Rhode Island, RI Hotel Rooms
You'll be amazed at the diversity of attractions Rhode Island has to offer. With a variety of hotels in Rhode Island, Choice Hotels® offers many locations packed with friendly hospitality and countless amenities. Whether you're spending time with family, looking for adventure, escaping for the weekend or traveling for business, Rhode Island and Choice Hotels® have just what you need.

RHODE ISLAND GETAWAYS AND VACATIONS, RHODE ISLAND HOTELS, ACTIVITIES AND HISTORY

Rhode Island is the smallest state in the nation, but it's packed with history and opportunities to go sailing, boating and fishing in Narragansett Bay. Newport's famous mansions, the "summer cottages" of the uberwealthy can now be enjoyed by all as can Newport's beaches. Providence is home to Brown University and the Rhode Island School of design among many other superb colleges. Fine Italian and seafood cuisine can be found anywhere in the state.

Each offers a great deal of history, beautiful sites to see, ample recreation, lodging and culinary delights and myriad museums. The United States Navy's War College is here. Newport, well known for the famous Jazz Festival (which has been scaled down from its 1960s size), offers Cliff Walk, where you can stroll between the famous mansions and the Atlantic Ocean. The beaches are great for swimming, sailing and surfing, and Newport is home to some of the oldest buildings in the country.

GREAT PLACES TO STAY, FUN THINGS TO DO AND SEE AND RHODE ISLAND HOTELS

	1 Murray House Bed & Breakfast Murray Place . Newport . Rhode Island 02840 401.846.3337 | E-Mail: bikinicat@aol.com | Website 1 Murray House is located in the Newport Mansion district on Bellevue Avenue, close to the famous Cliff Walk and a short walk to Bailey's beach! It is an enchanting place to stay after a day of exploring Newport, where history, ornate mansions, gourmet restaurants, quaint shops and long, sandy beaches come together to offer you the ideal getaway. 1 Murray House Bed & Breakfast has been voted "one of the best bed & breakfasts on the eastern seaboard" by Arrington's Bed & Breakfast Journal.
	The Agincourt Inn (formerly The Inn at Shadow Lawn) 120 Miantonomi Avenue · Newport/Middletown, Rhode Island (RI) 02842 401.847.0902 | Toll Free: 800.352.3750 | E-Mail: randy@shadowlawn.com | Website You will step back in time the minute you walk through our doors. Savor the ambiance in our library or enjoy some sherry on the verandah. Feel like a Vanderbilt without breaking the bank! Bask in the romantic aura of sparkling chandeliers, rose petals and sonnets at our 19th century manor estate. Stroll along the rolling lawns, and sit by one of many of our fountains located in our garden areas. Reservation Information
	The Country Goose Bed and Breakfast 563 Green End Avenue . Middletown/Newport . Rhode Island 02842 401.849.5384 | Toll Free: 877.25Goose (877.254.6673) | E-Mail: CountryGooseBnB@aol.com | Website Nestled in a quiet country setting our charming 1898 Ginger Trimmed Country Victorian is minutes from beaches, cliff walk, mansions, Tennis Hall of Fame, golfing, shopping on famous Thames Street, and all seasonal attractions.
	22 Bowen's > Steak, Seafood Newport, Rhode Island Newport . Rhode Island 02840 | 1.401.841.8884 |jbailey@GoNewport.com Welcome to 22 Bowen's Wine Bar and Grille, located on the waterfront in the heart of historic downtown Newport, Rhode Island. Serving only USDA Prime beef, New England's finest seafood, and complimented by a wine list of over 200 selections, we invite you to visit us and enjoy "a little bit of tenderness" at one of Newport's best. Make a Reservation
	Bareboat Sailing Charter Newport . Rhode Island | 1.800.661.4013 1.860.388.6463 . Sail the way you dream about it! Consistent breeze, gorgeous beaches, incredible islands, great yachts and first class charter service as you enjoy wonderful sailing and unexpected comforts as you cruise the New England waters.

