Three years from its centenary, the Hotel Viking is a Newport tennis institution's perfect doubles partner

It illuminates history with a modern mode. Walk inside and you’re transported through time—while at the same time experiencing cutting-edge hospitality. It seems fitting, then, that the Hotel Viking is but a short walk from the International Tennis Hall of Fame. These two Newport institutions are inexorably linked, and exemplify the city’s charm, no matter where you look.

On top of that, perhaps the best time to enjoy these beacons of Bellevue Avenue is coming up: right after Wimbledon, during the Infosys Hall of Fame Open and Enshrinement Weekend at the Newport Casino.

Much like the Hall of Fame, it’s hard to know where to begin when it comes to the Hotel Viking. From guest rooms to luxury suites (I’ve stayed in both), its rooms are spacious, inviting and expertly curated. Its lobby is, more than anything, a gathering space—for coffees tailored to the seasons, for business or conversation in the outdoor courtyard, for bespoke cocktails at its elegant bar.

But like so much of this esteemed property, there is more than meets the eye. Hill Market is a go-to for pastries, juices and lattes by day—and by night this summer, Hill Market After Dark serves up Nitro Espresso Martinis and special deserts.

“I want to appeal to our guests through food,” says Executive Chef Peter Hamil. “Cooking is my life.”

The Viking’s ground-floor bar, designed to highlight wine and spirits the world over, is but one place for a sip and a view. Head to Top of Newport Bar + Lounge, on the hotel roof, for New England brews and views of Narragansett Bay. Meet friends and colleagues at One Bellevue patio for food, then treat them to unparalleled relaxation at Spa Fjör.

Behind Hotel Viking's front desk is a stunning display of original, vintage key boxes. (Opened to the public in 1926, the landmark is part of the Historic Hotels of America.) While room access at the Viking has evolved with the times, guests are essentially bestowed a key to the city upon arrival, given the building’s central location.

Mansions from the Gilded Age line Bellevue Avenue—there’s that street again—and showcase history better than any book or video could. They’re a spirited walk or a short drive away, along with Newport’s marvelous coastal views and renowned Cliff Walk.

Get out on the water with the Newport Harbor Shuttle, which makes stops at Perrotti Park, The Lobster Bar at Bowen’s Wharf, Ann Street Pier, Fort Adams and Goat Island. Quench your thirst for the sea further at The Sailing Museum…and when you need to quench some actual thirst, well, Newport has that covered, too.

The White Horse Tavern, originally opened in 1673, turns out contemporary dishes that will stop anyone’s Instagram scrolling in its tracks. (The tavern also makes a mean Old Fashioned.) Closer to the water, The Black Pearl can please any palette in an eminently charming setting. Fish is the dish in Rhode Island, of course, and for that we recommended the convivial Clark Cooke House. (Also check out Knot Norm’s, the popular Norwalk, Conn. seafood-roll shop that recently opened a location in Newport.) But don’t sleep on the town’s many Mexican and farm-to-table options, or its ramen sit-downs—Yagi Noodles, in Long Wharf Mall, is a personal favorite. And the only way to wash it all down is with an Awful Awful at Newport Creamery. It’s awfully good ice cream.

After all of that eating and exploring, a bed at the Viking is going to feel pretty good. So will some of the hotel’s signature amenities, including weekend yoga, complimentary bike rentals (ideal for navigating some of the city’s centuries-old alleyways), and pool, jacuzzi and infrared sauna.

Time in Newport is many things: enchanting, valuable, revealing. It is moments spent learning about the past, enjoying the present, and envisioning a future. Few sports venues in the U.S. can conjure such feelings like the International Tennis Hall of Fame, which in a few days will induct a new class of legends, stage a world-class tournament, and share its new Metaverse for a revolutionary tennis experience.

And like any good doubles team, the Hall has a perfect partner in the Hotel Viking, inspired by and committed to the unique experiences for its guests: past, present, and future.

For more information, visit hotelviking.com