Providence has always had a story to tell. Follow its literary side from historic libraries and independent bookstores to the streets that inspired some of its most famous writers. Stay at The Beatrice and discover a city best explored one chapter at a time.
Currently on the Nightstand
Bea's Book of the Month
A good hotel room deserves a good book. Bea's Book of the Month brings a new title to your stay, selected with curious readers in mind and sourced locally from Symposium Books. Request this month's pick as an in-room amenity and consider your evening plans settled.
If These Walls Could Talk
Providence Athenaeum
Some places feel literary. The Providence Athenaeum has the history to prove it. Since 1838, its book-lined rooms have welcomed generations of readers and writers, including Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft. Today, it remains a living piece of Providence’s literary history.
Worth Browsing
Providence Bookstores
Symposium Books
Just a few blocks from The Beatrice, Symposium is an independent downtown favorite filled with new and used books and a regular calendar of readings, signings and literary events. It is also where The Beatrice sources selections for Bea's Book of the Month.
Brown Bookstore
At the heart of College Hill, Brown University's independent bookstore pairs academic titles with a wide general book selection. Browse the shelves, then step outside onto one of Providence's most storied campuses.
Books on the Square
A Wayland Square fixture since 1992, this independent neighborhood bookstore is made for lingering. Expect an eclectic mix of fiction and nonfiction, a celebrated children's section, author events, and book clubs.
Paper Nautilus
For the thrill of finding something unexpected. Paper Nautilus has more than 25,000 rare, recent, used and new books, with particularly strong collections in art, literature, history and local authors, including Providence's own H.P. Lovecraft.
Barrington Books
A beloved Rhode Island independent bookstore, Barrington Books pairs a thoughtfully curated collection of new releases and longtime favorites with gifts, stationery and plenty worth browsing. Set aside some time to wander the shelves and find your next good read.
Providence After Dark
Dark Tales: Haunted Authors
Providence's literary history gets considerably stranger after sunset. Dark Tales: Haunted Authors of Providence follows H.P. Lovecraft, poet Sarah Helen Whitman, and Edgar Allan Poe through the streets, homes, and haunts that shaped their stories. The 90-minute walking tour begins at Prospect Terrace and winds through roughly 1.5 miles of Providence history, fact, fiction, and a few ghosts along the way.
Find a Quiet Corner
Providence Coffee & Tea Shops
Brown Bee Coffee
A charming College Hill café serving thoughtfully made coffee, pastries and plenty of reasons to linger. Settle in with a cup before exploring Benefit Street or the neighborhood beyond.
Bitty & Beau's Coffee
A bright, welcoming café on North Main Street serving coffee with an even better purpose. Grab a cup before heading up College Hill or toward Benefit Street.
Ceremony Tea
A modern tea house bringing a fresh perspective to traditional tea culture, with premium teas and inventive drinks. Come for a cup and discover something new.
Caffè Nero
A downtown stop made for coffee and a few uninterrupted pages. Settle in with an espresso, pastry and whatever is currently bookmarked.
Small Point Café
A cozy Westminster Street café serving locally roasted coffee, tea and casual café fare. Find a seat, open a book and stay for another cup.
The Landing PVD
Part café, part gallery and part local shop, The Landing serves Providence roasted New Harvest Coffee alongside ice cream, gifts and locally made finds.
Rise 'N Shine
Tucked inside a historic Smith Hill carriage house, Rise 'N Shine feels like a find. Locally roasted coffee, fresh pastries and indoor and outdoor seating make it an easy place to disappear into a few chapters.
Coffee Connection
A Rhode Island favorite serving coffee, espresso and easy morning bites in the heart of downtown. Stop in for a cup before setting out for a day in Providence.
Your Next Chapter
Stay Curious
Come for Providence. Stay for the stories. Make The Beatrice your home in the city and spend a few days discovering the bookstores, libraries, writers, and wonderfully strange history waiting just beyond our doors.
