Today I’m sharing part one of our stay at the Winnetu Oceanside Resort, a grand family vacation destination modeled after a traditional New England seaside resort located in Martha’s Vineyard.
My family and I were invited to visit the Winnetu Oceanside Resort in Martha’s Vineyard last week. The magical Massachusetts island has been on my New England bucket list for quite some time. I’m excited to share details from our family vacation at the Winnetu in Martha’s Vineyard and how it was a safe escape during the country’s pandemic.
How to Get to Martha’s Vineyard
The only way to get to Martha’s Vineyard is by sea or air. Our family rode the Seastreak ferry, a luxurious smooth riding catamaran, from New Bedford, MA. Our family used the VIP dockside services for valet parking.
On the Seastreak there is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating which makes for easy social distancing. The Seastreak staff wears masks and gloves while handling tickets and luggage. There are hand sanitizing stations around the ferry and plenty of signage about safety practices. Our family appreciated the Seastreak’s dedication to providing people with a responsible travel opportunity.
The ferry from New Bedford, MA to Oak Bluff’s, Martha’s Vineyard is 60 minutes. Our daughters enjoyed visiting the outdoor deck to watch the ocean! Hungry on board? The Seastreak has a cafe with a few food and drink options; we packed a cooler for the ride.
A team of Winnetu staff were waiting for us at the end of the ferry ride in Oak Bluffs. After loading our luggage into a comfortable air conditioned shuttle, we set out for a quick 20 minute drive to Edgartown. We enjoyed a mini tour of the island on our way to the resort from the staff where we learned lots of fun facts about Martha’s Vineyard. Did you know the final scene of Jaws was filmed in Oaks Bluff!?
The Winnetu resort is located on 11 acres at South Beach in Edgartown. Upon arrival we were immediately in awe with the gorgeous landscaping, crisp cedar shake siding on every building, and the sounds of distant crashing waves.
Staying at the Winnetu
Surrounded by lush greenery, just steps from the ocean, and the only beachside resort on the Vineyard.
The Winnetu is a full service hotel with 58 suites and cottages. Our family stayed in the impressive Chappy, a two bedroom three bathroom cottage for up to 8 people. The cottage is complete with a full kitchen, outdoor grill and outdoor shower. There are two entry points to the cottage, plus three outdoor seating areas.
The cottage was impeccably clean upon arrival as the resort is taking extra care to ensure the safety of their guests and staff. Electrostatic sprayers are used by the resort to deliver an electric charge to a disinfectant to help it adhere to surfaces while cleaning through your accommodation. Read more here about the Winnetu’s Covid-19 Safety Plan.
The kitchen was wonderful for making coffee and preparing our breakfast from The General Store. There is a full stove if we were to want to make a meal, but we stuck to ordering food from The Dunes. Since our daughters eat all day long, we brought snacks to store in the pantry. Off the master bedroom was a galley kitchenette where we stored beverages. There were also televisions in the bedrooms and living room if we needed a little downtime. Our family was so busy that we barely sat down to watch t.v. though!
A LAUNDRY ROOM is a luxury every Mom can appreciate when she is on vacation with kids. The Winnetu thankfully offers such an amenity. The Chappy cottage had a small laundry area off of the kitchen, while other suits have mini laundry closets. If you are staying at the Winnetu with kids, make use of the laundry room on-site. When you have little kids prone to stains it is such a relief to be able to wash their clothes immediately.
BONUS: I love the Winnetu’s addition of complimentary reusable water bottles so you never have to use a drinking glass!
Outdoor Spaces
The decks are adorned with rocking chairs for morning conversations or evening cocktails. Our family enjoyed all of the seating areas of the cottage throughout our stay as well as the ample space indoors.
Eat at The Dunes
The Winnetu Oceanside Resort offers a variety of Covid-19 compliant dining experiences. There are many safeguards in place at the Winnetu to ensure guests safety. Guests can order Pickup & Go, picnic baskets, and meal kits to cook in your kitchenette.
Looking for a place to eat? The outdoor dining options are endless with places to eat on the front lawn, common areas, poolside, or the beach. There are hand sanitizing stations set up all over the property. If you choose to dine with a server, the Dunes Restaurant is open for indoor and outdoor seating, poolside dining at the grill, or in a private cabana.
Private Cabana Dining with The Dunes
The poolside lounge cabanas are available to rent for into areas for private dining experiences in the evening. The service was impeccable, with drinks arriving chilled and dishes arriving hot.
Our daughters loved the kids menu options at The Dunes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The cheeseburger and grilled cheese are a must-order and the seasoned fries are addicting! The Dunes also accommodates dietary restrictions and allergies.
Notes – The Dunes Restaurant staff is dedicated to practicing Covid-19 regulations. The staff maintains appropriate social distancing while serving meals. In addition to avoiding close encounters, the servers wear a protective mask and gloves to prevent the spread of germs.
Family Beach Picnic
One of our favorite experiences at The Winnetu is the family beach picnic. The Dunes will design a custom picnic basket for your family (see menu here) to enjoy anywhere you’d like! The meals are packed in a cooler with condiments, drinks, and silverware.
Our picnic basket included a lobster roll, chicken panini, cheeseburger and chicken tenders. Guests can choose a variety of any items off the menu for their personal picnic basket though. The quality of our meal did not stray from our experience eating in the poolside cabana. The food from The Dunes is consistently delicious; we had the privilege of meeting Michael, head of food and beverage, to let him know just how much we loved our meals!
Click here for PART TWO of our stay discussing the amenities, kids program, and what there is to do at the Winnetu Oceanside Resort in Martha’s Vineyard.
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Click here for PART TWO of our stay discussing the amenities, kids program, and what there is to do at the Winnetu Oceanside Resort in Martha’s Vineyard.
Looks like the most beautiful family trip! That picnic is darling <3
Definitely on my go to list! Gorgeous!!!
Looks like you had a GREAT time! Very happy for you. I can see why you wanted to go. The food looked delicious. The cottage is lovely.
AWESOME ENJOYED THIS SO MUCH