at 7:30. You may reserve your
seats now for a relaxed evening of good eating.
Weekapaug Inn
See You in the SeaRoom
Inn guests love the casual atmosphere, the beautiful Pond views and the
outdoor seating of our SeaRoom in the summer. They also love the menu, with its
salads, sandwiches, sliders and sides—not to mention tempting sweets—offering
multiple good choices for lunch or snacking.
This season, you’ll find some changes on the menu, though the SeaRoom will
still offer its lighter fare for the benefit of our guests who enjoy this welcoming and
relaxed space. Chef Jen has some changes in store, though she reassures us about a
particular favorite. Says our Chef:
“One dish that we will keep is the Lobster Roll! That is always a summer favorite
in this area. Ours is different because we offer it on a large challah bun as opposed to
the split top rolls, so it allows us to fill it with a generous helping of our signature
lobster salad.”
Located just outside The Restaurant, on the patio, is our fully equipped “summer
kitchen,” tasked with preparing food for all of the SeaRoom’s al fresco dining, plus
other events. Chef Jen notes that guests upstairs on the deck of the SeaRoom love
to watch the food being prepared as they also take in the action on the Pond and
the lawn.
We look forward to seeing you upstairs on the SeaRoom deck this summer!
Holidays at the Inn
Spring brings April showers, May flowers
and several dates to mark in the calendar. This year, Easter
falls on April 5, Mother’s Day on May 10 and July 3 begins
a nice long weekend of festivities in honor of the nation’s
birthday. The Inn will be ready with its own special meals,
designed by our Chef Jennifer Backman and her staff, to
celebrate these holidays.
For Easter, book reservations at the Inn for seatings from
11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. While jackets and ties are not required,
ladies are invited to wear their bonnets if they so desire.
The three-course menu, served family style, makes the event
feel like an intimate family occasion. Expect some seasonal and
holiday favorites; like all Inn menus, ingredients are selected
based on the freshest local food available. Traditional menu items
like lamb and ham will most likely take their place among the
varied offerings; in addition to fresh flowers on the tables,
expect to see a few seasonal hues—lemon yellow and lavender—
decorating the abundant confections for the dessert course.
Tell Mom to hang up her apron, and treat her to a celebration
of her day on May 10, when the Inn will offer a three-course
meal in her honor, served family style in seatings from 11 a.m.
until 6 p.m. Last year’s menu offered many tempting dishes, from
potato cakes and vichyssoise as starter choices, to a lobster crepe
entrée, among others, and great sweets to top it all off. This is
the year’s most popular dining-out day, so make
reservations early!
When it falls on a weekend, Independence Day promises
three days of fun, and at the Inn festivities begin on Friday, July
3, with our traditional holiday clambake—another family-style
meal, with outdoor seating in the Inn’s backyard, refreshing
beverages and our signature s’mores under the stars. Plus, watch
the boat action on the Pond; as has become our own Weekapaug
tradition, a very special guest (see page 4) will arrive at some
point in the evening. It’s a great meal for your family, or a group
of friends who’d like to start this weekend off with a real treat.
Weekapaug Inn
Living Inn
The Mural
Various pieces of art
decorate the walls of the Inn, and we
are especially fond of one work that is
literally a part of the fabric of this
beautiful structure. As you pass through
the main entrance and ascend the stairs
to the Inn’s front desk, you will have a
wraparound view of our hand-painted
mural, which runs from the first floor
to the second floor ceiling, along the
stair wall.
This painting, executed by the noted
muralist Sonja Vaccari, was a finishing
touch on the newly refurbished Inn,
unveiled when our doors reopened
to the public in October 2012.
Commissioned by the Inn’s owners, it
depicts Weekapaug and the surrounding
community in high season, with many
of the same elements that will unfold
around you during your stay. In a
recent interview, Sonja talked about
how the mural came about, and some
of the meaningful details it contains.
“Regarding the prep work, I was
given a wish list from Lang and Kathy
Wheeler, and then we began an
ongoing discussion. Lang is a wonderful
photographer and provided a library of
photos for reference. I visited the site,
took measurements of the space and then
created a small-scale diorama to help the
clients visualize placement of the various
elements of the scene.”
On her website the artist notes that
such details as sail directions on sail
boats, buoy and channel marker placement and the location of quahog beds
were all important to know.
Sonja was aware that a number of
guests at the Inn are locals, or sailors
who know the waters well. Also, the
mural would be used as an educational
device for the naturalist to teach guests
about the flora, fauna and the natural
history of the salt pond. So she knew
that, for example, the birds she depicted,
and their behavior, needed to be true
to life.
Sonja recalls that the most challenging
part of the project was working as the
only female employee on an extremely
busy building site. Surrounded during
her 12-hour days by noisy contractors
and plenty of dirt and dust the conditions were quite a change from the quiet
domestic surroundings where she usually
works.
