Regular visitors on Nantucket undoubtedly know about the White Elephant. After all, the resort has been around for more than a century and has five properties across the island. Last May marked the hotspot’s 100th season, and it opened with a renewed look.
Upon entering the White Elephant’s Harborside Hotel—which is a short walk to town—a 16-foot-long painting looks over the lobby. The commission by artist Orit Fuchs features a woman rowing past the hotel in her blue-and-white striped shirt and Nantucket-red shorts. Around the hotel, the lady rowing the boat is affectionately called “Elizabeth,” after Elizabeth T. Ludwig, the founder of the island’s iconic resort. The piece is a part of the hotel’s extensive new art collection. New York-based art consultant Emily Santangelo curated an artists-in-residence program, consisting of five creatives who stayed on the island for two weeks, drawing inspiration for their commissioned works.
The painting’s notes of Nantucket are just a glimpse of what’s to come in the rest of the property’s reimagination. Designer Elizabeth Lowrey, principal at Boston-based Elkus Manfredi Architects, is behind the multimillion-dollar refresh. “The physical transformation draws its inspiration from the island of Nantucket itself—its rugged landscape, its summer flowers, its seafaring and artisanal past—to breathe new life into the property and immerse guests in the experience of the real Nantucket,” Lowrey shares.
No detail is overlooked and there are constant reminders of where you are: custom carpeting by Bloomsburg influenced by the island’s basket-weaving history, grasscloth wallcoverings reminiscent of the dunes, ceilings painted to match the hue of a summer sky, brass elephant knockers on every guest room door, Pratesi bed linens with elephants embroidered on the pillowcases, and elephant-shaped hardware on drawers. “We weren’t going for a generic beachy feel,” Lowrey says. “Everything we did, we stopped to ask ourselves, ‘Is this truly Nantucket? Or someone’s idea of Nantucket?'”
In addition to the property’s 54 rooms and suites, most with water views, there are 11 garden cottages aptly named after plants indigenous to the island (think Hydrangea, Bayberry, Marigold) with pretty palettes to match. “It’s a whole community of cottages, each with its own unique story to discover, just like Nantucket,” Lowrey adds.
The resort continues to make waves. Ahead of its 101st season, the Cottages at the Boat Basin will unveil a $6 million renovation. The White Elephant is open April through October, and Thanksgiving to the first week in December.
Don’t Miss
Aunt Leah’s Fudge Shop
The White Elephant places a box of chocolate-covered cranberries in guest rooms. If you stop by the shop, you might meet Leah herself—who sources the fruit from her neighbor’s bog.
Bike Paths
The hotel offers complimentary Priority bicycles to explore the 35-plus miles of distinct bike routes.
Cisco Brewers
The Nantucket-founded brewery is an island hotspot for live music, a drink, and light bites from food trucks.
Topper’s at the Wauwinet
Skip the courtesy car and board the Wauwinet Lady to head across the harbor for a dinner at the other one of the White Elephant’s properties. Pro Tip: Book your reservation during sunset.
Whaling Museum
Before the island became a summer resort destination, its claim-to-fame was its title as the whaling capital of the world.