A Gilded-Age Estate on Long Island Sound Reopens as Westport's Most Romantic Inn
Westport · Connecticut
A Gilded-Age Estate on Long Island Sound Reopens as Westport's Most Romantic Inn
A Westport landmark since 1890, the waterfront estate where a Gilded-Age millionaire once entertained has been quietly renewed — 14 designer rooms, an oyster bar on the Sound, barely an hour from Manhattan.
Some places don't need reinventing so much as remembering. The Inn at Longshore is one of them — a Westport original since 1890, set on a green ribbon of Connecticut coastline between the shimmering water of Long Island Sound, the winding Saugatuck River and the fairways of an 18-hole golf course. After a thoughtful renewal, this storied waterfront estate has reopened for a new chapter, and it does the rare thing of feeling both entirely familiar and freshly alive — a grande dame who has slipped into something more comfortable without losing an ounce of her poise.
The history is genuine, and it runs deep. Longshore's story stretches back more than a century, when the waterfront was part of a grand private estate along the Westport shore. In the early twentieth century it became the domain of the millionaire Frederick E. Lewis, whose legendary gatherings drew an extraordinary circle and helped establish Longshore as a place built for entertaining. That spirit — of a house made for arrivals, celebrations and long golden evenings by the water — never really left. The renewal simply coaxed it back out.
Some places don't need reinventing so much as remembering.
Fourteen rooms, each one different
Upstairs, fourteen guest rooms span the upper floors, each uniquely shaped by the character and architecture of the historic building — no two quite alike. Reimagined by Ryann Swan Design, every room honors the Inn's original bones while introducing a refined, contemporary calm: natural light, a sumptuous bed, and a view of the shimmering water, the manicured lawn or the property's venerable old trees. There is, as the Inn likes to put it, nowhere else to be — which is precisely the feeling a great waterfront retreat should give you.
This is a small hotel by design, and it wears its intimacy well. Fourteen rooms means the Inn feels less like a property to be processed through and more like a house you've been lucky enough to borrow for the weekend — one with impeccable bones, a storied past and the Sound just beyond the lawn.
La Plage, and dinner on the Sound
The Inn's culinary heart is La Plage — French for "the beach" — a waterfront restaurant and oyster bar open to the town as well as to guests. Under a French executive chef and the Greenwich Hospitality Group (the team behind the Delamar hotels), La Plage trades in fresh seafood, seasonal and plant-based dishes and a genuine commitment to sustainability, all served against sweeping views of the water. The raw bar is the draw: Copps Island oysters from Connecticut, East Beach Blondes from Rhode Island, Maine lobster, and a restaurant that partners in a local oyster-restoration effort for Long Island Sound itself.
The room matches the food — whitewashed walls, wicker and an easy, coastal-chic ease that invites long lunches and longer sunsets. It is the kind of place where a drink at the bar can quietly become the whole evening.
Weddings, weekends, and the water
Longshore has always been a place for gathering, and it remains one of Connecticut's most sought-after waterfront settings for weddings, corporate retreats and celebrations — the tree-lined drive through the golf course, the historic inn, the Sound as a backdrop. Couples book its peak dates far in advance, and more than a few guests, having experienced a wedding here, have gone on to plan their own.
Beyond the events, the setting is a nature-and-outdoor lover's paradise: the 18-hole Longshore golf course, sailing and paddling on the Sound and the Saugatuck, and easy walks along the shore. Westport itself — with its galleries, boutiques and celebrated dining — is a short stroll away, and Manhattan is just an hour down the line.
A base for the Connecticut coast
Part of Longshore's appeal is how easily it opens onto the rest of Fairfield County's shoreline. Westport's downtown, the Saugatuck neighborhood's restaurants, the beaches at Compo and the region's antiquing and gallery-hopping are all close at hand, and the wider Connecticut coast — Southport's harbor, the Norwalk islands, the maritime charm of Mystic further along — makes an easy series of day trips. For a New Yorker in search of a weekend that feels genuinely away without the airport, few places make the case as effortlessly.
For travelers weighing where to stay on the Connecticut coast, the Inn at Longshore offers something increasingly rare: a small, characterful, genuinely historic waterfront hotel with a real restaurant, a storied past and a setting that does most of the work. A destination, as the Inn puts it, that is easy to get to and hard to leave.
The Inn at Longshore — At a Glance
- Location
- 260 Compo Road South, Westport, CT 06880
- Setting
- Between Long Island Sound, the Saugatuck River & the Longshore golf course
- History
- Westport landmark since 1890; former Frederick E. Lewis estate
- Rooms
- 14 designer guest rooms (Ryann Swan Design)
- Dining
- La Plage — waterfront restaurant & oyster bar
- Also
- Weddings, corporate retreats & events; 18-hole golf course
- From NYC
- About one hour
Plan Your Stay
The Inn at Longshore offers 14 designer rooms on the Westport waterfront, with the La Plage oyster bar just downstairs and Long Island Sound beyond the lawn. Check current dates, rooms and rates to plan your stay on the Connecticut coast.
Check Rates & ReserveFrequently Asked Questions
Where is The Inn at Longshore located?
The Inn at Longshore is at 260 Compo Road South in Westport, Connecticut, set between Long Island Sound, the Saugatuck River and the 18-hole Longshore Golf Course. It sits in Fairfield County on the Connecticut coast, about one hour from New York City.
What is the history of The Inn at Longshore?
The Inn at Longshore has been a Westport original since 1890. The waterfront property was once part of a grand private estate and, in the early 20th century, became the estate of millionaire Frederick E. Lewis, whose legendary gatherings made Longshore a destination for entertaining. It has since been thoughtfully renewed for a new chapter as a waterfront retreat.
How many rooms does The Inn at Longshore have?
The Inn has 14 guest rooms across its upper floors, each uniquely shaped by the character and architecture of the historic building. The rooms were reimagined by Ryann Swan Design to honor the Inn's original charm while adding a refined sense of comfort, with views of the water, the manicured lawn or the property's venerable old trees.
Is there a restaurant at The Inn at Longshore?
Yes. La Plage — French for "the beach" — is the Inn's waterfront restaurant and oyster bar, open to the public. It celebrates fresh seafood, seasonal and plant-based dishes and sustainability, with panoramic views of Long Island Sound, and it partners with a local oyster-restoration effort for the Sound.
Can you hold a wedding at The Inn at Longshore?
Yes. The Inn at Longshore is a sought-after waterfront wedding and events venue, hosting ceremonies, receptions, corporate retreats and private celebrations against the backdrop of Long Island Sound, just one hour from New York City. Peak wedding dates book far in advance.
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