But the challenges were balanced by
the opportunity to swim in the ocean
each night—she was a guest of the
Wheelers as she worked—the positive
responses from the workers on the
job, and then the compliments of
appreciative guests that have followed
the mural’s completion. The experience, says Sonja, has been “one for the
memory box!”
Mural By: Sonja Vaccari
sonjavaccarimuralist.com
Weekapaug Inn
Meet the New Innkeeper
Winter 2015 is quickly turning to
spring, and we are excited to welcome
our new Innkeeper, Simon Piers Dewar,
to the shores of Quonochontaug Pond.
After three years at the helm, our
beloved first steward of the revived
Weekapaug Inn, Antonia Korosec,
moves down the road (not too far! See
her letter on page 1). Simon has arrived,
with his well-honed hospitality skills
and world traveler’s wisdom, to ensure
the continued top-tier level of hospitality that our guests have come to expect
and enjoy.
Most recently Simon served as
General Manager of Blantyre, a perfectly restored, late 19th century estate
in the Berkshires that is, like the Inn,
a member of the distinguished Relais
& Châteaux group. In 2013, Blantyre
was again awarded Five Stars by Forbes,
as well as the Wine Spectator Grand
Award. With training in fine cuisine,
business and hospitality management,
and many applicable skills gleaned from
a prior career in the British Army, from
which he retired as a major, Simon is
well prepared to exceed all expectations
in his new post.
Simon is married to his Americanborn wife, Aimee, and they have two
children and an energetic Jack Russell;
all look forward to life on the beautiful
Rhode Island coast. Says Simon:
“There is something quintessentially
American about the Weekapaug Inn. It
is elegant, relaxed and serene. From the
moment I drove up I could sense the
history of place associated with the inn
and immediately felt drawn to its
location. One can imagine the people
that came before us, summering here
and making the Inn part of their family
histories. I look forward to the opportunity to serve as innkeeper so that I can
share my enthusiasm for the property
with our guests.”
Welcome, Simon!
Thanks to You…
Since it opened in the fall of 2012, Weekapaug Inn has
received numerous accolades from reviewers, travel media and organizations
devoted to hospitality. But what’s most gratifying is the praise we get from travelers
themselves.
In October 2014, Condé Nast Traveler magazine published its annual Readers’
Choice Awards, and it seems that the magazine’s readers—a well-traveled bunch, for
sure—have added to our heap of laurels with two more distinctions. On its roster
of the world’s top hotels and resorts, Weekapaug Inn has snatched the number
62 position out of 100 world-class destinations—a very nice place to be, we admit.
Even more satisfying, when the magazine’s readers consider the Northeast—replete
with beautiful places in cities, along rivers, atop mountains and along the Atlantic
coast—Weekapaug is the #3 resort in this part of the U.S. Needless to say, we’re
thrilled, and aim to work even harder to earn your praise in 2015, and all the years
to come.
Condé Nast Traveler
Readers’ Choice Awards
No. 3 Top Resort
in the Northeast, 2014
Weekapaug Inn
Past & Present
Our Favorite Migration
Nothing makes the staff
and management of the “new”
Inn happier than to meet guests who
came to Weekapaug Inn when it was a
beloved summer resort in the care of the
Buffum family. It’s great to hear stories
about activities and times past, and even
better when we receive kudos from these
guests, about how we’re doing in our
four-season, updated incarnation of this
special place.
We recently talked to two generations of one family who were introduced
to Weekapaug back in 1980—35 years
ago—by a third generation (an aunt)
who had been going to the old Inn for
years before that. It was a love at first
sight experience, and they’ve been
coming to Weekapaug every year since.
So we hoped they’d oblige when we
asked for a bit of reminiscence on their
part, and with fingers crossed, an
evaluation of how we’re doing today.
Kathryn Gorman and her daughter,
Jennifer Ellsworth, share their memories
of the Inn new and old; Jennifer was
barely a toddler, just a year old when
Kathryn, expecting a second child,
arrived at the old Inn with daughter
and husband.
“I just loved everything about it,”
recalls Kathryn, “and I knew right away
Jennifer Ellsworth 1981
we’d be back. My son always jokes that
even though his sister was there from age
one, he came to Weekapaug before he
was born!”
Both mother and daughter remember
the carefree feeling of life at the old Inn;
the “cubbies” on the second floor where
guests stashed their own wine and spirits,
since the old Inn had no liquor license.
“Everything was on the honor
system,” notes Kathryn. “Even the
young children were taught to sign out
for soft drinks that the Buffums also kept
upstairs.” In the old Inn, there was a
children’s table area, and then the big
dining room for the grownups.
