We discovered the Cape Codder Resort & Spa in Hyannis Cape Cod by accident. Originally we were going to stay with friends on the road to Cape Cod for several days, overlooking a small lake and doing very else but lazy canoe rides, reading classic novels and writing. When that plan fell through, we were introduced to the Cape Codder in Hyannis, which couldn’t have been a more perfect option for us as we were coming from the North Shore and were planning to catch a ferry to Nantucket the next morning.
The Cape Codder is conveniently located five minutes from the port where the ferries take you across to the island, yet is “just” far enough away from the crazy traffic and chaos of the other hotels which are across the street and on the same block.
On-site, there’s 91 Deluxe guest rooms and 111 Cape Codder rooms (individually designed). The rooms couldn’t be more charming — charming but spacious. The larger Deluxe Rooms have one king or two double beds and there are 14 Cape Codder Rooms with one hand-carved king or two queen beds, some with fuel cell fireplaces. There’s also 6 Loft Suites and the Chatham Light Suite which features decorative, working fireplaces and oversized Jacuzzi tubs, which came in our loft suite. (see photo below)
All guest rooms amenities include a unique, discounted telecommunications package rate, interactive television system providing digitally formatted movies and on-demand movies, music selections, a graphical user interface with multilingual capability, individual climate control, wifi, Gilchrist & Soames bath amenities, same day dry cleaning service and more.
The lofts are on two floors, with the main living room area (with a separate bathroom) and fireplace are on the first floor with the bedroom, bathroom and jacuzzi hot tub being on the second floor, which is accessible from a beautifully finished wooden staircase.
There are various sitting areas, including a larger area right outside the indoor pools, which has a space where kids can play in the sand. Impressive!
And, then there’s the very pretty outside pool which is laced with flowers in their gardens along the edges and in the back. Their Rainbow Falls heated outdoor pool uses salt water and salt generation cleaning to create a cleaner, healthier pool without the chemicals found in traditional outdoor pools. Ahhh, what a place to kick back — let’s just say summer bliss!!
When the sun goes down, the outdoor pool transforms into a beautiful night time light show as LED lights make the pool perfect for an evening dip or a romantic light show in the pool. (adult only swim in the evenings).
For their recent lobby renovation, the Catania Hospitality group enlisted the talent of Cris Reverdy of Studio-Brush who designed and built a decorative wall piece behind the reception desk that almost makes you feel like you’re in a glass bottom boat except it’s horizontal – it’s a great touch and makes checking in a very serene experience.
Additionally, Sandwich artist David McDermott of McDermott Glass Studio designed an ocean-themed chandelier near reception. The result is remarkable and the main thing you see when you first enter the lobby area. Its stunning beauty draws you in and begs you to want to explore more of the hotel — his design is a 6’ by 6.5’ cluster of 400 hand-blown pieces of glass, including twelve fish, three scallop shells and one large Whelk shell suspended from the center.
The 400 pieces were attached individually to a metal cage, custom-crafted by Turn Wright Machine Works in West Dennis. McDermott has created commissioned pieces for six U.S. presidents and Pope John Paul II among others, and his work is in the collections of several prestigious museums including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Still, this was the first chandelier he and his studio ever created. Breathtaking!
The entire property is spacious, not just the rooms, the restaurants or sitting areas and for a larger property catered to savvy travelers and families, they nailed it on the details and service.
What we also didn’t realize since this trip wasn’t focused on family travel or experiencing a property from a family point of view, is that the Cape Codder offers an incredible array of amenities and facilities for families. In addition to their spacious rooms, they have two or three bedroom Cape Codder Residences which feature full kitchens, luxury adorned rooms, and working fireplaces — sleeping up to 10 guests.
The decor is tastefully done and is reminiscent of life by the sea. From the exquisite hand-detailed mural paintings, Claire Murray hand-hooked rugs and stunning decor to the gas fireplace, expansive floor plans and custom master bathrooms with whirlpool tubs and steam showers, you will feel more like you are at home rather than in a rented property. While we didn’t actually stay in one of the apartments and would love to return to experience the resort solely from a family perspective, we did get a chance to view a 3 bedroom residence.
Amenities include sleep sofa, soft chair, 50” HD LCD television, DVD/music system, personal computer with free wireless internet, outdoor balcony with seating and gas fireplace. There’s also a fully-equipped kitchen with oven and range, microwave, full-size refrigerator/freezer, dishwasher and washer/dryer), beautiful dish and glass wares.
The Master Suite features a king bed with memory foam mattress; 42” HD LCD television; private balcony; master bath with heated tile floor, steam shower with 16 body wash jets, True Whirlpool bath with hydrotherapy, chromatherapy, aromatherapy, air therapy and ultra violet sanitation, hand-painted Cape Cod murals and dual sinks.
They also have programs for kids which get them involved in physical, cultural and educational activities. There’s a great pool outside with a waterfall and two inside pools so you can have some fun in the fall and cooler months.
The indoor wave pool is massive — 8,200 square feet and includes 2-foot waves, 80-foot and 50-foot water slides, waterfalls, soothing 24-person whirlpool, water fountains, cascading water umbrella and two saunas. Wow right? Yeah, we were surprised too and all the children looked like they were having a blast.
An interesting side note and quirky but interesting fact – they have incorporated the High Intensity Ultra-Violet Light System. This revolutionary system (which is not required by state or local laws) uses ultra-violet light to destroy living organisms present in the liquid being treated. It has been well established that exposure to high intensity light destroys harmful bacteria, thus making the swimming water safer, a great factoid if you have children.
Also for children, there’s a playground for tennis and volleyball, a kids room for various kids’ activities and live music on Friday and Saturday nights.
The Grand Cru Restaurant on the premises, a Mediterranean-style wine bar features a carefully selected list of fine wines from around the world. Using a state-of-the-art wine preservation system, they offer over 20 different wines by the glass, bottle or taste as well as classic cocktails, martinis, ports, cognacs, single malt scotches, ice-cold micro brews and live entertainment on the weekends. They even had a couple of fairly old Kistler Chardonnays which we sampled, thanks to Kelly Jestice, the bartender and wine guru on site who steered us in the right direction with recommendations and pairings while giving stellar service!
And, let’s just the food equally matched his stellar service — from delicious ravioli and salads to chicken, seafood (the salmon was delicious) and pasta (try the shrimp tossed over linguini). There’s also a great lobster casserole and the desserts are worth trying as well. Top notch!
Two thumbs up and we’d definitely recommend it if you’re heading to the Cape, particularly if you have a family in tow. Also be sure to check out our post on their Beach Plum Spa on the premises as well. Another two thumbs up!
Details:
Cape Codder Resort
1225 Iyannough Road
Hyannis, MA 02601
(508) 534-5501
Note: we were hosted by the resort for our stay but opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
