Name: Sanford Covell Villa Marina
Address: 72 Washington Street Newport,Washington Street, Newport, Newport, Newport, 02840, United States of America
Rating: 7

Smoke-free property

Heating

Garden

Terrace

All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)

Adults Only

General

Non-smoking rooms

Room service

Rooms

Wi-Fi

Internet access

Internet

Sun Deck

Recreation

Parking

Swimming pool

Outdoor pool

Beach facilities

Beach/pool towels

Heated swimming pool

Pool and beach

Pets allowed

Pets

Location

At the villa

Hunter House

Storer Park

Old Colony and Newport Railway

Newport Visitor Information Center

Newport Ferry Terminal

Regatta Place

Museum of Newport History

Belle Mer

Old Colony House

Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House

Newport Airport State

Theodore Francis Green Memorial State Airport

New Bedford Airport

Sanford Covell Villa Marina

Newport

We recently had a 3 night stay with Anne and her staff at Villa Marina and could not have been happier. The location is absolutely perfect - it’s a short walk in to town but far enough away to be insulated from any noise issues. The views out over the bay are simply stunning... and those sunsets!! Regarding some issues mentioned in previous reviews... breakfast is basic. Coffee/Tea, fruit, cereal, pastries, etc. We’re not big on breakfast to begin with so it was a total non-issue. It is my understanding they are not licensed to prepare hot meals for guests so anything more elaborate is out of the question. Cleanliness... when staying in an older inn it’s easy to mistake the historic nature of the place for a lack of cleanliness. We had no issues whatsoever and thought things were cleaned well throughout. Security... guests are given a key to the front door. Doors to individual rooms lock from the inside but cannot be locked when you leave. We didn’t have any issues with this because the staff was ever-present and we felt our belongings were secure (had no second thoughts about leaving our laptop and other items in the room while we were out. We had numerous opportunities to sit and chat with Anne, the staff, and other guests out by the pool in the evenings. To us this sort of experience is gold and cannot be replicated by any cookie cutter hotel or inn. We absolutely loved our time and will look to stay again the next time we visit Newport. Thanks, Anne!

Perfect, laid back lodging

Overall, I had a good stay at Sanford-Covell Villa Marina but I wanted to give some information, especially in Covid-times. 

The good: 

1. View: Amazing! We stayed in the room identified on the property's website as "King Suite with Balcony" and the view was perfect. It made our stay there worthwhile. 

2.Property: I loved the house and all the eclectic decor. 

3. People: I met Ann, the owner, and she, along with her staff, were extremely nice. 

4. Parking: Parking couldn't have been easier. We parked right in front of the house with a parking pass provided by the Marina. 

5. Location: It was super easy to walk to the main downtown area (about a 15 minute walk) and we were very close to Goat Island, which we visited for lunch.

The bad: 

1. No lock: Our room did not have a lock that you could lock from the outside. When we were in the room, we could lock it. I was assured by the manager on duty that my belongings were perfectly safe and that they kept the front door to the house locked. This was factually incorrect. The door was usually wide open and it was closed but unlocked around 10 PM on Saturday night. It was fine - none of our belongings were touched or stolen but had I packed expensive jewelry, for example, I would have been worried.

2. Privacy: The website notes that the "King Suite with Balcony" room is adjacent to the dining room. But I want to also note that the door to the room is glass with a thin white curtain that you can pull over. 

3. Masks: No one (guests or staff) wore masks (except for the manager on duty right before we left on 7/19/20). Everyone mingled together. I understand that is one of the benefits of a B&B but due to Covid, it seemed risky. I was also surprised by the lack of masks because in the City of Newport, EVERYONE wore masks, even when outdoors. 

4. Cleanliness: It's possible that our room was very clean but it didn't really feel clean. With so many knickknacks, I think it must be hard to truly sanitize the space. I brought my own Lysol and wipes but I could only do so much. Again, this is a Covid-specific consideration. If we weren't in the middle of a pandemic, I would have had no issue with the level of cleanliness. 

5. Noise: The view of the boats was amazing but due to the lack of AC, we had to keep our windows open and the noise was LOUD. I have no idea what the noises were but it sounded like a car alarm (boat alarm?) going off every minute or so.. 

6. AC: I knew there was no AC but I figured with temps in the high 70s/low 80s, we would be fine. We were, for the most part but the day it was 84, the room was very hot, even after the sun went down. Something to consider depending on your forecast. 

7. Shower: Very weak water pressure.

8. WiFi: We could not connect to the WiFi at all.

Beautiful views and property but maybe not the best if you are concerned with Covid.

