Tripadvisor ranks a Brewster B&B number #1 in the US and #2 in the world. Here's why
BREWSTER — After six years of efforts to renovate, upgrade and add more guest pampering and personal service at Candleberry Inn on Cape Cod, co-owner Marco DiDomizio said he was a little shocked to learn it had all translated to top global attention.
Candleberry Inn rose to the distinction this week of being ranked the No. 1 bed and breakfast/inn in the U.S. for 2022 and No. 2 in the entire world, according to travelers rating their stays on the Tripadvisor travel site.
“We’ve gotten terrific rankings in the past, but I never thought that we’d reach this level, so it’s just amazing,” DiDomizio said by phone Wednesday, a day after initially hearing the news from a past guest from England. “We’re so grateful to our guests for supporting us this way and for our staff for helping us to achieve this.”
Cape Cod B&Bs make Tripadvisor's top 25 list for B&Bs and Inns
That wasn’t the only good news for Cape Cod from the survey: Three other local accommodations were also chosen for Tripadvisor’s top 25 list of B&Bs and inns for the U.S., described as “sweet, serene stays that mellowed out travelers.”
Queen Vic Guest House in Provincetown came in at No. 6, with a traveler’s recommendation that it’s “THE place to stay in PTOWN, so much charm!”
Sea Street Inn in Hyannis ranked No. 20 (“Amazing B&B” and also cited among the best this year by Yankee magazine).
The Inn at Cook Street in Provincetown was No. 22 (“Incredible food, incredible space, incredible experience”).
Other accolades: Conde Nast Traveler names Chatham Bars Inn one of 45 best hotels/resorts in world
Why Candleberry Inn in Brewster, MA tops the list
But Candleberry Inn, in buildings that date back to the 1700s and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, topped the U.S. list, and only The Toulson Court in Scarborough, England beat it out for global bragging rights. The nine-room boutique B&B at 1822 Main St. was just one of four U.S. inns represented on that world list at all.
In Tripadvisor’s latest annual “Best of the Best” list, the Candleberry Inn was described by fans as a “perfect place for a romantic, peaceful weekend (or more!)” and “a wonderful experience beyond our expectations!”
Candleberry has gotten noticed before after DiDomizio and partner Angelo Ferraro left jobs in global finance/advertising and architecture, respectively, to take over the former sea captain’s home. In 2021, the inn, which has been used for lodgings for nearly a century, topped out as No. 3 in the U.S. on that same Tripadvisor list and No. 8 in the world.
“It’s been a consistent progression since we took over the property,” DiDomizio said.
What's so special about Candleberry Inn on Cape Cod?
Beyond a personal touch during stays (“without hovering”), said DiDomizio, who handles the business and rooms side of the inn, top priorities have been keeping in touch with guests through regular blogs and emails, marketing and encouraging repeat business.
The inn is a quarter-mile from Breakwater Beach, a short walk from both Spinnaker restaurant and Brewster Chowder House, and about a half-mile from the Cape Cod Rail Trail's approximate halfway point, according to its website.
Amenities include 600 thread-count sheets, Turkish towels and robes, a “sprawling, well-manicured property,” a multi-course gourmet breakfast, ample USB ports and charging stations, and “next-level” cleanliness and safety protocols, it says.
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“We’ve put in a lot of amenities to make the guest experience as nice as it can be,” DiDomizio said. “We gutted and upgraded all of the bathrooms last year, so everything now is marble and stone, and there are soaker tubs. One other thing that we've consistently done since the beginning is amp up the breakfast menu.”
Not only did Ferraro use his architect skills to oversee the building upgrades, DiDomizio said, he’s the popular on-site chef, who makes and serves a multi-course breakfast each morning that is plated and served rather than set out as a buffet and that is tailored to any guest’s food restrictions.
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Ferraro also bakes treats that are left out for guests in the afternoon, individually wrapped with their names on them — a pandemic strategy that DiDomizio said is going to stay because “it’s like Christmastime in the dining room. … That personal touch really does surprise and delight our guests.”
“When the guests come here, it's really just an escape from their everyday world, like a little haven for them to just be pampered,” he said. “We really love the concept of ‘Be our personal guest and be cared for.’ We’re only nine rooms so we can do that for the 18 to 20 guests who are here at any given time.”
According to Tripadvisor, the Travelers’ Choice Awards are determined based on the quality and quantity of traveler reviews and ratings posted on Tripadvisor during the previous year.
Contact Kathi Scrizzi Driscoll at kdriscoll@capecodonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @KathiSDCCT.
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Cod Hotels: Candleberry Inn and other B&Bs top Tripadvisor list
