REVIEW: Delamar Hotel Southport, Connecticut

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REVIEW: Delamar Hotel Southport, Connecticut

Ahh, Westport. We had no idea what we were missing out on until we arrived. Nestled within Connecticut's Gold Coast lies this coastal, very picturesque town. These are the top reasons why Westport, Connecticut should be on your bucket list.

We checked-in to the Delamar Hotel Southport in the neighboring seaside community of Southport, Connecticut. Filled with white picket fences, long driveways, and smiling faces, we knew our arrival was meant to be, and with Porter our goldendoodle in tow, we were excited to see his accommodations.

I say his, because he really is the boss. Right? Dog owners, rejoice!

With overt hospitality from the valet and champagne upon arrival, we couldn't have been more intrigued by the genuine professionalism shown by the hotel manager and front desk associates.

Porter was extremely excited to see his bed (royal blue being his favorite color) and even more so, his very own monogrammed dog tag. Now do you see whose room it really was?

How cute am I?

After relaxing in our bright and airy king room with views gazing out to the fountain and alfresco dining, we were eager to be on time for our reservation at Artisan, Delamar Southport's signature restaurant.

We had alfresco, summertime breezes with hints of sea salt on our mind, but it was a tough choice after walking through the romanticizing main dining room. Don't you agree?

As we walked through the rustic French doors to the patio, we were shown our table. You guessed right: the quaint table in the middle surrounded by climbing clematis.

Starting off with a refreshing glass of champagne and a hand-crafted cocktail was an easy decision. "The Amelia" was a stellar choice. Concocted with Tito's gluten-free vodka, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, blackberry purée, and freshly squeezed lemon—finished with a sprig of fresh mint. Absolutely delish.

We followed suit with two incredible appetizers. Service was stellar.

The Tuna Crudo, expertly blended with cucumber and chive oil, was topped with a tangy lemon crème. Indulgently satisfying and quite photogenic, I might add.

Next, came the Burratina & Watermelon. Tasting like a complete fantasy one could have dreamt up—we were lusting after every last bite of the creamy burrata, meshed with balsamic saturated strawberries, blackberries, balsamic and chopped mint.

For our main courses, we both decided on Nantucket Fluke. Hitting close to home (Boston), the fluke, also known as summer flounder, was delicate in both flavor and texture—meanwhile the flavor of the puréed parsnips was out of this world.

As night fell, we got to throughly enjoy the swaying mason jar pendants in between sips of our cocktails. Should I also mention that there's an outdoor cocktail bar with plush seating surrounded by candlelit lanterns? Oh well, I just did.

The next morning came without rush and we were happy to indulge ourselves into the Delamar's breakfast buffet—in the comfort of our guest room.

Fresh fruit, the fluffiest scrambled eggs ever, thick-cut bacon, home fries, oh and fresh, roasted coffee—you know, all the usual goodness that reminds you of home.

Now, off to Main Street in Westport. I'll never forget the moment we looked at each other, smiled and said, "We need to move here ASAP."

Our love for Westport started as soon as we started strolling the tree-lined streets filled with all of our favorite stores which we shop at on the regular—J. Crew, Vineyard Vines, Brooks Brothers, Jonathan Adler, Tiffany & Co., West Elm, and so many more.

West Elm in Westport, Connecticut

Now, I'm not a huge fan of shopping, unless I'm looking for something in particular and of course, you can find these stores in many areas, but there was a vibe. A very special vibe, a very genuine happy streak unseen or felt in any other place we've ever traveled to. It all started with the first family that said hello and started talking to us on the street, from there we were greeted by the friendliest employees, more families, kids, and couples alike—in each and every store.

All in all, if we had lived in town, I can't even fathom the amount of endless dinner parties we'd be at for the rest of the summer. It's how Westport is social, and we got it AND we absolutely love it. Having previously lived in Beverly Hills, California—Westport, Connecticut is very reminiscent of the Melrose Avenue area of West Hollywood, but with an Orange County vibe. Who knew you could have a slice of Laguna Beach in New England?

The smiling, friendly faces didn't stop there. We stopped at Terrain Garden Cafe for lunch. It's unique because it's a farm-to-table restaurant in the middle of a high-end garden center filled with gorgeous natural treasures that might well—make American Express call and make sure you're there.

Our server was a breath of fresh air and with so, so many hand-crafted cocktails to choose from, we went with this blackberry bourbon concoction, garnished with pink peppercorns. Super delish.

The delectable menu gave us goosebumps, along with the vibe, which once again consisted of the entire waitstaff and clientele getting to know who we were. Surprisingly as one may have thought, it's not an Italian restaurant run by the same family for decades.

En route to our next destination we pursued the Greens Farms neighborhood. Historic architecture blended between quaint cottages to seaside mansions is abundant.

The largest collection of Westport's historic homes are within the Greens Farms neighborhood and this is one of my favorites. What do you think about the lawn sculpture?

Westport, Connecticut is calling your name. Go. We can't wait to come back and look at properties. Enjoy!

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