Swampscott, Massachusetts
Enjoy seaside living with multiple beaches, historic Marblehead, and restaurant filled Salem all very close by. After time on the beach, wash it all away with spacious outdoor shower. Grill at home on Weber gas grill, relax with fire pit and s'mores or visit dozens of great restaurants within a mile.
7 minute drive gets you to Salem Massachusetts. It doesn’t have to be Halloween to enjoy the energy of Salem. Restaurants, shops, museums are just a few attractions in the heart of the city. Haunted tours and historical walks are offered year-round.
And if you want to see the big city, downtown Boston is 25 mins by car or rail -- or take an adventure with fast ferry from Salem directly to the docks next to the Boston Aquarium and Fanueil Hall!
*** I have a Black Labrador who lives with me. "Roxy" is NOT allowed on the upper floors, and the house is always professionally cleaned before your arrival. however, depending on how allergic you are to DOGS, my home might cause irritation for you. (sorry!)
Our trip: Halloween Week near Salem, MA. This was a high-quality experience through and through, and the host was equipped to be present, resourceful, helpful, communicative, or hands-off as desired. The home is placed in a neighborhood that conjures descriptors like idyllic, cozy, or picturesque. After long days of walking, crowd-navigating, and sightseeing, making it back to Mike's felt like a restorative sigh of relief. The house feels charmingly historic yet modernly equipped, gratifyingly classy yet comfortably homey. We didn't have time to enjoy all of the domestic amenities available to us. While it held appreciable novelty for a young couple from Austin, TX, it provided all the familiar comfort we could have asked for. The location made going to Salem for Halloween festivities simple but also proved strategic for taking a break to visit North End (Boston) or a refreshing walk to the nearby beach. It is a challenging balancing act to be practically convenient for immersing yourself in the activities of Salem or Boston on any given day while exuding a sense that you are returning home to something secluded from any hustle or bustle. The host, Mike, was fully prepared with recommendations, suggestions, and expertise, allowing for an almost configurable experience. Just as the property itself navigates the balance between all it has to offer (seclusion/accessibility, historic/modern, luxury/familiarity), Mike was able to balance his presence as a host. I felt he could have been our professional travel coordinator just as quickly as he could have been a longstanding family friend. I would look for an excuse to stay here again. I have rented in several different settings (from historic mansions in Galveston to centrally-located apartments in New York City to quiet shoreside homes in St. Joseph, MI). This stay at Mike's home combined what I liked most about each of my previous rental experiences.
Very comfortable home in a lovely neighborhood close to the beach promenade. Easy access to Boston from the Wonderland subway station just a short drive away. We enjoyed the great backyard and the pool table, and the third floor room has a cool hangout space for kids or teens. Mike was a great host!
Our family was instantly charmed by this immaculate,and charming home. The kitchen was so well equipped, and Mike's orientation to the property was helpful and comprehensive. Any questions we had were promptly addressed, and we appreciated all the descriptions of available beaches, favorite restaurants, etc. He was most generous in offering use of the fire pit. All technology worked well, so helpful as some were working remotely. Our sincere thanks to Mike and his daughters for the use of their New England home.
Mike is such a great host! I read previous reviews and yes, the shower might too small for a taller/bigger person or the owner’s dogs might trigger some allergies but for us the house was perfect. We had seven adults from different states and Canada getting ready for a wedding and had no issues with much of anything. The house is a adorable and very comfortable and I would rent this house again. Thanks Mike!
The house was really great and the perfect for our trip. It was close enough to Salem for us to take Uber’s to and from without any issues. The only thing I would suggest for your future guests is to list that you have a pet dog. A person in our group is allergic to animals and it exasperated his asthma and made it tough for him to catch his breath all weekend.
Mike was a great host, and we enjoyed our stay here very much! He left us lots of tips about beaches and restaurants that were very helpful! The house is a charming new England classic! The waterfront is about a 10 minute walk, and we took the 5 min drive to gorgeous Nanhant beach. The beds were comfy, although we only used the two bedrooms on the second floor, not the one on the third floor. We loved the screened porch and cute yard. Note that the house has two room air conditioner units, not central air. It was cool, and we didn't use them. Minor details that could be improved are that we would have liked a normal coffee maker (it was a Chemex, rather complicated, we had to watch a YouTube video on it), and the bathroom has an old style footed tub/shower that is narrow. A large person would not find the shower comfortable. On the whole we greatly enjoyed our stay and would come again!! Thanks Mike!
My family of 6 stayed here during a family wedding that we attended. Everything was lovely! The house is extremely comfortable and inviting and the outdoor shower is an experience that you will love!! The town of Swampscott was fun and Mike is extremely helpful with suggestions! The location is perfect for seeing the city of Boston and enjoy the beach towns of the area! I would highly commend staying here! I hope to return to Seampscott and if we do we will rent from Mike again. LOVED IT!
My girlfriends and I had an amazing weekend staying at Mikes in swampscott for the weekend.. we had cocktails in the yard, and played games on the screened in porch and walked to the beach! We were quick cab rides away from going out in Salem and a boat ride in Marblehead. This house is absolutely amazing, nicely decorated AND the outdoor shower was luxurious! Mike was incredibly helpful offered fire wood for the pit in the yard, gave suggestions for restuarants and beaches with little discriptions of each and gave us the locals scoop on where to park. Ten out of ten would stay here again!