Wellfleet Motel

The Wellfleet Motel has been in the Wilson family since 1972, when it began as a 15-unit property. The son of the original owners serves as general manager, and other younger family members often help in the restaurant. Today this “green” motel prides itself on supplying 20 percent of its own hot water and 30 percent of its own power with the help of solar panels. A red awning hangs above the quaint reception area, a two-floor clapboard building that sits on the north end of the property and can be difficult to find. Inside is a pinewood reception desk with souvenir T-shirts, postcards, and a gumball machine. Rates are generally affordable but can be steep during peak season. Guests tend to be mostly couples and families with kids on vacation.

Located in a convenient area of Wellfleet, this motel is on a side street off Route 6 near the Wellfleet Drive-In Theatre and Wellfleet Flea Market. This isn’t a particularly scenic walking area, but running along the motel is the 26-mile Cape Cod Bike Trail. The Poit's Lighthouse Mini Golf, shops, and restaurants are a two-minute drive. It’s a three-minute drive to hiking at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. The beaches at the Cape Cod National Seashore are five minutes away by car, and Nauset Beach is 25 minutes away. It’s a 10-minute drive to Wellfleet Harbor. Provincetown and Chatham are half an hour away by car. 

Rooms have typical motel furnishings, including dated paisley bedspreads, striped curtains, and wooden furniture. The layout is consistent in all the rooms, which offer double, queen or king beds. Some have balconies or patios and One-bedroom Suites and select Queen Rooms have sofa beds in the sitting areas. The best views overlook the courtyard, and bottom-floor rooms are sometimes dimly lit. There aren’t any closets, but wardrobe racks are fixed to walls. Recycling bins are a nice eco-conscious touch. All rooms have air-conditioning, mini-fridges, Keurig coffeemakers, free Wi-Fi, and irons. Microwaves can be rented on request. Bathrooms have external sinks, shower/tub combos, and hairdryers. Note, soundproofing isn't great, and there have been some noise complaints.

The motel offers lots of open spaces for kids to run and play. A brick patio tucked on the green grounds offers picnic tables and a gas barbecue grill for cookouts. Outdoor event space, as well as an interior meeting room for up to 45 people, can be rented for private functions. Lounge chairs and patio furniture are positioned along a fence that surrounds the saltwater outdoor pool. There's also an indoor pool and hot tub with floor-to-ceiling wooden paneling that creates a lodge atmosphere. Harrigan’s Cafe serves breakfast -- including plenty of hot egg dishes -- in a casual space that also has a bar and terrace seating. However, lunch and dinner are not served, and the menu can be pricey for a value hotel.