Self-Catering Accommodations
Featured Stories & Articles from Cape Cod Travel Magazine: Self-Catering Accommodations
Accommodations with kitchens have always been an attractive vacation choice, but they’ve hit a new resurgence in popularity lately. Families with children appreciate the convenience of preparing a quick breakfast before heading out for some sun and fun, foodies who may not have time to cook in their everyday lives can savor preparing meals and European guests have always found “self-catering” lodging appealing. The options range from tiny cottages to lofts with hotel-like splendor and everything in between. Best of all, there is something to fit every budget.
Full-service kitchens are a huge selling point at The Breakwaters in Hyannis, according to manager James Mabru. The 18 weathered gray cottages range from one- to three-bedrooms and are located right on Nantucket Sound, just steps from the sand or the heated pool and a short walk to the shops and attractions on Main Street. Each cottage is decorated in a light, airy “beachy” style and comes with a barbecue, picnic table, beach umbrella, deck furniture, linens, toiletries and daily maid service.
“You have the services of a hotel, but in a house situation,” Mabru says. “You’re on your own and no one is going to bother you, but you are getting some attention on a daily basis.
In the same neighborhood, Captain Gosnold Village in Hyannis has 30 different cottages, all unique in design and décor except for the charming pink shutters and flowering window boxes that decorate each one. The units range in size from one-room studios to three-bedroom cottages and all offer a home away from home experience. Cocktail hour on the lawn is a popular pastime as the kids play on the playground.
“Our layout presents more of a neighborhood where everybody has grass and can get up and walk over to the pool,” says property manager Jill Gulden. “It’s a big yard with flowers and trees. I just can’t imagine the alternative, especially with the kids.”
Shoreway Acres Resort Inn is located in the historic district of Falmouth, halfway between Main Street and the beach. The five-acre property has 80 rooms, half in historic sea captains’ homes and half in contemporary buildings. They have eight units with full kitchens and 28 with dining nooks and offer daily housekeeping and complimentary breakfast.
Amenities include indoor and outdoor pools, lawn games, barbecue grills, umbrella tables with chairs and chaise lounges. Their variety of accommodations make them a popular spot for family or class reunions and they will set up outdoor hospitality areas to serve as a meeting place for large groups.
“We see a lot of parents and grandparents traveling together and one taking the room with the kitchen and the other taking a regular accommodation,” says owner Dorie Ketterer.
Multigenerational stays are also popular at Green Harbor Resort, a seven-acre waterfront property located on a private beach on Lewis Bay in West Yarmouth, which has 53 units in a myriad of configurations from efficiencies to four-bedroom homes, all with full kitchens. There’s a huge heated outdoor pool, mini-golf course, canoes and organized children’s programs Monday through Saturday.
Since Green Harbor is one of five Red Jacket Resorts on Cape Cod, guests can also enjoy the amenities at any of the sister resorts, including the championship golf course at Blue Rock Golf Resort. And each unit has full maid service on a daily basis.
“We’ll even wash the dishes for you,” says Kenneth Smith, director of operations of Red Jacket Resorts. “And just give us a list of groceries and we’ll call Peapod service through Stop & Shop and have it brought right to your unit for you.”
For a more Patti Page style Old Cape Cod experience with knotty pine interiors and working fireplaces for those chilly nights, Holiday Shores has five two-bedroom cottages in South Chatham. The first cottage is right on a private beach and the others are staggered up a quaint private lane so each has a water view of Nantucket Sound from its deck.
“They were built in 1955 and my parents bought them off the builder in 1959, so it’s been a family tradition,” says owner Pam Parsons. The kitchens are fully equipped with everything she could think of, including frosty mugs in the freezer, and some of the same guests have been coming for 42 years, creating a warm family environment.
Family is also the centerpiece at The Even’tide Resort Motel and Cottages in Wellfleet, which has nine various-style cottages and two motel rooms with kitchens, set on a six-acre property that borders Cape Cod National Seashore and the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Their 30- by 60-foot indoor pool with adjoining sundeck and other amenities are why people keep coming back.
“The thing that’s really popular for families is in the middle of the complex there’s a miniature golf, shuffleboard, badminton and a picnic area with two grills, volleyball and we have a basketball court, so there’s a lot to do right here on the property,” says owner Bob McCaffery.
Those looking for a more upscale experience may opt to stay at The Cottages at the Boat Basin on Nantucket, which offers 24 waterfront cottages and five lofts with one- to three-bedrooms, all with gourmet kitchens and outdoor patios or decks perfect for dining or entertaining. Each cottage is decorated with a nautical décor with cozy furnishings and pine flooring in the living areas and slate floors in the bathrooms.
The Boat Basin offers a provisioning service that will make sure your fridge is stocked with groceries when you arrive. They will also make dinner reservations, hire babysitters and dog-sitters and rent a car for you. “You really don’t need to do anything other than show up, which is nice,” says Bettina Landt, manager at sister property the White Elephant, which has a spectacular loft with gourmet kitchen as well.