OVERVIEW of the Chatham Bars Inn
Cape Cod is the body of land that extends from Massachusetts into the Atlantic like a beckoning finger. Its year round population of 200,000+ explodes in the summer as Bostonians seek to escape the city and New Englanders flock to the beaches.
Among the most picturesque of Cape Cod towns, Chatham is home to the Chatham Bars Inn, a magical oceanfront resort that can serve as a romantic escape for two or a memorable vacation for the whole family. Built at the turn of the century, the property sits perched on a bluff overlooking Pleasant Bay and the Atlantic. A recent $100 million renovation saw guest rooms, public spaces, the cottages and the restaurant refurbished and refreshed.
Set on 25 exquisitely manicured acres, the Inn offers luxury accommodations, excellent food, outstanding service and enough to do to keep even the little ones happy.
THE ROOMS at the Chatham Bars Inn
The historic main inn has two floors of guestrooms, accessible by elevator or the original grand staircase that winds its way up from the elegant lobby. Rooms are cozy with a New England themed décor and have flat screen TV s, Bose Wave radios, luxury linens, L’Occitane bath amenities, Nespresso coffeemakers and wireless internet access. Premier rooms and suites have decks or balconies overlooking the harbor and ocean.
The Spa Suites are the most recent addition to the property and offer twelve, adult-only, exclusive suites appointed with oversized hydrotherapy tubs, saunas, steam showers, massage tables and fireplaces. Located above the spa, suite guests can enjoy the outdoor relaxation pool with private cabanas and the Japanese Zen gardens.
My stay was in one of the twenty-six cottages that dot the property on the water side of the street. Some are set high atop a bluff, some are nestled in landscaped gardens and some sit along the private beach. Mine had a cozy bedroom with a window seat and a living room with comfortable furniture, a fireplace and spectacular views off the outside deck.
DINING at the Chatham Bars Inn
Afternoon tea is served every Friday and Saturday in the South Lounge, a wonderfully cozy room with comfortable chairs and sofas and a roaring fire in the cooler months. You’ll enjoy the finest teas and infusions, and nibble finger sandwiches, tea breads, cakes and savories all freshly prepared in the Chatham Bars Inn kitchen.
The Veranda, with its stunning ocean views is open seasonally and serves cocktails, salads, paninis and lite dinner fare. Also open seasonally, The Beach House Grill is located on the private beach with indoor and outdoor seating. Lunch is served daily and the Grill hosts family theme nights during the summer, including their famous Cape Cod Clambake.
STARS, is a premium steakhouse, which is so good that it has become a destination on its own. With custom chandeliers, massive columns, a fireplace and fantastic views, the setting couldn’t be more conducive to a great meal. Serving mid-western grain fed and dry aged beef and local ingredients and produce from the Inn’s own farm, STARS has earned the AAA Four Diamond Award. The service is extraordinary and the menu distinctive enough to set it apart of other steakhouses. Start with the raw bar (the line ginger relish with the local oysters is fantastic) or the sashimi of tuna and hamachi served with chilled Himalayan salt rock and hot river rock, pickled scallion, ponzu gel and ginger vinaigrette. While they’ll custom cut your grain fed beef at the table, opt for the dry aged beef, it is so much more flavorful. You can choose from 5 different sauces and select one side..the pale ale battered onion rings were amazing. Wines are served from an open wine cellar displayed on tables in the dining room. The selection is worthy of a good steakhouse and the pricing is reasonable. Leave room for dessert..there are great choices.
For a more casual dinner or an after dinner drink, The Sacred Cod Tavern is cozy and comfortable with a menu of New England favorites, excellent by the glass wine list and over 30 local craft beers.
THE RATES at the Chatham Bars Inn
From $735 Peak Season Weekend
WHAT OTHERS SAY About at the Chatham Bars Inn
AAA Four Diamond Award – Lodging
Forbes Four Star Award – Lodging
Forbes Four Star Award – Spa
Wine Spectator Award
“Occupying a “gorgeous spot on a bluff” this 1914 “grande dame of the Chatham cruise set” is a “place to take the family,” what, with the “great pool and beach”, children’s programs, spa, nearby “wide nine hole golf course”, championship croquet and tennis courts whose “mixture of carpet, sand and clay” means you “can play even after a heavy rain”; though, “small”, the rooms are “much better post-renovations”, and you “still get the old Cape Cod ambiance.” ZAGAT
PROMOTIONS at at the Chatham Bars Inn
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