Hosts: Sven Rudstrom and Alexandra Grabbe

Accommodations: 1 suite, 1 studio & 1 cottage.

Address: 2118 Old King’s Highway, Wellfleet MA 02667 USA

Click here for location.

Telephone: (508) 349 6823

Activities/Attractions: Looking for a holiday destination? Discover Wellfleet, a charming former fishing village in Massachusetts, two-hours from Boston's Logan Airport. There's plenty to do here in the summer when the population of 3,000 swells to 21,000.

• Magnificent beaches
  
• Towering sand dunes
  
• Fresh water kettle ponds
  
• Great nature walks
  
• Kayaking on the marsh
  
• Wind-surfing on the bay
  
• Charter-boat fishing
  
• Birding at Audubon
  

With four beaches on the ocean, and three on the bay, visitors have ample opportunity to enjoy the sun and surf. At low tide, shellfishermen dig for oysters and clams on the flats. Oysters are on the menu in all the local restaurants. The tourist season extends into the fall and culminates with the Oyster Fest, a weekend-long celebration.

Wellfleet is also known for its art galleries. On Saturday evenings, stroll around the village, participating in opening receptions or explore the weather-shingled shops, typical of the New England seacoast.

On Wednesdays, join the town folk on the pier for an old-fashioned  square dance. Spend a few hours at the Wellfleet Flea Market, held in the parking lot of one of the last real drive-in movie theatres in America. No holiday at Cape Cod would be complete without a day-trip to Provincetown and a whale-watching expedition.

People come for the pristine beaches and open space, but Wellfleet is more than just a pretty seaside village. The woods are full of artists and writers, who choose to live here, following in the footsteps of such intellectual giants as Dwight Macdonald and Edmund Wilson. All through the year, the public library hosts events that challenge the mind.

Wellfleet is also home to the Gestalt International Study Center and its Cape Cod Institute, a summer-long series of weeklong courses for mental health and management professionals.

Finally, there's the Wellfleet Actors' Harbor Theater: WHAT has extended its season and promises a banner year that will live up to the New York Times description: "consistently exciting, top-notch theater." Wellfleet is a special place. Once you come, you won't want to leave. Which month to choose?

• April and May offer the excitement of a drowsy town waking up for the rental season. The tulips and daffodils are out; the beaches and trails deserted
  
• By June, the rhythm has picked up
  
• In July and August, Wellfleet is in great demand, so reserve early
  
• We like September as the ocean is warm and the tomatoes are ripe in the vegetable garden
  
• October offers international travelers a chance to admire fall foliage
  
• Request information on weekly/discounted rates November-March
  

"Four days were much too short! We really enjoyed exploring Edward Hopper sites and loved coming home to spend our evenings in front of a cozy fireplace. Thanks, Sandy and Sven, for the warm welcome."

"What a wonderful place! Such a great location and so-o-o-o cozy!!"

"Fresh flowers, great art, lots of  windows, peaceful and quiet. Wonderful hospitality. Terrific!"

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General Information: Chez Sven Bed & Breakfast is Wellfleet at its best: a traditional Cape Cod, Massachusetts setting, newly renovated rooms and genteel hosts willing to share Wellfleet's secrets. Sven and I moved to Cape Cod from Paris eight years ago. I lived in France for 25 years and am fluent in French. My husband, a retired history teacher from Sweden, can speak German. Together we pioneered the concept of the B&B cottage, a place of quiet beauty where freshly baked bread appears like magic and guests can be as private as they want. We guarantee a true change of pace and kid-glove care.

Our Cape Codder is one of the oldest houses in Wellfleet with floorboards up to 16 inches wide and a bean pot cellar. During recent renovation, Sven found a Lady Liberty penny dating from 1798 under the living room. Tucked away behind a row of ancient cedar trees, the house offers views of Old King's Highway, a scenic road, unpaved as in colonial times. If you close your eyes, you can imagine the "old king's" representative traveling along the "highway" to collect taxes.

The central location means the village of Wellfleet is only ten minutes away on foot. You'll find great hiking trails in the National Seashore Park nearby: 60% of Wellfleet is national park, preserved forever. Guests can easily walk through the woods to Dyer Pond, described in the New York Times travel section as "the most beautiful, the most hidden, the most serene" (June  8, 2003). Spectacular Cahoon Hollow Beach is two miles away.

• Green Hotels Association Member
  
• Allergen-free rooms
  
• No smoking, no pets
  
• 100% natural amenities
  
• Organic cotton sheets
  
• Choice of down or hypoallergenic duvets/pillows
  

Chez Sven offers three different lodging options:
 
Liberty Coin Suite accommodates three people in two rooms with private bath. The large loft room is furnished with period antiques and art by local  artists.  Due to the extremely steep stairs, Liberty Coin is not  appropriate for anyone with problems climbing, or for young children.

Seagull Cottage sits nestled in the woods, behind the main house. It has its own kitchen and allows guests to be as private as they want. (Please note Seagull Cottage is already booked June 12-September 5, 2005 with repeat customers).

The General's Green Room with Private bath. Be among the first to try our newly renovated Green Room, available February 08. It will offer the same organic cotton sheets and 100% natural amenities.

We stock the refrigerator in Seagull Cottage for breakfast and provide freshly baked bread. Liberty Coin and Studio guests are served breakfast in the main house or at the vintage wrought-iron table in the garden, weather permitting. The menu includes international fare, everything from open-face sandwiches to freshly baked bread, delicious smoothies, homemade organic yogurt and granola or sumptuous French toast.

Chez Sven specializes in serving the needs of visitors from Sweden and France but welcomes guests from all over the world. Familiar with the hassles occasioned by jet lag, lost luggage and culture shock, we look forward to helping turn your stay in Massachusetts into a treasured memory. A bientôt!

Payment Accepted: Cash or travelers' checks.

Seagull Cottage: $200/night; $50 additional for accommodation for a third person in a second room
Liberty Coin: $170/night; $50 additional for accommodation for a third person in a second room
General's Room: $150/night

Two-night minimum in spring and fall; three-night minimum in summer.

"Venir de la vieille Europe pour trouver ce merveilleux cottage ou l'on sent dans la construction autant les mains que les coeurs des charpentiers. Un vrai bonheur!"

"We are so pleased to have discovered this hidden treasure, an incredibly charming cottage with many of the comforts of home."

"We had a fabulous time. The hospitality offered by Sandy and Sven is remarkable."