Inspired Design

DESIGN by OWEN MCDONALD photography by CHIP RIEGEL

PRESERVE SPORTING CLUB & RESIDENCES

Nature Meets Nurture at Hilltop Lodge and OH! Spa INSPIRED DESIGN

Asecret of architects and builders tracing back to ancient Greece, the Golden Ratio is a mathematical formula borrowed from nature. It imperceptibly alters our sense of space, making it experiential and alive.

You might never be aware of this spatial principal at work unless you ask someone like developer and hotelier Paul Mihailides: “What makes a great hotel?” As the creative force behind the Preserve Sporting Club & Residences—the newest member of Ocean House Collection—Mihailides is a straight-talking visionary who thinks in this mystical language of proportion and balance.

Ask, and he literally explains how to build a great hotel. In fact, he’s done exactly that.

Working with longtime friend and collaborator Marie Simone, a respected interior designer based in nearby Cranston, Rhode Island, Mihailides has officially topped his glorious Preserve Sporting Club project with its latest crowning achievement: Hilltop Lodge.

As part of the Ocean House Collection, frequent guests of sister hotels Ocean House, Weekapaug Inn and Boston’s Inn at Hastings Park understand that Hilltop Lodge joins rarified ranks. People who know the portfolio have best-in-class expectations, and Mihailides aims to exceed them.

“Everything comes back to balance,” says Mihailides, invoking examples from Newport’s Mansion Row to some of the world’s premier properties, but alighting on Ocean House. “Even though it’s a massive structure, when you first walk in, it feels quaint and cozy.”

Marie Simone has taken that sensibility to another level inside the stunning new Hilltop Lodge.

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Clinton Cox welcomes members and guests at the Main Lodge.

Top row: Interior Designer Marie Simone utilized “nature, color and the abstraction of mixing elements” for the Hilltop Lodge. Middle row: Rich textured fabrics and local art are featured in each room's décor. Bottom row: Condo-style suites are equipped with gourmet kitchens and open-plan living areas with modern, luxury touches.

Below: Rustic details blend with casual elegance. Right: Rooms feature high-end finishes and stones from local quarries.

Dreamy Designs in a Woodland Wonderland

Cradled in Rhode Island’s forested coastal lowlands just 13 miles from the Ocean House beach, Hilltop Lodge was first imagined as an expression of the rustic sporting life that resonates throughout the property. It all starts at the welcoming Main Lodge and the 15,000-square-foot Sporting Shoppe, continuing into a wonderland of Hobbit Houses, safari-style glamping tents, chic tiny houses and awe-inspiring treehouses, along with sporting thrills unequaled in the Northeastern U.S.

Joining Ocean House Collection inspired a new hotel concept, however—modern lines, artistic use of locally quarried stone, and décor with a casual luxury that feels like home. Mihailides called on Simone, his most trusted interior design mind, to bring it all together in signature style.

A soft-spoken former jewelry designer, Simone says of her Hilltop Lodge masterpiece, “I saw nature, color and the abstraction of mixing elements” as crucial components of the palette.

“As a woman, if I were staying at the Hilltop Lodge with my husband, who might be out shooting or fishing or doing sporting things on his own, I would want a luxurious space that’s calming, restful and elegant,” says Simone. “I would want a great spa. That’s what we’ve created at Hilltop Lodge.”

The result is a triumph of color and texture stylishly set off with accent pieces—a superb chaise lounge framed by massive windows, mosaic stone patterns whispering “country elegance” rather than proclaiming “skyline penthouse”—in 24 open, airy suites and rooms.

Here again, balance and the Golden Ratio come subtly into play, as do Simone’s tranquil choices of local art that convey the heart of New England. In fall and winter the natural world spills through windows everywhere in a dazzling display of seasonal hues and breathtaking views.

The Hilltop Lodge’s condo-style suites feature sumptuous island kitchens, quiescent dining nooks, lovable living rooms, marbleappointed bathrooms, and patios that make one feel like they’re not merely on top of a hill but floating above a secluded woodland oasis.

Marble and granite give the bathrooms a spa-like feel.

Above: Hobbit House Opposite page, right: OH! Spa at Hilltop Lodge

OH! Spa—Oh, Yes—and Quite a Bit

Cor the crown jewel of Hilltop Lodge, Mihailides went all-out and recreated Ocean House’s award-winning OH! Spa with a touch of his trademark flair.

Like its sibling down the way, OH! Spa at Hilltop Lodge features serene treatment rooms, soothing jacuzzi, sauna and spa specialties made famous by Ocean House including the herb-infused Garden Experience, the gentle Lavender Fields, and a life-changing massage menu.

Regulars of the sister properties will be pleased to see familiar faces at the Preserve, such as longtime Ocean House Collection manager Christine Smith, who until recently was General Manager for the Inn at Hastings Park. Smith is a consummate hospitality expert, and further assurance of the Preserve’s excellence.

Once on the sprawling 3,600 acre property adjacent to a wildlife refuge, one needs no reassurance (but it’s very nice all the same). In autumn, the environs light up with the brilliant colors that leaf-peepers travel to see. As winter arrives, snowy days begin and end by glowing fireplaces. In between the activities are out of this world, and more like a world of their own.

If shooting is in order, sporting clays is a fantastic way to spend part of your day. While the Preserve boasts a fantastic 18-hole par 3 golf course, some of us have no aptitude for the game. If that’s the case for you, try your hand-eye coordination in one of the heated, covered shooting stands. The feeling of winning a competitive round of sporting clays versus your golfer pals: priceless.

The Preserve Equestrian Training Stables (PETS) is the new nexus of excitement on the property, with its 16 stalls and indoor training rink. As many already know, this astounding destination is also home to America’s longest indoor shooting range outfitted with 24 stations, automated shooting systems, all manner of firearms, and lessons taught by U.S. Navy and special forces marksmen.

Fall and winter are also wonderful seasons for ziplining. The Preserve’s course is over 1,700 feet long. It’s enough to get the kids off the rock wall and out into the crisp New England air.

Afterwards, all hunger is satiated at the Double Barrel Kitchen and its refined dining room. Having cocktails, you’re likely to encounter (and be invited to join) a Mihailides family and friends gathering. That’s the heart of this endlessly surprising place: a sense of belonging.

Top: Preserve Chairman Paul Mihailides with his daughter, Ariana. Center: Double Barrel Kitchen is the Preserve's signature restaurant. Bottom: The 18-hole, par 3 golf course was designed by renowned golf architect Robert McNeil.