The Richard

Style

Chic-shape coastal stay

Setting

Moored on Main Street

Martha’s Vineyard bed and breakfast the Richard might be close to the coast, but there’s nothing fishy about its design, which veers off course from the nautical trappings favored by many a stay here, instead opting for a sleek black, white and gray palette (with splashes of purple) and sculptural furnishings. Days start with breakfast tapas; continue with bike rides to wild beaches, indie-boutique hopping and lighthouse adoring; then end with alfresco BYOB sundowners by the fire pit – we’re all aboard.

Facilities

Rooms

16, including three suites.

Checkout

11am, but flexible, subject to availability (give as much notice as possible). Earliest check-in, 4pm; if checking in after 10pm, you’ll need to let staff know.

More Details

Rates include the Richard’s tapas-style breakfast plates.

Also

There’s a ramp entrance to the building, and the hotel has one accessible King Deluxe room on the first floor, although its shower, which has a step, is not roll-in.

Hotel Closed

The hotel opens from April to October.

Free Internet Access

At the Hotel

Garden with day-beds and a fire pit, lounge, concierge, free WiFi. In rooms: 43-inch smart TV, wine glasses and corkscrew, black-out shades, individually controlled air-conditioning, waffle bathrobes, and Lather bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

With its sailing and whaling past, Martha’s Vineyard’s style has an ‘aye aye’ for maritime details, but we like the cleaner, more modern cut of the Richard’s jib. Its façade is classic white clapboard, but rooms are decked out in black, white and gray (with flashes of purple and green), furniture is sculptural and eye-catching, and graphic prints brighten the walls.

Packing Tips

Bring any biking and boating wear and stock up on snacks and drinks (the hotel doesn’t have minibars or a bar, but there’s a corkscrew and glasses in your room).

Also

The Richard is in good company in Edgartown, a sister (brother?) property to other Lark Hotels, the Christopher and the Edgartown Inn.

Children

Kids can stay, but there’s only one two-bedroom room (the Lark Suite). However, there’s a lot for kids to do on the island, so this could serve as a homebase for those with tweens and teens to lay their heads after fun-filled days.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

The made-for-two lounge chairs by the fire pit in the garden look mighty inviting.

Dress Code

More monochrome than maritime.

Hotel Restaurant

The Richard leaves you to discover Edgartown’s excellent culinary offerings for lunch and dinner, but this bed and breakfast sends you out full for the day, with a selection of tapas-style breakfast plates. These might be omelettes filled with local veggies, mojito-infused melon balls and ‘piña colada’ overnight oats with pineapple and coconut, ‘everything’ flatbreads with cream cheese, zucchini frittata, and yogurt with watermelon and mint. And, you might find mango-banana muffins, blueberry-lemon bread and more pulled fresh from the oven.

Hotel Bar

There’s no bar, so you’ll need to BYOB. Try Vintage MV Wines & Spirits, which has a great selection and is in walking distance.

Last Orders

Breakfast is from 8am to 10am.

Planes

Martha’s Vineyard Airport is a mere 10-minute drive from the hotel and has direct connections with New York, Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Chicago, so international arrivals can easily connect.

Automobiles

We strongly suggest swapping four wheels for two and hiring a bike locally or forgoing them altogether. Edgartown is easily covered on foot, Oak Bluffs is a pleasant pedal away passing Sengekontacket Pond, and electric buses or ferries can take you further afield. Parking at the hotel is very limited ($50 a day) and must be booked in advance.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Former whaling hub, Edgartown is rife with briny charm and packed with quaint clapboard houses, and has more peaceful sailing pursuits these days (although fishing is still one of its strong points as dining out will attest). In more recent years its surroundings have become famous for another aquatic beast, as the setting for parts of Jaws (visit South Beach and the Jaws Bridge to the north), but day-to-day it’s a very peaceful spot. Find serenity at the Edgartown Lighthouse (spectacular at sunset), cycling along the Beach Road to Oak Bluffs to see its ‘gingerbread’ cottages (pick up bikes from Wheel Happy), or follow nature trails through Land Bank, Sheriff’s Meadow or Mass Audubon’s Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary. Or ride the ferry out to neighbouring Chappaquiddick Island to meditate in the Mytoi Japanese Garden. Swing by the Carnegie Heritage Center to look into the island’s past, then head to the Harbor to get some wistful staring at the sea in (or grab an ice-cream), and pick up the sweetest souvenirs in the local boutiques: books from Portobello Road, paintings from Eisenhauer Gallery, vintage pieces from Past and Presents, sustainable clothing from Rooey Knots.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .