Hot off a top 5 finish in Travel plus Leisure’s World’s Best Awards in July, Castle Hill Inn just picked up a second national nod. USA Today’s 10Best named it no. 7 on the 2025 Best Boutique Hotels list. Back to back wins from two different voting bases signal clear momentum for this Ocean Drive classic.
Start with the experience that voters reward. Castle Hill lives on a peninsula at 590 Ocean Drive that reads like a private coastal park. The mansion sits high over the bay. Lawns run down toward the water. Footpaths reach the lighthouse. The feeling is spacious and unrushed even during busy months. It is the kind of address that turns a simple walk into a photo stop and turns a short afternoon into a full scenic loop around Ocean Drive.
The lodging mix supports that rhythm. Rooms in the Agassiz Mansion bring the classic details and fireplaces. Freestanding Beach Cottages and Beach Houses cluster near the shore and trade proximity to the water for privacy and a slower pace. The choice is not between charm and comfort, it is between how close to the shoreline you want to be and how much you want the social energy of the main house.
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Food and beverage play a real role in why fans vote for places like this. Aurelia turns dinner into a proper evening in the mansion with a tasting menu that tracks seasonal New England ingredients. The Lawn Terrace handles breezier meals and drinks with a ringside view of the bay. On a good weather day you can plan a full afternoon without starting a car and still feel like you covered a lot.
What sits just beyond matters too. Brenton Point State Park is minutes away for wide open Atlantic views. Fort Adams State Park sits along the loop with harbor overlooks and walking paths. If you prefer to minimize planning, Ocean Drive’s pull offs give you a ready made sequence of vistas, then it is a short return to the lawn chairs before sunset.
Placing in the top 10 of a national boutique list means the wider audience sees what locals and repeat guests already know. The estate feel in city limits. The way the property bakes the coast into every part of the day. The balance between a social mansion core and quiet hideaways along the shoreline. This 10Best finish is a simple signal that Castle Hill continues to resonate with travelers who care about setting and service in equal measure.
