Breaking News June 24th, 2021 – In the magazine Sweet July, Ayesha Curry’s quarterly lifestyle magazine, she highlights 14 independent Black-owned hotels across America in the article “Black-owned hotels for the ultimate road trip.” MASSACHUSETTS scored in the Top Ten for The Oak Bluffs Inn on Martha’s Vineyard..
The largest Bed & Breakfast at Martha’s Vineyard Ink Well beach, the Black’s beach, is the Dunmere-by-the Sea at 7 Pennacook Avenue. The Dunmere is a stunning Victorian overlooking the Inkwell Beach. In her previous life she was an Inn and featured in the 1964 Green Book as a welcome haven to African Americans vacationers at a time when many hospitality establishments were not an option. Recently, a Black couple took ownership of the property and here’s what they posted on Facebook about it. Oh by the way, it cost $8,000 a week in the Summer and comes with lots of rooms so the bigger your traveling party, the cheaper per room cost will be. Eight K is on the high side even for an Oak Bluff beachfront property. Wecan tell you stories about how to score comfortable rooms for two for $125 – $250 per night in Oak Bluff. Timing is everything and time of year makes a very big difference. The 2021 post pandemic Martha’s Vineyard is at its most expensive lodging price level ever!
Owner’s statement about her space on Oak Bluff she is renting.
“My mission is to honor and preserve this property and this community by creating a place that all feel welcome to gather, connect and restore. A place of kindness. A place of inspiration. A haven. We hope to find you this summer laughing on a porch, closing your eyes inhaling deeply the ocean breeze, or dozing off with the feeling of the sun on your faces or splashing through the strong spirit of the blue ocean. Connecting, restoring, being. Please join us at The Narragansett House or Dunmere by the Sea this summer. We will be waiting for you on the porch. “
Isn’t that nice?
Back in town, Black people are renting their homes as AirBnbs. They are everywhere, in all neighborhoods. Many of the hosts are retired school teachers and professionals. They are in Boston, Cambridge, Hyde Park and Randolph, to name a few location. The more expensive AirBnB are in the North End, the Back Bay and in Cambridge near Harvard and MIT Universities
Hi-quality but cheaper AirBnBs are found in the Neighborhoods of Dorchester, Roxbury, Mission Hill, Hyde Park, Randolph and other, because they are a distance from Downtown Boston but its easy to get to them in your car or by public transportation. Now, we don’t have a comprehensive list of Black AirBnb hosts but we are working on it.
Massachusetts has Black-owned hotels and there is one in Boston that we know of. Many Black homeowners offer AirBnB rentals. The Crosstown Park section of Boston’s South End has a Hampton Inn built by black developers. #buyblack there are hundreds of black-owned hotels in the US.
Shout out to Lee Lewis, Jr. co-founder of iamblackbusiness.com for the referral to the The National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators and Developers.
Black-owned hotels in Massachusetts
Hampton Inn & Suites Boston Crosstown Center
Marriott Residence Inn Boston Harbor on Tudor Wharf
Sheraton Colonial Hotel & Golf Club
Food Outlets on on Martha’s Vineyard
The short list of popular Martha’s Vineyard foodie stops
For Oak Bluff foodies
- Back Door Donuts, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday; 7 to 10 p.m. Friday & Saturday: backdoordonuts.com, 508-693-3688
- Bangkok Cuisine, 4 to 10 p.m. daily: bangkokcapecod.com, 508-696-6322
- Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Thursday; noon to 8 p.m. Friday & Saturday: benandbillsmv.com, 508-696-0008
- Big Dipper Ice Cream & Deli, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily: instagram.com/bigdipper.carousel, 508-693-4845
Carousel Ice Cream Factory, open daily at noon: instagram.com/bigdipper.carousel.mv, 508-696-8614 - Island Food Pantry, 2 to 4 p.m. Monday; 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday: islandfoodpantry.org, 508-693-4764
- Juice By the Sea, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday: juicebytheseamv.com, 781-385-0997
Mocha Mott’s, 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.: mochamotts.com, 508-696-1922 - Murdick’s Fudge, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily: murdicks.com, 888-553-8343
- Sea Smoke Barbecue, 5 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday: seasmokemv.com, 508-338-7404
The Sweet Life, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday: sweetlifemv.com, 508-696-0200 - Tony’s Market, deli open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily: tonysmarketmv.com, 508-693-4799
- Vineyard Caribbean Cuisine, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday & Saturday: facebook.com/Vineyard-Caribbean-Cuisine, 508-338-7077
