The Wauwinet

What The Wauwinet does

The Wauwinet is a historic luxury oceanfront resort on the northeast point of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, operating continuously since 1875 under various ownerships and currently part of the White Elephant Resorts collection (which also spans Palm Beach, Florida and Aspen, Colorado). The property comprises 32 guest rooms and suites, four one-bedroom cottages, and Anchorage House — a three-bedroom vacation home — augmented by two private beaches (Atlantic Ocean and Nantucket Bay), water sports equipment, complimentary bicycles, and a BMW X5 self-drive program. The resort operates seasonally from late April through late October.

The core commercial offering centers on lodging paired with TOPPER'S, Nantucket's only AAA Five Diamond restaurant, which holds the Wine Spectator Grand Award for 30 consecutive years and features a 2,200+ label wine cellar with rare Burgundy and Bordeaux vintages. Ancillary revenue streams include in-room dining, the Wauwinet Lady boat service to and from the White Elephant dock, weddings (full resort buyout up to 200 guests), corporate meetings and social events, and curated multi-night packages (honeymoon, epicurean, family, and summer shoulder-season promotions). Pricing is quote-based with 11.7% combined occupancy tax, a 50% booking deposit, balance due 30 days pre-arrival, and no resort fees.

Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the property's website (powered by TravelClick/IHotelier), phone, and email, supplemented by referral partnerships with American Express Fine Hotels Resorts, the Relais & Châteaux global booking network (the only member on Nantucket), Resy for restaurant reservations, and the broader White Elephant Resorts marketing platform. Customer segments span luxury couples and honeymooners, multi-generational families, destination wedding parties, corporate retreat groups, and culinary/wine tourists.

Name

The Wauwinet

Legal name

The Wauwinet

Website

https://wauwinet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1875

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Wauwinet is a historic, seasonal luxury oceanfront resort on Nantucket Island (est. 1875), part of White Elephant Resorts, serving affluent leisure travelers with 32 rooms, cottages, Anchorage House, two private beaches, and TOPPER'S — the island's only AAA Five Diamond restaurant.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Resort Hospitality

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Accommodation (721), Marinas (71393)

SIC

Hotels & Motels (7011), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Beachfront & Island Luxury Resorts (THAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Resort-Area Full-Service Hotels (Non–All-Inclusive) (THAGAAAD), Marina & Waterfront Full-Service Hotels (THAGAAAK)

Keywords

• Luxury resort hospitality
• Oceanfront hotel accommodations
• Fine dining restaurant
• Destination wedding venue
• Corporate event spaces

Headquarters

HQ city

Nantucket

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Lodging/Acommodations: The Wauwinet generates primary revenue from room rentals across 32 luxury guest rooms, suites, four charming cottages, and Anchorage House (three-bedroom vacation home). Accommodations range from Guest Bedrooms with queen beds to premium Bayview Rooms, Deluxe Bayview Bedrooms, Cottage Suites, and the Anchorage House. The property operates on a seasonal basis (late April through end of October).
2. TOPPER'S Restaurant Dining: The award-winning TOPPER'S restaurant overlooking Nantucket Bay generates significant food and beverage revenue. The restaurant serves seasonal New England cuisine with emphasis on local seafood. Operating hours include breakfast (8:00am-10:30am), brunch (11:30am-2:00pm Sat/Sun), deck menu (noon-9:00pm), and dinner (6:00pm-9:00pm). The restaurant offers multiple dining experiences including the main deck, private dining room, and wine cellar tastings.
3. Wine Cellar and Bar: TOPPER'S Wine Cellar houses over 2,200 labels with an outstanding wine program. The cellar offers seven-course tasting menus with wine pairings, weekday tours, and an extensive Burgundy and rare Bordeaux selection. Bar service includes specialty cocktails, craft beers from Cisco Brewery on Nantucket, and premium spirits.
4. Room Service: In-room dining service available from 8:00am-10:30am for breakfast and 12:00pm-9:00pm for all-day dining. Guests can order from the TOPPER'S menu including breakfast items, lobster rolls, oysters, and beverages delivered to their accommodations.
5. Wauwinet Lady Boat Cruises and Charters: The 20-passenger Wauwinet Lady boat provides transportation cruises to TOPPER'S restaurant (2026 season: June 22 - September 7) at $35 per person round-trip. Private charters are available for groups with customized drink selections and hors d'oeuvres. The boat service runs 50-minute cruises between The Wauwinet and White Elephant hotel dock.
6. Meetings and Events: The resort offers indoor and outdoor event spaces for corporate meetings, social events, and private celebrations. Venues include the Sunroom (up to 16 people), TOPPER'S Covered Deck (45 seated/80 cocktail), TOPPER'S Private Dining Room (up to 24 guests), and Oceanfront Lawn. Event services include catering, audiovisual equipment, and dedicated event planners.
7. Weddings: The Wauwinet serves as a wedding venue offering waterfront ceremonies and receptions. The entire resort (33 rooms, cottages, scenic grounds) can be reserved for private retreats accommodating up to 200 guests. Wedding services include AAA Five Diamond cuisine from TOPPER'S, customizable menus, and event coordination. Elopement packages are also available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Wauwinet is a historic luxury oceanfront resort on Nantucket Island offering 32 guest rooms, four cottage suites, and Anchorage House (a three-bedroom vacation home), along with fine dining at TOPPER'S restaurant (Nantucket's only AAA Five Diamond restaurant). The resort also provides wedding and corporate event venues, wine cellar experiences, in-room dining, the Wauwinet Lady boat cruise service, and curated activity packages to affluent leisure and group travelers on a seasonal basis.

