Please take a few minutes to understand our policies as they apply to you.
These policies of the Captain Lawrence Inn apply to all guests, guests of renters, and visitors to the property. Understanding them will help avoid potential misunderstanding, ensuring a smooth and worry free stay.
Please contact us should you have any questions about any of them!
These are not ordinary times. Some of our policies and protocols represent a slight inconvenience, it is our hope everyone appreciates our best efforts to protect everyone.
The State of Massachusetts exempts all rentals longer than 31 days from the combined 13.45% room taxes.
All rentals shorter than 31 days are subject to these taxes.
We take the Covid 19 virus seriously.
We have invested considerable time, expense, and thought in implementing a disciplined set of protocols and procedures for keeping the properties safe for ourselves, employees, contractors, and guests.
These protocols include screening mechanisms for all contractors and employees each individual day they require access to the properties. An initial staff training, regular verification and management, and ongoing trainings to review our established enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of our specific properties.
We use a detailed checklists, and rigorous management.
Linens, porous and nonporous surfaces, community areas, electronics, and building fixtures all require unique cleaning and disinfecting procedures and products.
All of our protocols and procedures all informed by science and latest guidance from the CDC and reliable scientific sources.
As a small business, and due to our seasonal nature, cancellations affect us greatly. Once we commit to hold the property for you, we turn subsequent inquiries away.
We recognize some current uncertainty in making travel and vacation plans. Consequently, we’ve devised a flexible and fair cancellation policy which shares cancellation risk between us.
On all reservations cancelled a minimum of 30 days prior to scheduled arrival and check in, we will refund 50% of the total gross reservation amount, so each of us shares a 50% loss. We will make the property available again immediately, and make a best effort to replace your reservation. If successful, we will refund an aggregate total of 80% of the gross reservation amount. (we will reduce the rate to improve booking probability).
We understand things happen, and highly recommend travel insurance to protect against last minute emergencies.
No known exposures or risks. (as of Aug 5th, 2020.)
We will share here any known contacts or possible risks at the property. No guests, contractors, employees, or visitors have had any known contact with the virus. This is to the best of our knowledge.
We do ask that all guests act in a responsible manner on the property and in the community, follow appropriate social distancing precautions, and wear masks as appropriate.
See our Covid 19 protocols and procedures page for more information.
An important part of our health and safety protocol requires the cooperation of our guests.
We hope you appreciate this minor inconvenience, as it serves in the best interests of our guests, contractors, employees, and community.
So we need your help! We are requesting all of our guests disclose any recent Covid 19 contact or known personal risk, to the best of their knowledge and ability, as well as any symptoms of Covid 19 in the days prior to arrival.
We also request all guests make us aware if concerning symptoms develop at any time during their stay. Finally, we ask guests report back to us post departure if they experience any concerning symptoms within a time period 14 days after their departure.
This simple diligence helps to protect all of us, as well as all future guests of the properties.
For monthly rentals or longer, there is no check in and check out time. We will coordinate and facilitate a contactless handoff.
Weekly Rentals.
Check in time is anytime after 4:00pm on the day of your scheduled arrival.
Check out time is no later than 10:00am on the day of your scheduled departure. (Unfortunately, we are not able to make exceptions to this check out time.)
Well behaved dogs (maximum 2) are welcome in all three properties.
All pets must be leashed while outside, and pet owners are responsible for cleaning up all pet refuse.
All pets must be up to date on rabies and other important vaccinations, and we strongly prefer and recommend topical flea treatments. We assume no responsibility for illness or injury that may occur to pets or humans while they are on the property.
Unfortunately, “chewers” are out. Teething youngsters who “chew”, breeds prone to chewing, and those special rascals with a rap sheet as who known “chewers”. These lovable troublemakers are better suited for a rover sitter, a friends place, or a kennel.
Finally, be tick vigilant and aware. We are surrounded by many fabulous hiking areas, marshes, and ponds. For everyone’s safety, take appropriate precautions.
We do require a security deposit of $500.00. This covers any damages to the property during your stay. Guests remain responsible for any and all damages which exceed this $500.00 threshold.
We request any and all damages be reported to us prior or upon checking out.
Please do not stress or worry about normal wear and tear. We hope our guests will treat the property with the same care and respect they do their own home.
We process and return all applicable security deposit amounts in a very prompt manner.
For reservations made 3 months in advance or greater, we require a 50% payment of total of rental agreement amount and applicable taxes, along with a signed rental agreement, for a confirmed reservation. The final 50% is due and payable by May 1st of the reservation year, or 45 days prior to scheduled arrival, whichever comes first.
For all reservations made less than 3 months in advance, we require 100% payment of all total rental charges, taxes, and fees, along with an executed rental agreement, to confirm the reservation.
We accept payment via all major internet payment services, credit cards, and personal check.
Taxes.
