USA

Location: Wellfleet, Massachussets

This eco-friendly B&B on Cape Cod is located in Wellfleet, Massachussets, one of the 10 most perfect summer getaways as chosen by the Fine Living Channel. The town is bounded by spectacular beaches and towering sand dunes, with the roaring surf of the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the tranquil waters of Cape Cod Bay to the west. Known as the Cape’s “art gallery town,” Wellfleet is also famous for pristine kettle ponds and oysters. 61% of Wellfleet is within the Cape Cod National Seashore, which means fewer houses and more nature trails.

Chez Sven is centrally located on Old King’s Highway, a “scenic road,” unpaved as in colonial times. It is a quick walk to Long and Dyer Ponds or into the village (1/2 mile to Long Pond; 0.8 miles to Wellfleet center) and only 2 miles to spectacular Cahoon Hollow Beach.

Accommodation

Discover Wellfleet at its best: traditional Cape Cod setting, newly renovated rooms, ideal location, close to ponds, ocean and town.
Chez Sven offers organic cotton sheets, 100% natural amenities, wholesome breakfast and kid-glove care.

Eco Policies

Eco-Design – Chez Sven’s main house is very old - it has been on the site since the 1700s – and is located on Old King’s Highway, a one-lane dirt road that tax collectors used when George was the old king. The road is now a scenic road and will never be paved or widened and the owners of Chez Sven are renovating the house to return it to its original glory. Part of the process was the removal, with sledgehammers, of the porch that was built onto the front of the building in 1925. Now, sun streams into the breakfast room. The bricks from the foundation were used to create pathways in the garden and the flooring and window surrounds were recycled for the Studio.

Energy - Low-energy light bulbs are used in the B&B and guests in Seagull Cottage are asked to lower the thermostat while they are out exploring, and to switch off the outdoor lights when not in use.
Chez Sven purchased a high efficiency, front-loading washing machine as soon as it became available and sheets and towels are line-dried whenever possible.

Conservation – This eco-friendly B&B especially welcomes eco-tourists and maintains an environmental shelf in its international library with the latest books for guests’ reading pleasure. It is hoped that guests will come away with some eco-friendly ideas to use in their own homes. Chez Sven also subscribes to the Green Guide and provides articles on relevant topics for guests to read in binders.

Ecological sustainability – Where possible, organic food is served. Sandy bakes her own bread and uses organic ingredients for her home-made granola. Free-trade coffee and tea is organic, too. Sandy’s fabulous organic yoghurt is also home-made and raspberry bushes have been planted so there will soon be organic raspberries. Organic tomatoes and potatoes are also grown and made available to guests who desire a “Swedish breakfast.”
Only “green” cleaning products are used, chemical fertilizers are never used - only compost and well-rotted manure and guests are provided with 100% organic cotton bed linen.
Plastics, bottles and cardboard are recycled at the Wellfleet Transfer Station.

Community – Guests are informed about local customs and culture and the B&B contributes to the new Wellfleet Preservation Hall project and WHAT, the local theatre.

Facilities

Breakfast at Chez Sven can be enjoyed at the vintage table outside and includes freshly baked bread, yoghurt made with organic milk, fresh fruit and homemade organic granola. The B&B also serves a Swedish breakfast.
Each room offers its own television and DVD player. Chez Sven maintains a wide selection of independent and foreign-language films. The New York Review of Books and The New Yorker are also available.

Things To See And Do

Wellfleet is famous for magnificent beaches, towering sand dunes and breathtaking nature walks. With four beaches on the ocean and three on the bay, visitors have ample opportunity to enjoy the sun and surf. At low tide, shell-fishermen dig for oysters and clams on the flats. Oysters are on the menu in all the local restaurants.

In Summer, on Saturday evenings, stroll around the village, participating in opening receptions, or explore the weather-shingled shops, typical of those that dot the New England seacoast. On Wednesdays, join the town folk on the pier for an old-fashioned square dance. Spend a few hours at the Wellfleet Flea Market, held in the parking lot of one of the last real drive-in movie theatres in America. No holiday at Cape Cod would be complete without a day-trip to Provincetown and a whale-watching expedition.

People come for the pristine beaches and open space, but Wellfleet is more than just a pretty seaside village. The woods are full of artists and writers, who choose to live here, following in the footsteps of such intellectual giants as Dwight Macdonald and Edmund Wilson. All through the year, the public library hosts events that challenge the mind. Wellfleet is now home to the Gestalt International Study Center and its Cape Cod Institute, a summer-long series of weeklong courses for mental health and management professionals. Finally, there’s the Wellfleet Actors’ Harbour Theatre, praised in the New York Times for its “consistently exciting, top-notch theatre.”

