Martha's Vineyard lodging with no reservation in late April?

April 12, 2012 10:13 AM

Can I show up on Martha's Vineyard on Saturday April 28th without a reservation and find a not-exorbitantly-priced place to stay for one night?

I'm juggling a few different travel ideas, trying to make it a game-time decision. Would love to be able to decide at the last minute, hop on the ferry Saturday morning and find a place to stay when I get there.

Is that crazy, or is it still early enough that it would be OK?

posted by mccxxiii to Travel & Transportation around Martha's Vineyard, MA (8 answers total)

Martha's Vineyard's high season is between Memorial and Labor Day, so hotels there will likely be less expensive in late April. But, it's all relative. It's still a pretty expensive place to stay. Why not call up a couple of the hotels on the island and ask them what their rates are for April 28th? Then you'd have an idea of how feasible your plan is given your budget.
posted by dfriedman at 10:28 AM on April 12, 2012

Try finding places on Airbnb, Its a service which allows you to stay within a persons house. Most of my experience has been good and people have been freindly.

Its cheaper than any hotel and you get the benifit of having a local to ask for places to look at.
posted by radsqd at 11:02 AM on April 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

Pick up the phone that Saturday AM and call to see if rooms are available - and ask about last minute deals. Alternately, keep an eye on their web sites. If bookings are slow most places will run last minute specials. I got a great deal on a B&B for our 20th anniversary last year by doing that.
posted by COD at 11:02 AM on April 12, 2012

I advise you *not* to go down the route of "staying in someone's house." Of course it can be a friendly and nice experience ... except the one time you get attacked or killed by the crazy owner of the house.

Yes - you can find a nice, safe hotel room, depending on how many calls you're willing to make when you arrive at Martha's Vineyard (phone calls will get you the best rate at some properties).
posted by Kruger5 at 11:28 AM on April 12, 2012

Response by poster: Just to clarify, I'm less concerned about the price of the room than about getting there and finding that every single place is booked solid and there is no bed for me anywhere...
posted by mccxxiii at 11:54 AM on April 12, 2012

That is not crazy. There are plenty of hotels and B&Bs in town. It won't be busy in April.
posted by ellF at 12:33 PM on April 12, 2012

Another potential problem is not that places will be booked up, but that that early in the season they won't be open at all. I think you really must call ahead, at least to see if they're open, if not to actually make a reservation.
posted by primate moon at 1:51 PM on April 12, 2012

except the one time you get attacked or killed by the crazy owner of the house.

I can't imagine making travel decisions this way.

I go to the Vineyard a lot, especially off season, and yes you can find a place and find a great deal on a place. This is one of the absolute best times to visit the Island.

A couple of very inexpensive places that are not likely to be full on an April weekend:

Surfside Motel - a basic, fine motel, in the middle of Oak Bluffs which is a convenient and good place to be in reach of everything you will want to do.

Nashua House - nifty old rattletrap full of character, a block from the water and a block off the main strolling street in Oak Bluffs.

Check Martha's Vineyard Online for last minute specials and packages.

You can pre-reserve for cheap at one of these places, or just go to the island. It's totally a bidder's market right now. Ask the people at the ferry terminal. Ask a cab driver.Just say "looking for simple cheap accommodations, where do you recommend?" And be willing to say how much you want to spend per night. There are so many places, most of which will be happy to have you this time of year.

Go, have no fear, and have a wonderful time!
posted by Miko at 8:18 PM on April 12, 2012 [2 favorites]