Grand Motels
Featured Stories & Articles from Cape Cod Travel Magazine: Grand Motels
The classic motel is alive and well on Cape Cod. In fact, it’s thriving. This sandy peninsula is teeming with motels that offer not only the convenient location and reasonable rates you’d expect, but also unexpected touches of outright luxury. These properties offer the perfect combination of easy-on-the-wallet pricing and location, location, location.
If you’re searching for a family-owned business, the Pleasant Bay Village Resort and Motel in Chatham fits the bill. Operated by the Gamsey family since 1953, the resort has been labeled a playful Zen paradise, where a waterfall cascades through a colorful rock garden into a stone-edged pool dotted with lily pads and flashing koi fish. Its six acres of gardens feature 10 waterfalls, a koi pond, an award-winning Oriental garden and a heated pool. Each of the 58 rooms, efficiencies and suites has a garden view and all are furnished in a contemporary style, with original art from Cape Cod artists adorning the walls.
“No matter where you are you hear a waterfall,” General Manager Johnny Ormento says. “We are definitely geared towards families, but everyone comments how quiet it is. We have people who used to come as couples, and now not only do their children come, but their grandchildren do as well.”
Another family-run business is the Anchor In, in Hyannis. Whether it’s a weekend getaway, a romantic retreat or a business trip, the Anchor In offers a convenient location in a dazzling setting. “We are a truly distinctive property,” says Skip Simpson, who owns the motel with his wife, Lisa. “It’s common for people to be amazed once they walk in the door, make their way to the sunroom and see the harbor.”
Bayview Beach, the ferries to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, the Cape Cod Central Railroad, waterfront restaurants and harbor cruises are all within walking distance.
The Cove is located on the waterfront in the heart of bustling Orleans. Nature trails, beaches, boutiques, galleries, theater and some of the Cape’s finest restaurants are nearby, providing the opportunity to enjoy a vacation of either serenity or activity…or both! The resort has 47 rooms, with some featuring water views, patios, decks, fireplaces and kitchenettes.
“It’s a great location. We’re within walking distance to the center of town, so it’s really [convenient],” says Bonnie Gray, manager. “You can walk to shops and restaurants to have ice cream, and there’s a great bakery just around the corner.”
Venture to the tip of the Cape and you will find the Harbor Hotel in Provincetown. Sleek and stylish, the Harbor Hotel’s 119 rooms and 10 suites underwent a complete renovation last winter. Guests now awake to rooms awash in vibrant greens and blues, with a trendy look that belies the idea of staying in a motel.
“Some people describe it as South Beach Miami meets Las Vegas,” General Manager Nicholas Mitchell says. “It’s a contemporary new feel. We’re right across the street from the water and it’s just a 10-minute bike ride into the center of town. But we’re on the outskirts so you don’t have the hustle and bustle of town, yet you’re still close enough to experience everything.”
Shoreway Acres Inn on Falmouth’s historic Shore Street provides the solitude of a private country estate. Nestled in a classic New England setting amid 200-year-old elm trees and stately homes, it is a short stroll to Falmouth’s vibrant center or to picture postcard Surf Drive Beach and Nobska Lighthouse.
The centrally located Inn at Swan River in West Dennis is open year round and features 27 rooms that were completely renovated in 2009. Guests are greeted with a Friday-night welcome reception with hors d’oeuvres and enjoy a Saturday morning coffee social.
Innkeeper Jamie Donahue maintains a personal touch, bringing in homemade soup during the fall season. The expansive backyard has a pool, a fire pit, two barbecue grilles and lush, colorful landscaping. “It’s what captures people,” Donahue says, “…there are all sorts of places to sit for breakfast or dinner.”
Anyone who thinks motels are only able to provide basic bed and bath has clearly never experienced Cape Cod’s concept of these classic accommodations.