A year ago our family sat on the steps of the Harbor View Hotel waiting to meet our photographer for our family photos. We didn’t know where to shoot these photos in Martha’s Vineyard, so we asked our photographer Larisa Stinga what she thought. She said the Edgartown lighthouse at sunset would be perfect, so we drove from Oak Bluffs to meet her and absolutely fell in love with the area.
We said to ourselves THIS is where we want to stay the next time we come back to Martha’s Vineyard – Edgartown suited us perfectly, and it turned out that our adventure brought us back to the same hotel we sat on the steps of a year ago – the Harbor View Hotel!
Many things changed over that year, including a $15 million dollar renovation that rejuvenated the space and made it a place that our family truly didn’t want to leave. Somehow after all of the renovations and updates the hotel still seemed so comfortable. My son referred to it as “home” a few times during out trip, so we definitely enjoyed our stay!
Take a look at our adventure in this video below and I’ll meet you on the other side!
Yes, this trip was as amazing as it looked! I think it’s one of my favorites to date – we all left quite a bit more relaxed then when we arrived, and we were sad to leave when it came time to check out. That’s definitely a sign of a great vacation.
I’ve heard so many people say they’ve been to Boston or Cape Cod, but they thought the trip to Martha’s Vineyard would be difficult. We’ve done it twice now and I can tell you it’s very quick and easy! We have always chosen the fast ferry which is around an hour. There is even a snack bar on the ferry, and the view leaving Cape Cod and arriving in Martha’s Vineyard is gorgeous.
We hopped in an Uber, and headed out to our hotel in Edgartown which is a very short drive from Oak Bluffs.
One of the tell-tale signs of how much I’m going to love a hotel is stepping into the lobby – it’s the first inkling of what to expect. We were not disappointed – we were greeted the moment our car arrived by the staff of the Harbor View Hotel looking to help us with our bags, and once we walked into the lobby we were greeted at reception warmly. The lobby smelled amazing, there was fresh water with lemon juice for the guests, and it was decorated to perfection with a laid-back coastal feel.
Immediately the view from the lobby hits you – it’s breathtaking to see the ocean and the Edgartown Lighthouse steps away. Cozy couches and a fireplace rounded out the space where we often sat just to relax during our stay.
The sprawling porch that wrapped around the hotel was another spot we all loved to just sit. It’s not often that I “just sit” anywhere, but the porch was a relaxing space to read a magazine, take in the beautiful scenery, or just chat about what to do next!
The staff at the Harbor View Hotel really made our stay incredible! From the moment we walked in we felt like anything we needed could be accommodated. When it rained we were offered umbrellas. When we wanted to head into town for dinner we were given a ride in the hotel’s golf cart. When we needed recommendations we were given all kinds of suggestions. Everyone we encountered really helped to elevate our stay.
We also loved that they had bikes on hand for the guests to use!
Our room was a dream. Everything was so fresh and new. The view of the Edgartown ocean and lighthouse was so beautiful from every window of our room that we actually spent time just sitting in our room looking out the window. How often can you say you’ve done that at a hotel you’ve stayed at?
We had two rooms with a pull out couch for our son, and both rooms were equipped with a TV so everyone was happy! Our rooms had reusable water bottles rather than glasses which was something I hadn’t seen before at a hotel. We saw many of the guests utilizing these water bottles and filling them up with the lemon water in the lobby.
The resort includes the main hotel, and then it’s scattered with cottages across the property. Just strolling the grounds within the hotel’s property was a beautiful walk. The outdoor pool and pool bar was one of our favorite hang outs!
I watched the boys swim from my lounge chair while I had oysters, guac and chips, and a Frose delivered to my chair. Heaven.
They had cabanas you could rent for the day, and fresh towels waiting for all of the guests. At nights the fire pits started up, and you could have a drink at the pool bar overlooking the property.
My son loves lawn games, so having them scattered across the hotel property was a huge plus for us. He played on the front lawn before we headed off to dinner, and on the back lawn any chance he got as there was a big open field he could play in. It was perfect for weddings on the property, or for a kid to go crazy in! Complimentary morning yoga and boot camp classes were held here as well.
