Heather G.
Yelp
Like many reviewers before me on a certain OTHER review site, I booked the SeaCoast Inn based on all of the fabulous testimonials I read there. Certainly, the price was right and I liked the idea of staying in centrally-located Hyannis for the seven-nights we were planning to be on the Cape. However, our experience at the SeaCoast was markedly less exciting than everyone else's apparently was.
Upon arriving, we found the SeaCoast to be located in a wonderful spot just steps away from the harbor in one direction, and Main Street in the other. We loved that we could save money on parking by walking to the ferry, and that a variety of different restaurants and stores were within walking distance, as well. However, we were put off by the cramped parking lot which caused consistent frustration for the duration of our trip. The morning we arrived, in fact, another guest had to help us maneuver our car out by navigating from behind, and then told us that she, too, had been aided earlier that day by someone. Throughout the week, we witnessed this type of event on an almost daily basis.
Terri and Al, the owners, were nice enough, but there was none of the over-the-top warmth or friendliness that we were expecting thanks to all the reviews we'd read. Still, they were great at giving directions or suggesting things to do, and lent us a pair of beach chairs and some towels for the entire week so that we could come and go to the beach when we wanted. And we loved that they splurged for Dunkin' Donuts coffee and pastries every morning. :)
Our room was a king suite near the stairs on the second floor. Though it was immaculate and comfortable, with a full kitchenette and a brand-new pillow top mattress, there were some problems:
For one thing, there was no clock in the room! I can't tell you how annoying it was to have to rely on our cell phones anytime we wanted to glance at the time -- especially in the wee hours of the morning, when one of us would wake up and not know what time it was.
Another thing that bothered us were the window treatments. The location of our room had us looking out into an ugly alley on one side, and a busy area of the corridor on the other. The alley window had horizontal blinds that did nothing to block out the harsh phosphorus bulb attached to the adjacent building, and the rice paper-like shade on the corridor-side window was absolutely useless at filtering light -- and, to add insult to injury, there was a bright bulb right outside our window. Thus, at night with the lights off, our room looked as though it were morning. It made for difficulty sleeping.
Housekeeping was another problem. While they did a good job when they finally arrived, there are only two people working each floor. Often, we would come back in the afternoon or early evening and find that our room still hadn't been made up. What's worse is that every single day, after they'd been there, we had at least one to two flies whizzing around the room. My boyfriend had become quite the pro at fly-killing by the time we left the SeaCoast.
Lastly, our room's door didn't fit in the jamb properly, and there were very large, lopsided gaps at both the top and bottom. Because of this, we would place the bedspread in front of the door every evening to give us a bit more privacy and to block out the light that was coming through.
One more thing that disappointed us is that there is no pool and, in fact, no grounds whatsoever. However, because we knew about this ahead of time, I can't really blame them.
All in all, we were comfortable at the SeaCoast, but would've had a better time at a larger chain had there been one nearby. If you're planning to stay a night or two on Hyannis en route to another location, then the SeaCoast is a fine place. If you're looking to make it your "home base," however, I'd consider another property.