Product overview

The Wauwinet is a historic luxury oceanfront resort (established 1875) and Nantucket's only Relais & Châteaux member, offering a unified hospitality experience centered on waterfront accommodations and fine dining. The core product portfolio includes 32 luxury guest rooms, suites, and cottage accommodations paired with TOPPER'S, Nantucket's only AAA Five Diamond restaurant; the property is augmented by the Wauwinet Lady boat service, In-Room Dining, wine cellar experiences, wedding and event venues, and curated special packages. Supporting amenities include private beaches, water sports equipment, complimentary bicycles, tennis courts, and concierge services. The resort operates seasonally (late April through October) on Nantucket Island.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TOPPER'S Restaurant: The award-winning waterfront restaurant at The Wauwinet, overlooking Nantucket Bay. TOPPER'S is the only AAA Five Diamond restaurant on Nantucket and has received Wine Spectator's Grand Award for 30 consecutive years.
• Wauwinet Lady
• Anchorage House

Products and services

• Hotel Accommodations 32 luxury guest rooms and suites on Nantucket Bay featuring custom furnishings, 400-thread-count Italian linens, aromatherapy bath products, and HD flat-screen televisions. Room categories include Superior Two Queens, Bayview Rooms, Deluxe Bayview Bedrooms, and Accessible rooms with roll-in showers.
• Cottage Suites Four charming one-bedroom cottages across from the main inn featuring living rooms (some with gas fireplaces), separate bedrooms, and outdoor seating areas for guests seeking private cottage-style accommodations.
• Anchorage House Three-bedroom, three-bathroom vacation home with open living and dining area, full kitchen, fireplace, and furnished deck on a landscaped courtyard. Accommodates up to 7 guests and is suitable for families and multi-generational groups.
• TOPPER'S Restaurant Waterfront restaurant overlooking Nantucket Bay serving seasonally inspired New England cuisine with emphasis on local seafood and produce. Operating hours include breakfast, weekend brunch, all-day deck menu, and dinner service. Includes a main deck, private dining room, and wine cellar.
• TOPPER'S Wine Cellar Wine cellar housing over 2,200 labels with extensive Burgundy and rare Bordeaux selections, offering seven-course tasting menus with wine pairings, weekday tours, and curated tasting experiences for guests and visitors.
• Wauwinet Lady Boat Cruises and Charters 20-passenger private boat offering 50-minute cruises across Nantucket Bay between The Wauwinet and the White Elephant hotel dock. Includes scheduled lunch and dinner service cruises to TOPPER'S at $35 per person and private charters for groups with customized drinks and hors d'oeuvres.
• In-Room Dining All-day private dining service offering TOPPER'S menu items delivered to guest rooms, suites, or cottages, including breakfast from 8:00am-10:30am and all-day dining from 12:00pm-9:00pm with items such as lobster rolls, oysters, and beverages.
• Wedding Venues and Services Private wedding venues including TOPPER'S Deck, Bayview Lawn, TOPPER'S Private Dining Room, and Oceanfront Lawn, with full resort buyout option for up to 200 guests. Includes AAA Five Diamond catering, customizable menus, event coordination, and elopement packages.
