The 60-foot Vicem motoryacht Vanderbilt is available for day charters.

Last Thursday, a champagne reception in the Model Room at the New York Yacht Club celebrated the launch of the newly renovated Vanderbilt Hall, a mansion hotel and private members’ club in Newport, Rhode Island. I was sorry to have to turn down the invitation, but my scheduling conflict gave me a good excuse to get the early scoop about what is certain to be a top shore-side excursion for anyone chartering a yacht in New England this summer.

The cornerstone for Vanderbilt Hall was laid more than a century ago, in 1908, and the property operated as a YMCA for several decades. In the mid-1970s, the Newport Restoration Foundation moved into the building, and in the mid-1990s the property was renovated into a AAA Four Diamond hotel. In November 2009, former America’s Cup yachtsman Peter de Savary bought the property for a reported $5.7 million and set about turning it into the luxury retreat that will be celebrated in Manhattan two days from today.

de Savary is already well-known in the charter industry because of other developments that guests frequently visit, including Port Louis Marina on Grenada at the St. James’ Club on Antigua. While he plans to turn Vanderbilt Hall into a private members’ club, he is allowing non-member hotel guests in 2010, including during the upcoming summer charter season.

Moments from the waterfront, Vanderbilt Hall is the only Mansion Hotel and Private Members Club in the heart of historic Newport.

Guests can enjoy Vanderbilt Hall’s dining room and bar, conservatory and garden, European spa with indoor and outdoor pools, rooftop terrace, and access to the 60-foot Vicem motoryacht Vanderbilt for day charters. Also on site is de Savary’s private collection of American Illustration art, which is believed to be worth more than Vanderbilt Hall and its recent renovations, combined.

For charter guests who want to enjoy a night at Vanderbilt Hall, the easiest option is to have your yacht’s captain tie up at The Marina at Brown and Howards Wharf in Newport, which is about a 10-minute walk from the property. “That’s where Peter pulls in when he comes to visit,” Vanderbilt Hall’s general manager told me. “It’s an easy 10-minute jaunt for him to get here from the boat, and we send our people down to pick up his luggage.”

For more info, visit the Vanderbilt Hall website.

Sag Harbor is on Long Island, near the world-famous Hamptons playground for wealthy Manhattanites. It’s also a fine jumping-off point for itineraries that include southern New England’s Block Island and Newport, which is a four-hour cruise away.

King Baby is a 2009 launch that I first wrote about in this Yacht Insider story for Boats.com after I toured her in February at the Miami International Boat Show. She has a captain who came from far larger charter motoryachts and incorporated lessons learned into the new yacht’s smaller package. The entertainment system aboard King Baby is particularly impressive for a yacht her size, for instance, and guest bathrooms were intentionally made bigger to allow for greater guest comfort.

The decor is comfortably elegant, and is accented by museum-quality, black-and-white photographs of rock-n-roll legends. It’s the first yacht where I’ve ever seen such artwork, and I really liked the fun vibe that it lent to the ambience.

King Baby is part of the charter fleet at Hargrave Yachts.