Harborside House

This was truly a home away from home for the three generations of family who visited together last week. Susan has created a very welcoming place to relax after a long day of trekking around Boston. We also loved Marblehead so much that we’re planning to return… and hope to stay at Harborside House again. Highly recommend!

Great hospitality in a cozy, convenient setting in easy walking distance to restaurants and parks in Marblehead. Delicious breakfast and accomodating hostess. We were the only guests in early April, so we had the one bathroom and cozy upstairs sitting room to ourselves, but it would be ideal for a family with 2 (older) children as well. Tiny TV, but it’s all about the sailboats on the windy harbor, right? We’d recommend this B&B!

The bed and breakfast experience is categorically different than staying at a hotel. It’s really a numbers game. The larger hotel has more rooms and that grants you a degree of anonymity. On the other hand, to feel the warmth of a place and experience a locale in the home of a local is the specialty of the bed and breakfast.
The Harborside House is a classic BNB that made for an excellent base in exploring the Marblehead and greater Salem area in October.
It’s the kind of place where, while walking to our car, a local asked if we were enjoying Marblehead. As a jaded New Yorker who never makes eye contact with strangers, this was a revelation!
Susan, the innkeeper, was a joy to meet and chat with. She gave us a dining recommendation and also a map of the area for a walking tour, highlighting spots along the way. During breakfast, we’d converse along with the other guests about history, culture and travels. I felt like a worldly explorer sharing stories with the like minded. If that appeals to you then the BNB experience at an intimate location like this is definitely for you.
And it’s intimate– the top floor sports the two major accommodations that two different couples can stay in along with… one bathroom. That was the surprise discovery as there wasn’t any mention of private or shared bathroom facilities on the web site. Fortunately our schedules worked out so there wasn’t any conflict or embarrassing moments regarding the bathroom. Just be aware that if a private bathroom is what you’d like, you won’t find it here.
That’s really the only caveat I can name about our experience. The garden room full size bed was a little tight for two, possibly due to my larger arms that when stretched would hit the night stand.
I’d definitely return for the hospitality and engaging conversation. The location is perfect for exploring by foot all the riches of Marblehead.