This Historic Martha’s Vineyard Resort Just Got a Carly Simon-Inspired Makeover. Here’s a Look Inside.
It’s the resort equivalent of a bohemian singer-songwriter ingénue breaking onto the music scene in the early 1970s with a big floppy hat framing tousled hair.
That’s because the “You’re So Vain” singer Carly Simon—who not so coincidentally lives on the island—was an inspiration for the new Faraway Martha’s Vineyard resort, which opened last month in Edgartown, Mass.
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Formerly the beloved Kelley House (which housed the crew for Jaws), the resort now features nostalgic flourishes such as Simon’s albums (and other vinyl records) on the in-room turntables.
This is the second Faraway property from Blue Flag Partners, a Boston-based real-estate development and branding company that opened Faraway Nantucket in 2021. Blue Flag also owns several more properties on Nantucket and two on eastern Long Island, N.Y. (The Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard Faraways are now linked via a new partnership with Tradewind Aviation, plus there’s seasonal service direct from Boston Harbor via Trailwind Air.)
“I grew up spending summers in Chappy,” says Jason Brown, managing partner at Blue Flag, referring to Chappaquiddick, a small adjacent island. “The Kelley House was a fantastic property, but no one had tried to go all the way with it.” That is, tying together the buildings that were acquired piecemeal and added to the central Kelley House building. “A big part of our desire was to bring the whole campus together,” he says. “It had so much untapped potential.”
Like Nantucket, Faraway Martha’s Vineyard is a sprawling collection of 18th- and 19th-century buildings, many of them whaling captains homes, with the Kelley House and its historic restaurant, the Newes from America, as the resort center. In 2020, Blue Flag Partners acquired the entire resort plus a prized parking lot on Winter Street—parking in Edgartown in summer? Forget it.
Each of the nine buildings retain their individual name plates, and historic exteriors have been enhanced by thoughtful touches, such as replacing vinyl shutters with more authentic wood ones. Now, they are linked by wood pathways dotted with greenery and fire pits.
“They look very earthy,” says Brown. “It’s also less confusing for guests.”
Inside, the new vibe is midcentury meets beach-luxe. They also moved the pool and opened up the main building where the lobby is located, to create inviting spaces, and improve guest experience.
“The pool made no sense being by the street,” Brown says. “So we moved it within the building. The double height lobby has a library backspace where people can pop a laptop open or we can have private events there. We fully opened up the lobby to the back patio and to the pool.”
Along with the pool snack bar, the lobby coffee shop grab-and-go is run by Wheat, which according to Brown, “are in a lot of Four Seasons.”
The old Wave bar is now the seasonal outdoor Pelican Club, serving sushi, seafood, and craft cocktails. One thing they couldn’t change without facing pitchforks: the Newes from America. It’s still the same woody old tavern with the same casual vibe locals love.
“We just overhauled the menu and now use more locally sourced ingredients, local beers,” Brown says.
The laid-back luxe vibes continue in the accommodations, where one of the most popular bookings is a bunk room. Never fear, necktie wearers: There are still plenty of spacious one to three-bedroom suites to spread out in.
“There are way more suites at this property now than already existed. One in the Water Street house has water views and you can see the lighthouse and all the way to Chappy,” Brown says, referencing the Edgartown Lighthouse, a popular picturesque walking spot by the harbor.
Bathrooms are stocked with custom Byredo toiletries that evoke the island’s beach grass and rosebuds. “We haven’t come up with a name for the scent yet though,” says Brown.
May we suggest Carly?
Doubles from $1,195 per night ranging to $3,500 for a three-bedroom suite.
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