HotelChatter

As a bonus, the hotel happily serves food and drink on the patio (in take-out containers), making it a place where fresh lobster rolls and crisp white wine never tasted so good. Busy with wedding festivities, there was no time to partake in the outdoor heated pool or the catered picnic options the hotel offered.

The room decor could have been lifted directly from a Restoration Hardware catalogue, spacious and comfortable, in tones of sea and sand, renovated nicely if imperfectly (particularly in the older bathroom). Noise from outside and below were frequent, much the way one would expect in an old mansion.

Rooms in the outlying buildings are apparently not yet renovated; friends whose rooms were there expressed their disappointment in the accommodations. Any meals eaten indoors seemed far less memorable and service was often slow.

Given the mega-wedding industry on the Vineyard, the concierge staff was particularly attentive to details with wedding guests, quick to hand out umbrellas during a morning rainstorm and arranging spa appointments and transportation.

Longer stays here all but require renting a house or staying at a friends', but for this stay visit the Harbor View was a lovely getaway. Any shortcomings identified by a picky, urban traveler would be far overshadowed by its view and vacation vibe.

The Harbor View Hotel requires a two-night minimum stay on the weekends and rates for July are already steep at $1,500 a night for the two-bedroom cottage suites. If you go mid-week, you can get a room in the main building for $350 a night.