Simmons Homestead Inn  

"The Simmons Homestead Inn Hyannis Port, Cape Cod The Simmons Homestead is the only Bed & Breakfast Inn in Hyannis Port and truly reflects the spirit of old Cape Cod. The entire house has been designed to be a Cape Cod bed and breakfast providing a warm, friendly, relaxing, and romantic atmosphere. It is a place to meet new friends, to feel at home, and relax. A pleasant haven to retire to after a day of exploring, it is situated where you can wander around Cape Cod, enjoy the beach, or take a day trip to Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard . At the end of the day, you will return to the Inn, sit on the porch with wine, and relax. Then go to some of the best restaurants on all of Cape Cod , which are less than a mile away. Perfect! The Inn was the homestead of the Simmons family, built in the 1800 - 1820 range by Lemuel Simmons, a somewhat famous old sea captain. It was a private Hyannis Port estate until 1988, when it was renovated and made into a great Bed and Breakfast Inn and finest Cape Cod Lodging . What was the original barn, now houses 4 more guest rooms, a common room and a billiard parlor (pool hall to you city folk). The house is historically significant, but the interior and furnishings have added a sense of fun and relaxation. All the rooms are unique and beautifully furnished, some with canopy beds, brass beds and all with plants, animals, love and fun. All of the rooms have wonderful animal themes. In fact, most guests always call or e-mail to reserve the cat, zebra, elephant or other room by name. Each room is very different and has it's own personality. We didn't start out with the idea of animal themes. Just kinda grew like Topsey. Guests have done their part to add to the clutter. Over the years, there are dozens of critters added to the rooms by guests. By now, it is totally out of control. There are 14 guest rooms rooms in total, including a two bedroom suite set up just for families, and the Cat Room which is a two room suite with a sitting area and a separate king size bedroom. The rooms have either king or queen size beds. One has two twins. They all have their own private bathrooms, with irons, hair dryers and all that. You can see photos and prices for all the rooms by clicking on the 'ROOMS and PRICES' button on the header. In the mornings, a full breakfast is served where you'll find everything fresh and filling . Bill's not the best cook in the world (or even close), but he slowly improves with time. Breakfasts are based on the "All you can eat, but absolutely no choice" school of cooking. They are basic, one day eggs, fruit, fried ham, fresh baked breads (by the cleaning kids, certainly not by Bill), another day will have blueberry pancakes, sausages, melons, and such. During the summer, we do an elaborate continental breakfast on Sundays, as no one seems to get up and get their act together on Sundays. We are one of the few B&Bs or Inns that take dogs and other small farm animals. Here is Adam entertaining one right now. If they are part of your family, drag them along. We've got plenty of yard space, and have handouts where you can take the pups year round. The Simmons Homestead Inn hosts a social hour where you can meet the other guests and simply sit back and enjoy a mug or two of wine. Sit around the huge porches in the summer and around the roaring fire in the common room in the cooler months. It's a time you can look over menus from the Inn's list of recommended restaurants and find special information on things to do the next day. There is a large billiard room for guests. Bill hosts a single malt scotch "Tasting Hour" week nights during the cooler months. He looks at it both as a research project, and the fact he hates to drink alone. We have billiards and bikes. Barry & Suzanne from England were here on their first anniversary and were here the year before on their honeymoon. Shows that people keep coming back and finding new things every time. Cape Cod has some of the most beautiful beaches and scenery in the East. The National Seashore is simply gorgeous. A drive along Old King's Highway will provide enough antique shops, galleries, craft studios and shops to keep you going for days. The Inn is two minutes from the harbor and island ferries. It is only an hour to Provincetown at the tip of the Cape where you can find bizarre quaintness, and whale watching. We have tons of handouts and Trip Tips to make sure you get around to all the great spots and villages, and avoid the tourist clutter. There are museums galore and the Cape's best restaurants are within five minutes of the Inn. If