Shelter Harbor Inn The Shelter Harbor Inn is located on a farm just north of Weekapaug on Rt 1 and dates back to 1810. The original farmhouse, after numerous additions, has become the focal point of the Inn while the surrounding 200 acres of farmland has become the community of Shelter Harbor. The Inn was first established in 1911 when Dr. Franklin Lawson from New York City purchased the property in order to establish a community for musicians. Dr. Lawson, a noted voice teacher, encouraged other musicians to visit the Inn and to purchase lots in the newly established community called "Music colony." It would become an ideal place for musicians and their families to relax between the summer performing season in Newport and winter in New York City. By the early 1920's, Music colony had grown to include many non-musicians and the community changed its named to Shelter Harbor. The roads still retain the names of famous musicians such as Wagner, Handel, Bach, and Rossini. During the 1930's a couple from England, Mr. and Mrs. Borsay ran the Inn. Mr. Borsay was an accomplished equestrian and developed a well known riding academy on the property. Many of our local citizens remember their early equestrian training from Mr. Borsay. Meanwhile, his wife was in charge of running the Inn. During the 1940's, the Shelter Harbor Inn became a nursing home, but was later reconverted to an Inn by Mrs. Romaine who bought the property in 1950. She ran the Inn during the summer months for the next 15 years. Following this, Peter and Jackie D'Lude purchased the Inn and ran it for 10 years. It was then purchased by Jim Dey, our current owner, in 1976. Much of the development of Shelter Harbor Inn began after 1976. The first major project was the rebuilding of the barn. This included six new guest rooms and a conference room. Following this was an expansion of the kitchen facilities, and the addition of the New Dining room. This doubled the seating capacity of the restaurant. The next project was the removal and rebuilding of most of the second floor with the expansion out over the new dining room. The last major project was the addition of the carriage house. These rooms
brought the total guest rooms to twenty four. Attentive, appetizing Shelter Harbor Inn
Don't let the plain exterior of the Shelter Harbor Inn deceive you.
Inside the rambling white building with pale blue shutters, you find quiet charm, excellent food, and fine service.
Shelter Harbor is as much a restaurant as an inn, boasting that it serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner 365 days a year.
Next to the cozy library with its guest computer beckons a sunroom-turned-lounge with bistro tables and chairs cushioned in nautical blue.
A pleasant foyer expands into a spacious, sunny dining room, with walls papered in sage green and a floor-to-ceiling fieldstone fireplace.
Tables are set with white linens and decorated with tiny vases of fresh flowers.
Staff members make guests feel like family, perhaps because in so many cases families have returned to this comfortable, unpretentious inn
year after year, said innkeeper James Dey.
"After 30 years," he said, "we're starting to see the children of our early guests coming back with their own families."
Guest rooms are split between the main house, a farmhouse dating from 1810, and a renovated barn.
Our second-floor room in the main house was modest in size, but a private deck doubled the space.
Surrounded by tall pines, it had two chaise lounges with green-and-white striped cushions and a round table with an umbrella.
The green firs, white lattice, and striped fabric gave it a crisp feel.
Opening the double patio doors to the deck or even raising the blinds flooded the room with light and made it feel spacious.
The room had a queen bed, two nightstands with lamps, clock, dresser, roomy closet (but only two hangers), small television, and one
upholstered chair with a floor lamp beside it.
Prints featuring flowers and birds hung on pale yellow walls.
There was a wood-burning fireplace at one end, the brick chimney rising to the ceiling.
Though there was a cradle of wood on the hearth, we saw no kindling or matches and learned later that we needed to ask a member of the staff
to light the fire.
The bathroom had a tub and lots of storage.
We were pleased by the strong water pressure in the shower, often lacking in older buildings.
A guest information booklet gave the history of the inn -- it was established in 1911 as the core of a community for musicians called "Music
Colony," and the surrounding streets bear such names as Wagner, Handel, and Bach -- and listed information about area attractions.
The only thing missing, understandably, was restaurant recommendations, but on a Friday night the inn's hostess good-naturedly suggested a
couple of spots in downtown Westerly (after we assured her that we would be dining at the inn Saturday evening).
From the rooftop hot tub, there's a distant view of the ocean and Block Island.
There are locker rooms with showers and a grill on the rooftop deck.
Guests can play on a regulation American six-wicket croquet court, putting green, boccie court, and two tennis courts.
The inn provides weekday parking passes to its private beach in Weekapaug and a shuttle bus on weekends.
In the sunny breakfast room overlooking the gardens, we enjoyed cranberry-orange scones, corned beef hash with poached eggs, and banana
walnut French toast one morning, eggs Benedict and a red pepper, tomato, and fresh mozzarella omelet the next.
Our pleasant young server was learning the ropes under the guidance of her mother, a longtime employee.
On Saturday evening the dining room was full, testifying to the draw of the restaurant.
The house salad was a slightly sweet blend of mesclun greens, sliced apples, julienne carrots, Gorgonzola, and toasted walnuts with a dried
cranberry vinaigrette.
We enjoyed pumpkin seed-crusted salmon with garlic lentils and spinach and a flat iron steak with roasted mushroom sauce.
Then we took the rest of our wine upstairs and sat under the stars on our private deck, savoring the marriage of fine food and comfortable
lodging.
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