The Winnetu Plans to Reopen on June 12th

Mark and Gwenn Snider are some of our oldest friends in the travel world. We were fortunate to visit their property on Martha’s Vineyard, The Winnetu, on a handful of occasions when the kids were young, even joining them on the classic Edgartown Fourth of July parade. We also designed Mark’s trip with his son down to Brazil’s Pantanal region to spot jaguars. Mark also owns the Nantucket Hotel and will soon debut a third property on the island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands, called The Lovango Resort & Beach Club. But it’s the Winnetu we love the most during these trying times, especially their spacious accommodations, within easy walking distance of South Beach. All of their suites, cottages and private homes feature kitchens and space for dining in. Restaurants will offer take-out, outside dining and private dining in your rooms. The swimming pools, fitness centers, and children’s program will open in June subject to state approval.

Here’s what I wrote about the property for my forthcoming book on New England:

When Gwenn and Mark Snider took the shell of an old motel and built this stylish Victorian resort of yesteryear, the island of Martha’s Vineyard finally had the premier family resort it so desperately needed. The Winnetu is located four miles south of Edgartown, a short walk to that glorious stretch of sand known as South Beach. Every one of the thirty-six suites, ranging from 1 to 4 bedrooms, features ocean views and a full kitchen, but the Sniders have done everything possible to keep the kids outdoors. Pee-wee tennis clinics start at 8 am. An hour later, children are whisked over to the clubhouse for morning activities like beach scavenger hunts or walks to Katama Airfield to watch the circa 1940 planes take flight. Afternoons are free for families to roam the island on a web of bike trails. You can pedal to the Vineyard’s oldest settlement, Edgartown, and take the one-minute ferry ride over to Chappaquiddick. There you’ll find miles of untrammeled beach at Cape Pogue Wildlife Refuge. Or venture another 6 miles past Edgartown to Oak Bluffs to ride the Flying Horses Carousel, the oldest operating carousel in the country, built in 1876.

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