About Hotels on Cape Cod

Question:

We're coming for a week's vacation in August, and we'd like to stay at a hotel on the beach.

Which towns have the best selection of beach hotels at reasonable prices?

Dee's Reply:

Hands down, you'll find the largest number of beachfront hotels, motels and resorts in the Mid-Cape area, in the villages of West Yarmouth, South Yarmouth, West Dennis and Dennisport.

Many hotels and motels in this area have their own private beach. Others are just a very short walk or quick bike ride from some of the nicest public beaches on Nantucket Sound.

Because of the sheer volume of rooms available in this area, prices tend to be a little lower here than they are in some other towns.

(Here's more about these villages and the other Cape Cod towns.)

Question:

I travel a lot for business. I have a lot of rewards points from staying at "name-brand" hotels, and I'd like to use them for a short getaway with some friends.

Are there any national chain hotels on Cape Cod where I can use my rewards points for a free night or two?

Dee's Reply:

We do have some of the big name hotels here, but not as many as you might expect.

• There's a Four Points by Sheraton in Eastham that's a nice place to stay. And it's in a great location for exploring the National Seashore beaches and all the historic sites and attractions from Chatham to Provincetown.
• There are Best Western hotels in Bourne and Provincetown, but they come with "mixed" reviews at best.
• The new Hampton Inns & Suites in West Yarmouth is lovely. I'd stay there in a heartbeat.
• In South Yarmouth there's a recently renovated Clarion Inn. It's convenient to Nantucket Sound and Cape Cod Bay beaches and lots of activities like golfing, whale watching, harbor cruises, etc. There's also a good variety of restaurants and pubs nearby.

But overall, if you're looking for "name brand" hotels on Cape Cod, like Marriott, Radisson, etc. ... begin your search in Hyannis.

That's where the majority of the national chain hotels are located.

Question:

Can you recommend some family oriented hotels or resorts? We're a family of five, and our kids' ages are 9, 6 and 4. Thanks!

Dee's Reply:

Wow! That covers a lot of ground.

Most Cape Cod hotels and resorts are very welcoming to families with children. But, as with any vacation spot, some lodgings offer more for parents and kids than others.

I'm assuming you're looking for accommodations where there are plenty of activities on site to keep the kids busy, where they'll meet lots of other kids, and where you won't have to play "tour director" 24/7 ...

Here's are several popular, family-oriented lodgings you might want to consider:

• Green Harbor Waterfront Lodging in Falmouth
• Cape Codder Resort in Hyannis
• Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club in Brewster
• Riviera Beach Resort in Bass River, and it's smaller "sister resort" - Green Harbor on the Ocean in West Yarmouth.

Question:

All we need is a place to sleep at night. Just a clean, comfortable room at a reasonable price.

How much should we expect to pay for "budget lodging"?

Dee's Reply:

It all depends on the time of year.

• July and August are the busiest months here.

  That's when lodging is in big demand, and prices are highest.

  Expect to pay $80 to $90 or more per night for even the most basic, no-frills motels.

• May, June, September and October are the "shoulder months".

  It's a lot easier to find nice hotel and motel rooms in the shoulder months, even on a tight budget.

  Room rates are generally 10-20% lower at this time of year.

• November through April is our "off season".

  This is when hotels in Cape Cod roll out some truly incredible bargains!

  You'll find Holiday specials, mid-winter getway packages, and other super-saving deals - often at discounts of 40-50% or more below summer prices.

  For example:

  The Chatham Bars Inn is generally regarded as one of the most upscale resort hotels on Cape Cod.

  (The words "Chatham Bars Inn" and "budget lodging" are never found in the same sentence!)

  But ... during off-season you can often find special offers at the "CBI" for under $200 per night.

  That's a really fantastic deal when you realize that the same room could set you back more than $400 per night in July and August!

Question:

My wife and I are coming to Falmouth for a wedding. We only need lodging for one night.

I've heard that most hotels on Cape Cod have two or three night minimum stay requirements. Is that true?

Dee's Reply:

Yes, it's true.

Our summer vacations season is pretty short. So every night is precious to Cape Cod lodging owners.

That's why many impose minimum stay requirements. Usually 2-night minimums, especially on weekends.

For a single night stay, you'll probably have the best luck at one of the larger national chain hotels on Cape Cod. They're more likely to have rooms available for a single night, even on summer weekends.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Many lodgings also have cancellation policies with a hefty penalty if you cancel your reservation at the last minute or check out early.

These policies are normally very strictly enforced, so please, please, please ...

Be sure to learn about any cancellation policies and penalties before you make your reservation!

Question:

We're driving to Hyannis, staying there overnight, then taking the ferry to Martha's Vineyard for a week's stay.

How much do Cape Cod hotels and motels charge for parking? Will we be able to leave our car in the parking lot at our Hyannis hotel while we're away in Martha's Vineyard?

Dee's Reply:

Trying to save on ferry terminal parking fees, aren't you?

Good thinking! Unfortunately, that's not the way it works.

Virtually all hotels, motels, B&Bs and inns on Cape Cod provide free parking for their paying guests.

BUT - when you check out, you're no longer a paying guest. So your vehicle must go with you.

That being said ...

It's possible that there are a few exceptions to this rule that I'm not aware of. So it never hurts to call your hotel of choice and ask what their parking policy is.

FYI: There's a long-term parking lot at Hyannis Transportation Center ($6 per day) just off Main Street in Hyannis. It's about 10 minutes walk from there to the ferry piers. In season, you can also take the Hyannis trolley from the Transportation Center to the piers (free).

Question:

How far in advance should we reserve our hotel or motel room if we plan to visit sometime in August? Is Cape Cod a good place for "last minute deals" on lodging?

Dee's Reply:

The general rule has always been: The earlier you reserve, the better. Wait too long, and you might find that everything's sold out for the dates you want.

Although, a couple years ago (2009) I was surprised to see "Vacancy" signs at quite a few popular hotels on Cape Cod - ones that are usually booked to capacity many months in advance. So, nosy one that I am, I asked some hotel owners and managers how their season was going.

As I suspected, reservations were down, vacancies were up ... and they were offering some really nice last-minute deals to fill their empty rooms.

Will it be that way again in summers to come? Who knows.

To be safe, I'd still recommend reserving as early as you possibly can.

FYI: If you do decide to visit on the spur of the moment, call around. A hotel or motel that shows all rooms "Sold Out" online, might have had a last-minute cancellation that the website hasn't caught up with yet.

It's worth a quick call to the hotel's local phone number (it'll be a 508 area code) to find out if any rooms are available.

UPDATE: November 2011

As I expected might happen, tourism has rebounded the past few summers. And this season promises to be even better.

So it's a good idea to reserve your Cape Cod lodging as soon as possible!