Review: Blue Iris by Life House: First In 

Why book? Leave the old-school Nantucket establishment resorts for your parents. If you’re looking for an intimate hotel with immaculate design chops and a fantastic location in town, look no further.

Set the scene Freshly opened in July 2022, the Blue Iris by Life House is the ideal spot to bring a significant other, a travel buddy, or just yourself. With only twelve rooms in the whole building, you’re unlikely to run into another guest while you’re here. As opposed to real estate investment firm Blue Flag Partners' other nearby hotels such as Faraway, which very much feels like a destination unto itself, Blue Iris blends quietly into its surrounding residential neighborhood. Come here for a quiet escape, not a see-and-be-seen affair.

The backstory Built in 1838 for a wealthy whaling captain, 10 Hussey Street hails from Nantucket’s maritime golden age. It was, over the decades, a private residence and then a succession of salty, old school inns before Blue Flag Partners scooped it up and gave it the luxury treatment, reopening it this summer as the Blue Iris. From the outside, it still has all the historic character that makes Nantucket feel so authentic and special; inside, however, the building has undergone extensive renovations.

The rooms The idea behind Blue Iris is a sort of design-forward, retro-inflected take on maritime cosmopolitanism. That’s a mouthful. Put another way, the design brief seems to be: what would a freewheeling 19th century sea captain from Nantucket’s heyday have brought home after years spent exploring the globe? You’ll see design touches such as Portuguese-inspired textiles and tiles, a custom Murano glass chandelier in the entryway, and nautical-feeling matte teal-painted woodwork and beautifully worn brass accents throughout. The result is a space that feels both fresh and lived in, and perhaps vaguely Nantucket-ish, but has an irresistible aesthetic unto its own.

Food and drink There isn’t a restaurant at the Blue Iris, but that’s ok–sister property Faraway is a scant 400 feet away with its sceney, fun bar and restaurant Sister Ship. The Blue Iris does, however, offer a complimentary continental breakfast of coffees, croissants, overnight oats and so forth–just enough to get you fueled up and out the door to make the most of the day. There are also a number of charming cafés and bakeries (The Green Market, Born and Bread, Stoke ACK) within a two block radius for a quick refuel at any time of day.

The neighborhood/area Hussey Street is a pretty clutch location in town–you’re just steps from all the restaurants, bars, shops and action at any time of day or night, but tucked away on a residential side street which is wonderfully serene come nighttime. Step outside your front door and you’re in the thick of things. But you can also sleep with the windows open and let the sea breeze into your room, hearing (almost) none of the hubbub from town’s busier corners.

The service Maybe it’s because this property works with seasonal staff, on an island, in the middle of a pandemic, with historic staffing shortages literally everywhere, but some details seemed to through the cracks. Half the menu at the complimentary breakfast, for example, was mysteriously unavailable. That being said, when we asked for a steamer, the Blue Iris staff brought it up to our room within seconds, so it’s entirely fair to chalk any hiccups up to new hotel growing pains. All in all, visitors should come to the Blue Iris for its wonderful location and its highly photogenic decor–if you want a white glove service experience, you can pay twice the price at The Wauwinet.

For families You may not want to be that family that brings a screaming toddler into a twelve-room historic inn (noise does travel easily from room to room), but book one of the larger suites and there’s definitely room to bring an extra family member or two.

Anything left to mention? There’s a really lovely garden terrace behind the building, complete with comfy lounge chairs and a fire pit for late nights (hushed, of course, this is a neighborhood after all). On a hot Nantucket summer night, there’s hardly a more magical place in the middle of town to unwind.