Highlights: Charlotte Inn

•The Charlotte Inn is a tranquil oasis in the middle of Edgartown, Massachusetts

•A visual feast of lush gardens, perfectly groomed lawns, clipped hedges, English ivy, and displays of flowers

•Mahogany furniture, lush fabrics, brass lamps, and European drapes create a Victorian feel to cozy guest rooms

•The main restaurant serves traditional French cuisine fused with locally grown herbs and Northeastern fish

•Lemonade, lemon bars, and tea sandwiches can be enjoyed on an ivory-clad terrace in the summer

•Located near numerous outdoor recreational activities like mountain biking, horseback riding, parasailing, and water skiing

Amenities: Charlotte Inn

• 25 rooms. Children over 14 years only. Check-in 1 pm, check-out 11 am. Restaurant.

General Impressions: Charlotte Inn

The Charlotte Inn, a quietly posh bastion of Edwardian splendor, is an oasis of tranquility even though it’s located in the middle of the busiest town on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. Once you pass through the hotel’s gates, walk along the garden paths, through the brick courtyards, and under the linden and chestnut trees, you just know this is a place coveted by those with a penchant for privacy and peace.

Once inside, you’ll check-in at a dark wooden Scottish barrister’s desk and will be given a registry book in which names are still handwritten as in years past. Beyond that point, it’s a world unto itself where the 19th century art is elegant, the antiques are original, and the grandfather clock and hat stands are within reach. You can enjoy a book or tea in any of the elegant sitting rooms, or on the terrace as you look out onto beautiful gardens, flowers, and trees meticulously maintained with the help of a crew of full-time gardeners.

This Inn is an ideal location for travelers seeking a romantic get-away. The candlelit conservatory dining room, ivory-clad terrace, private garden with walkways, and Victorian-style guest rooms with mahogany furniture, lush fabrics, and fireplaces set the mood for romance.

Getaway travelers will like how the Inn is conveniently located near an area with numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation like mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, parasailing, water skiing, and fishing. There’s easy access to shops and galleries in Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Boston; return each night to the tranquil oasis of the Inn.

The high speed Internet access available in common areas and fax capabilities are welcome amenities for business travelers, but not much else is geared for those interested in getting work done on vacation, or for business travelers seeking business services at the Inn. Even the use of cell phones isn’t allowed in public areas.

Family travelers with young children should know beforehand that guests must be age 14 or older to stay here. Even so, families won’t find many amenities geared toward them and might be a little uncomfortable with everything designed for romantic couples or getaway travelers.

Luxurious accommodations and lush surroundings come at a price, but that just makes a stay here all the more coveted. A member of the Relais & Chateaux group, the Charlotte Inn was built in 1862 for Samuel Osborne, a wealthy sea merchant. Tucked into a lovely garden setting on tree-lined South Summer Street, the Inn was a private residence until the 1920s, when Osborne’s widowed daughter, Charlotte, opened the house to boarders.

Since then, the Inn has been updated with such features as air-conditioning and individually designed guest rooms, yet remains true to its Victorian heritage. This Inn is definitely geared for those who want to get away from it all and chill out.

(+) Private inn with well-maintained gardens and romantic settings ideal for couples and getaway travelers
(-) Limited amenities, activities and services for business and family travelers

Guest Services: Charlotte Inn

The hotel staff offers attentive services without being obtrusive or overbearing. They know how to anticipate the needs of their guests while respecting their privacy.

From the time you check in, you sense this place has something special about it, which is well deserved, as you’re offered every amenity imaginable. Without even asking, staff will bring you Earl Gray tea and cookies to your room in late afternoon; and yes, you can have your Chardonnay delivered to you in the garden.

The well-manicured gardens and grounds aren’t open to any curious onlookers from the community. The staff tries to carefully protect the privacy of their guests who they consider to be private houseguests.

The concierge is ready to help with any requests or advice that might enhance your stay. Complimentary same-day laundry services are provided, and the staff will help you arrange for a special occasion, such as a marriage proposal.