“It was considered an honor to
‘graduate’ to the main dining room,”
says Ms. Gorman, who now reserves the
Great Egret Suite for herself and family
every August. “I love the relaxed feel
and the quiet,” she says. “That special
feeling, and the beauty of the place
haven’t changed a bit, and it still feels
like home. I bring a stack of books, and
my puzzles—I love puzzles and always
do the Stave puzzles that the Inn keeps
around—and I enjoy the casual
ambience. It’s great to feel you don’t
have to do a thing, even though there’s
plenty to do.”
She adds, “We were a little more
formal in the dining room in the old
days, but the food in the new Inn is just
exceptional. I wouldn’t miss my week
here for anything.”
For her part, daughter Jennifer has
her own special memories. Her mother
recalls a cute busboy in the dining room
who would have her and her adolescent
friends draining their water glasses so
their crush would stop by and refill the
glasses. Jennifer also recalls the carefree
times she and her family spent at the Inn,
and also loves what’s new.
“I think the Bathhouse is spectacular.
It’s great to be able to have a snack
and just walk over to the beach, with
someone to bring you towels, umbrellas
and whatever. It’s a beautiful place
and I am so glad it was renovated and
reopened. The gym, the pool, the
restaurant and the SeaRoom—these
are great changes, and I love the luxury
touches. I don’t know what we’d do
without our family vacation at the Inn.”
Weekapaug Inn has made happy family
memories since 1899. We cordially invite
you to come and make some memories
of your own.
From right:
Kathryn Gor
Carol Murr
m
ay, Jennifer an,
Mary Polla
Ellsworth
,
k
Weekapaug Inn
Calendar Of Events
April 5: Easter in The Restaurant
July 3: Fourth of July Clambake
Celebrate the holiday, and the start of spring, with this family-style, three-course
feast featuring Easter classics as well as the Chefs’ creative twists on classic
favorites. Seatings from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; $68/ adult, $34/ child age 4 to 12;
children 3 and under free (plus tax & gratuity)
The most patriotic clambake of the season is the best way to kick off the Independence Day holiday. Seatings from 5 to 8 p.m.; S’mores from 8:30 to 10 p.m.;
$105/ adult, $50/ child age 4 to 12; children 3 and under free (plus tax & gratuity)
July 11: Paddle Open House
April 15: Cooking Through the Seasons
Dinner: Land and Sea
With the best that the Rhode Island land and sea have to offer, the Inn’s
Executive Chef and her team will serve a three-course, family-style dinner with
carefully selected wine pairings. 7 p.m.; $75/ adult, $35/ child age 4 to 12; children
3 and under free (plus tax & gratuity)
May 10: Mother’s Day in The Restaurant
Show Mom how much she matters to you by treating her to the Inn’s threecourse, family-style meal. Seatings from 11:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.; $68/ adult,
$34/ child age 4 to 12; children 3 and under free (plus tax & gratuity)
May 15–16: Murder Mystery Weekend
Think you can figure out who did it? Join the Inn for this interactive weekend
of mystery and intrigue. $595/ couple includes room, prix fixe dinner, admission and
breakfast the next morning; $150/ person for dinner, show and breakfast only
(plus tax & gratuity)
Snug on the shore of Quonochontaug Pond, Weekapaug Inn offers an incredible setting for paddle sports. This is the perfect opportunity to learn new skills
and try your hand at new paddle craft. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Complimentary
for hotel guests
July 16 & Aug 13: Beach Stone Walk
Our adventure will start with a beach walk to collect the most beautiful stones
we can find and will continue as we learn about the stones we found and how
they came to be found on our shoreline with our geologist guide. 4 to 5:30
p.m.; Complimentary for hotel guests, $10/ non-hotel guest (plus tax)
July 18: American Songbook: Love Songs
on the Pond with Scott Dreier
Spend a romantic evening under the starry night sky while listening to the melodic
tunes of Scott Dreier and savoring sweets from the dessert buffet. 8 to 9:30 p.m.;
$45/ person, $20/ child age 4 to 12; children 3 and under free (plus tax & gratuity)
July 31: Blue Moon Champagne Toast
May 20: Cooking Through the Seasons
Dinner: Barbecue
Get ready for the season with the best summer tradition of all: barbeque. The
Chef and her team will prepare three course, served family and each paired with
complementary beer. 7 p.m.; $75/ adult, $35/ child age 4 to 12; children 3 and
under free (plus tax & gratuity)
May 23: Kite Fly-Inn
Experience the Inn’s third annual Kite Fly-Inn set on the shores of Quonochontaug Pond with kite demonstrations, the chance to decorate your own kite and
lunch off the grill. 1 to 3 p.m.; $15/ person (plus tax)
A blue moon comes along, well, once in a blue moon. Because moonrises are
so spectacular from our deck, we invite you to join us to toast to the rise of the
