Chatham Bars Inn Resort and Spa

There is a lot to like about Chatham Bars Inn. The setting is gorgeous, our room was very nice, the facilities are excellent, and Chatham itself is a beautiful town. Unfortunately, for the considerable amount we paid a night, the overall experience fell far short of what we expect from a special resort. Given the prices charged here guests should feel like the stars of a movie and not like extras. Service was well-intentioned but inconsistent and unreliable, and during the weekend the sheer volume of people transformed the atmosphere completely. We were staying while a large wedding was taking place and frequently felt like second-class guests. Add the hordes of weekend visitors, the stampede to park the car, the rush to secure a seat and the sheer noise, and at times this beautiful resort felt more like an airport departure hall than a luxury retreat. Other Tripadvisor reviewers have warned about staying during wedding season, and sadly our experience was very similar. What makes a place truly magical is ultimately about the experience and how a hotel makes its guests feel. The problem isn’t the property, it’s the way the resort is operated when busy, especially when full-paying hotel guests are competing with wedding guests and outside visitors.

Exceptional location, wonderful beach house room- gorgeous view!! Best room service breakfast ever. Exceptional staff created a very special room for a bride and groom, Champagne, strawberries, and made sure their welcome gift bag arrived to the room on time . Highly recommend CBI, especially for bride and groom. They created a very special memory for a special couple. Consierge is wonderful.

Our “upgraded pier view” looked over truck loading dock and public parking lot. Constant car honking, truck reversing, and the smelled of dead fish and sewage. Wish we kept our original cottage room.

So this is a beautiful property with a stunning beach outlook and walking distance from Chatham town. For the price they charge, you would expect the best of the best, but the experience is far from this. We had three main gripes: - the cottage rooms are much smaller than expected, the balconies provide no privacy whatsoever (your neighbours can easily see you in bed), and despite looking recently refurbed the technology is weak (not a USB port to be found anywhere). Noise also leaks from above and the sides, so dont expect much sleep. - the crowds on a holiday weekend are insane. For this price you expect serenity and great service, instead you get MGM Grand Vegas on a fight weekend. To be fair the pool and bar staff did their best, but the Four Seasons this aint. - worst of all by far are the hotel concierge. In a top class hotel the concierge should be the best asset - making your trip smooth and painless. However at the CBI, unless you are dropping $$$s on a private yacht charter they dont care about you. In particular, Barbara was the rudest person I have ever encountered in a public-facing position - she has no business working that role. A strongly worded complaint to the GM produced nothing but a boilerplate apology, so management have no interest in customer welfare either. Doubt we will ever return to Cape Cod, but if we did there is no way we would be back here.

Restaurants and the pool/hot tub close so early. It would have been nice to enjoy a summer evening in the pool and hot tub with the family. Most restaurants closing at 8 or 9 p.m. was not ideal as well. No real store on-site to buy extra items like sunblock or snacks.