The Inn That Rose from the Ashes
Some inns inherit their charm from centuries of guests.
The Inn at Stonington earned its charm the hard way, by starting over.
Before the Inn, there was the Harbor View Restaurant
Long before anyone checked in at 60 Water Street, this stretch of Stonington Borough’s waterfront belonged to the Harbor View Restaurant, a French-cuisine destination with a famous clientele.
By local accounts, Billy Joel, Christie Brinkley, and William Hurt were among those who came through the doors.
In 1996, Borough resident Bill Griffin bought the property and the restaurant that sat on it.
He had deep roots in Connecticut and a clear affection for the village, and he had plans for the place.
Then, in 1997, a fire destroyed the restaurant.
A harder question than “what do we build?”
Rebuilding after a fire is hard.
Rebuilding in Stonington Borough, a village that has kept much of its 17th- and 18th-century character, is harder.
Anything new on the waterfront would sit among Colonial, Greek Revival, and Federal buildings that have stood for generations, and it had to look as though it belonged there.
Griffin’s answer was to turn the lost restaurant into something new: a romantic seashore inn.
For the design, he brought in architect Nina Cuccio Peck of Old Lyme.
The architect who wanted it to look like it had always been there
Peck trained at Smith College and the University of Virginia, where she studied abroad in Vicenza, Florence, and London. She later earned an MBA at Columbia.
Her firm, founded in 1986, specializes in new buildings that carry the detail and proportion of much older ones.
That approach suited this project.
Peck designed the Inn to blend into its historic surroundings, and by her own account she takes it as a compliment when people assume she simply restored old structures.
She has said that this kind of reaction matters most on projects like the Inn at Stonington, where a community’s history is part of the setting.
(You can read more in this profile of her work in The Day.)
The result is an 18-room waterfront inn with Colonial charm that looks as if it grew out of the village in 2001 rather than being added to it.
From rebuilt restaurant to Hollywood backdrop
The Inn’s look caught the eye of filmmakers, too.
It appeared in Hope Springs, the locally shot 2012 film starring Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones.
A movie about a long-married couple finding each other again turned out to be a fitting role for a place built for quiet, close-up time together.
Why couples keep coming back
Today, the Inn sits on the water overlooking Fishers Island Sound, and the details Griffin and Peck chose are the reason it feels so romantic:
- Sunset views. Eight Sea Side rooms face the harbor and the Sound, so golden hour happens right outside your window.
- Cozy comforts. Working fireplaces and whirlpool tubs in select rooms make a chilly New England evening something to look forward to.
- A walkable village. Quiet streets, galleries, antique shops, and restaurants are all within an easy stroll, with no car or itinerary required.
- A working harbor. Lobster boats slide past at dawn, adding a sense of place you can’t fake.
It’s no surprise that so many guests come back.
The Inn has been a favorite for couples since 2001 who want a mini-vacation without a long trip, and we’re proud to call it the most romantic inn on the New England shoreline.
Come write your own chapter
The story of the Inn is one of loss, vision, and careful craft.
Every room, window, and view comes from the decision to rebuild something better after the fire.
Curious to see the Inn through the eyes of its owner?
Read Bill Griffin’s own words in A Skipper’s Welcome: Sailing Into Stonington, or explore more stories on the Inn at Stonington blog.
For more about the Borough, the Stonington Borough community site has a helpful local profile of the Inn.
Ready for your own sunset by the water?
Book your stay at the Inn at Stonington, at 60 Water Street, or call 860-535-2000.
We look forward to your visit, Sue, Stephanie, and Bill.
- Sources: The 1996 purchase, the Harbor View’s guest list, the 1997 fire, and the Griffin and Peck collaboration come from Stonington Borough’s profile of the Inn. Peck’s background, her design philosophy, and the Hope Springs connection come from The Day and her firm’s profile.
