After waiting for hours in traffic due to an accident we made it over the Bourne Bridge...a clear cut canal separates the "mainland" from the Cape and is quite impressive. We quickly exited the very busy Route 3 and headed toward Sandwich, Ma. Having not been here before and having done a little research on the web I opted for Sandwich over Eastham and the various "ports" of Cape Cod due to the fact that Sandwich was "just off the beaten path".

Sandwich is one of Massachusetts' oldest towns and the oldest on Cape Cod settled in 1639 as well as for it's narrow boardwalk that takes foot traffic from the downtown area to some fine beaches facing the fury of the Atlantic as well. Among some of the most well known local attractions include the 1675 Hoxie House and the Heritage Museum and Gardens which are a fantastic and very noteworthy attraction for a leisurely walk with that cup of java!

          
        Boardwalk                            Hoxie House ca. 1675   Heritage Museum & Gardens

The Main Street in Sandiwch is one that is short but sweet. Fine period (19th c.) homes and businesses dominate the streetscape including the Daniel Webster Inn, various coffee shops, a kiosk or two, gallery, fine wine store and some really niche restaurants one housed in an old Cathedral called The Abbey  and another in a victorian called the "Painted Lady" under the same ownership offering a little more "bistro" or eclectic fare than the garden variety offerings that are found everywhere else. They can be found under the name "The Belfrey Inne & Bistro" on the web.
  
The Painted Lady                                    The Abbey

Sandwich we found to be the nice sort of town that "kind of " wants tourist but not as many as their cousins farther up the cape. Not yet ruined by t-shirts (aka Black Dog) franchises and those other types... Sandwich is ideal for an overnight stay or for an entire summer. Friendly people, walkable streets and enough to keep you busy (shoppes) etc...and not too many tourists.

Moving on we needed to locate our choice for our stay... The 1830 Quince Tree House located on School Street near the head of Main Street and feet from everything.
 
Quince Tree House

Upin arrival we were greeted by the Inn Keepers and owners, two wonderfully friendly people that gave us the tour of the Inn including some very interesting historical information on their findings. Having also done a restoration of an 1801 Gambrel in Connecticut I was very keen to hear of their findings during their "labor of love". They found the current 1830s house sits on what was likely a homestead built in the mid 1640s or so. Fantastic!!!

We selected the Voden Room which featured all the amenities of a 4-5 star hotel with fireplace, private bath etc... and upon our opening of the door to our room a sigh of relief and pleasure filled our faces and bodies. Appointed with period but modern textiles, furniture and electronics the room was better than advertised. A four post queen sized bed , that had the most comfortable matress as we later found out we had yet to experience.
 
(Voden Room)

Breakfast was served at 9am, my wife on a special diet had her needs catered to by the helpful innkeeper. We were served a fresh fruit salad followed by a no sugar no flour banana bread and then poached eggs over fresh spinach. All in all a very good breakfast with great service and excellent coffee and tea. Upon our check out we chatted with the innkeeper and told him that we appreciated staying there and would be happy to recommend the tree house to anyone looking for a night away, romantic stay or just some R&R.
With published rates of 125-175 per nite for the Vodden Room these prices and this town will be hard to beat. 



More information can be reviewed at www.quincetreehouse.com  and www.sandwichmass.org (tourism)

 RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Quince Tree House (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
• Heritage Museum & Gardens
• Boardwalk & Beach Area
• Belfrey Inne & Bistro
• Hoxie House