Paradise in Provincetown

Written by Jessica Sacco for New England Fine Living  -Photos supplied by the Eban House

Although it’s close to 10 p.m. by the time my friend and I pull up to Eben House, we’re awake with excitement and immediately drawn into the beauty of the inn as we step inside. Originally built in 1776, the former home of Captain Eben Snow, this newly renovated bed and breakfast is just steps away from Provincetown’s main road lined with shops, shows and of course, the beach.

Inside, soft, romantic lighting guides our way through the foyer, past a fireplace and two large mantelpieces where an abundance of wood is stacked, sure to be in use during the long winter months when the inn remains open. We head up the original, narrow staircase to the Captain’s Suite at the end of the hall, which features an adjoining living room and bathroom.

Our room is a perfect blend of old meets new, combining federal-style architecture - like the convex mirror over the bed, reminiscent of those seen in homes during that period - with modern amenities. White bedding and furniture mixed with splashes of blues, grays and black give the perfect beachy-chic feel. Everything down to the hand soap is luxurious. If there weren’t so much to see and do in town, you could be happy never getting out of bed.

From the front, with its white façade and black shutters, Eben House may appear like any other house on the block, but in reality, it’s one of only three remaining brick homes from the colonial era. Snow used his boat to build his abode, down to the wooden floorboards and what’s believed to be bricks from the ship’s ballast. 

“We don’t know whether he was a good captain or a bad captain,” joked Bowd, one of the partners of Eben House, “But our take on him is really that - him and his family - they’re all a little bit quirky because they’re here in P-town.”