you want to see our reservation, acncellation and other policies, click on the 'DETAILS & POLICIES' button on the header for all the nitty-gritty stuff. The Inn is also a great place to just hang around. There are free 10-speed bicycles for your use, beach chairs, towels and things for the warmers months. There are fireplaces and a hot tub for the cooler months. There is also the Lemuel B. Simmons Memorial Free Lending Library. Grudgingly, after ten years, a TV has been added to the Annex common room. But, it is well hidden behind plants. Hanging out in one of the many hammocks in the back yard is a much better way to waste time. The local beach is only a half mile bike ride away. Say 'Hi' to the Kennedys while you are there. The Inn is also a great place to meet new friends. We have a bunch of 'groups' of guests that keep coming back together. When the Hunts come from England twice or so a year, there are other couples that join them every time. Don't you Jeff and Melissa. And speaking of Janet and Laurie Hunt, Here they are driving a Morgan, one of their UK cars, to the Fathers Day Car show in Hyannis. Check out the 'SPECIAL INFORMATION' button on the header to see some of the other special things that go on around here at the Inn. Also the Inn is a great place for car nuts. Wander out to TOAD HALL, a bunch of Bill's Garages behind the Inn. Others come to see what's in TOAD HALL, the classic sports car collection, these days. Locals wander around all the time. Kinda becoming a local tourist attraction. But you guys, as guests, can get in there free. Bill started collecting classic sports cars out of the 50s and up. Lotuses, MGs, Jags, Triumphs, lots of Datsuns, couple of German Cars and a lone Ferrari. About 5 dozen all told. Toad was a character in The Wind In The Willows, Kenneth Grahame's 1908 classic. He had a love for the new motor cars of the late 1800s. Bill carries on the tradition, and like Toad, his cars are all red. If you want to see the current bunch of cars in the barns out back, click on the 'SPORTS CARS' button on the header. If you need to be picked up at the airport or bus station in Hyannis, we'll come get you in the Bentley or one of the Jaguar Coupes that have back seats and trunks, unlike the rest of the cars in Toad Hall. People are why this Inn is so different and so great. A lot are the great folks that work here at the Inn. The high school and college kids are not only hard working, but helpful. Jenn will walk your dog while you are out, Aubrey will get you a beach towel and a bike and tell you the best beach to go to. In the evenings, we have another Innkeeper take over so Bill can collapse. Kathy, Michelle, Laurie and the crew will get you some wine, go over menus and make reservations for you. They'll also help you plan your next day. It's not that we don't really trust you on your own, we just think it works out better if we kinda guide you through everything. Adrian, one of the dozen Inn cats, helps on the computer with the Trip Tips. These folks are what make the Inn special, and great guests are what make it even more special. In fact, our guests are are best social asset. They are always lively, interesting and fun. More and more are repeaters. You'll get a really good feeling about the Inn and the Cape just from the other guests. All you folks make it so much easier for us when you do our job by yourself. Heck, the main reason I keep running the Inn is that I really enjoy the people that come to hang around here. All in all, the Simmons Homestead Inn is just a great place to come and spend some time. The combination of having all the rooms with animal themes, allowing pets, and all that, has backfired. Word somehow got out and a herd of some two to three dozen pink flamingos have completely taken over the grounds at the Inn. While the Inn has always been a shade tacky, this has now gone just too far! Enjoy the Cape, the islands, and all of this part of New England right from here. Shop, drive around, borrow a bike, beach it, take a walk through great conservation lands or the National Seashore. Pick a hammock in the back yard. Meet new friends. It's all right here in Hyannis Port. When you make your reservation, we'll send you a confirmation and directions. If you want a preview of how to get here, click on the 'DIRECTIONS' button on the header. All in all, the Inn is a great spot to call home while you discover the Cape and the Islands. Can't wait to meet you. Bill Putman, Innkeeper of Sorts. The Simmons Homestead Inn 288 Scudder Avenue Hyannis Port MA 02647 508-778-4999 or 800-637-1649 e-mail us at SimmonsHomestead@aol.com "