A little tour of Wellfleet would not be complete without mention of the fabulous MA Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, with well-maintained paths and eco-birdwatching centre, a couple of miles down Route 6, and kayak tours on the marsh.

Room Description

There are 3 accommodation options available at Chez Sven – Liberty Coin Suite and the General’s Green Room for a more traditional Bed & Breakfast experience, or Seagull Cottage which is stocked for breakfast, except in Summer when it books by the week.

Liberty Coin Suite is located in one of Wellfleet’s oldest houses, moved to its present site from Billingsgate Island. There are floorboards up to 16 inches wide and a bean-pot cellar. Take the steep stairs to the former loft, now two renovated rooms with private bathroom – Liberty Coin Suite can be booked as a one-bedroom suite for 2, or a two-bedroom suite for 3. Light streams into the larger room, which contains a queen-sized bed.

The General's Green Room which is quite separate, located in the northern wing, offers a private bathroom tiled with Original Style tile. Renovated in 2008, with wainscoting and period wallpaper, the General’s Green room features an Eldred Wheeler reproduction of the pencil post bed, circa 1750-1780, in queen-size.

Seagull Cottage can be booked as a one-bedroom suite for two (with a queen bed) or as a two-bedroom suite for three (one queen, one twin). Both options include private bathroom with soaking tub/shower, as well as a kitchen stocked for breakfast. The rooms are decorated with art by local artists. Nestled in the woods and surrounded by gardens, Seagull Cottage offers privacy and beauty in a unique setting.
Relax on the secluded deck or screened-in porch in summer. Enjoy the fireplace in fall and spring. The cottage is heated in winter, but the main bedroom remains cool for comfortable sleep. Laundry facilities are available for weekly bookings.

Prices & Booking Policies

Currency: US dollar ($)
Prices and inclusions: For 1 or 2 people staying in Liberty Coin Suite (as a 1-bedroom suite), the price ranges from US$140-170 (approx £70-85) per night for the room.
For 1 or 2 people staying in The General’s Green Room, the price ranges from US$150-180 (approx £75-90) per night for the room.
Prices include breakfast and taxes.
For 1 or 2 people staying in Seagull Cottage (as a 1-bedroom suite), the price is US$200 (approx £100) per night. Prices include a kitchen stocked for breakfast (except in July and August when bookings are by the week) and taxes.
Child prices: Children are welcome but must use the second bedroom. There is no charge for infants. A folding bed can be added to Liberty Coin Suite’s second room to accommodate two small children for US$25/night. There is also the option of adding a third room for $100/night, to accommodate an older child.
Extra adult prices: A third adult can stay in a second bedroom in the Liberty Coin Suite or in Seagull Cottage at an additional cost of US$50 per night.
Special offers: Book a stay in the General's Green Room for any time in September 2008 and receive a discounted room rate of just US$139 (approx £70) per night!
Check-in / Check-out times: Check in is from 2pm until 9pm and check out is by 10am.
Opening dates: Chez Sven is open from March to December. Bookings are currently being taken until 30th November 2008.
Restrictions: For Liberty Coin Suite and The General’s Green Room, a three night minimum stay is required in summer and a two night minimum stay is required in Spring and Autumn, except for holiday weekends when a 3-night minimum stay is required. Seagull Cottage books by the week in summer - US$1600 in July and US$1800 in August.
Deposit: A deposit of 50% of the total bill is due at time of booking to secure your reservation for any of the accommodations. This payment must be made by bank transfer to a US bank account – full details will be provided once your booking has been confirmed.
Cancellation policy: Your deposit will be refunded up to three weeks prior to arrival, subject to a US$25 service fee.
For weekly stays in Seagull Cottage, the deposit is non-refundable unless the cottage can be booked for the full duration of the booking. If the cottage can be re-booked, your deposit will be refunded less a US$25 processing fee.
Payment methods: The balance due is payable upon arrival in cash or travellers' cheques. Chez Sven does not accept credit cards.

Getting There And Around

From Logan airport by rental car, take 93 South to Route 3 and Route 6; continue through the first traffic light after Wellfleet sign and turn immediately right into woods on Old King’s Highway (125 miles – expect traffic on summer weekends and rush hour); Chez Sven is the second house on right.
It is also possible to fly or take a car-less ferry to Provincetown, 25 miles away. By prior arrangement, and for a small fee, the innkeepers will meet ferry or plane.
For transport during your stay, there is a bike rental shop ½ mile from Chez Sven. The innkeepers are happy to drop guests at Cahoon Hollow Beach. It is an easy walk to the popular Wicked Oyster restaurant.