Our family just stayed at Windward for three weeks, July 4 to July 25, 2020, It was the most relaxing vacation you can imagine, a complete escape in these crazy times.
First, can we talk about the view!?! No matter the weather or the time of day, it was a beautiful soul satisfying experience to take in the enormous panorama, from the marsh over the bay toward the sea, where huge sand dunes shined in the distance. Sunsets are out of this world. I wish I could post photos.
The up-close view of the monarch butterflies stopping to feed on the butterfly weed was equally enjoyable. As were all the lovely walks we took from the house down small paths and sandy byways to the shore or just around the neighborhood.
Doug and Elisabeth were perfect hosts; friendly, discreet yet ready to assist if needed. The house is exactly as advertised, I mean EXACTLY! a rarity these days. It's exceedingly clean, allergy friendly and well laid out to accommodate groups of up to 8 people.
The house's upside down design, with kitchen and living areas on top, allows everyone to enjoy the view. Never been in a rental with such a well-stocked kitchen, though I wish there were sharper knives. The wood beams and walls and custom art create a warm atmosphere. People would congregate for meals and board games or use the varied spaces upstairs to enjoy watching tv, reading on the chaise lounge, taking in the view from the deck or working remotely on a laptop at the dining room table.
The bedrooms are equally well-appointed as are the bathrooms. I enjoyed a lavender scented bath in the claw foot tub. There are beautiful views from the master bedroom and the other rear bedroom. The ones in front, which are slightly smaller, look out into the trees and feature the same amazingly comfortable beds. To me, this was key!
Even the basement is nice, spotless with laundry and every kind of beach item you could possibly require —- sand toys, chairs, bogie boards, coolers, noodles, etc. We also made great use of the (two!) outdoor showers and all the lovely outdoor seating scattered around the property.
My criticisms are so small as to be laughable. There are too many pillows and the blankets covering the couches got messed up easily. See what I mean?
Elisabeth does an amazing job of providing you with information about the area. Getting a beach sticker was a seamless process. I cannot rave enough about swimming in the crystal clear glacial kettle ponds scattered around Wellfleet! It's truly heavenly to take a noodle and swim out to the middle after a long day at the beach or early in the morning when no one's around. And then there's the beaches, all worth a visit. Best moment: standing atop the dunes at Marconi and watching a whale breaching repeatedly just offshore.
There's so much else to do and see. We went out to Ptown, drove around looking at beautiful old houses and gardens, then out to Race Point. Another day we made a scenic drive to Chatham, had lunch at the Chatham Bars Inn beach restaurant. We loved the boardwalks and walk out over the sandbars at the nearby Audubon Sanctuary. Played golf twice, once at the country's oldest links course in Truro, the other time in Wellfleet. Both by the sea providing breezes and views throughout our rounds.
Always lovely to visit the shops and galleries in downtown Wellfleet, have a meal at the Pearl down by the harbor or pick up seafood at Mac's or one of the other town fish markets. I love the Willow Bakery on Route 6, organic and scrumptious! Many other good restaurants nearby, including PB bistro and boulangerie and Van Rensaleer's.
In short, this is a can't miss choice for a vacation rental home, a place where you can relax and have a truly memorable Cape Cod escape.