The Massachusetts State lodging tax is 5.7%, the Town of Falmouth lodging tax is 5%, and the Cape Cod water protection trust fund tax is 2.75%. Together, these taxes combine to add an additional 13.45% to your total rental cost.
Note: All stays longer than 32 days are exempt from these taxes.
Fees.
The cleaning charge for the Main Estate Residence is $385.00.
The cleaning charges for the Loft is $165.00.
All accepted pets will incur an $150.00 pet cleaning fee.
In Season. June 28th – September 6th. 7 day minimum. Sunday to Sunday.
Shoulder and offseason season. 5 day minimum.
The properties are also available for longer stays, so long as no confirmed bookings are already in the calendar.
The properties are available on a long term basis, please inquire directly with us about your specific requirements.
All personal property, including but not limited to travel documents, credit cards, electronics, cash, jewelry, or other valuables, are the full and sole responsibility of the guest. The Captain Lawrence Inn is not responsible for any loss, of any property, of guests while staying at the Inn.
Management is not responsible or liable for any damage to any auto, or its contents, while parked on Inn property.
(to date we have never experienced an issue)
The Inn is a non smoking property. All indoor areas are considered non smoking.
There are several comfortable areas around the property where guests are welcome to smoke outside.
The Estate House has 4 or 5 spaces available, and the Cottage and Loft 1 or 2 each.
Regrettably, our limited lot cannot accommodate ‘in tow’ vehicles or trailers, nor recreational vehicles.
The Falmouth Bus Station is a 5 minute walk from our front porch, with direct service from Boston’s Logan Airport and many other destinations served by Peter Pan Bus Lines.
You will not need a car if you are content with the Falmouth Village and Woods Hole area – we have free shuttles and a wonderful bike trail and loads of great restaurants, shopping, and things to do to keep you occupied.
You would need a car if you want to explore other areas of the Cape, such as Provincetown; Cape Cod’s transit system is still being developed.
You will find both Uber and Lyft drivers available locally. Of course, with less density than many urban environments, especially in the winter months and in the wee hours.
Our physical address is 75 Locust Street, Falmouth MA 02540
The Inn is ideally situated to explore the length of Cape Cod, a ideal spot from which to day trip to the national seashore and outer cape. We are a short walk to catch shuttles to Woods Hole and the steamship authority terminal location to reach Martha’s Vineyard. Beaches and the picturesque, quintessential New England Village of Falmouth are both short walks from our doorstep.
Approximate drive times to and from common destinations:
Boston – 72 miles; 1 hour and 15 minutes
New York City – 247 miles; 4 hours
Providence, Rhode Island – 68 miles; 1 hour and 15 minutes
Hartford, Connecticut – 154 miles; 2 hours and 20 minutes
Provincetown, Massachusetts – 78 miles; 1 hour and 35 minutes
Portland, Maine – 180 miles; 3 hours
Provincetown, Cape Cod – 78 miles; typically 1.5 – 2 hours
Three options:
The Steamship Authority’s year-round ferry service leaves from the ferry terminal in Woods Hole, approximately 3.5 miles from the Inn. It will take you to either Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs (seasonal). It is the only ferry service which provides transport for vehicles.
Since parking is very limited in Woods Hole, you catch the free shuttle directly to the Woods Hole ferry terminal from the Steamship’s parking lot in Falmouth, an easy half mile walk (12 minutes) away from the Inn.
In the summer season, the Island Queen – a passenger-only ferry service – is available from the port of Falmouth, a 25 min walk from the Inn.
Falmouth-Edgartown ferry is a seasonal, passenger-only ferry, leaving from Falmouth Harbor, on Scranton Avenue.
The Falmouth Bus Station is a 5 minute walk from our front porch, with direct service from Boston’s Logan Airport and many other destinations served by Peter Pan Bus Lines.
You will not need a car if you are content with the Falmouth Village and Woods Hole area – we have free shuttles and a wonderful bike trail and loads of great restaurants, shopping, and things to do to keep you occupied.
You would need a car if you want to explore other areas of the Cape, such as Provincetown; Cape Cod’s transit system is still being developed.
One of the most scenic bike trails on the entire eastern seaboard runs directly behind the Inn, the Shining Sea Bikeway. It meanders directly through bird sanctuaries, through salt ponds, and along an amazing beach and the Vineyard Sound. It runs all the way to Woods Hole, and time on it is time well spent.
We are fortunate to have an excellent bike rental store two blocks from the Inn, and we are also able to accommodate our guests private bicycles.
The Inn was the family home and estate of Captain Tom Lawrence, a successful Whaling Captain and member of the prominent local Lawrence family.
Whaling was one of the most important industries of the 18th and 19th century. Captain Tom Lawrence was master of several whaling ships – the Addison, the Alto and the Anaconda – in the mid-1800s, often away for years at a time on voyages in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. After ending his career as a captain, he became the local postmaster in Falmouth and ran a general store in town.
History runs deep on the Inn property.