A NYC Couple’s Stay at The Whaler’s Inn

Meg (a maternal-child visiting nurse) and Juan (a graphic designer and burgeoning photographer) currently live in Brooklyn, NY with their dog Toby. Being in the throes of summer in New York, they are always on the lookout to escape the heat and humidity of the city for long, fun weekends within manageable distances around the tri-state area. They had an opportunity to spend four days to enjoy the sites, food, and activities of the historic and coastal town of Mystic, CT. Here follows their stay at The Whaler’s Inn in words and pictures.

When we drove into Mystic and found The Whaler’s Inn, we were delighted at its proximity to everything – shops, restaurants, bars, and views of the Mystic River and its famous Bascule Drawbridge. For a couple of New Yorkers who seemingly have everything within a 3 block radius, this was absolutely welcomed and an unapologetically little surprise.

While its best attribute is their accessible proximity, The Whaler’s Inn made it a priority to make their incredibly welcoming and thoughtful hospitality a very close second. We’ve stayed in many hotels and Airbnb’s, but we couldn’t honestly remember when we’ve been so welcomed. The front desk people were nice and helpful – we arrived a few hours before check-in and they gave us tips and mentioned discounts to the Aquarium & Seaport through the hotel. The scattered but helpful notes around the hotel and in our room were meaningful – for example, we didn’t request turndown service one morning but they left a tidy bag of fresh towels with a note that had the spirit of “hey we thought you might like these, but if you need the room cleaned, we’re still here to help.” It’s the little details around that made us feel welcome and special – and we found that’s not something to overlook. Here’s more:

EXTERIOR: This way for comfort and ease in Mystic

BEDROOM: The Whaler’s Inn consists of five buildings: the Main Inn, Hoxie House, Stonington House, Noank House, and the 1865 House. Our room was in the top floor of the Hoxie House. The bedrooms consist of king or queen size beds, with gas fireplace (which we used), bathtub with airjet (also used it).

BEDROOM: High four-post bed with pillows and decorative oars over the bed

BEDROOM: One of a few thoughtful notes and tips laid out by The Whaler’s Inn. Yes, we utilized their tips and suggestions and would advise others to do so!

THE MODERN HOTEL: The Whaler’s Inn provided us with this number for any and all questions and requests we would have. And lo! we indeed had a quick request when we were out and about. Again, it’s the little things that we appreciated.

EXTERIOR: Evening shots of the Noank and Stonington houses. The porch and rocking chair situations would be delightful to hang out in (and we spotted a few guests who did!)

VIEW FROM THE ROOM: Our room overlooked the Mystic River, the Bascule Drawbridge, and the parade of boats and ships that would cross beneath it every hour (top picture). We also had views of the vibrant outdoor space at S&P Oyster Co. on the river (bottom picture).

EXTERIOR: The Whaler’s Inn at night. We felt lucky to have this beautiful New England building be our temporary home. It was a beautiful sight to see as we were headed back from long walks or drinks at nearby restaurants, and we could even see it from the river when we were out adventuring.

WALKABOUT: These fantastic views and landscapes are mere steps from The Whaler’s Inn. Again, the proximity that The Whaler’s Inn provides is simply its best value (top: sunset over the river; middle: over the river to the docks and steeple of Union Baptist Church; bottom: patio at S&P Oyster Co.)

SIGNS: Even street signs know that The Whaler’s Inn is at the crosswalk of everything.

BAR AND RESTAURANT: The Whaler’s Inn also houses Bravo Bravo for fantastic drinks (happy hour!) and a great menu filled with Italian fare.

GIFT SHOP: The gift shop within the lobby sported great practical and decorative gear. The t-shirt with Mystic’s coordinates was a favorite, as well as the coffee mug.

EXTERIOR: The front porch with these relaxing chairs look towards Mystic River. Add a drink in hand and you’ve got the start to a good evening.

THE AUTHORS: A peak at us enjoying all these activities that are magnificently close to The Whaler’s Inn (top: Grass and Bone; middle: Mystic Boat Adventures; bottom: Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough)