As innkeepers on Cape Cod, my husband and I use the slower winter months to tackle the ever-growing list of improvement projects we hope will keep the Inn fresh and well-maintained for our guests. Touch-up painting is always on the list and is perhaps my least favorite chore, as is organizing closets. But this year we are tackling the final guestroom bath update to erase the 2020s era look of the previous owners and fine-tune the sleek and contemporary look we have achieved in the rest of the Inn.

The designated bathroom remodel is for our premium fireplace room that we affectionately call the Sand Dollar room. Located on the main floor, Sand Dollar features a queen canopy bed, wood-burning fireplace, soaring cathedral ceiling, ample walk-in closet, and French doors to the deck overlooking the courtyard and fountain. It is a particularly popular room in the fall and winter months because of the fireplace, but also a big hit in the warmer months when our guests like to lounge in the old-fashioned steamer chairs on the deck with a great cup of coffee or afternoon cocktail in hand and enjoy the view.

Rich has completed the demolition, applied for all the requisite building permits, and coordinated with the plumber, granite installer, and our fabulous tiler to ensure that installation will go according to plan. My task was to remove the two layers of wallpaper border and pick out the hardware, lighting, and decorative items that will complete the look of the new bath. I’ll probably help with painting the bathroom once the installation is complete, as somehow I have attained the status of “expert trim painter” in my years of a do-it-yourself innkeeper.

At any rate we are about mid-way through the remodeling process and my eagerness to complete the project is all-consuming. We hope to have the bathroom ready for the all-important Valentine’s Day weekend, as Sand Dollar is always in demand for its romantic ambiance, especially for Valentine’s Day.

This year we are once again offering our “February is for Lovers” package for Valentine’s Day weekend, and throughout the month of February. Why not sweep her off her feet with this romantic two-night getaway? Start your day with breakfast by candlelight. Later you can enjoy a bottle of chilled champagne and chocolates in your room, or opt for a side-by-side in-room couples massage. Then top the weekend off with a 3-course gourmet dinner for two at one of Cape Cod‘s most romantic restaurants. We‘ve done all the planning for you. Just call and ask for the “February is for Lovers“ package.

Who knows? Perhaps you‘ll be the first couple to try the new Sand Dollar room bathroom.