Beachfront With Heated Pool On Chatham Harbor - Paradise!
North Chatham Vacation Rental - ID 16467

The Cow Yard Lane property is nothing short of amazing. Our group of seven (immediate family) thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to make staying there an annual event. Lesley provided all the information we needed to plan our visit and made our stay a pleasure.

The property is located at the end of a short public lane that leads to the beach. The location is easy to access, but off the beaten path. It is located beachfront, but also very close to an intersection that allows direct access to downtown Chatham, access to the Chatham Lighthouse/Morris Island, and the road north to Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Provincetown, etc. This is a significant convenience.

One aspect of the property I don't think I can possibly overstate is the incredible landscaping. If you are a gardener, get ready for a treat! You have to see it to believe it. We spent hours wandering and studying, downloaded an app that allowed us to point the camera at a plant, identify it, admire it and think about how we could use it at home. The landscaping is so attractive I think it would be an excellent place to take wedding or similar family/group photos.

The house itself is quintessential Cape Cod. There is an open floor plan living space with a large well equipped kitchen, large dining room table (with extra leaves) and then comfy chairs/couches in a sitting area for at least ten people. There was a large TV above the fireplace but we never turned it on because why would you look at a TV when you had the beach, harbor, landscaping, pool, etc. We primarily used the three bedrooms and bathrooms on the first floor, and then one bed & bathroom on the second floor. All rooms were up to date, in working condition and clean. We left eight single beds primarily unused but they looked comfy. The views from all rooms were spectacular, especially the master bedroom which was pretty much all windows overlooking the large deck and beach/harbor on two full walls. The living space and master bedroom open to a large deck that overlooks the beach and provides beautiful views. The deck can easily hold a dozen people and was very comfy for our group of seven. We made good use of the gas fire place that is on the deck. The deck also turns out to be a spectacular place to stargaze on a clear night. Light pollution is minimal in this location and we hadn't seen the night sky as clearly in years.

One side of the house overlooks the beach into is a very calm beautiful body of water. We enjoyed watching the tides go in and out, spent time walking up and down the relatively isolated beach looking for treasures, taking in the sound of the waves and breathing the ocean air. Bring binoculars as you'll see seals out the shallows. To access the beach you simply walk across the back yard and go down a well-constructed short set of stone stairs with a handrail and you are there in less than a minute. One day we decided to try our luck at shore fishing using a simple rig with a weight, and a hook with squid purchased just up the road at a local outfitters. We caught eight 24+ inch Stripers in an afternoon which was very exciting. Personally, I wadded out into the water, mostly to get a longer cast while fishing, but several of our group did swim in the water there and it was enjoyable and safe. It doesn't look to get incredibly deep for quite a ways out – but I'm not sure.

The pool is huge, with a wide set of stairs to walk in if you like that, and spots to sit on the side and relax. It is heated and was great because you jumped in and cooled off, but it was warm enough to stay in for hours. There is plenty of comfortable seats and lounge chairs and a nice table for six around the pool, some in the shade, some in the sun. There is a hot tub adjacent to the pool which we enjoyed several times in the evenings. There is also a wood fire pit in the pool area and we picked up a couple packages of wood from the Stop & Shop. show more show less

The views are spectacular. The house—fabulous. The pool—amazing. We had the most glorious week with family. Four generations enjoyed all that the Nicholson House and Chatham had to offer. All of us were in agreement that we no longer have to look anywhere else. This is our forever place for one week every year! Thank you!!!

My friends and I had an exceptional stay at your vacation home. Even though the weather wasn’t perfect, we were still able to relax and unwind, while enjoying all the house had to offer. The amenities were top-notch and everyone immediately felt at home and comfortable. I speak for everyone when I say we’d be delighted to return. Thank you so much for such a wonderful stay!

