The Harrison

The staff were so welcoming, and the complimentary apricot brandy and cream sherry were a fun surprise. We enjoyed the Victorian look and feel of the B&B, along with the good breakfast and very tasty cakes and cookies at afternoon tea. I would have liked some more traditional English tea food, like little sandwiches. The day before we left, one staff member told us we could visit two other properties, The Phorus and Casablanca, so we did. It was a memorable stay.

We spent three nights in Pharos Cottage, which had just been renovated. It had modern conveniences but still kept its Victorian character. The chef made breakfast and tea a real treat, and the staff were wonderfully friendly and accommodating. We had an unprecedented experience.

We came back to The Harrison for our second stay and enjoyed the comfortable bed, well-equipped little rooms, and friendly, attentive staff. Washington Street’s shops are only a couple of blocks away. Parking takes some planning in Cape May: they gave us a pass for the Bank Street lot, about an eight-minute walk away. During the day, the Baptist church around the corner charges $2/hour, and there are meters too. You might get lucky with one of the few free neighborhood spaces. We stayed five nights and found a nearby free spot on two of them. The food was the highlight for me. Breakfast was delicious every day, with vegetarian and vegan choices each morning. The afternoon tea cakes and cookies were so good they could have their own bakery.

We’ve been visiting Cape May for ten years and usually choose a different B&B each time. Since they own several, I was eager to try one. I missed the owner’s personal touch that’s rare at these places now. A lot of B&Bs feel like boutique hotels, with no owner around and no manager you can find, just hotel staff in B&B clothing. Still, the staff here were very friendly, and although our room and TV were both small, we enjoyed the stay. We booked the package with Provence restaurant. I was disappointed it took a 25 minute drive to get there, but the four course meal was the highlight for us, the food was absolutely great. I’d rate the stay 8/10, or 9.5 out of 10 including dinner.