When I was growing up my mother was full of platitudes “if a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well”, “good things are hard to find” and the like. I suspect those words would be familiar to innkeeper Zita Cobb whose vision is responsible for the unlikely and exceptional experience of visiting Fogo Island. The founding of the Fogo Island Inn is worthy of your research. It is owned by a registered charity dedicated “to helping to secure a resilient economic future for Fogo Island, Change Islands, and similar rural communities worldwide.” This mission shows in all aspects of the Inn from design, construction, materials, décor, sourcing, supply chain, employees and training. The backstory to the Inn is very well documented, its creation fascinating, and knowing these stories helped to set the stage for our entire Fogo Island experience. And the Fogo Island Inn experience…? It was very comfortable, friendly, luxurious and unpretentious. After a 14 hour day travelling we were delighted to be greeted with a welcome basket, delivered to our room in a wooden “toolbox”, with tea, warm biscuits, molasses and local Partridge Berry preserve to tide us over as we dressed for dinner. We would continue to be delighted with a similar “day break” basket each morning!
The facilities are second to none – everywhere featured windows overlooking the North Atlantic. Binoculars were provided to enhance the views. Handmade quilts, handcrafted decor and unique designs evoke a bygone era where destinations were celebrated for their unique local flair and not a bland, homogeneous, “I could be in any major hotel anywhere in the world” experience. The comfortable armchairs coordinated and clashed with wallpapers, pillows, quilts and rugs while wood fires created a cozy, curl up atmosphere. You can see the historical origins of these designs in the nearby Brett House Museum which preserves a local home first established in the 1870’s, and features richly coloured and patterned linoleum floors abutting one another and equally lively wallpapers in a chaotic embrace. The “locally made of natural materials” aesthetic is a good part of the charm and luxe of the Inn. Visiting politicians and celebrities must find it even more refreshing than we did to be catered to and yet treated as visiting friends.
With only 29 rooms the inn is an intimate place, and whether in the lounge, lobby, bar or dining room we met interesting people from all over the world and shared our stories over wonderful food served by eager and exuberant local staff. The dining room perched overlooking the shore, extensive library replete with local history books, small cinema and art gallery provided a rich environment to appreciate the locale. We concluded each night with a visit to the roof top hot tubs that gave a spectacular view of the stars and North Atlantic – there isn’t much light pollution on Fogo Island! Although seasoned travellers can usually conjure up a tale of horror to refute me, let me say that in my experience two nights is not a lengthy stay anywhere. With the time and effort required to get to Fogo Island and the quality of the unique and embracing experience I will say it is definitely not enough, a minimum of 3 nights is recommended. If you are looking for white glove anonymity I suggest you look elsewhere, this is real. Highly recommended!
Fogo Island Inn,
210 Main Rd, Joe Batt's Arm,
NL A0G 2X0
Phone: (709) 658-3444