Entire home

Captain Morse House Luxury - In Town, Walk to Waterfront, Beach, Pets, 5 stars

Immerse yourself in history while unwinding in this unique waterfront retreat. Breathe in the fresh island air from your porch or explore nearby attractions like South Beach.

Photo gallery for Captain Morse House Luxury - In Town, Walk to Waterfront, Beach, Pets, 5 stars

Terrace/patio
Smart TV, fireplace, video games, DVD player
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
12 bedrooms, desk, iron/ironing board, travel cot
Exterior

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

12 bedrooms7 bathroomsSleeps 26743 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Beach view
  • Parking available
  • Pet-friendly
  • Gym
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Captain Morse House Luxury - In Town, Walk to Waterfront, Beach, Pets, 5 stars

The Captain Morse House is located on the iconic North Water Street in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. It was built by the island's most successful whaling Captain in 1840. The Captain Morse House has a superb location on the waterfront and two blocks from Edgartown's shopping and beaches. At the foot of Morse Street lies the North Wharf, where Captain Morse used to keep his whaling ships. This is a public wharf that you are free to use.

The home features 26 rooms with 12 bedrooms, seven baths, two full kitchens, two dining rooms, and two living rooms. The house can be rented in its entirety (this listing) or as the East or West Wings, which are also listed on Airbnb.

Outside the house
Two spacious porches overlook North Water Street with views of Edgartown Harbor. The large backyard and garden offer a private oasis from the bustle of a Vineyard summer. The yard is graced by three towering Linden trees. Edgartown's North Wharf lies below the house at the end of Morse Street. It is a great place to go and enjoy the waterfront or perhaps some fishing. Our backyard is one of the most spacious and safe in town and features a bricked patio with seating for 20 with two excellent barbecue stations. The tool shed holds complimentary bicycles, beach chairs, and lawn games.

About the Interior
The home is spread over three floors and offers a variety of public rooms and private bedrooms. The front of the first floor has a large formal living room with an elevator and dual access to the front porch. Next to it is the front entranceway that features a lovely spiral staircase built by local shipwrights. Next comes the media room that doubles as a spare bedroom and then a formal dining room and gourmet kitchen. The formal dining room offers seating for up to 14.
As you walk by the front kitchen, you enter the back of the house with a large living and dining area, a private ensuite bedroom, and a full modern kitchen with an island. There is dining seating for fourteen. This is a great informal space for more casual gatherings.

The second floor again starts with a magnificent front porch that can be accessed from either the master bedroom or the second large bedroom. From here to the back of the house are another five bedrooms and four bathrooms.

On the third floor, there are an additional four bedrooms. This is the most straightforward part of the house and was where the servants used to live. Back in the 1800s, it took a small army to run the house. Not all of them could actually live at the house. Some lived on Chappaquiddick Island and took the ferry operated by Captain Morse's father Uriah. Here there are 4 bedrooms and a bathroom.

We specialize in large families, family reunions, weddings, anniversaries, and any event where people want to enjoy each other's company without the distraction of others. Large groups regularly book our home for its charm, comfort, and unique character and grace. With that said our repeat tenants tend to be smaller families of 6 or so. They then invite friends to come and visit. In my youth, I lived in the house with my family. It seems unusual now but back then we just took it for granted and helped our father with the maintenance and lawn work.


Events:
Parties and events are not allowed on the Airbnb Booking platform due to their global ban on events over 16 people. Events are allowed only with the express written consent of the Host. Please request more information.

The Surrounding Area:
The Captain Morse House is located at the corner of Morse and North Water Streets. The town of Edgartown is defined principally by its Main Street. To the south is South Water Street which winds by the giant pagoda tree and towards the road to Katama and South Beach. North Water Street runs the opposite way and the Captain Morse House is located about halfway between Main Street and the Harbor View Hotel which looks over the Edgartown Lighthouse and the entrance to the harbor.

Summary
We are committed to doing whatever we can to make your stay in our family home on Martha's Vineyard a special one. We think that our house is the best in town and offers our guests a truly unique experience.
You can see more detailed information on The Captain Morse House on our website. Just search for captainmorsehouse.

EXPECTATIONS
This is where, in the interest of transparency, we divulge all of the things that you ought to know about the house
This may repeat what is on Airbnb

PARKING
The fewer cars you bring to the island the better. That said....
We have space for up to 4 cars in our single-lane driveway.
We also have rented guaranteed available additional parking one block away for another two cars and possibly more.
When the Wings are both rented the East Wing gets the driveway and the West Wing gets the two spots down the street. This way no one gets blocked in.

There is free parking on the street during the day for up to two hours in the season and all day off-season.
There is no parking overnight from 2:00 am to 7:00 am.
There are two town parking lots with overnight parking at the foot of Main Street and at nearby Mayhew Lane.
There is another lot up at the Triangle called the Dark Woods Lot.

WATER
You are 200 feet from Edgartown Harbor. Walk out of the house and down Morse Street to Edgartown's North Wharf. This is a public wharf and also houses the harbormaster and a marine store. We have a Boston Whaler that is docked here and available as a separate rental. We mention this because some may consider that a hazard.

