The Tillinghast Cottage

Victorian architect Samuel Freeman Pratt – famed for his unique “Bird Cage” style – designed our summer home for the Tillinghast family of prominent shipowners & merchants. The Oak Bluffs Land & Wharf Company built the house in 1873. Other Pratt designs nearby to us include the iconic octagon-shaped Union Chapel & open-air Tabernacle in the Campgrounds neighborhood.

Stanley B. Arend, Jr & wife Valgerd purchased the cottage in 1959 & opened its doors to guests in 1982 as Samoset-on-the-Sound. In 2018, Stanley B. Arend, III became the sole owner & re-branded the house as the Beachfront Inn of Martha’s Vineyard which also is his primary residence.

While retaining original architectural features, Stanley has upgraded the property dramatically with:

• Private bathrooms in all six second floor guest bedrooms

• Whole house heat & air conditioning with separate controls in each guest bedroom

• First floor gourmet kitchen open to guests

• Expansive bricked patio with large doors accessing the kitchen & living room

• Enclosed outside shower large enough for two

Stanley staffs the Inn by himself with the help of some contract services using more of an air-bnb than a hotel model. With his many years on the Vineyard, he serves as a valuable concierge to guests. See the Policies tab for further explanation.

We look forward to sharing the Beachfront Inn of Martha’s Vineyard with you.