The opening of a flashy new resort in a quaint seaside town has raised eyebrows among locals used to quiet luxury.
Linchris Hotel Corporation will open the new tropical-themed Margaritaville Resort Cape Cod in Hyannis this summer.
They plan to offer more affordable family fun that ‘fits together seamlessly’ [our] brand inspiration with the surrounding destination and community.”
But some locals say the resort chain’s palm tree wallpaper and frozen margaritas clash with the Cape’s laid-back, preppy aesthetic.
Local restaurateur Bob Jarvis told the story The New York Post: ‘Other cities on the Cape would never allow something like this.’
Despite the grumbling, the hotel promises to offer something different in an otherwise inaccessible market
The resort’s palm tree wallpaper and frozen margaritas are at odds with the Cape’s laid-back, preppy aesthetic
Linchris Hotel Corporation purchased the property in 2022 from the Cape Codder Resort & Spa, a beloved family-owned business that had been there for 47 years.
The new owners are based in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and own several other properties in New England.
There are 40 Margaritaville resorts and hotels in the US and 20 more are in the works.
Chief marketing officer Tamara Baldanza-Dekker told The Post, “I think we are most excited to open our first lodging location in New England.
‘It suits us perfectly as a brand, given the elements of escapism and the connection with the beach and the sea.’
The 272-room, 18,000-square-foot resort will have meeting and event spaces, a water park, a spa, a pickleball court and two restaurants and bars.
Some have turned their noses up at renderings of the hotel, which show a brightly colored, festive resort with ocean motifs and neon signs
A giant blue slipper sits in the hotel lobby, while surfboards and fake palm trees decorate the interior
But some have turned their noses up at renderings of the hotel, which show a brightly colored, festive resort with ocean motifs and neon signs.
A giant blue slipper sits in the hotel lobby, while surfboards and fake palm trees decorate the interior.
Jarvis told The Post that the plans do not suit the resort’s location.
He said, “You’re not on the water, but you’re a block from an Olive Garden and you’re in the middle of Hyannis, a city.
“Other cities on the Cape would never allow something like this, but big chains are kind of their forte in Hyannis.
“This wouldn’t fly into Chatham or Wellfleet or Falmouth or Sandwich.”
The 18,000-square-foot resort will have meeting and event spaces, a water park, a spa, a pickleball court and two restaurants and bars
Jarvis said the owners will have difficulty finding staff to work at the hotel.
He said, ‘IYou used to have a bunch of students from UMass Amherst who would rent a house and work in the restaurants and have a great summer.
“But all those little houses have been gobbled up and turned into VRBOs and Airbnbs.
“It’s changed the game dramatically… Good luck trying to get help here.”
Despite the grumbling, the hotel promises to offer something different in an otherwise inaccessible market.
The full-service resort will accept reservations starting the last week of August with rates starting at $368 per night for a standard king room.
The resort is a stark contrast to the otherwise relaxed, preppy aesthetic of the Cape
For comparison, a night at the Chatham Bars Inn for the same dates starts at $1,210.
Jarvis said: “I think they’ll do great in the summer months if they can get those young families looking for something affordable. But winters can be long here, especially if your customers go to Florida for the season.”
Not everyone is against the new resort; Sharon Hyatt, 79, has been visiting the Cape all her life and welcomes the new relaxed, fun aesthetic.
She said, “People looking for that ‘Old Cape Cod’ feel probably won’t like it.
“But for a younger generation that wants to party, have margaritas and have a good old time, like in South Florida, they might like it.”
“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to go.”