Mark & Dana Spring Welcome You to Marshall Slocum Inn
Hospitality and service are in Dana and Mark Spring’s blood. They met in the industry and soon learned they shared the same passion and dreams. Owning the Marshall Slocum Inn has brought their dreams to reality.They look forward to welcoming you in person to the historic Marshall Slocum Inn.
About Us
Dana and Mark met while working at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts where they discovered our mutual dream of opening a hotel in Newport, RI.
Dana was a natural fit for owning and operating an Inn. Having grown up at her parent’s B&B on Nantucket Island for fifteen years, Dana knew from an early age that the hospitality field was a natural career path for her. After studying at Endicott College and receiving a major in Hotel/Restaurant Management, Dana moved on to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Boston where she focused on Guest Services and Sales. Before purchasing the Newport, RI Inn, she worked as a Tourism Sales Manager for the European hotel company, Le Meridien, gaining extensive experience in worldly travel and hotel sales.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Mark moved to Newport, RI in 1997 and obtained a position in Guest Services at the Cliffside Inn Bed and Breakfast. After two years of employment at Cliffside he was promoted to Food and Beverage Manager. While working at the Inn, Mark attended Johnson and Wales University, majoring in Hotel/Restaurant management. After Newport, he was hired by the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Boston to manage In-Room Dining, Honor Bar, and their famed Afternoon Tea Service. His final position before moving back to operate a Newport Rhode Island Inn was as a Concierge Manager for luxury condominiums managed by Barkan Management, a leading property management firm in Boston.
As your innkeepers, their goal is to provide guests with the finest service and amenities throughout their stay in Newport. They hope that you choose to stay with them when visiting our beautiful city of Newport. For more info on the history of Newport, please visit the History of Newport, RI blog post.
A Historic Home
Standing stately among her peers, this lovely Victorian home resides in the Kay-Catherine area of Newport, a residential area developed in the 1850s at the beginning of Bellevue Avenue. Marshall and Catherine Slocum built it in 1855 when the estate of Henry Bull VI was settled and the land was subdivided and developed in the elegant Victorian style of architecture you see today. Catherine was a direct descendent of Henry Bull I, one of the founding fathers of Newport. Marshall was a pharmacist from Philadelphia and was also handy in the town being known to have moved several buildings nearby.
One other family owned the home prior to it being purchased in 1880 by a commercial developer, and then donated to a local church for use as a parsonage. It was used as a home to the clergy for the next 80 years. Because of the limited buying and selling of the house, there has been little structural change from its original design.
A Newport Inn
Since its inception as a Newport Rhode Island hotel in 1979 the house has been painted and pampered with all systems updated bringing her to the level of comfort and charm that she now enjoys. Nestled under a glorious copper beech tree of like age she reflects the beauty of a bygone era. The wicker rockers on the front porch beckon to be used.
The Open Oyster
Dana and Mark, along with Dana’s dad Dave, also operate the Open Oyster, a unique and interactive catering experience featuring fresh, local food that’s shucked on site at private events. Dana was the creator and visionary – developing a business around the sea’s bounty was a natural choice for her.
What Our Guests are Saying:
“A hidden gem in Newport. My wife and I have stayed at the Inn four times . It is our go to place in Newport… Mark makes himself available for any recommendations, from getting a quick bite to upscale dining, seeing sites all from a local’s perspective. He is always patient and takes an interest in your visit unlike a hotel. Park your car and in less then ten minute walk you are the heart of Newport with all of its sites. Tennis Hall of Fame is in walking distance as well as Thames street and it’s great restaurants. Just a great chill place to stay, we will be back for a fifth time.” Wayne