Chatham
Discover the beauty of Cape Cod from your lodging accommodations at Pleasant Bay Village Resort.
Salt water is always in the air, and the sky is somehow more blue on the water. The views from the waterfront are spectacular and diverse as you explore the town. Monomoy Island, the outer barrier sandbar you see off the shores of Chatham, is managed by the National Wildlife Refuge and is a stunningly undeveloped island. The hidden coves with fishing boats, small town docks and quintessential views all demonstrate that you are truly in a New England fishing town. And the “celebrity” homes throughout the area, especially on the waterfront are jaw dropping. The walkable downtown area of Chatham is filled with unique, locally owned shops, restaurants and cute businesses. And of course, you won’t find fresher seafood anywhere else, so always remember to enjoy the local restaurants.
Our spacious pool area is surrounded by a swaying bamboo forest, spectacular landscaping with rock gardens, matured Japanese plantings and colorful flowers. The heated outdoor pool with a small waterfall is surrounded by well-spaced lounge chairs and tables with umbrellas. A large hot tub overlooks the pool. Children and adults enjoy discovering the ping pong table and shuffleboard court tucked into the gardens. The outdoor setting provides enough space for guests to comfortably enjoy a relaxing day. An outdoor shower is offered and pool towels are provided by the hotel.
A playground, in the center of the property, is located among the pine forest, just behind the popular Koi pond. The Koi pond with its waterfall is a relaxing place to sit and read, or to simply enjoy feeding the large and always hungry Japanese Koi fish. Front desk staff happily supplies guests with free bags of fish food.
The furnishings in the lobby, dining room, guestrooms and throughout the gardens demonstrate the family’s appreciation of quality art and collectibles. High-quality antiques and locally made art are found tucked among the gardens and throughout the property.
Along with the friendly front desk staff of local Cape Codders and the cuddly Newfoundland dog Buddy Bear, the Gamsey family looks forward to welcoming you to your home away from home.
View our property map HERE.
The Zen-style gardens at the hotel began in the early 1980s with Howard’s (the owner) vision. This vision included colorful walkways with hidden treasures, enchanted Japanese forests, and a variety of water features and rock gardens. Under the guidance of an experienced artistic gardener Howard educated himself on the varieties of Japanese maples and specimen trees. His new mission became to find the most unusual and special trees, traveling hundreds of miles himself to hand pick them and even having some shipped all the way from the West Coast.
Several years later the original gardener retired after passing his knowledge onto JC Stahl, a very talented local artist. JC continued with Howard’s vision adding numerous gardens and waterfalls. The centerpiece of their work is a beautiful Koi pond with a cascading waterfall surrounded by specimen trees and rare plantings.
Today the serene seven-acre grounds display imaginative plantings, countless waterfalls and local garden sculptures tucked among the gardens. Guests appreciate the outdoor setting with the sound of water features in the background, the serenity offered in the hidden sitting areas, the small garden trails with unique marble statues and locally made garden pottery. The ornamental pond with Japanese Koi fish and waterfalls offers a relaxing spot to contemplate life. And, the mature bamboo gardens sway in the breeze as they border the ever-expanding gardens around the pool area.
The hotel offers a popular hot, cooked to order a-la-carte breakfast in a restaurant overlooking the gardens surrounding the outdoor pool & waterfall. The restaurant is open to all guests, and no reservation is necessary. Breakfast is served daily from the beginning of June until the end of September.
* For the 2024 season, breakfast will be offered for take out through September.
A seasonal lunch is prepared poolside with table service on the deck and around the pool. The creative lunch is served seven days a week July 1st through thru August 31st.
Both the breakfast and lunch menu items and prices change yearly and are provided as examples.
Beer and wine are served poolside during lunch and also offered at the front desk during lobby hours. Snacks & beverages are available from the front desk. All meals and beverages can be charged to your room. During lobby hours, free coffee, decaf and hot water for tea are always available.
The History of Pleasant Bay Village Resort
The history of the Gamsey family, owning this property goes back to the early 1950s.
Aaron Gamsey and his son, Howard, enchanted by the natural beauty of Cape Cod were searching for properties to begin a new venture in the lodging industry. In 1953, the Gamsey’s purchased this small cottage colony with lots of potential near the peaceful waters of Pleasant Bay in Chatham. At that time, there were only 4 buildings and the property looked a lot different than it does today. Aaron and his wife, Celia, set forth with plans to develop the property from a few rustic cottages to a seasonal lodging destination. Howard, a musician and art collector, continued to live in New York City, traveling the country as a professional saxophone player as well as exploring art galleries and auction houses.
During the 1950s and 1960s, buildings were added to the hotel offering vacationers a variety of lodging options and the FIRST in-ground pool on Cape Cod was installed right here at Pleasant Bay Village Resort!
After the passing of his father in 1968, Howard moved to Chatham permanently and took over the responsibilities of running the hotel. He became the sole owner in 1970 and began the transformation of the unique resort into what it is today. With the combination of Howard’s vision, he and his wife Judy’s hard work, and the expertise of a gifted gardener, the property evolved from a simple motel to a boutique award-winning property.
Howard’s passion for nature and art led him to meet James “Jim” Collins in the early 1980s. Jim was planting a unique garden in front of a local art gallery. Howard was truly enamored with his work and arranged for him to begin creating the exquisite gardens at Pleasant Bay Village Resort.
After the passing of Howard in 2004, the business is now in its third generation of management by the Gamsey’s. Howard and Judy’s son, Joshua, is now the General Manager and along with his wife, Cheryl, and brother, Noah, they carry on with the legacy of running the unique property along with Judy’s continued involvement. Howard’s vision lives on with his children’s shared enthusiasm for the gardens and their dedication to improve the accommodations at the hotel. Over the last several years, extensive improvements have been made throughout the property. The main building was expanded to accommodate a larger lobby and an additional dining room. The pool area was redesigned with custom bluestone by a local artisan and enlarged to incorporate a new in-ground hot tub as well as provide additional lounging space for guests. Room renovations have been ongoing headed by Master Builder and Electrician, Jerry LaPierre aka “Uncle Jerry”, who has been with the company for the last 21 years. The family has moved toward a green property with the use of solar panels to generate approximately 25% of the annual electricity. A solar thermal system assists with heating the pool, and non-toxic cleaners are used in addition to practicing energy and water conservation, as well as offering guest recycling.
The family has always dedicated themselves to their home, business, and employees, believing a local and knowledgeable front desk staff along with happy workers is essential for a successful business on Cape Cod. All of the family members and many of the staff at the hotel are true Cape Cod locals and have lived on Cape for over 25+ years. The front desk staff all live year round on the Cape, some are Gamsey’s, others also have deep roots in the area. We take care of our guests like they are part of our family and we hope you will make Pleasant Bay Village Resort your favorite place to stay on Cape Cod.
