At one time, the Eastern Seaboard was full of Grand Victorian hotels stretching from South Carolina to Maine, each striving to outdo the others in elegance and luxury as they catered to a newly wealthy American upper class. At the time Ocean House was built in 1868, there were at least eight other hotels of its kind in the resort community of Watch Hill, a rocky projection with sweeping views of the Atlantic that juts out from the southwest tail of Rhode Island. Over time, however, the hotels each succumbed to fire or neglect, and were torn down one by one to make room for more modern mansions. Only Ocean House survived, catering to generations of beachgoers, even as it gradually crumbled into romantic decay. In 2003, the hotel was closed for good, and plans were made to tear it down as well. That's when the townspeople rallied around the property, determined to save it.

The opportunity came with the purchase by New York mutual fund manager and Watch Hill summer resident Charles M. Royce, who determined that the hotel was past renovating -- but that it could be reconstructed. Over the course of five years, builders tore the hotel down to its foundations, but saved more than 5,000 items -- doors, windows, railings, the mahogany front desk and each stone from the giant 1895 fireplace in the lobby -- along the way. They incorporated them as they rebuilt the hotel as close to the original as possible, even down to experimenting with eight shades of yellow paint until they were able to satisfactorily recreate the famous butter-cream facade that signaled to generations of guests that their seaside vacation had arrived.

Even while the exterior and common areas remain virtually unchanged from 150 years ago, the interior of the hotel has been completely updated to fit the modern rather than the Victorian idea of luxury. The number of rooms have been dramatically reduced to just 49, including several spacious suites, and a state-of-the-art fitness center, saltwater lap pool and 12,000-square foot spa have been added in an unobtrusive new wing. Despite such upscale amenities, however, the hotel is just as welcoming to families as it has been for decades, complete with family-friendly activities and dining choices, access to a private beach, and the delightful town of Watch Hill, complete with its ice cream shop and carousel just a few minutes walk away.

The hotel provides small touches to make kids feel welcome, with child-sized robes and children's bath products, and complimentary use of strollers, toys and Pack 'N Plays on the beach. Parents should be aware, however, that in some ways the hotel does carry on the high Victorian traditions its known for more than a century; high tea is served on the verandah in the afternoon, guests bring their sporting whites to play croquet on the lawn, jackets are suggested for the restaurant at night. It's hard not to get the feeling that the hotel underestimated the popularity of the property with families and is now struggling to catch up. It is still in the process of developing a real children's program with activities that cater specifically to kids, and the staff, which seems drawn mostly from local young teens and 20-somethings, sometimes struggles with the balance of making families feel welcome while still maintaining the formal atmosphere of the resort. It goes without saying that small children should get a speech about "best behavior" before arrival, no matter how adept staff are at dealing with exuberant younger guests.

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