A Few Quiet Days at The Brant, Nantucket

This stay was sponsored by The Brant Nantucket

Growing up, some of my best summers were spent on Martha’s Vineyard and the Cape. Salty air, lobster rolls, beach fires, and relaxing days spent with friends and family that I never quite wanted to end. In recent years, the Hamptons has been my go-to whenever I want to get out east. But Nantucket was the one place I had somehow never made it to. A little gem tucked right between the best spots to spend summer days.

Five hours from my hometown in Litchfield County, Connecticut, it was a bit of a journey; a four hour drive, and then a ferry, but it was so worth it when I was out in open ocean, watching the mainland slowly disappear behind me and Nantucket peaking ahead.

I stayed at The Brant, a lovely little boutique hotel tucked right into the happenings of the island, a short walk from Brant Point Lighthouse and Steps Beach, where the sunrises and sunsets are some of the most incredible I have seen. The hotel is central enough that everything is within a short five minute walk, yet private enough that you feel like you have slipped away from the world entirely. As an introvert, it was the perfect escape.

A Sense of Place

As someone who spends most of my days thinking about design, I notice the details, and The Brant is full of the good ones. The property lives inside a cluster of cedar-shingled buildings that look like they have always been part of Brant Point, but step inside and everything feels considered and current. Exposed beams, bright and breezy rooms, a calm and collected palette that lets the light do most of the work. It is design-forward and unhurried all at once, with a friendly, private atmosphere that feels more like a well-loved home than a hotel.

Think high-end coastal charm without any of the fuss. A plunge pool tucked into the grounds, a well-stocked mini bar with all the little gems your heart could want, and a quiet, delectable breakfast that never once felt rushed. The service was kind and warm and with a quick text, anything you could need was at your fingertips.

There was a softness to the whole experience. You are invited to arrive, settle in, and let the pace of the island take over.

The Trip I Actually Needed

This trip was a little different for me. I came to Nantucket wanting to prioritize peace and stillness, and the island made it easy to do exactly that.

Instead of late nights out, I found myself going to bed early and setting 3am wake-up calls, where I’d take moonlit strolls down to the beach while the rest of the island was still asleep. There is something about rolling a towel out on the cold sand under the stars, kicking back, and watching the sun peek its way above the horizon. It strips everything down to the simplest kind of gratitude, the little things you forget to notice when life gets chaotic.

One morning, a small family of deer wandered out to take in the first light of the day. I loved watching them, with a slow Nantucket Sound in front of me and the ocean completely still before the island woke up. Those quiet hours, alone with the water and the sky, ended up being the heart of my entire trip.

And then, coming back to The Brant after those early mornings at the beach was exactly what I needed. I would be greeted with hot coffee and that same easy peacefulness, that set up my whole day in the best possible way.

A Place to Rest and Reset

Nantucket can be such a fun place, full of charm and life and all the summer energy you would expect from it. But it can also be something more peaceful. The perfect place for a solo trip to rest and reset, to remember what stillness feels like, to come home to yourself a little.

For me, this was that trip, and The Brant was the perfect place to land. If you are looking for an escape that feels far away yet close enough, refined yet completely at ease, I cannot recommend it enough.

I have a feeling I will be back.