White Elephant Nantucket Will Unveil Complete Renovation for 2023 Season
March 20th, 2023
White Elephant has been an integral part of Nantucket’s history since the 1920s. Built as a series of rustic cottages, the harborfront landmark has evolved into the island’s most timeless resort, with a collection of chic accommodations showcasing the very best of the beloved destination. On May 5, 2023, in time with the White Elephant’s 100th anniversary, the resort will debut yet another metamorphosis, with a multi-million dollar restoration and renovation of its 54-room and -suite Harborside Hotel and 11 Cottages.
Elizabeth Lowrey, Principal at Elkus Manfredi Architects, the design firm who brought us the multi-award-winning White Elephant Palm Beach, has conceived of a bright, airy, residential-inspired refresh, drawing on the essence of Nantucket—its history, the quality of light, its natural landscapes, the colors, textures, and artistic legacy—to breathe new life into these historic accommodations. All materials and finishes will be replaced, from the carpets to the fixtures and the furnishings, with an emphasis on design details that are authentic to place and exude effortless sophistication. The patterns of the textiles will draw on the island’s rich history of basket weaving; exterior shiplights evoke Nantucket’s deep seafaring traditions; and a color palette of Labrador blues and seafoam greens are inspired by the coastal surroundings. The brand’s deep heritage will be woven throughout, with brass elephant knockers on doors, elephant door and drawer pulls, and elephant needlepoint pillows in rooms.
Ranging from 375- to 450-square-feet of living space, guestrooms will be awash in a coastal color palette, with rattan textiles, white oak desks, scalloped lampshades and headboards, and grass cloth wall coverings that evoke the island’s dune grasses. Of the 66 accommodations, 25 of the rooms and 25 of the suites provide direct access to the harborside lawn and the coastal surroundings.
Like the distinct patterns that make up an exquisite quilt, the 11 cottages—which span 400 to 900 square feet—will all be individually decorated and styled after plants indigenous to Nantucket: Bayberry, Hydrangea, Daylily, Beachplum, Honeysuckle, Holly, Arrowwood, Marigold, Rosa Rugosa, and Snapdragon. Each cottage will take a plant as inspiration, with color palettes and artworks that evoke the flora—tones of buttery yellow for the Honeysuckle room, pale lavender for Beachplum, and pale pink for Rose. The two-bedroom cottages feature decks with coastal views, while the one- and three-bedroom cottages are set in a newly landscaped verdant garden area complete with pathways that crisscross the central lawn.
The White Elephant will also debut a redesigned lobby, drawing in local elements like a basket weave carpet design that nods to the surroundings. The lobby has been reimagined with an expanded retail space and more approachable concierge and reception areas. A centerpiece of the new lobby is a large-scale commissioned artwork by Israeli painter Orit Fuchs (who created an acrylic artwork for sister property White Elephant Palm Beach), depicting a harborside scene of a woman (dressed in Nantucket reds) in a rowboat, floating by the White Elephant.
New original art will be installed throughout the rooms and corridors, resulting from the brand’s all-new Artist in Residency Program, launched in August 2022. New York based art consultant and curator Emily Santangeloworked closely with White Elephant’s owners, the Karp family, to create a residency made up of acclaimed artists from around the world. The artists spent two weeks exploring the island to gather inspiration for their works, venturing to some parts of the island only accessible by boat.
Among the featured artists include painter Mary Chandler, who created watercolors of the indigenous Nantucket flora for which the cottages are named; installation photographer Thomas Jackson, who shot a series of colorful beachside photographs, the Maine-based landscape painter Greta van Campen, known for her contemporary hard-edged landscape scenes; Swedish artist Clara Hallencreutz and painter Renée Levin, who is best known for her depictions of coastal and natural objects.
Seasonal nightly rates start at $375 for a guestroom, $675 for a suite, $775 for a one-bedroom cottage, and $1,275 for two- and three-bedroom cottages.
For more information, visit https://www.whiteelephantresorts.com or call 1.800.475.2637.
About White Elephant Resorts
White Elephant Resorts is a collection of premier hotels and resorts on Nantucket, MA and in Palm Beach, FL that specialize in bringing their award-winning combination of service, design, and amenities to today’s discerning traveler. Properties include The Wauwinet, with access to both bay and ocean beaches and home to award-winning TOPPER’S restaurant; White Elephant, the iconic hotel located right on Nantucket Harbor with the Brant Point Grill; Jared Coffin House, a historic hotel in Nantucket Town and its restaurant, Tap Room; The Cottages at Nantucket Boat Basin, private waterfront cottages; and Nantucket Boat Basin, a 240-slip full-service award-winning marina. White Elephant Palm Beach debuted in November 2020 in Palm Beach, FL with Nantucket-favorite LoLa 41 restaurant. The Wauwinet was ranked in Travel + Leisure’s T+L 500 awards. In 2021, The Wauwinet was recognized by Travel + Leisure’s World Best Awards and both White Elephant and The Wauwinet were recipients of Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards. TOPPER’s is AAA’s only “Five Diamond” restaurant on Nantucket and has been a recipient of Wine Spectator’s “Grand Award” for 25 consecutive years. Following its debut, White Elephant Palm Beach has also been recognized as the #1 Resort in Florida in Travel + Leisure’s 2022 World’s Best Awards.
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