Cape Cod hotel combines luxury with eco-friendly touches
Settled amidst salty air and seaside breezes, with sandy beaches and the roll of the Atlantic surf right at its doorstep, Chatham Bars Inn, just 90 minutes from Boston, is one of Cape Cod’s finest luxury sea resorts. Built in 1914 and designated an historic building, the 40 rooms in the Main Building (217 in total) have been restored to their original grandeur with several offering sweeping views of the blue Atlantic.
“All our improvements and renovations have been made as eco-friendly as possible,” says Jenn Allard, marketing coordinator for the resort. Since 2005, the hotel has implemented many green initiatives, including the use of green cleaning products in housekeeping, food and beverage and maintenance; recycling bins throughout the property and in each guest room; occupancy sensors to reduce energy use; compact fluorescent lights and an advanced recycling program that has yielded hundreds of tons of cardboard, glass, plastic and paper goods. “One of our goals is to educate staff and the various departments to make sure, every day, they are doing all they can to recycle,” says Allard. In fact, a “green committee” was formed in 2007 to issue formal “green” guidelines.
Going one step further, a horticulturalist was hired to help in the use of native flora and fauna, plus the use of water-conserving plants. “We have many drought-tolerant trees and shrubs on the grounds, including Ginkgo biloba,” says Barbara Connolly, the inn’s horticulturist. “We also use an integrated pest management system approach to managing landscape pests, plus we eliminated the early spring lawn fertilization in order to encourage root growth to lessen mid-summer watering needs.”
The hotel sources local produce as much as possible. “There’s a fish pier that abuts our property,” says Allard, “and our chef will get seafood early in the morning right off the boat.” Adds Chef Anthony Cole, “at least 95 per cent of the seafood we use in our restaurants is local: lobster, cod, haddock, scallops, clams and oysters to name a few. And we are going to be working with a regional farm to get more local produce this year.” Also in the works is a chef’s garden where herbs will be grown.
The spa offers a tranquil and luxurious setting with a unique natural resource — the Atlantic Ocean, whose abundant nutrients are a powerful tool for aiding health and beauty. “The goal of the spa is to incorporate the many positive effects the ocean has on the mind, body and spirit,” says Allard. The Sacred Time At Sea therapy, one of the spa’s signature treatments, uses ocean rose foaming body polish for a gentle full-body exfoliation, then a relaxing soak of organic seaweeds and salts, followed by a massage.
Luxury abounds in this eco-friendly setting, from the sweeping verandahs to the clapboard white cottages. Many famous faces have enjoyed Chatham Bars Inn’s motto of “relax, rejuvenate, restore,” including Harry Connick Jr., Melissa Etheridge, James Taylor and local Boston sports team players.
With unparalleled service, delicious dining and picturesque charm, the Cape’s Chatham Bars Inn seems to have it all. “Some people think Cape Cod is more quaint than luxurious,” says Allard, “but I think we really have everything here and offer the best of both worlds.”
