In 1870 The Pease House was built as a colonial inn on Connecticut's coastline. It was eventually replaced in the 1950s by a mid-century modernist hotel called the Terra Mar. Attracting guests like Sinatra’s Rat Pack and the Kennedy clan, a growing number of gamblers and those with alleged mob connections eventually got it shut down in 1980. Shortly after, the locally-prominent Tagliatela family purchased it and took nearly a decade to demolish and build what remains today as the Saybrook Point Inn & Spa.
Until recently, two ornate homes stood neglected across Bridge Street from Saybrook Point Inn & Spa. Once again, The Tagliatelas came to the rescue, fully restoring them and adding them as guest houses on Saybrook's property. Three Stories, an Italianate-style home along with newly-opened Tall Tales next door both feature mansard roofs with Victorian era flourishes like ornate trim and opulently bright colors. Designers and architects thoroughly researched and replicated the milieu with period furnishings, wrap-around porches and secluded gardens.
Tall Tales' interior common areas are surrounded by rooms featuring private decks overlooking the Connecticut River or Long Island Sound. Spa baths, a kitchen, open floor plan and original artwork make it perfect for group getaways and families, especially when booking the entire house. The dining/living areas greet you on the first floor while on the second, the game room is outfitted with billiards and custom crafted chess and checker tables.
Each of Tall Tales’ six guestrooms are not only architecturally unique but themed to notable local historical figures who had a major influence on Old Saybrook's character over the past 378 years. They include Lt. Lion Gardiner who built Fort Saybrook in 1636, 16th century Dutch trader and navigator Adriaen Block who was the first to establish a trade route up the Connecticut River and Lady Alice Fenwick, who along with her husband Governor George Fenwick, was among Saybrook’s first settlers.
Meaning “health,” the recently renovated Sanno Spa has 11 treatment rooms surrounding a tranquil atmosphere and outdoor patio where pre-massage Prosecco, sparkling wines, and snacks are available. Organic marine botanicals and medical grade SkinCeuticals are incorporated into treatments ranging from their signature Shea Butter and Hot Stone Massage to an 80-minute Ocean Memory ritual which begins with a gentle polish, followed by a rub of detoxifying self-heating algae mousse to relax tight muscles, and then completed with a full body massage. Beyond beach combing and postcards, a Sanno visit provides the perfect souvenir for making your stay last beyond checkout.
When it comes to dining, water views and tasty seafood dishes make dining at Fresh Salt doubly special. Inside you’ll find a healthy mix of guests and local sailors who’ve just stepped off the boat to dine and sip on craft cocktails like a Hot Karma Margarita made with smoked, chipotle-infused tequila in a glass rimmed with black Hawaiian sea salt.
A collection of model tall ships built by the owner's father define the dining room's genuine nautical décor while a six-foot-tall reef aquarium tie it in with the cozy bar area. Seasonal outdoor dining on the patio with a large fire pit puts you that much closer to the waterfront marina and ocean breezes. As you're passing through Fresh Salt's lobby entrance, be sure to check out their vast display of historic pictures documenting Saybrook Point's origins. Chef Gese Rodriguez builds dishes with ingredients from local farms and onsite gardens whenever possible like arugula, peas and heirloom tomatoes raised exclusively from the hotel’s own seeds as well as boat-caught Long Island Bluepoints, Narragansett mussels, oysters and yellowfin tuna from off Montauk Point.
If staying during the weekend, don’t miss the lavish Sunday Brunch with buffet tables lining two rooms brimming with fresh baked pies, tarts, and other homemade treats along with three made-to-order chef stations preparing your very own pasta dishes, crepes, and omelets.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of being a Tall Tales guest is getting an extra dimension of serenity and privacy while being just across the street from main inn amenities like two heated pools, the Sanno Spa and the Fresh Salt Restaurant. Saybrook Point Inn & Spa also earned TripAdvisor’s Green Leaders Platinum rating. The grounds outside are landscaped with a roof top rain water collection and irrigation system rather than planted with grass, not only for conserving water, but also for keeping lawnmowers away when you're trying to nap or hear the ocean surf.
Add to this laundry facilities that reclaim waste water, a reverse osmosis tank for water purification, and in-room climate controls that activate upon entry rather than running all day. But their crowning achievement is their on-site, cogeneration plant that recycles hot air produced by their HVAC systems into fully heating their two pools. This is especially welcome during the cooler months as you slip into their outdoor pool on chilly mornings.
