This Nantucket Boutique Hotel Is a Tribute to the Island’s Media Legacy
The newly reimagined 76 Main Ink Press Hotel even has an Elin Hilderbrand suite.
Photo by Greg Ceo, Greg Ceo Studio
The arrival of another chic hotel on Nantucket is seldom newsworthy—unless the hotel is about news itself.
Redesigned and rebranded this year, the 76 Main Ink Press Hotel is re-writing headlines about what makes an inn special on an island filled with boutiques. Originally built by sea captain William Swain in 1883 and used as his primary residence, the Main St. mansion underwent a significant makeover for this summer season, transforming from landmark lodging to an immersive homage to Nantucket media.
The conceptual reboot is the vision of N Magazine chairman and publisher Bruce Percelay, who also owns 76 Main. “Over the past 200 years, over 20 newspapers have chronicled the rich history of Nantucket—from the early whaling days to Nantucket’s Great Fire to its evolution as a world-class vacation destination,” said Percelay in a statement. “The history of the island has been richly documented over time by scores of journalists and photographers, and 76 Main Ink Press Hotel preserves and honors their legacy.”
Photo by Paige Harding, PAHCREATIVE
The historical tribute begins in the check-in area, where archival newspaper pages line the walls, curated alongside shelves of antique cameras and framed photos of journalists who’ve made the island home, including legendary WCVB-TV broadcaster Natalie Jacobson and late Meet the Press host Tim Russert. Nearby, the hotel’s main lounge has been redesigned to showcase a wall of newspaper logos from the past two centuries, as well as a commissioned sculpture of crinkled N Magazine covers rendered in polystyrene by contemporary artist Paul Rousso.
Photo by Paige Harding, PAHCREATIVE
Photo by Paige Harding, PAHCREATIVE
From smaller cottage rooms to spacious family-sized suites, the guest rooms all now have their own themes. Some focus on the island’s whaling history, while others celebrate Nantucket authors. There’s a room dedicated to the numerous NBC executives and broadcasters who reside on the island, as well as a guest room that pays homage to best-selling author and island resident Elin Hilderbrand, the “Queen of Beach Reads” whose Netflix series, The Perfect Couple, based on her eponymous novel, comes out in September.
Meanwhile, the kitchen features a wall of three-dimensional antique typewriter keys in the form of an oversized typewriter.
Photo by Greg Ceo, Greg Ceo Studio
Photo by Paige Harding, PAHCREATIVE
With its newly installed wall-to-wall, blue-toned wool carpets, luxury linens, remodeled bathrooms, 76 Main is conveniently located, just steps from one of the island’s most picturesque shopping districts, ideal for exploring cobblestoned streets and shops. Overnight stays include continental breakfast and access to a charming, secluded outdoor patio with a mixing bar and fire pit. But the real scoop here is 76 Main itself: a former sea captain’s home that’s not only charming lodging, but a living exhibition to local history.
76 Main Ink Press Hotel, 76 Main St., Nantucket, 508-228-2533, 76main.com
Photo by Paige Harding, PAHCREATIVE
