I liked being close to shopping, local beaches, and dining. We stayed in one of the cottages. It was "New England quaint," and the service was personal and prompt. I liked being away from the main hotel so the kids could roam a bit, but did find an opportunity to enjoy the spa! We all wished the weather was a little warmer...but we'll come again.

For $1,000 a night (including taxes), I would describe our stay at the White Elephant as very disappointing. The grounds are beautiful, they provide luxurious bedding, a nice nighttime turn-down service, and it's in an awesome location. The superlatives stop there.

When we got in the staff was perfectly pleasant, but gave us no map of the grounds, and a very brief overview of what is offered at the hotel (not much).

Disappointments:
1) The hotel staff completely lacked any sense of detail. Example: We ordered strawberries and wine to be delivered to our room at 4 PM. They delivered at 2:30, and only left 2 glasses, when 4 people were staying at our cottage. They had also addressed the card to my sister when the card read "happy birthday, dad". We asked the staff to return with the goodies at 4 PM and with 4 glasses. They were late, and then returned again with 2 glasses!

2) Before I booked the room, I asked the hotel for more pictures of the cottages, since it's difficult to get a sense of how big they are by the one or two pictures on their website. They were unable to provide me with any dimensions or additional pictures. The size of the 3-room cottage was reasonable, and the decor is "rustic" which I didn't mind, but my family was disappointed that the living room was small and dark. The problem I had was that the phones were not working after a day, the mini refrigerator was broken, as well as the blinds. I definitely expect more for the price of this place! We said something about the phones, and they never sent anyone over to fix them.

3) The 6-8 complementary morning pastries are a complete joke. I was there by 7:30 AM, and after the meager plate of mini muffins (half the size of my palm) was eaten there was no refill. You snooze past 8 AM, you lose. I pointed out to the restaurant staff that their literature says they offer this complementary breakfast until 10 AM. He gave me a small plate of about 5 muffins and asked me for my room number!!

These are just a few examples of things I wouldn't expect at a luxury hotel. Unless you have money to burn, I would recommend looking elsewhere for accommodations in Nantucket.

Having stayed at the White Elephant over the years (since 1960's) our recent stay was most disappointing. Our mistake may have ben in expecting the White Elephant to live up to its billing a luxury resort. It is anything but. For a lot of money, you get a musty, damp, dark room, with barely any walking space, unworking shower, very tired and worn furniture.
This would have been ok, if it were not for the cost of the room (over $800.00 per nignt)
For that we expected a relaxing luxury get away. Perhaps we are just out of tune with Nantucket. Our strong advice is to ask to see the rooms prior to commiting $$. Of course that is not always practical or possible. So, I would stay away from the Garden Cottages, unless you are willing to accept a room equal to a $59.00 motel for big bucks. If you have money to burn, don't mind primitive conditions, and just want to be close to downtown Nantucket, then this is the place for you!! Perhaps the main hotel provides better accommodations. Reading reviews, it sounds as if the Residences are up to par. The garden cottage accommodations are NOT up to luxury standards for the rates charged. They should tell you up front that you will be walking down unlit paths to squalid quarters for a lot of money. We have stayed all over the country and Europe and had truly luxurious accommodations for less $$$. For $800. per night I guess we just expected it to be less tired, worn etc.

I consider myself a pretty sophisticated traveler, and have been all over the world. Sometimes the best things are close to home. As a MA resident, Nantucket is the perfect getaway. Making that experience second to none was staying at the brand new White Elephant Residences (NOT to be confused with the White Elephant Hotel, which it IS a part of, as the newly added on cottages down the block).

We stayed in a "cottage" that I would describe as beautifully decorated in modern, clean and elegant lines. Every detail is attended to. The staff are extremely eager to help and accommodate every need. The rooms are impeccably clean and the cleaning crew visit at least 3-4 times a day to ensure all is kept that way. Although property management states "there is no kitchen" - there IS. It simply does not include a stove or oven, but you will find every other convenience and appliance a furnished residence would offer, from toaster, paninni maker, Bosch dishwasher, etc. Also included are W&D, central air, lovely window treatments (black-out in the bedroom), umbrellas, blowdriers - beach towels, beach chairs and shuttle to the beaches. You get the idea. Additionally, there is a nice little gym, a lovely outdoor pool with super comfortable chaise lounges when you are feeling lazy, along with pool-side service for lunches, wine/beer and bites.

The property is very conveniently located just across the street from the Cliff Road bicycle path that leads to Madaket, a beautiful stretch of bicycling. The island is of course, known for its extensive bike routes, the two primary ones being the 12.4m round trip (aforementioned) and the easterly 18.2M route, (round trip) between Polpis and Mainline Roads. I would recommend the former if you are interested in a shorter route that does not traverse through town and its extensive deeply rutted/cobblestone roads. We did not mind the long route, as the effort is worth it.

For dining, I would stay away from the Brant Pointe Grille (part of the White Elephant Hotel) unless you are there for dinner OUTSIDE on the deck - and mainly for the view -- we did not find it to be the best meal for the steep price charged. A palate awakening dinner was had at Oran Mor, just steps away for a divine meal in an intimate setting. New French dining, where the crowds get thick after 9PM on weekends. Memorable meal and service.

I am eager to book another stay at this elegant getaway - in summary, I always think of Nantucket accomodations as antique-y B&Bs with "cozy" country and Americana - for a refreshing change, try the Residences.