Review of 76 Main – Ink Press Hotel Nantucket
Built in 1883 for sea captain, William Swain, this stately Main Street Nantucket home is now the sophisticated and fun 76 Main: Ink Press Hotel. Under new ownership, and renovated in 2024, this rather idiosyncratic hotel features twenty themed rooms: each one depicting recognizable cultural icons (aka, celebrities) from various media, with an emphasis on publishing.
(Looking for things to do ouside of the Hotel’s doors? Check out our Romantic Things to Do in Nantucket post.
Just a block from downtown, and a few minutes’ walk to most shops, attractions and restaurants, 76 Main: Ink Press Hotel, owned by the publisher of Nantucket Magazine, Bruce A. Percelay, is a lodging to obsess over, especially for those genuinely interested in the news (in print and on screens), celebrity culture, best selling books, and glossy magazines.
First Impressions of 76 Main Ink Press Hotel
In its heyday, there were nearly 20 publications on the island of Nantucket. Hence, 76 Main: Ink Press Hotel is stuffed with art and photos spotlighting an obvious-from-its-moniker motif.
Sheets of old Nantucket newspapers cover reception area walls. The restful sky-blue sitting room features logos of Nantucket publications past and present on one wall, and a large crumpled, Nantucket Magazine cover sculpture fanned out on the other.
Letters of the alphabet, forming an antique typewriter keyboard, take up space on one wall of the contemporary kitchen. And, hovering over the coffee station find the names of two prominent old Nantucket families: Folger and Starbucks. Yes, you read that correctly. The Folgers and Starbucks were two of the founding families of Nantucket.
Out back, newer, one-story rooms encircle a courtyard, shaded by a large Cherry Blossom tree, and filled with seating, tables, and a firepit. It’s an irresistible spot to sip wine, coffee, or chat with your “Main Squeeze”.
Rooms at 76 Main: Ink Press Hotel
Each room has been transformed into an homage to a person, place, publication, or network. Expect all the creature comforts of an upscale boutique hotel, of course. But rather than conventional décor, rooms are jazzed up with archival photos and relevant art.
I stayed in the Elin Hildebrand suite (a courtyard room). In the summer of 2024, Hilderbrand’s Nantucket-set book, The Perfect Couple, premiered as a limited series on Netflix to much fanfare. A friend of the inn owner, Hilderbrand came to 76 Main: Ink Press Hotel for a meet and greet, and to sign books.
Glossy photos and posters of the “Queen of the Beach Read” cover the walls. Hilderbrand’s books are stacked and scattered on shelves and tables. A garland of tiny flip-flops dresses up one window. The room is an ode to breezy-reads summers, and is comfy to beat.
Food and Drink at 76 Main – Ink Press Hotel
The contemporary kitchen serves as a continental breakfast buffet room in the morning, and make-your-own cocktail fixings (everything but the spirits – since the Inn lacks a liquor license) and warm cookies from 5-7pm.
There are other snacks – and soft drinks – for guests who are avoiding adult beverages. But, whatever you do, don’t avoid those fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. Right out of the oven, they are melty and decadent as hell.
76 Main: Ink Press Hotel is open seasonally: generally from the last weekend in April until late October. But check the website first.
