The 1661 Inn and Hotel Manisses, Block Island

We've stayed here for the last 6 years. It's the friendliest and overall best on the island. The breakfast buffet and wine and cheese in the afternoon are great. We stayed at the rest and liked this the best.

After many years of coming to Block Island, we can honestly say that our stay at the 1661 Inn was not only our worst experience on Block Island, but the worst stay we have ever had in any inn or hotel. There are many comments we could make about the outdated furnishings and the paper-thin walls, but we will cut to the chase instead to tell you that the owners (who also own the Manisses) knowingly allowed the guests next door to us to smoke pot for hours on end as we tried to sleep and that they refused to do anything to help us with the situation. We had tried to ignore the pot-smoking, thinking that it would just stop at some point, but it went on and on, and we couldn’t sleep due to all the smoke that came wafting into our room. Frankly, if people want to smoke weed, that is none of my business, but it becomes my business when I’m on vacation and can’t get to sleep because of it. When we called the innkeepers to ask for help, they refused to address the situation in any way, shape, or form, including calling our neighbors or moving us to a different room. They were in fact quite curt, and when my husband asked if they thought it was okay for people to smoke pot in the hotel, the innkeeper replied, “I am not saying that, but I am not going to come down there to make sure it isn't the case either.” He said that there was nothing he could do until the morning. So, we tried to go back to sleep again, but even with a fan on and the windows open, the smell was incredibly strong, and with the smoke in our throats, we still couldn’t sleep. By then, it was already 1 or 2 AM. We finally had to take matters into our own hands and find another room to sleep in. Had we not found an open room, we would have had to sleep in the lobby. The follow-up the next day by the innkeepers was atrocious, as well, as they left their staff to deal with the situation. Had it been my inn, I would have personally apologized in writing and in person and asked what else I could do to make up for the bad experience. Instead, all that happened was that the staff took the charges off for that night, only after I raised the topic.

The Manisses and 1661 are beautiful, with great rooms, gorgeous gardens, incredibly helpful staff and managment. We enjoy the breakfast and happy hour at the 1661 and dinner at the Manisses is always a treat. One of our favorite vacation destinations.

We stayed in the Dodge Cottage, one of the Manisses/1661 properties. The room was well-appointed, with a dresser and armoire - and brandy! No cable TV was a surprise, but we didn't go to BI to watch TV. The bathroom was bigger than I expected. Everything was clean and well-maintained. Service was incredible, beginning with a quick van ride from Felix from the Manisses down to the Dodge Cottage – even while working in pouring rain, he was pleasant and so helpful. Respect! The highlights of the stay had to be the breakfast buffet and "Wine and Nibbles" – the ocean view from the 1661's patio/dining room was beautiful. Although this hotel may seem pricier than the others, once the full breakfast and afternoon snacks are factored in, it's worth the extra couple bucks for those alone, not to mention the location and service. The grounds are spacious and stunningly landscaped. Everything about the family's properties lends to the atmosphere of elegance and romance. Can't wait to go back.

Hotel Manisses has a lot of character and class. It is perfectly clean and maintained. The food and drinks are more like entertainment than dining, especially the flaming coffees. I doubt our honeymoon could have been more romantic, luxurious, and unique. Photos on the site do not do it justice. Also, breakfast was a feast!

We stayed at the Hotel Manisses in October 2006 and had great time. The weather was beautiful and so were the people. Can't wait to return this October.

This was our first trip to Block Island. Two of us stayed at the Hotel Manisses for two nights in the room called the Princess Augusta. It was a beautiful room that was very clean and had a wonderful jacuzzi tub, which was nice for sore muscles or relaxing. The location was very convenient, off to the side of the main strip. The service was awesome!! All of the staff members were pleasant and always happy to help. The free breakfast in the morning was not just a simple one, but complete with almost any kind of breakfast food you could want - complete with champagne! This hotel is associated with a few businesses on the island, such as The Oar restaurant, and each establishment they were associated with had wonderful food and service. The hotel restaurant on the ground floor had great drinks and dessert as well. The grouds were also kept very nice. We took lots of pictures! This was an excellent experience for us and we hope to return to the island, especially to this hotel.

beautiful hotel. just investigate the different rooms - trust me, they're different. Some are pretty cramped. All in all, a great experience. Staff was incredible.