(+) Efficient, helpful staff tries to anticipate your needs without being obtrusive

Guest Rooms: Charlotte Inn

The Charlotte Inn has 23 rooms and 2 suites located in the three-floor Osborne house with its white clapboards and cupola. Although this building was originally designed in the mid-1800s as a private home, it has been updated with air-conditioning and each room has been individually decorated while still remaining true to its Victorian heritage.

Silver dressing table sets, antique chests, marble-topped dressers, brass lamps, and fine crystal create the feel of a cozy room at a friend’s summer home. The canopy beds are dressed in goose down pillows and comforters, and the windows have handmade silk and linen European draperies. Some rooms have an overstuffed chair or couch in front of a fireplace, while others have a quaint sitting area with large chairs and a coffee table. The bathrooms are small, since this is an 1800s building, but you’ll hardly notice.

Luxury amenities in all rooms include terry robes in the winter, cotton waffle robes in the summer, flat screen cable TV, Bose Wave radios, and Bulgari toiletries. Although smoking is allowed in moderation, guests are asked not to smoke cigars, pipes or cigarettes in the guest rooms.

(+) Guest rooms individually designed with a Victorian feel
(-)Rooms are smaller in size, but on par with vintage buildings

Facilities & Activities: Charlotte Inn

Although you might be tempted to hide away in your lovely peaceful cocoon, the island is brimming over with things to do. In Martha’s Vineyard, quieter than its sibling Nantucket to the east and less fancy, a band still plays in the gazebo on Ocean Park in Oak Bluffs on Sundays, homemade ice cream is served at Scoops in Edgartown. Area special events include the annual Fishing Derby, the Edgartown Regatta, and the Catboat Clambake at the Historical Society.

Home to five lighthouses and several beaches, the Vineyard’s 15,000 residents and more than 100,000 annual visitors live and play in Edgartown, a thriving 19th-century whaling port, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven on the north coast as well as West Tisbury Menemsha, Chilmark, and Aquinnah on the western end of the island. Yet even at the height of the summer months, there’s room to bike, breathe, and enjoy the peaceful natural surroundings. Chappaquiddick, just off the eastern coast, is home to several species of birds including the colorful oyster catchers, and other birds and small wildlife.

The Cape Poge Lighthouse is 4-1/2 miles down the shore of this 650-acre wildlife reserve. You’ll see 130-year-old cedars bent by the wind into bonsai-like shapes and brushed by bayberry bushes and juniper shrubs thick with blueberries. You can explore the reed-lined saltwater ponds and waterways by kayak and drive out to Gay Head and Aquinnah, a Native American community on the western tip of the island. You also can stop at Menemsha, a quaint fishing village, and the Chilmark Pottery, known for its brilliant blue ceramic ware.

(+) Martha’s Vineyard is a virtual playground for those who love the sea, history, and the outdoors

Dining & Lounge: Charlotte Inn

The L’Etoile Restaurant is set in a glittering glass-paned conservatory and comes alive with crystal, candles, fresh flowers, candelabras, Limoges china, and crisp linens. The traditional French cuisine is blended with fresh local New England produce, fish, and seafood to create dishes that are inventive without being overbearing. A five-course tasting menu pairs food with wines selected from a well-rounded wine cellar, several from California. Guests, particularly couples, will enjoy their meals by candlelight.

Open for lunch weekends and dinner daily during season and weekends off-season, in keeping with the old world ambiance, the Charlotte Inn’s dining room is the only place on the island where gentlemen are requested to wear jackets and at the very least, collared shirts. During the summer, guests can opt to enjoy their meals on the ivory-clad terrace or in the well-manicured garden.

The hotel also features multiple sitting areas just like a friend’s summer house, where you can enjoy afternoon tea and cookies amid loveseat couches, elegant oil paintings, grandfather clocks, and hat stands.

(+) Inventive menu in a posh, romantic, old world setting

Business Services: Charlotte Inn

Not many amenities are geared for the business traveler. Each room is equipped with a phone, high speed access in the common areas, and fax service, but that’s pretty much it.

To maintain a tranquil setting, cell phone use isn’t allowed in common areas, and this can be a challenge for a business traveler who needs to keep in touch with the office or family.

(+) High-speed access available in limited common areas
(-) No business center, meeting rooms, or other standard amenities for business travelers