Fodor's Expert Review Golden Rock Inn

Acclaimed artists Brice Marden and wife Helen Harrington have imparted a chic, modernist sensibility to this 18th-century estate property while respecting its storied past: the old cistern is now the spring-fed swimming pool; the sugar mill has become a honeymoon retreat; and the vividly hued gingerbread cottages (each holding two rooms) contrast pristine white floors, curtains, and bedspreads with hardwood or bamboo furnishings, pineapple friezes, and colorful Berber throw rugs. Many surfaces—from decks to shutters—are splashed in reds and greens; the pool addition resembles a contemporary-art installation, the restaurant a dazzling tiered sculpture garden with waterfalls. Service is unobtrusive yet warm, in fine counterpoint to the hip cool ambience and buzz imparted by the cosmopolitan clientele.