HOUSE HUNTING? THIS MAY BE A BIT BEYOND THE BUDGET, BUT BREATH TAKING TO VISIT

By Noreen O'Neil

When my bed & breakfast guests arrive at Murray House, one of my favorite places to send them is Mrs. Astor’s Beechwood. When they return, they’re full of the praise for the delightful afternoon they spent being entertained by the actors of the Beechwood Theatre group. They loved being taken back in time, a time never to be experienced again. A time when palatial mansions (summer cottages for those in the know) in Newport were de rigueur for the rich and famous. If you’ve never been to Astor’s Beechwood, put it on your list of things to do. It’s quite and experience, and one you will thoroughly enjoy.

Beechwood was originally built in 1851 for a New York City Merchant, Daniel Parrish. The house was named Beechwood because all over the property you’ll find beautiful Beechwood trees. In 1880 William Backhouse Astor Jr., grandson of German immigrant and entrepreneur John Jacob Astor, purchased Beechwood. The modest home of 22,000 + sq ft. was to be used as the Astor’s summer residence. They would spend eight weeks a year here.

In 1981 the Astors’ Beechwood Mansion was opened to the public as Rhode Island’s only Living History experience. Members of the Beechwood Theatre Company depict life during the Victorian era, specifically the year 1891. The actors portray the friends, family and domestic staff of the Astors.

As you approach the house, you may get a glimpse of a housemaid or a footman greeting visitors or perhaps a handsome couple playing a rousing game of croquet. At Beechwood, you will enjoy a 45-minute interactive tour in which you are swept back to a grander more genteel time. You will feel as if you are actually a guest of the Astors.

Starting mid-May, Beechwood opens for daily tours. Upon your arrival you will be treated as if you are personal friends of the Astors. The premise of the tour/performance might be that the Mrs. Astor has invited you to supper or perhaps her grand ball. Whatever the occasion, be prepared to leave 2003 and head back to the year 1891.

In addition to regular summer tours, Beechwood offers two spectacular evening events, which need to be booked separately: The Astor Ball and Murder at Bal Masque. The Astor Ball is a re-creation of a Victorian Ball. As you stroll up the driveway you will see the house all lit up in its evening splendor. The Astors’ friends and family greet you as if you are a member of high society and you have come for an evening of 1890s song and dance. During the evening you will be invited to tour the home, brush up on Victorian Etiquette and share in gentle conversation. You will be swept into a flurry of music and dancing. The Astor Ball is Tuesday evenings July through September. Reservations are recommended.

Murder at Bal Masque is for the person that has a taste for mystery. It is a tension-filled, interactive murder mystery based on an unsolved mystery of yesteryear. Four master detectives help you play whodunit. Guests tour the home looking for clues, interrogate family members and solve the mystery. This ever-popular event does require reservations. Murder Mysteries are Thursday evenings June through October.

Summer is not the only time of year in which you’ll find something special. Holiday Time at Beechwood is like none else. Early November through Mid December, Beechwood celebrates Christmas. During this wonderful season, the fully decorated home comes alive with holiday magic. You are invited to celebrate Victorian Christmas traditions, brush up on your waltz, play parlor games, and learn the art of flirtation. The family will entertain you with holiday songs so festive you’ll find yourself humming along as you take a turn around the ballroom floor.

For a truly special treat, come to an Astors’ Victorian Christmas Feast. As you walk through the front door, you step back in time to St. Nicholas Day 1891. You are a dear friend coming to join the Astor family for a magnificent celebration. This three-hour event features a four-course dinner, a tour of the festively decorated home, breathtaking singing, and Victorian dancing. Reservations are required. Please call for specific dates of the feast. Their website is at www.astorsbeechwood.com and phone is 401-846-3772.

No matter the time of year, Beechwood always has something fun and exciting to offer. When you need a break from your daily routine or just want to do something different take a trip to Beechwood and take a trip back to the past.

Copyright © 2004, Noreen O'Neil