Chatham Bars Inn

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Fodorite Reviews

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  old Cape charm, modern Cape luxury

  To us, Chatham Bars Inn is everything a luxury hotel on Cape Cod ought to be, and more.
  
  Our 4th stay at Chatham Bars over the years, on this particular trip we arrived and then decided to get married! The hotel shared our enthusiasm and truly made our "elopement" a brilliant experience.
  
  The concierge sent us into the white clapboard Chatham Town Hall for our license, and then arranged for white hydrangea and cabbage roses to fill our room for the week.
  
  On our wedding day, we were married in the gardens overlooking the Atlantic, and then a few friends joined us on the hotel's veranda for champagne and wonderful canape's.
  
  We're two guys and were delightedly surprised that we did not encounter a single bit of awkwardness from the staff ... indeed, the dining rooms' staff made the whole week celebratory, and everyone from the valets to front desk/concierge folks to the hotel engineers went out of their to wish us good luck and congratulations! I can't begin to explain how much this meant to us.
  
  For those of you who simply want an amazing Cape Cod experience, I've been to more expensive hotels on the Cape, and still very much prefer Chatham Bars Inn.
  
  Winding your way through the charming New England village of Chatham, you soon find you have the Atlantic on your right and a stunning 100 year-old grand dame of a hotel perched on a hill overlooking the bars and the sea, dressed in weathered grey shingles, immaculate lawns, and lush flowerbeds.
  
  The property itself is gorgeous. The main Inn, the bungalows, and the grounds, as mentioned, are spectacular. The rooms are crisp and charming w/o being too cute, many with fireplaces.
  
  The interiors, public and private, have the perfect balance of beauty, elegance, and charm for more formal occasions while providing a comfortable and relaxing environment where summer staples of shorts, polos and flip-flops feel entirely appropriate.
  
  The guest room beds, which for me are the key amenity in a luxury property, are on par with any I've experienced at Four Seasons or St Regis.
  
  The diversity and excellence of the dining rooms and their staffs exceeds experiences we've had at other 5 star resorts. The main dining room is wonderful, the tavern is great for casual fare and families with young and/or rambunctious kids (we ate in the bar there twice so we could keep watching the US Open), and the beach grill is perfection ... right on the sand, it's beach/pool vibe is just right, and yet the food far exceeds any comparable seaside dining spot we've been too.
  
  The pool is awesome, and there's biking, tennis, nearby golf, kids' programs that seemed really cool. On a 9 day stay, two days were rainy, and everyone retreated to the well-planned great room and library (in the main Inn) to play games, cards, chess, checkers, backgammon ...
  
  As a whole ... it's just the way summer vacation should be. My highest recommendation.

  by michaelkingmoore, 9/18/08
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  October 2007 weekend--perfect!

  CBI is on the water and you are going to smell salt air, in and out of the hotel. (Souvenir shops sell bottles of "Cape Cod Air" in the village.) I stayed with my spouse and kids in a Master Suite--room 36, with 270-degree views. Two flat-screen TVS. Two small terraces on the water. Beautiful. On the third floor of the main hotel, northern wing. Only weird thing was the lack of a minibar and strange espresso-maker I couldn't figure out. Had to run down to the lounge for (compliementary) coffee. The hotel was busy even though it was October, (thanks to global warming?) with one conference but mostly weddings. I was happy we made dinner reservations in advance of our trip--staff members were directing guests without reservations to the Squire restaurant in town. CBI didn't even have room in the Tavern! In October! We had a car and drove in to Chatham for a trip to Candy Manor (best candy on the Cape!), the bookstore, and then for a drive to Nauset Beach in Orleans. Maybe if it were summer, or didn't have kids, we would walk. If you're shelling out for CBI, bring or rent a car. CBI's actual beach is not spectacular--although the view is. Main dining room breakfast is great, Tavern dinner good, especially the low-carb entree and the spa-sized desserts. Service was good-natured in accomodating the reality of travelling with 3 children. Very kid-friendly for such a beautiful old hotel.

  by Travlling, 11/8/07
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  Expensive and over rated at best

  I stayed there for 9 days in one of the best suites and let me tell you I was disappointed. While the service for me was good, the rest of my group was not given the same treatment as they were in "lesser" rooms. The front desk did not know that we were all together - so the treatment should have been the same. There were rooms around the corner from me that were worse than dorm rooms - and in late fall in the rain - the heaters did not work. Very expensive and they do not come through with what they offer in the package. They offered our group an item from their production company and 2 years later they do not have it completed and will not respond. I guess it was a way to get us to sign on the dotted line with no way to get it now.. They were also bought out(I was told my a worker there) and will not do group packages any longer, although- I guess they feel they can sustain themselves with true tourists and no company business - good luck - I hear they are already rethinking this move. You would think if you spend hundreds of thousands at their place they would call you back when you were looking at space but after numerous calls, they never returned a phone call or e-mail which helped them lose our business. Customer Service has a whole different meaning I guess. The rooms, for the price, should not smell as much of the water or beach. My room overlooked a roof that had pools of water on them (good thing I did not want to go out on one of the patios - it must have been nasty) I expect that at the lower end hotels at the Cape - but we were told we were at one of the best places at the Cape.... I read 1700 for a meal from one post - no way would I pay that - it is not worth it...they are good but not that good in my personal opinion. For a New England feel try Cranwell Resport in Lenox, MA - what a nice time and great food - their chef is wonderful... Good Luck if you book there.

  by mscsoccermom, 8/6/07

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