The White Elephant Nantucket

The White Elephant Nantucket, a distinguished Michelin Key Selected property, embodies the quintessential Nantucket experience, blending historic charm with modern luxury. Guests consistently praise its prime harborside location, exceptional service, and thoughtful amenities, making it a highly sought-after destination on the island.

Overall Rating & Sentiment

The White Elephant Nantucket consistently receives overwhelmingly positive feedback, earning a "Wonderful" rating of 9.2 out of 10 on Booking.com. Its selection by the Michelin Guide further underscores its status as a top-tier luxury hotel. Guests frequently describe their stays as "healing" and "amazing," highlighting a general consensus of high satisfaction and a memorable experience.

Key Highlights

Guests adore the White Elephant for several standout features:

• Location: Situated directly on Nantucket Harbor, the hotel offers stunning water views and is just steps away from downtown Nantucket's charming shops, restaurants, and galleries. It's also adjacent to Children's Beach.
• Service & Staff: The staff is consistently described as exceptional, friendly, helpful, responsive, and attentive, contributing significantly to a positive guest experience.
• Amenities: The hotel provides a wealth of complimentary amenities, including bicycles, shuttle service to the ferry, a heated outdoor pool with cabanas, two fitness centers, and a full-service spa. Thoughtful touches like morning coffee and pastries, afternoon cookies, and evening cheese and port are also frequently mentioned. Family-friendly perks like beach toys, board games, wagons, and scavenger hunts are also available.
• Design & Ambiance: The property, a Nantucket landmark since the 1920s, boasts a classic island style with sunny, nautical interiors and has undergone recent renovations. Accommodations feature a "coastal clean yet warm and inviting feel."

Room Quality

The White Elephant offers diverse accommodation options spread across multiple buildings, including guestrooms, suites, residences, cottages, and downtown lofts. Rooms are decorated with a contemporary Nantucket style and provide comfort with plush linens, down comforters, premium bedding, and Nespresso machines. Bathrooms are well-appointed with plush towels, cotton bathrobes, designer toiletries (L'Occitane), and dual sinks in some suites. Many rooms, particularly suites and residences, offer additional space, separate living areas, private patios or decks, and some even include full kitchens and fireplaces.

Dining Experience

The hotel features excellent dining options:

• Brant Point Grill: Located directly on the harbor, this restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch with stunning views. It specializes in classic New England dishes, including exceptional seafood, grilled steaks, and the famous lobster roll.
• Topper's: An award-winning sister restaurant at The Wauwinet (a sister property), Topper's offers fine dining with bay views and is accessible via a complimentary water shuttle.
• Other Options: Poolside dining is available, and guests can enjoy in-room dining from a specialized room service menu. Complimentary coffee, tea, pastries, cookies, cheese, and port are also offered at various times.

Service & Staff

The White Elephant is renowned for its attentive and friendly staff. Guests frequently highlight their responsiveness to requests, from coordinating baby gear rentals to providing complimentary shuttle services. Staff are described as helpful and proactive, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable stay.

Location & Accessibility

The White Elephant boasts an "unmatched convenient location." It sits on Nantucket Harbor, making it an easy 5-minute walk to downtown Nantucket's main street, shops, and restaurants. Children's Beach is right next door, and Jetties Beach is approximately one mile away. The hotel offers complimentary shuttle service to and from the high-speed ferry docks. Complimentary bicycles are provided for exploring the island's extensive bike paths, and car rentals, taxis, and public transit are also available.

Value & Pricing

As a luxury Michelin Key Selected property, the White Elephant commands premium pricing. Rates vary significantly by season and room type, with prices ranging from approximately $225 to over $1,300 per night. While some guests rate its "value for money" at 8.6 out of 10, the overall sentiment is that the exceptional experience and amenities justify the cost for a luxury stay on Nantucket.

Common Complaints

While generally glowing, some minor criticisms have been noted:

• Bed Comfort: One guest found their bed "slightly soft."
• Toddler Bed Mattress: A reviewer mentioned that the mattress for a rented toddler bed was noticeably uncomfortable, requiring extra padding.
• Driver Availability: Occasional long waits for complimentary drivers into town have been reported.
• BMW Raffle: The advertised BMW self-drive vehicle amenity is a raffle, which is not always running and requires guests to be present to win, leading to potential disappointment.
• Dining Availability: Topper's, the sister restaurant, can be closed for private events, so reservations are highly recommended.

Sources

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