There is a distinct difference between the millionaires and billionaires on Nantucket. The billionaires rarely leave their splendid compounds outfitted with home theatres, pools and staff. They arrive in their Learjets, and their food, friends and staff are flown in too. Personal chefs plan and prepare daily menus and nannies take care of their children.
And then there are the mere millionaires, the petite bourgeoisie, who are perhaps the culprits in changing the all around face of Nantucket. They fly in on commercial flights and stay at upscale hotels and inns. They purchase investment homes where they customize interiors and exteriors, going a tad overboard. It's been said that the new rich are pushing out the old rich, who live in homes handed down from one generation to the next, and this is probably true.
And then there are the rest of us who want to take a trip to Nantucket and stay at a lovely, quintessential New England hotel. It begins with parking your car in Hyannis and hopping on the ferry with a mix of people, whether they're summer residents, weekend visitors or local commuting carpenters, who knows and who cares, because Nantucket is a special and fun place to visit. It's big on family. In fact I would say it's all about family on this island 30 miles off the coast of Massachusetts.
When visiting Nantucket, you can be part of the past and present. The iconic, grand dame Point Breeze Hotel, originally built in 1891, is now a refurbished grand dame with a new name, "The Nantucket" (The Nantucket Hotel & Resort). The grand opening is on July 12, 2012. The year-round resort welcomes guests and families not only in the popular summer months but also for seasonal events such as the Daffodil Festival (April to mid-May), Wine Festival (May), Nantucket Film Festival (June) and the Christmas Stroll in early December.
