The opening of a flashy new resort in a picturesque seaside town has raised eyebrows among locals accustomed 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 will “perfectly blend (our) brand inspiration with the surrounding destination and community.”
But some locals say the resort chain’s palm tree wallpaper and frozen margaritas are at odds with the Cape’s laid-back preppy aesthetic.
Local restaurateur Bob Jarvis said The New York Post: “Other Cape towns would never allow something like this.”
Despite the complaints, the hotel promises to offer something different in an otherwise inaccessible market.
The resort’s palm tree wallpaper and frozen daisies are at odds with the Cape’s laid-back preppy aesthetic.
Linchris Hotel Corporation purchased the property from Cape Codder Resort & Spa, a beloved family-owned operation that had been there for 47 years, in 2022.
The new owners are based in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and own several other properties in New England.
There are 40 Margaritaville resorts and hotels across the United States and another 20 are in the works.
Marketing director Tamara Baldanza-Dekker told The Post: “I think we are very excited to open our first lodge in New England.
“It’s a perfect fit for us as a brand given the elements of escapism and links to the beach and 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 scorned renderings of the hotel that show a brightly colored holiday resort with ocean motifs and neon signs.
A giant blue flip-flop sits in the hotel lobby, while surfboards and artificial palm trees adorn the interiors.
But some have scorned renderings of the hotel that show a brightly colored holiday resort with ocean motifs and neon signs.
Giant blue flip-flops hang in the hotel lobby, while surfboards and artificial palm trees adorn the interiors.
Jarvis told The Post the plans don’t fit with the resort’s location.
He said, ‘You’re not near the water, but you’re a block from Olive Garden and you’re in the center of Hyannis, which is a city.
“Other Cape towns would never allow something like this, but the big chains are their forte in Hyannis.
“This wouldn’t work in Chatham, Wellfleet, Falmouth or Sandwich.”
The 18,000-square-foot complex 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 a hard time finding staff to work at the hotel.
He said: ‘In the old days, there was a group of college students from UMass Amherst who rented a cabin, worked in the restaurants, and had a great summer.
‘But all those little cabins have been gobbled up and turned into VRBOs and Airbnbs.
“It’s changed the game drastically… Good luck to them if they’re trying to get help around here.”
Despite the complaints, the hotel promises to offer something different in an otherwise inaccessible market.
The full-service resort is accepting reservations 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 preppy, laid-back aesthetic of the Cape.
By comparison, a night at the Chatham Bars Inn for the same dates starts at $1,210.
Jarvis said: ‘I think they will do well in the summer months if they can get those young families looking for something affordable. But winters here can be long, especially when customers travel to Florida for the season.
Not everyone is opposed to the new complex; Resident Sharon Hyatt, 79, has frequented the Cape all her life and welcomes the relaxed, fun new aesthetic.
She said, “People looking for that ‘Old Cape Cod’ feel probably won’t like it.”
“But a younger generation that wants to party, drink margaritas and have a good time like they’re in South Florida, they might like it.”
“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to go.”