STAIRS & RAILING
This house was built in 1840 before modern building standards. There are steep stairs from the West Wing of the 1st floor to the 3rd floor and from the East Wing's 2nd floor to the 3rd floor. There are also low railings on the porches and at the West Wing 2nd-floor landing. Small children will need supervision. People with mobility issues should stay on the 1st floor or use the elevator in the East Wing.

CAMERAS
Two exterior cameras and three doorbell cameras cover entrances and patio. The interior camera can be turned towards the wall when you come in.
These are for your protection only.

NOISE
You are three blocks away from Main Street. This is an "in-town" location with all the advantages of walking to pretty much anything you want. The disadvantage is that traffic will be sometimes heard at the corner of Morse Street and North Water Street. The other Wings Guests can sometimes be heard.

TERMS AND RATES:

All pricing, availability, and terms are subject to change without notice. We use dynamic pricing that adjusts to market demand and other factors.
A booking is confirmed only when we receive a payment and a signed lease.
All rentals are subject to our lease, manual, and house rules whether you have expressly signed a lease or not.
Each guest making a booking must sign our lease and provide your personal email, cell phone, legal mailing address (no PO Boxes), picture of a valid government ID, and a selfie showing the ID next to your face.
We reserve the right to cancel any booking where we feel the rates are inaccurate or when the guest fails to adhere to our house rules.

Unauthorized Late Check-Out or Early Check-Ins seriously disrupt our existing guests, cleaners, and caretakers. The fee for these is $100 per quarter hour

REV: 2024-12

Property manager

Platt Johnson

Languages

English, French

Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach nearby

Internet

  • Available in the house: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Car available
  • Car not required
  • Limited on-site parking (max 4 spaces)

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Hob
  • Ice maker
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Chef service
  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 12 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Sofa bed

Bathroom

  • 7 bathrooms
  • Bathtub
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Fireplace
  • Living room
  • Separate dining area

Entertainment

  • Books
  • DVD player
  • Games
  • Music library
  • Smart TV with cable/satellite channels
  • Stereo
  • Video games

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden

Laundry

  • Washing machine

Work spaces

  • Computer monitor
  • Desk
  • Desk chair
  • Office
  • Printer

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly

Suitability/Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • In-room accessibility
  • Lift
  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Concierge services
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Phone

Location highlights

  • In a village
  • Near a health/beauty spa
  • Near a hospital
  • Near the bay
  • Near the marina
  • On the waterfront

Things to do

  • Arcade/game room
  • Bicycles
  • Boat
  • Gym
  • Tennis
  • Water sports equipment
  • Basketball nearby
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Cycling nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Motor boating nearby
  • Parasailing nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Scuba diving nearby
  • Snorkelling nearby
  • Surfing/bodyboarding nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Water skiing nearby
  • Whale watching nearby
  • Wildlife walks nearby
  • Windsurfing nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • First aid kit
  • Fire extinguisher

General

  • Bicycles
  • Garden
  • Property located in a resort
  • Unit size: 8,000 square feet

Similar properties

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Minimum check-in age - 25

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets are allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Note from host: When you pay a pet fee you can bring your pet/anim

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events are allowed on site
Note from host: Not on Airbnb. Not without written permission.
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Property Registration Number C0028280890

We should mention

A car is not required for transport to and from this property

Property is also known as

orp5b2cb84x
Luxurious Captain's Mansion Waterfront Town Beaches
Luxurious Captain's Mansion Waterfront Town Beaches 5 Stars

About the area

Map
Edgartown, MA

What's nearby

  • Edgartown Lighthouse - 8 min walk
  • Lighthouse Beach - 9 min walk
  • Edgartown Beach - 7 min drive
  • South Beach - 12 min drive
  • Katama Beach - 15 min drive

Getting around

  • Vineyard Haven, MA (MVY-Martha's Vineyard) - 11 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Seafood Shanty - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪Nomans - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Wharf Pub & Restaurant - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Katama General Store - ‬18 min walk
  • ‪Espresso Love - ‬8 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Captain Morse House Luxury - In Town, Walk to Waterfront, Beach, Pets, 5 stars pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Captain Morse House Luxury - In Town, Walk to Waterfront, Beach, Pets, 5 stars?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Captain Morse House Luxury - In Town, Walk to Waterfront, Beach, Pets, 5 stars?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Captain Morse House Luxury - In Town, Walk to Waterfront, Beach, Pets, 5 stars located?

Situated on the waterfront, this holiday home is within a 10-minute walk of Vincent House Museum, Old Whaling Church and Edgartown Lighthouse. Lighthouse Beach and Edgartown Public Library are also within 15 minutes.

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Captain Morse House Luxury - In Town, Walk to Waterfront, Beach, Pets, 5 stars Reviews

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 60 out of 62 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 62 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 62 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 62 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 62 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Erica P.

