Meet Emerson Inn By The Sea, a charming and authentic inn nestled on the ocean in Massachusetts’ historical Rockport. The inn is intimate with only 36 rooms, all of them unique in character and presentation. Imagine a massive old historical house on the ocean that has been renovated but just ever so slightly to bring in some of the modern amenities you’d expect for a luxury boutique stay while keeping the lovely style of yesteryear.
This property exudes the charm and nostalgia of the past yet there’s wifi, TV, mini-refrigerators and air conditioning. Imagine waking up to this view every morning. Fog, rain, mist or sunshine, it’s hard to beat this breathtaking scenery.
Here’s a view of the inn we took as we were walking up from the water after taking a stroll along the rocks which I would recommend doing early in the morning or close to sunset.
Of course, the best part about the inn in my opinion is the front porch which is decked with Adirondack-like chairs from left to right. The very same charming chairs are scattered across the lawn as well, which have equally stunning views of the ocean.
On the main floor, you can sit and read while looking out at the ocean views in case it rains. There are books to read, and outlets if you want to bring your laptop and get some writing or work done in a serene and quiet environment. There’s endless tea on the counter as well if you do choose to spend your afternoon just lounging.
The setting is of course very historical — note the bar with the mirror behind it in the photo below. In the evenings, they have happy hour and there’s also coffee, tea and cookies available at certain times. Through the door to the right of the bar, you’ll see their classic dining room which is where they serve dinner and of course, breakfast in the mornings. To the left of the dining room, there’s a closed porch where I’d recommend you sit if you have a meal here.
In this very same sitting room, there are plenty of authentically old antiques and orientals as well as a baby grand piano which I didn’t have an opportunity to play, although thought about it on more than one occasion. There are also some quirky things about the inn, such as their attention to detail and creative additions to the rooms throughout.
More of the magical fine touches — remember it’s all the details. Not every designer or venue manager gets that however Emerson-by-the-Sea pays attention to the details spades. It’s almost as if they designed the place to specifically attract writers, philosophers, artists and nature lovers.
Our room, as I said, was ever so charming. Described as the Honeymoon Room, my guess is that it gets its name because of its soaking hot tub.
Another view of our room from the other side so you can see the “jet” bathtub, which is in the room itself — the bathroom is on the other side, which has a separate shower.
I had an opportunity to see a few other rooms briefly since we were there for a few days. As I didn’t have my camera with me when I did, the below shot is taken from the inn’s website, but it will give you an idea of what another room looks like, this one with a small balcony that overlooks the ocean as well as the pool in the front of the property. This is called the King or Queen balcony.
Since it was Anthony’s birthday, a nice surprise was brought up to the room — we had a nice bottle of Pinot Noir from one of our earlier stops so we popped it open to sample with this delicious fruit, cheese and olive platter. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect since it was a rainy day so we got lost in our platter and wine together with accompanied novels and games which was a great way to spend a drizzly afternoon in New England.
Two thumbs up! For the romantics, writers, artists and nature lovers among us, it’s a great place for your New England bucket list.
Details:
Emerson-by-the-Sea
1 Cathedral Avenue
Rockport, MA 01966
(978) 546-6321
Note: we were guests of the resort, but all opinions expressed are entirely our own.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
