It’s becoming rarer to feel like you can get away from the grid – to feel truly disconnected and relaxed; To find somewhere away from the to-do lists, obligations, and chaos of everyday life. But that’s what Winnetou Oceanside Resort, a family-owned boutique property located on Martha’s Vineyard, and it’s absolutely beautiful. When you take the ferry from the mainland to the vineyard, something transformative happens. The stresses of everyday life melt away as you breathe in the salt air, take in the gorgeous New England coastal scenery, and drift away from the cares of everyday life as you step into the grand shingle-style hotel on Edgartown’s South Shore. Massachusetts.
A seasonal resort open from mid-May until mid-October, Winnetou is the perfect place for busy families looking for a moment of calm. It makes a wonderful multi-generational journey that produces memories and a sense of nostalgia that will continue to bring your family back year after year.
Family-friendly reviews and highlights of Winnetu Oceanside Resort
A seasonal haven that attracts families year after year
When more than 40% of your customers are repeat guests each year, you’ve done something very right. In the case of Winnetu, they did many things very right, starting with the grounds and location. Set on 11 acres of expansive green space that leads directly to the ocean, the resort is the only Vineyard hotel on beautiful South Beach. While Martha’s Vineyard can get crowded during the summer season, guests never feel crowded when staying at the large property, which includes 54 rooms, suites and cottages as well as 70 privately owned townhomes, duplexes and single-family homes. The Winnetu team does a great job of making guests feel like family and making every visit feel like coming home. After all, the Winnetu management team alone, collectively, has more than 143 years in the business at this hotel, which opened in the summer of 2000. They know how to put together the perfect New England vacation that families crave as the school year begins. Down and Memorial Day is approaching.
Besides the great staff at Winnetu, what keeps families coming back year after year? It’s summer oysters on the grass. The tradition of riding antique fire trucks to the beach. Daily lemonade and cookies in the lobby. Easy bike ride into timeless downtown Edgartown for a meal, ice cream, or shopping. Private family dinner at The Dunes (former President Obama dines here regularly, just FYI). Rich and free children’s day program offering activities such as field games, pirate treasure hunts, kayaking, water relays, sand castle competitions and more. You can walk the short distance to South Beach with deck chairs and a picnic basket for a day by the ocean. Evening dessert around the fire. Heated pool and jacuzzi after a big day at the beach. Ability to play baseball, table tennis, soccer, chess, basketball, or tennis at any time of the day. The indoor activity center features Skee-Ball, arts and crafts, air hockey and plenty of games for when you need a break from the sun. Put these things together and you’ll have the perfect summer vacation photo. It is located in Winnetu.
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Places of residence
One of the nice things about Winnetu for families is the number of accommodation options available for groups of all sizes. It’s a dream destination for extended families traveling together. The hotel’s suites, spacious cottages, townhouses, duplexes, and single-family homes enjoy full resort privileges, including access to a children’s day program.
Within its wooden walls, Winnetu offers hotel studios (great for a couple) or one- to four-bedroom hotel suites. Suites have full kitchens or kitchenettes, dining and living areas, and decks or patios. The largest, the Nobska Suite, covers 1,500 square feet and accommodates up to 15 guests. It includes four and a half bathrooms, three small kitchens, and three floors.
These charming and unique one- and two-bedroom private cottages are a great compromise for families who want proximity to resort amenities as well as privacy. They are located along beautifully manicured garden paths just steps from the hotel’s heated pool, tennis courts, main lawn, hotel lobby, The Dunes restaurant, and general store.
Our family of six stayed in ‘Chappy’, a luxurious, fully equipped two-bedroom cottage. It offered an incredible amount of space while feeling private, yet close enough to allow our older children, ages 12, 11, and 9, to explore the hotel’s surroundings on their own. The cottage’s main living area has a full kitchen, three full bathrooms, cathedral ceilings, large windows, a gas fireplace, and sliders that lead to private patios separate from the living area, master bedroom, and guest bedroom. The pull-out double bed – which the kids found absolutely adorable – allows for extra living space and comfort.
The cottage’s interior evokes a laid-back island feel, decorated with excellent books (options for both children and adults), board games, and flat-screen cable TVs, with popular streaming services coming soon. The cottage also has a large dining table and chairs, a master bedroom wet bar, a gas grill, a private outdoor shower, a washer and dryer, beach chairs, beach towels, and high-speed Internet.
If you’re looking for maximum space and privacy, Winnetu also offers duplexes and townhomes that sleep up to eight guests, and entire homes that offer two to four bedrooms, spacious living areas, and multiple bathrooms. The largest sleeps up to 12 guests, and some houses offer water views.