second full moon of July 2015. 6 to 8 p.m.; Complimentary for hotel guests
August 14: Phosphorescent Jelly
and Plankton Paddle
In late summer, ctenophores (small, clear, non-stinging jellyfish that glow like
fireflies) can populate our waters by the millions. It is great fun to take a night
paddle on our calm pond and see their ghostly green glow in the circles where
paddle meets water. 8 to 9:30 p.m.; $20/ hotel guest, $40/ non-hotel guest (plus tax)
August 14: Perseid Meteor Shower
June 2: Horseshoe Crab
Spawning Adventure
By the light of the moon and our headlamps, we will watch these living
dinosaurs glide across the sandy shallows and through their ancient spawning
ritual. 5 to 10:30 p.m.; $20/ hotel guest, $40/ non-hotel guest (plus tax)
June 17: Cooking Through the Seasons
Dinner: Farmers’ Market
The Inn’s culinary team works to prepare a three-course dinner that will feature
the best local ingredients that can be found at Rhode Island farmers’ markets. The meal is served family style and includes wine pairings. 7 p.m.; $75/ adult,
$35/ child age 4 to 12; children 3 and under free (plus tax & gratuity)
Thursday Night Clambakes
A summer tradition in Weekapaug, Thursday Night Clambakes return with
plenty of clambake fare served family style. After dinner, gather at the fire pit for
s’mores under the stars. June 18, 25, July 9, 16, 23, 30, August 6, 13, 20, 27;
Seatings from 5:30 to 8 p.m.; S’mores from 8:30 to 10 p.m.; $85/ adult,
$40/ child age 4 to 12; children 3 and under free (plus tax & gratuity)
The Perseids are one of the best meteor showers of the year. This year they will
be at their height after 10:00 p.m. on August 14, and our back lawn is the
perfect place to relax and take it all in. 10 p.m.; Complimentary for hotel guests.
August 22: Model Sailboat Regatta
From the time we fire the starting cannon, you’ll be on the edge of your seat
watching the sailing action. Not only will there be races, but you can try your
hand at piloting a radio controlled sailboat or an electric motorboat. 1 to 3 p.m.;
$15/ person (plus tax)
August 29: Super Moon Paddle
There’s nothing like being out on the ponds at night under the light of a full
moon. And this isn’t just any full moon—it’s a Super Moon, an occasion when
the earth and moon are particularly close and the moon appears extra big and
bright. 6:45 to 8:30 p.m.; $30/ hotel guest, $40/ non-hotel guest (plus tax)
August 29: American Songbook: Love
Songs on the Pond Featuring Songs from
Frank Sinatra with Chris Jason
The tunes of Frank Sinatra will set off fireworks—both literally and figuratively—at this romantic evening set on the shores of the Pond. 8 to 9:30 p.m.;
$45/ person, $20/ child age 4 to 12; children 3 and under free (plus tax & gratuity)
for reservations and more information, please call 888.813.7862 or visit weekapauginnevents.com
Weekapaug Inn
Spa Getaway Package
Refresh your mind, body and
spirit at OH! Spa (located at our sister
property, Ocean House). The seasonally
inspired treatments are designed to echo
the therapeutic and rejuvenating healing
properties of the ocean and the harvest.
Perfect to create a girlfriend’s getaway
or to customize for couples.
• Luxurious accommodations at
Weekapaug Inn in either our Cove View or Pond View deluxe rooms
• Daily breakfast for two
• $150 spa credit per guest
• 10% off additional spa services
• OH! Spa gift
≈
Offer valid from
September 4, 2014 through May 21, 2015 and
September 8, 2015 through December 29, 2015
General Package Restrictions
Packages are available seven (7) days a week. Limit two
people per package. Not applicable to groups. Resort Credit,
if applicable, will be deducted from incidental charges upon
checkout and cannot be applied towards the room rate. All
cancellations are subject to a $100 administrative fee and
cancellations must be received more than 7 days prior to arrival
to avoid a penalty charge to your credit card equal to 50% of
the full stay or 100% of a one night stay. Additional fees may
apply. The property reserves the right to charge an early
departure fee in the event a guest departs earlier than the
original departure date. Based upon availability; date
restrictions apply. Rates are subject to change without notice.
Based on double occupancy. All minimum stay requirements
for hotel apply to package. Exclusions may apply. Taxes and
Resort Fee and Gratuities are not included unless otherwise
noted. Alcoholic beverages are additional and not included
in any package that includes meals.
“The only potential pitfall from feeling like everything (within reason) is at your disposal, as I see it, is overindulging. Which we did
very enthusiastically at dinner that first night. (And, really, if I’m being honest, at every meal we ate over those three days.) But we
have no regrets. Every bite, right down to the pumpkin spice truffles we were handed as a parting snack, was savored.”
Mainline Magazine, December 2014