Reviews

Over the past five years our family has stayed here three times…and two of those times we have brought other family members along as well.
The Inn and the views are absolutely beautiful…as well as wonderful innkeepers that are extremely knowledgeable about the island, first Holly and more recently Sabrina helped make every part of the trip wonderful…we have met great guests every time having wine with them and kind conversations while taking in the extraordinary views looking out the front porch of the house over the sea…Also a pleasant bonus to me is seeing the ferry boats coming and going at all hours, off in the distance. We travel all the way from Maryland to stay here, and to me it’s worth it! 😊

Avonlea was the perfect setting for my husband and my 40th wedding anniversary! We had our honeymoon on Block Island and decided to go back for out 40th anniversary. So glad we did and so glad we choose the Avonlea to stay. Beautiful views of the ocean, sunrises, and sunsets in a relaxing and charming setting. The location is perfect, with as easy walk to town, restaurants, and to/from the ferry. Direct beach access as well as a great porch and outside seating areas are available for all guests along with beach chairs and towels. Sabrina was such a pleasant & gracious host. Along with her mom she created delicious breakfast spreads and terrific late afternoon wine and cheese set-ups. The atmosphere is friendly, relaxing, and accommodating. Our children called to ask for help in putting together a surprise for us on our anniversary date. Sabrina went out of her way to put together a treat and bubbly package complete with her homemade chocolate covered strawberries. I can’t say enough positive about the care Sabrina gives to her guests and how she makes a great place even more special!

When I decided to gift myself a few days stay at the Blue Dory in June, a solo respite from my several weeks drive around New England and points south to see much missed friends and family, I thought, “This looks nice. A bit of splurge, maybe, but I’ll likely need some stillness in the middle of my travels… and how fun! A ferry ride to an island…”. When I boarded the boat and looked out, as we made our hour- long sea journey to the slowly approaching line of land where I hoped to rest and reflect I thought, “This is wonderful…Just what I need”. And when I arrived at the Blue Dory I was utterly convinced that I could not have possibly picked a more perfect place to spend my stay. Block Island is more lovely than I could have imagined- the care taken to protect the land, the curve of the soft sand beach, the food and art and walking trails… there is so much to explore! And the Blue Dory provides the perfect starting point – a warm welcome, generous hospitality, and a sweet, sweet spot to rest your head. I’m already plotting a course for my return!

My husband & I recently traveled to the Blue Dory for a -too brief- 4 day trip. The inn is adorable, and the location was perfect – a short walk to the “downtown” & located right on the beach. Despite the convenience of the location to a more trafficked area, the Blue Dory projects an intimacy that gives one the sensation of it being tucked away and intimate. Though that may sound incongruous, the Blue Dory somehow manages to pull it off. Additionally, the inn is very clean, not just surface clean, but thoroughly cleaned. My understanding is that it is through the efficiency, dedication and commitment of Lily and Maria, and we have them to thank for that. While I did not interact directly with them, their diligence was apparent and they came across as pleasant and professional. These women also provided the fabulous happy hour spread and generous (& tasty!) breakfast in the morning. The happy hour treats were artfully arranged and frequently replenished. Yum! It was Julie and her graciousness (the innkeeper/hostess) that ensured we will return! Julie was composed, cheerful, incredibly helpful and an all around pleasure to be around! She was both effusive and friendly, chatty and wonderfully thoughtful, but also professional and knowledgeable. I consistently marveled at her level of competence and ability to juggle many tasks- all while smiling! It should be noted that while clearly busy, all 3 women maintained a cheerful attitude, certainly not easy when one has so many demands on her time! I cannot speak highly enough of her and her ability to anticipate a guests’ needs, and act on them so effortlessly!! Julie made our time on BI fantastic! BI is wonderful on its own, and the inn is perfect enough to warrant a trip back regardless. However, Julie was such a gem that I feel we have her to thank for such a memorable vacation! Many thanks to Lily, Maria & Julie. Highly suggest!!

If you have visited Block Island as a family of 5 and/or with a pet, you know that fitting accommodations are in short supply. We chose the Dory Cottage at Blue Dory Inn for its space for 5, its location right in town, its proximity to the beach, and the opportunity to have our small dog with us. The fact that breakfast as well as 5 pm snacks, lemonade, and wine are included were a plus. We were not disappointed. From the very pleasant and helpful manager, Julie, to the friendly, attentive staff, Maria and Lilly, to the ease with which you can experience the island with the Blue Dory as your home base, we were happy with our choice. There was room for all our bikes in the inn’s private rack, there was a path to the beach right behind our cottage, we could walk to dining, shopping, tourist info, Abrams Animal Farm, the ferry, the grocery store, and any car/moped/bike rentals we would have wanted. Julie was very kind to allow us to leave our luggage in the parlor after check out at 11 am. We caught the 3 pm ferry back to the mainland and it was helpful to have our luggage at the inn and to have access to the powder room before we left.

After walking by other accommodations, I asked my kids if they would have preferred to stay elsewhere and they all said no. My husband, who had to work while there, had remote meetings at the kitchen table with a view of the ocean. It’s nice to have a happy crew.

We stayed for a week at the Dory Cottage which is quaint and right by the ocean. It’s a lovely time of year to visit BI, walk the beach and explore the countryside. Even the air smells good .. like the wild roses, honeysuckle and sweet peas that line the sides of the roads. Ann and her staff were welcoming, kind and gracious. Breakfast was excellent and the wine and cookies treat at 5pm a much appreciated touch. Would love to visit again .. the inn is exactly what our little family ( and our doggie) needed after a summer of hard work.