On top of all these options, it’s worth noting that the resort is pet-friendly as well. We brought our golden retriever with us and he was loved by the staff, welcomed on fire trips and treated like a king at every turn. Some accommodation options only allow pets; Check with Winnetu staff about which ones are right for your furry friend before booking.
Eat the food
Guests will enjoy locally inspired international cuisine, as well as beautiful ocean views overlooking South Beach Sand dunes which is located directly above the hotel lobby in the main building. The restaurant is open for breakfast à la carte daily and for dinner on Thursday through Tuesday evenings (reservation required). The dinner menu includes local oysters, ceviche, lobster tacos, chowder (made with vines, double-smoked bacon, celery, leeks, and new potatoes), diver scallops, and plenty of non-seafood delicacies as well. The Dunes also offers a reasonable kids menu with all our kid favorites, like chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese and more.
A big perk of dining at The Dunes is the Kids Corner activity area, where kids can entertain themselves with games, movies, and crafts after finishing their meal in a flash. During high season, the kids’ corner is staffed, and parents can relax and enjoy a delicious dessert or cocktail indoors or outside next to the fire pits on the terrace.
Lunch is served at The Pool Grill from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, with beverage service from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guests can enjoy poolside service right on a lounge chair or cabana. The general store adjacent to the hotel lobby also offers grab-and-go breakfast and lunch options (the fried chicken sandwich is our favorite) for when you’re feeling uncomfortable or to appease that massive growing appetite your teen-turned-teen has just adopted.
Every morning from 07:30 to 10:30, Winnetu offers free tea and coffee in the lobby. Every afternoon, they serve lemonade and cookies in the same place – a real treat for the kids!
Last but not least, the resort offers a special Wednesday night seafood experience for the whole family during the peak summer season. Live music, wavy green grass, beautiful evenings under the stars, and amazing cuisine make Winnetu clambakes truly special. Executive Chef Richard Doucette does his best to bring you the best the local area has to offer. Enjoy lobster, mussels, baby clams, corn, grilled organic chicken breast, New England clam chowder, and much more. Clambakes are Winnetu’s most popular weekly event.
Means of comfort
Winnetu offers so many great amenities that you can stay for a week without feeling the need to go elsewhere (although downtown Edgartown is only three miles away via a very safe bike path, and the resort offers bike rentals so you can explore ). Al Jazeera). The hotel also offers a free daily shuttle service to downtown Edgartown that runs hourly during the day, and every half-hour in the late afternoon and evening. This is a big plus when you want to go a little further, but don’t want the hassle of parking downtown.
The oceanfront Winnetu Resort is located just a short walk down a beautiful forest road to South Beach, one of the longest and most picturesque beaches on the Vineyard. The hotel provides beach chairs and beach towels for guests. The park is home to bocce ball, soccer, daily yoga, an apiary, and an adorable pond that younger guests will love exploring – turtles and frogs, oh my! Winnetu also offers a fitness room, pickleball court, tennis courts (with paddle tennis clinics and tennis clinics for adults from late June through early September), a heated outdoor pool and hot tub, a life-size chess board, and an indoor children’s activity center. Children include table football, air hockey, basketball, a large pirate ship playground, and an outdoor children’s area with water tables, play equipment, and more.
A free program for toddlers and parents is available in late May and mid-September, and a free supervised morning program for children is offered from 9 a.m. to noon every weekday from late May through late August. This children’s program is divided by age level (3-4 years, 5-6 years, 7-8 years, 9-12 years) during the high season and offers activities tailored to the child’s age and general interests. The program is one of the reasons guests return to Winnetu year after year – children fondly remember the staff and wonderful experiences at the hotel and on field trips, while parents appreciate being able to have some time for themselves.
Local area
Getting to Martha’s Vineyard is an adventure for the whole family. Some ferries allow you to take your car to the island (book the car ferry early to guarantee a spot); Others are passenger-only ferries. Martha’s Vineyard also has a small airport that is served seasonally by some major airlines from Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C. Once you get to Martha’s Vineyard, it’s easy to get a taxi or Uber to Winnetu. The resort lists all access options on its website here.
Martha’s Vineyard has become a favorite retreat for U.S. presidents, playwrights, and other notable figures. It’s a haven of peace and quiet, featuring white sand beaches, charming New England towns, and great places to eat and drink. Even though it’s only six miles from the mainland, there’s something magical about boarding that ferry and finding yourself in a different world – one with a much slower, more meaningful pace.
Winnetu Oceanside Resort is a member of Little Gem Resort, a family-owned resort group created by the Snider family to bring travelers together to experience the joys of island life. Guests can experience Little Gem Spas at Winnetu on Martha’s Vineyard Nantucket Hotel and Resort In Nantucket and Lovango Resort and Beach Club In Saint John in the US Virgin Islands.