• Meeting and Event Spaces Three indoor and outdoor venues including the Sunroom (up to 16 guests), TOPPER'S Covered Deck (45 seated/80 cocktail), and Oceanfront Lawn for corporate retreats, team building events, board meetings, and social events. Includes catering, audiovisual equipment, and dedicated event planners.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• White Elephant ResortscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhite Elephant Resorts is the parent company and brand behind The Wauwinet. The collection includes properties on Nantucket Island (Jared Coffin House, Nantucket Boat Basin, White Elephant Nantucket, The Cottages), Palm Beach, Florida, and Aspen, Colorado. The Wauwinet operates under the same reservation system, marketing platforms, and management as other properties in the collection. Shared services include pre-arrival concierge, event planning teams, and jitney shuttle services between properties.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Castle Hill Inn: A Relais & Châteaux luxury boutique inn on the oceanfront in Newport, Rhode Island. Comparable to The Wauwinet as a small, historic, oceanfront luxury property affiliated with Relais & Châteaux, offering fine dining and weddings in a coastal destination.
• Cliff House Maine: A luxury cliffside resort in Cape Neddick, Maine with similar boutique scale, oceanfront positioning, fine-dining restaurant, spa, and seasonal operation. Comparable as a Northeast coastal luxury destination resort targeting affluent couples and events.
• White Elephant: The flagship Nantucket property of the White Elephant Resorts collection, operating under the same parent brand, reservations system, and concierge infrastructure as The Wauwinet. Most directly comparable as a luxury Nantucket lodging and dining property targeting the same affluent customer base on the same island.
• Jared Coffin House: Another White Elephant Resorts property in Nantucket, a historic boutique hotel located in Nantucket Town. Comparable in scale, brand umbrella, and Nantucket luxury positioning, though with a downtown harbor-front setting rather than The Wauwinet's remote oceanfront location.
• Gurney's Newport Resort & Marina: A waterfront luxury resort in Newport, Rhode Island with comparable room scale, marina access, multiple F&B outlets, and seasonal Northeast operation. Comparable as an oceanfront luxury resort with event, wedding, and leisure demand.
• Chatham Bars Inn: A historic Cape Cod luxury oceanfront resort with comparable room count, fine-dining, wedding/event facilities, and seasonal operating model. Targets the same affluent Northeast leisure and destination wedding customer base as The Wauwinet.
• White Barn Inn: A Relais & Châteaux luxury inn in Kennebunkport, Maine with comparable boutique scale, fine dining, and Northeast luxury positioning. Comparable as a small, highly-rated seasonal luxury inn targeting couples, weddings, and culinary experiences.
• Ocean House: A Forbes Five-Star oceanfront luxury resort in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Comparable as a historic New England coastal luxury property offering fine dining, weddings, and seasonal operation with similar positioning to The Wauwinet, though at larger scale and broader luxury positioning.
• Topping Rose House: A luxury boutique hotel and restaurant in Bridgehampton in the Hamptons. Comparable as an upscale Northeast seasonal resort with a chef-driven restaurant, small room count, and wedding/event business targeting affluent New York metropolitan visitors.
• Hidden Pond: A luxury boutique resort in Kennebunkport, Maine offering cottages, fine dining, spa, and seasonal operation. Comparable in scale, seasonality, and luxury positioning to The Wauwinet as an upscale Northeast getaway focused on privacy, dining, and couples/family travel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wauwinetinn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=5pM4QUUHg3g
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheWauwinet
• Instagraminstagram.com/thewauwinet
• Pinterestin.pinterest.com/nirproperties/wauwinet-inn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-wauwinet

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Wauwinet