This house was the perfect family retreat for 4 couples and 2 kids (though we had room for plenty more kids!). The location of the home was so perfect. The view is unbeatable, and we all loved walking the beach to the fish market or a longer walk/quick drive to the adorable downtown. We didn't think we'd use the pool much but couldn't have been more wrong. The pool is huge, clean and overlooks the water. And of course it is nice and warm compared to the ocean. And the hot tub and fire pit are perfect for cool nights. The house is also stocked with games (adult and kids), coloring stuff, kayaks, bikes, and our favorite- a ping pong table. You bring nothing (kitchen stuff, towels and beach towels etc all provided) just come right in an immediately relax. The ONLY downside from my group was there is no AC, but there are plenty of fans for each room and a nice breeze in the evenings, and most of us remained very comfortable the whole time. Lesley was very easy to deal with and accommodating, and we hope to come back. We also used "cape cod chef on call" to cook amazing meals for us, and I couldn't recommend them more. We so enjoyed being able to eat unbeatable gourmet fresh food (ask for the clambake), all while enjoying all of the amenities from this amazing home. The combination was perfect, and both food and views are far superior to any restaurant! show more show less

After renting many houses on the Cape, this is by far the best! This house, the bay, the pool, everything is truly paradise.

The lovely, large home we rentend at the end of May, more than met our expectations with a well equipped kitchen and open plan to be together! The views are absolutely gorgeous from everywhere!! We wished the weather had a been a little bit warmer to use the heated pool more because the view from the pool and hot tub were amazing too!! We loved cooking in the open kitchen and grilling on the porch right off the dining room. The owner was great answering any questions before we got there via email and was so kind to mail our daughter's boots she left behind the door to us! We so enjoyed this vacation rental and hope to return!! show more show less

I don't leave reviews for anything - but I had to make an exception for Lesley's home. I cannot express how wonderful everything is. The pictures are great but the house/mansion is better. It is literally on the water and has the most beautiful deck (which is huge!!) and yard. The house is airy and spacious but warm and cozy simultaneously. Forget any other house in Chatham or in Cape Cod. This is the only house you should ever stay at. We had 12 people for 4 nights and we stayed extremely comfortably. If (or when) we go back we will not be looking at any other house besides this one. show more show less

This was a surprise long weekend vacation planned by my husband and two daughters for me. I have always wanted to rent a house on the Cape and have all three of our children and spouses along with grandchildren together. This far exceeded any expectations we had. The weather was perfect and so was the house. The only things we had to bring were food and clothing. The kids had a ball and so did the adults. We kayaked to the fish market, over to Tern Island and out to the sandbar to clam. One day we walked into town to shop and the next day went to Lighthouse Beach to see the seals. We did sight a few seals right out in front of the house. We never left to eat out as you couldn't have gone to a restaurant that would have been any better view than what we had right here. The house had everything you would ever need in a vacation home. They thought of everything. I would do it again in a heartbeat! show more show less

Thanks so much for letting us rent your house in Chatham. We had a "magical week," as my son put it. I can't say how much we enjoyed your comfortable house, beautiful views, superb location, and child-friendly environment. We felt at home instantly. Highlights included clamming, whale watch in Provincetown, Oyster Bay and local beaches, sunset at a rather rainy Skaket Beach, a drink on the Chatham Bar Inn veranda, the pool and hot tub, walks to the fishery (twice), getting fresh fish for dinner, and just sitting on the deck to watch the boats. Our week exceeded expectations and we all concluded that this was "the best house we ever rented."
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"Each May, for the past 6 years, we've done our girls' weekend in a different spot. This year, we found this incredible house and, by a unanimous vote, have decided to make it our permanent GW destination. This is the most beautiful home I've ever stayed in. Spotless, gorgeous, and every single thing you could ever need is there. The yard is outstanding, the view is amazing and the hot tub and pool are fabulous. I've never taken the time to write a review on past properties. This one...I simply had to. Also, my interactions with the homeowner were so pleasant. She's completely on top of her game and so easy to deal with. As beautiful as we thought the pictures were...this house was 10 times better in person. We give it a 42 out of 10. =)" show more show less