I don't often write reviews but I felt compelled to say a few things about this reservation. It is true that the home is centrally located and within walking distance to bars, restaurants, and downtown. However, that is where the conveniences end.
Given the rate of $600 per night (plus fees and parking), three days in Newport was fairly expensive but our expectations were in line given the fact that it is Newport.
To begin, communication with the host was not the best. Check-in information was never sent, so upon an early arrival (which we paid extra $ for) I was found sitting in a parking lot with no idea what I was supposed to do. And, the lot was completely full. After waiting for some time, a spot luckily opened up and I was able to secure parking. However, my friend was left to fend for herself and drove around Newport looking for parking with no luck. She had to finally sit in the parking lot across from the home for a 1/2 or so until a car left and tried to grab it before someone else came in. Frustrating start to say the least. Not the hosts fault, however a heads up that it was Boat Weekend and parking might be an issue would have been helpful.
Next, Re: the furnishings...
Most of it was old and appeared to have come from another location where it came here to die.
Mismatched and much of it worn
Shower curtain rod had rust stains on it
Bathroom mirror was vintage and had lots of areas where reflective coating had rubbed off which made it quite distracting for a bathroom mirror.
Artwork had warped matting and no glass fronts
Pieces were squeezed into areas where they didn't fit, limiting access to doorways and pathways. For instance, the nightstand in the main bedroom was kiddie corner by the bedside because it was too large to fit flush against the wall. And, it blocked the left side of the closet door, preventing it from opening at all. The washer and dryer in the bathroom (which had an "out of order" sign on it) sticks out into the entryway and cramps an already tiny bathroom.
The bedpost is so close to the bureau that I could barely walk through the space so each time I hit it with my leg and have the bruises to show for it.
Ceiling tiles in the tiny bathroom really need to be replaced
The second bathroom, where the two guest beds were located, had a half wall so there was no privacy in the bathroom for the two who had to share that room. It was a nice bathroom but perhaps that should have been the room with the one bed?
Cleanliness...
The A/C units all need to be cleaned (dust was hovering around the vents which most likely flew into the air)
Ants were found in the kitchen
There was water on the floor in the "main/tiny" bathroom and we weren't sure where it was coming from. I had to use towels to wipe up the water until someone came to look at it. Apparently, someone left 5 inches of water in the "broken washer/dryer" which was just sitting there leaking out little by little. Clearly this should have been checked before a guest arrived. Also, if it's broken, and it's blocking the entrance to the bathroom, why is it in there at all?
Deck...
The deck was the best part of the home and the flowers were well kept and in full bloom. However, the wicker furniture had cushions that were missing, torn or stained and were in serious need of being replaced.
Once on the deck, the door had a handle to open the door to the stairwell, but there was no handle on the other side to pull the door closed. So, often times the door would fly open as there was no way to pull it shut.
Kitchen...
It was equipped with a fridge, dishwasher, stove but had very minimal supplies for cooking. There was not even a paring knife and very few pots and pans. We didn't do much cooking but even with the little things we did for ourselves, we found it difficult to do what we needed. No need to supply martini glasses or champagne flutes but the wine glasses that they did have were dirty enough to see the red wine remnants at the bottom of the glass from previous guests.
Lastly, don't think about using the iron and a hairdryer at the same time as we tripped the fuse shutting power off in the bedroom.
I understand it's an old house with lots of character and I can certainly appreciate the beauty of that (I own a very old home myself) however, there is upkeep that is necessary for any home, particularly an older home. And, if you choose to rent it out nightly for a hefty fee, money needs to be put into it to bring it up to the standards it deserves. With very little money, this home could be made to work much better for everyone and could highlight it's good points but unfortunately this isn't the case.