Gilded

From the name you’d be forgiven for expecting rather more gilt than there actually is. (If this were the Hamptons, and not Newport, Rhode Island, it might be a different story.) But the Massachusetts-based Lark Hotels are known for their playful, unpretentious style. Here the references to the Gilded Age are given some ironic distance, and the trompe l’oeil textures and decadent materials, references to the Baroque and Rococo styles of the day, leave plenty of room for designer Rachel Reider’s colorful signature style.

It’s made from a pair of Victorian houses, and it’s located not on the main drag but in a residential neighborhood a short but meaningful distance away — you’re within a reasonable walk of a fair bit of action, but from within Gilded’s walls, the atmosphere is perfectly tranquil. It helps that there are only 17 rooms — while they’re a touch on the cozy side, owing to the Victorian dimensions of the houses, they’re more than comfortable enough, with high-end linens and Lather bath products.

And they include iPads loaded with information about Newport, which is a lifesaver come lunch and dinner — after breakfast, an inventive small-plates affair, you’re at the mercy of the city’s restaurants, with Gilded as your obliging guide.