Had a lovely stay, loved the place from the moment of walking in. The foyer shows the detail and care in the building of this home. Staff was friendly and informative - room was very clean & everything was as described/expected. Enjoyed the game/music room that is complete with two pianos. Excellent for walking into town and exploring - a bit of a hike if you don't like walking, but very manageable. 

Fun Historic Town

My husband and I were recommended this B&B by another venue in Newport (the Melville Inn - we also recommend!) and we were so happy to find it! According to other guests we met, they found this to be one of the best and most reasonably priced in Newport and have stayed multiple times. Not sure why the guest below are complaining but guess some people are never satisfied!

Easy walk to the main shops/restaurants too, around 8 minutes. One warning - CASH ONLY! So come prepared.

A charming blue dolls' house, 19th century villa/mini-mansion overlooking the bay, with a salt water pool and hot-tub in the bay-fronted gardens! Inside is all dark wood & interesting antiques from Ann (the owner's) family, going back over 100 years. It's really like going back in time (though if you're more of a minimalist this might not be the place for you). Lots of character. 

Ann and Julie, who managed the property were wonderful hosts, and our room in the basement was comfortable (ideal for one, but a couple sharing is fine). Fans kept it cool; there is no aircon. Bathroom is large, across a small hallway but no one comes downstairs except for the washing room, so space is all yours. 

Free parking on the street 6am-6pm then a permit allows guests to stay on. Continental breakfast included. Highly recommended, can't wait to return!

Delightful villa with pool, overlooking bay!

Spent just one night here and was disappointed. Got the “last” room available and was told it was small with one window, its own bathroom and no harbor view.  We were okay with this since we were just there for one night. BUT was NOT told that the room was in the BASEMENT and we had to stand on the chair to open the below-ground window to get air and remove the mustiness.  We had to leave the room to change our mind. ☹️  Oh, and there is NO air conditioning in the whole house. Humid, musty, and stale air throughout. Breakfast = try in town establishments instead. 

Look Elsewhere 

The outside of this B&B is gorgeous: historic house on a nice plot with a salt water pool in the back yard right on the water front. There is a wide porch with lots of chairs and sofa's to sit on. But the inside is very stuffy: everywhere you look the rooms are filled with antiques and other things. It gives a very messy impression. When the house is from 1870 it doesn't mean the interior has to be of the same age. Nowadays we want comfort and like bright rooms with not too much in it!
We were a family of 4 and had the suite downstairs. But there was nothing prepared for our stay. The children had to sleep on the sofa bed in the living room and we had to make their bed. The bathroom door made a lot noise when trying to close. Very annoying especially at night. 
Breakfast was very disappointing: not much to choose from and very tangy orange juice (both days it tasted it was off).
The view made up for all the discomforts, but overall this B&B is too expensive to what it offers. 
My advise is to spend some good money on renovating the place and rise it to the 21st century.

Expected more

We spent two nights in this bed and breakfast for $625.The location is extraordinary and has a lovely outdoor swimming pool and hot tub with salad water.The rest is not much to highlight.Oldly it was a museum and all the spaces are overloaded to the point of creating a sense of disorder, chaos and uncontrol.It needs to improve the overall maintenance and especially the cleanliness.There is no cleanliness and there are trash and things in between which presents a sense of abandonment and abandonment.Our room had no air conditioning, there were three electric air conditioners.Many furniture and recharged decor prevented us from being able to organize our personal items.The cabinets take a professional humidity.Little privacy in the hays.The views from the site, the cleanliness of the rooms should be improved and the properties of the rooms should be improved.Although there is a great deal of potential to enhance the quality of the living quarters and the properties of the house.Although there is nothing special about the living quarters, it can be emphasized as a spectacular

Vieja gloria is the name of the song.

Going into this b&b was like going into an old-fashioned house. The exterior is beautiful and the interiors are even more. Mark gave us a lot of information about Newport and what to visit, also giving us great advice. The b&b is in the historic area of Newport, a 10-minute walk from the wharf area and downton, where there are both shops and restaurants (there's a free car seat available to guests). Our room had a sea view and was wonderful.

Lovely.

Exquisite room and view... ocean breeze blowing through windows all day and night. Took advantage of complimentary breakfast and the salt water pool. Common area is stunning. Friendly and helpful staff!

Beautiful!

I had the pleasure of staying there and was totally happy with my three days there.  Its a historic property so old things (antiques) are abundant.  The room had very comfortable beds and the area is quiet so no problems with sleeping. The porch with the stunning views of the Newport Bridge and Newport harbor are reason enough to stay there.  I enjoyed the heated salt water pool and the fabulous back yard. The continental breakfast has a good selection of great coffee, fruit, muffins, etc.  Our hosts Anne, Julia and Mark were excellent.

Sanford Covell Villa Marina

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