Photo: Stephg82988, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Ocean House opened in Watch Hill in 1868, one of several large wooden hotels that made the village a summer resort. Its long yellow front facing the ocean became a landmark.
Most of the other grand hotels burned or were torn down over time. The Ocean House lasted, but by the early 2000s it was in poor shape, and it closed in 2003.
Starting over
A group of investors bought the property and decided the old building could not be saved. It was taken down in 2005, and many architectural details were saved and catalogued.
A new hotel was built in the same style and on the same footprint, reusing elements of the original such as the fireplace and elevator details. It opened in 2010.
A top-rated resort
The new Ocean House has earned top ratings from travel guides and is among the most expensive places to stay in the state. It runs a spa, restaurants and a private beach.
The hotel is one of the larger employers in Westerly in season and has helped push Watch Hill’s profile as a high-end summer destination. Its owners also run the Weekapaug Inn in nearby Weekapaug.
Add South County Independent as a preferred source on Google (opens in a new tab)
