Ampersand Guesthouse, FIVE PALMS - EXCEPTIONAL

It's hard not to love the Ampersand, a Greek revival house with a blend of contemporary and antique furnishings that works exceptionally well. The sundeck and several of the rooms have great bay views; the location is just far enough west to be removed yet not inconvenient. Some rooms have private decks, and all have cable TV with VCRs. The grounds are lovingly maintained (the back garden is a fabulous haven of flowers and quiet spaces to sit and relax) and the decor is flawless. There's a blissful air of New England charm and breezy, upscale peacefulness, and owners Robert Vetrick and Ken Janson are great hosts. Homemade muffins greet guests in the morning. Book the separate studio apartment in the carriage house if you're seeking privacy and seclusion. You get all this, and yet the rates are quite reasonable by P'town standards. # Rooms=10, mostly men, "quaint"=high, water view=some.

Ampersand Guest House Receives 2009 Best of Provincetown Award

U.S. Commerce Association's Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

WASHINGTON D.C., June 8, 2009 -- Ampersand Guest House has been selected for the 2009 Best of Provincetown Award in the Bed & Breakfast Inns category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2009 USCA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

Ampersand Guesthouse is a Work of Art

Art is everywhere in Provincetown, but being a guest at the Ampersand Guesthouse allows you to live in the art.

The West End guesthouse has been painted by Michael Davis, Symie Maryles and Frederick Broson, just to name a few. Many of the pieces decorate the guesthouse, which is a work of art in itself.

Located at 6 Cottage Street and built in 1852, the Ampersand is owned and operated by the friendly Robert Vetrick and Ken Janson. The couple bought the inn 17 years ago and still love what they do.

"Our personality is definitely part of the house," said Vetrick. "Our guests enjoy us and we enjoy our guests. They consider this their home in Provincetown. We still like what we are doing and people can sense that."

Proof that guests love staying at the Ampersand is 85 percent of all reservations at the inn are returning customers. And who wouldn't want to come back? The mid-19th century Greek revival style inn has 11 rooms all unique in design, with layouts that run from single rooms to suites. All rooms have air conditioning and TV/VCRs should you feel like staying in with a couple of rented videos. Most rooms have refrigerators and a select few have fireplaces. 

Three rooms have direct water views, while many have oblique water views. A continental breakfast is served in the inn's large living room decorated with antiques, many of which are original to the house. At breakfast enjoy some of Vetrick's homemade muffins in one or the most gorgeous features of the house...the garden.

"We have about 75 roses in the garden," said Vetrick. "Some guests like to come four times a year, once in each season to see the changes."

In addition, artist Symie Maryles usually comes every June to the inn to paint the roses.

The Ampersand is open year-round...and is open to both men and women. The inn is located in a quiet neighborhood close to where Commercial and Tremont Streets meet. This perfect location means that you are a stone's throw to the beach, the breakwater, the harbor and downtown. All that Provincetown has to offer is so close.

An added bonus to staying at the Ampersand is knowing the your hosts contribute so much to the community. Vetrick, a former teacher, and Janson, [who has an architectural background],serve on a variety of boards and committees in town. In the past 17 years Vetrick and Janson have served on the Boards of Health, the Zoning Board, the Provincetown Business Guild, and the Hate Crimes Committee, as well as tutoring local school children.

"We try to give back because this is such a wonderful place to live," said Vetrick.

Provincetown and the Ampersand are indeed wonderful places to live and with one quick phone call to Vetrick and Janson, it can be your vacation home in Provincetown, too.

Ampersand Guesthouse, located in the West End of Provincetown, is a beautifully landscaped inn open to men and women who want to spend time in a quiet setting, surrounded by a tasteful selection of antiques. Owners Ken Janson and Robert Vetrick have created a lovely environment - so lovely you may never want to leave the house. Ken and Robert obviously love what they are doing, and Ken brought his architectural background to redesigning many of the guesthouse rooms. A blend of modern design and antiques gives every room in this house an exciting essence all its own. There are 11 rooms, all with private baths.

Guests wake up to Robert's homemade muffins, coffee and juice. A sunny deck with a water view is available for guests, and if reading or writing is your relaxation technique, the Ampersand is the place to make your reservations. Located at 6 Cottage St., the Ampersand is far enough from the center of town to offer peace and quiet, but if you want to be rowdy, the action is only 5 minutes away. Ken and Robert have created an environment that would appeal to the guest who appreciates both privacy and friendliness. This is not a loud house. It is a hide-away far from the pulsating crowd. Nearly all of the business at Ampersand is repeat customers. That says it all.