I did NOT work out during this trip, but if I wanted to I thought it was neat that these outdoor classes were offered, along with the gym on the property!
Something I really need to rave about – the food at the Harbor View Hotel.
There is was not one, but two restaurants at the hotel – Roxana Bar and Bettini Restaurant.
Roxana Bar served up all kinds of shareable plates! My son’s grilled cheese sandwich gave my husband and I bit of envy, while I tried the lobster roll and fries, and my husband ate the Harbor View Chopped Salad with grilled shrimp. This was our first meal at the hotel, and we were blown away. It was so fresh, and we learned that everything on the menu is sustainably sourced from local farmers.
I loved the decor – the gold silverware looked beautiful against the leather chairs, but somehow sitting there – as beautiful and elegant as it was – we still felt comfortable. Travelling to a beautiful spot like this can make a parent a little on guard. I often worry about bringing my son to a restaurant such as this since the spot is immaculate, but our little guy was welcomed which we appreciated.
To me, Bettini Restaurant will always be that place where I had the best lobster of my life. Listen, this girl has had A LOT of lobster in her lifetime, but this won wins hands-down. I begrudgingly shared one bite, and the rest was devoured rather quickly by me.
They had my FAVORITE prosecco (La Marca), and my son was so happy that they had a kids menu that included a little appetizer just for him!
We had oysters, and my husband had the 8oz Black Angus Prime Beef Fillet that I stole bites of (he’s better at sharing), and we were all so stuffed we couldn’t fit a bite of dessert.
Chef Patrice Martineau is the executive Chef at the Harbor View Hotel, which explains why both restaurants had impeccable food. The food was consistently good – often I’ve found if there are multiple restaurants at a hotel, one tends to be a bit better than the other, but in this case the food varied at both Roxana and Bettini, but both we just as incredible when it came to taste!
They service breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch – oh how I wish I was there for brunch! I’m sure it was incredible!
One of the really fun perks of the Harbor View Hotel was their Drive program. Arriving on the island without a car made getting around a bit complicated, but guests of the Harbor View Hotel are able to take advantage of the Mercedes-Benz Driving Experience. Their partnership with Mercedes-Benz has some amazing perks! If you drive a Mercedes-Benz yourself to the hotel you receive free valet parking and a welcome gift!
Mercedes-Benz has provided a GLS550, S560 Sedan and SLC300 for guests who want to sign one out! You can keep the car for up to three hours just by signing one out at the concierge desk. We LOVED this perk! We took one out for a spin and it had every possible upgrade you could think of – it was an amazing ride! We spent some time touring around the island in spots we had never been, and took a trip to Oak Bluffs. This was awesome!
We popped into Edgardtown for shopping and food every once in a while, and one of the coolest things we did was have breakfast at the Right Fork Diner.
Our photographer Larisa suggested it, adn we are so glad she did! This was really cool – the diner is located right on the Katama Airfield, and you can watch the red biplanes take off while you eat! Not only is it a cool experience, but the food was amazing! You can eat out of the quick service section and eat on a picnic table, or wait for a table like we did on the restaurants patio.
There were all kinds of games for the kids outside, and I really thought this was one of the coolest things we had ever done! The Right Fork Diner is open daily from 7am until sunset, and it’s a must-visit in Martha’s Vineyard!
Being so close to the ocean for a few days was amazing. We could look out the window in the morning of our room at the Harbor View Hotel and see the sunrise, and we could walk along the beach at night as the sunset. It was as dreamy as it sounds – I woke up one day at sunrise and watched all of the fisherman find their spots for the morning, at at night we watched the sailboats come in for the night.
I think this photo basically sums up the trip – we spent some really amazing time together as a family, we talked, we relaxed, and we laughed until it hurt.
We had such an amazing time on our trip. I really want to return next summer to see even more of the Vineyard, and I would love to stay at the Harbor View Hotel again to spend more time as a family, and get back that feeling of zen!
Thank you to the Harbor View Hotel for hosting us! We had an incredible time!
Items in this post may have been provided to me for review, but all opinions are fabulously my own.
