The Christopher Dodge House is a Family Affair in Providence
Historic rooms, gourmet breakfasts and hosts who feel like family keep drawing guests back to the Bed and Breakfast.
The Italianate home was built in 1858 for local industrialist Christopher Dodge. Photography courtesy of the Christopher Dodge House
Most innkeepers could probably write a book filled with scintillating details about the people they’ve met, the stories they’ve heard and the chaotic scenarios they’ve encountered along the way.
Monica Hopton, the owner of the Christopher Dodge House in Providence, did just that. But instead of a scandalous tell-all about guests gone wild, Tucker at the Inn — her children’s tome about a lovable goldendoodle’s antics at a family bed-and-breakfast — serves instead as a love letter to her long-serving staff.
A richly decorated room. Photography courtesy of the Christopher Dodge House
That’s how tight the crew is at the Smith Hill bed and breakfast: Many of Hopton’s employees have been with her since she first opened the inn twenty-three years ago.
“A few years ago, we realized, ‘My goodness, we’ve morphed into this family’ because we’d been together a very long time,” Hopton says.
Family was one of the reasons dye works owner Christopher Dodge built the four-story Italianate manse back in 1858, on a knoll overlooking the Smith Hill neighborhood. Like other industrialists of his time, he needed a showpiece abode to house his burgeoning family. (The nearby State House wouldn’t rise for another three decades, while Route I-95 wouldn’t part the city until the mid 1950s.) The home remained in the family until the end of the century. By 1901, it was being used as a tenement house.
Seasonal flowers (and produce) are always in bloom at the property. Photography courtesy of the Christopher Dodge House
Outdoor seating nooks provide guests with a soothing place to gather over coffee or wine. Photography courtesy of the Christopher Dodge House
When Hopton and her husband, Frank, moved back to Rhode Island, downtown Providence was in the midst of its renaissance. The rivers had been relocated and Providence Place had just opened in 1999, and they saw the capital city as the perfect place to set up a bed-and-breakfast.
After an extensive renovation, they opened the Christoper Dodge House in 2002 and have been running it ever since, in between raising five children and commuting from their home in Little Compton. Frank, unfortunately, passed away in 2023, and Monica now runs the inn with the help of her dedicated staffers.
Guests can choose accommodations from fourteen different rooms, all with tall ceilings, period details and high-quality mattresses for a soothing night’s sleep. Rooms on the top floor feel more spacious and one has a canopy bed perfect for a romantic getaway. Ground-floor rooms have exposed brick walls, and a secluded backyard patio is a charming spot for morning coffee or tea, surrounded by potted plants and shady trees.
The overall vibe is simple, classic and elegant.
“We did not want a lot of busyness,” Hopton says. “We did not want wallpaper. We did not want collections of 1,000 things. We wanted people to be able to come and relax in simply decorated rooms.”
There are two breakfast options daily, one of which is always a hot entree. (On a recent late summer day, choices included a chourico and spinach omelet with home fries or almond butter toast topped with sliced strawberries, almonds and honey with a side of bacon.) Other options include yogurt parfaits with housemade olive oil and maple granola, freshly made muffins and scones and an assortment of fruit, all served with local maple syrup and Borealis coffee.
Photography courtesy of the Christopher Dodge House
“We use real butter. If you’re on a diet, do that when you’re at home,” Hopton says with a laugh. “We’re using real butter. We’re using real cream. You’re going to come here and you’re going to really love what we serve.”
Old glass bottles, clay pipes and a primitive electric toaster line the walls of the sunny breakfast room, treasures found in the chimney during the renovation process. Guests also have use of a sitting room stocked with Yacht Club soda, water, coffee and tea.
During her tenure as innkeeper, Hopton has met people from around the world. She’s chatted with Joan Rivers and once had the Temptations book a block of rooms for a post-concert stay (the band had continued on to its next tour stop but still paid for all the rooms). A Rhode Island native who lived in Ohio once rented out the whole inn for a few days to host Christmas with her family.
Photography courtesy of the Christopher Dodge House
Business travelers are frequent; many like the homey atmosphere of the guest house as opposed to a cookie-cutter hotel chain, Hopton says. And she’s grown close to countless parents who’ve come with their children to check out local colleges who then return for visits once their children are accepted into Brown or RISD or Johnson & Wales.
It’s been, Hopton says, a good run.
“People are lovely. They come here and tell us about their lives, and tell us where they’re from, and tell us how fabulous Providence is,” she says. “Providence is a great city.” 11 West Park St., Providence, 351-6111, providence-hotel.com
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Cozy Rhody Bed & Breakfasts
Enjoy a weekend staycation close to home at these charming Ocean State inns.
NORTH
Edgewood Manor Inn
Period antiques in an opulent setting near downtown Providence. 232 Norwood Ave., Providence, 781-0099, providence-lodging.com
EAST
William’s Grant Inn
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The Francis Malbone House
Luxury surroundings and unmatched service in the heart of Newport. 392 Thames St., Newport, 846-0392, malbone.com
Photograph courtesy of Discover Newport and the Francis Malbone House
Hydrangea House Inn
Plush robes and sumptuous linens steps away from the fabled mansions. 16 Bellevue Ave., Newport, 846-4435, hydrangeahouse.com
SOUTH
The Langworthy Inn & Winery
Whirlpool baths, wide swaths of the Atlantic and expertly crafted wines — what more could one ask for? 308 Shore Rd., Westerly, 322-7791, langworthyinn.com
Historic Mooresfield
The owner’s handcrafted furniture and period antiques perfectly complement this circa-1842 estate. 782 Mooresfield Rd., South Kingstown, 345-6206, mooresfield.com
Sugar Loaf Hill B&B
A park-like setting surrounded by stone walls and shade trees, just steps away from Brickley’s Ice Cream. 607 Main St., Wakefield, 789-8715, sugarloafhillbandb.com