Great first visit to Martha’s Vineyard
Our family (20 of us) had a lovely week on Martha’s Vineyard staying at the Captain Morse House. The house was excellent, in a great location and fit our family’s needs perfectly. We highly recommend staying there.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Bob H.

Whaling Captain's House
Great location. Charming house. Owner was very helpful in ensuring our needs were met
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

William & Sherry T.

Wonderful house for large family vacation!
This house has everything you could possibly need from stemware to bicycles and all in between. A fantastic family vacation house especially over the 4th of July as right on the parade route. We definitely recommend and hope to be back many more times!! Owner extremely easy to contact and very helpful throughput our stay.

10/10 Excellent

Jim B.

Fantastic experience!
The Captain Morse House is a beautiful, historic home that couldn’t be more conveniently located to downtown Edgartown and the Lighthouse beach. The house has tons of character and lots of rooms to accommodate a large group. Beautiful yard with room for kids to play. Can’t wait to return!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Patricia A.

70th Birthday Party
We hosted a 70th Birthday Party. We invited friends and family to spend the weekend with us to celebrate this milestone. Everyone loved the property. It had everything we needed; plenty of places to gather, eat and walking distance to downtown Edgartown. It was March so it was cold and windy. The house has so much character, history and lovely little extras you have to experience. A wonderful experience.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Melissa L.

Beautiful accomodations in a fabulous location.
The Captain Morse House is a lovingly restored home in a fabulous location. The house mixes historic charm with beautifully updated amenities including kitchens & bathrooms. All of the rooms are spacious and comfortable for gathering. The kitchens are fully-equipped including outdoor gas grills. The backyard is beautiful with a lush lawn, flowerbeds and outdoor dining tables. I rented both wings for a large family gathering. The accommodations were so comfortable and in good order that it made the weekend effortless and enjoyable for everyone. Having the house walking distance to town was an added bonus. This was my first time renting on MV and I will definitely return to the Captain Morse House.
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

William & Sherry T.

Fabulous family fourth!
We spent 2 wonderful weeks at this amazing historical home. Platt, the owner, is so easy to get in touch with and so helpful The house was unbelievably well equipped with everything you could possibly need from the basics to bicycles and everything in between. There was absolutely itching we needed for our two week family stay that wasn’t there!! We’d highly recommend it for any type of event and hope to return again and again!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Edgartown's Finest
I can’t imagine a more perfect setting for extended family to stay for a Martha’s Vineyard wedding. The location is ideal-- only a few minutes walk to all the Edgartown shops and restaurants and the waterfront. The historic house is lovingly maintained, full of charm and easily handled our crowd of sixteen. The bikes were a nice plus and we got good use out of them. Other members of the wedding party who were regular visitors to the Vineyard were eager to come over and get a tour —it is that kind of a house!!!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Michelle L.

Wonderful! Didn't want to leave.
We had a great time, nobody wanted to leave! Superb location for all things in Edgartown, walking or biking distance to most activities. The yard was great for kids and the property worked very well for large families like ours, who included 24 people. Every amenity was provided that one could hope for. Martha's vineyard is a wonderful vacation destination, there are so many options for every type of interest. We happened to come during the 4th of July, and it was perfect. The parade went right past the house and we could all watch from the spacious front porch, and the fireworks were seen from the second story balcony. Thanks for allowing us to use your beautiful home for our annual vacation.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Stephen T., Omaha, NE USA

Beyond expectations
I stayed at the Captain Morse House Thanksgiving week with my entire family--11 adults and four children. We had very high hopes for a great weekend and they were far exceeded. The CMH is very roomy with plenty of bathrooms. It is in a wonderful location in Edgartown--beach/shops/pubs /restaurants all within easy walking distance. The house is very roomy and has a number of areas to relax or watch TV. Wifi is excellent. The two kitchens are incredibly well supplied. We cooked Thanksgiving dinner without any problem. I can't think of anything that we lacked. On top of it all, Platt was extremely easy to deal with and ultra-responsive to any questions that we had. My family is ready to book CMH again. I recommend without any reservation.
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Marie C.

Winter on the vineyard
My family and I go to the vineyard every winter, and it’s always a great time. We usually stay at hotels but we really wanted to be together this time. We found the Captain Morse house and I could not be more thankful! Our weekend was everything we’d thought it would be and more. This house extremely homey and comfortable! We never wanted to leave! There were great paths for our annual night walk (yes, we walk in winter 😅) we were in walking distance to some amazing coffee shops and diners, and the kids had a ball during our dance party with all the cousins, aunts, and uncles! Above all I have to say, the management was the best part! You can stay at a place that has everything you need and more, but if the people running it aren’t accommodating or lack communication, you’d never want to go there again! This team went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed and we were comfortable! They responded to a late night request as well which was very impressive! Safe to say…. We will be back next February! Thank you so much!!! The Crafts Family

10/10 Excellent

Michael L.

Fabulous in all regards
We'd not hesitate for a moment before returning. Our group was adult siblings, spouses, and young children. The house (we had both wings) was perfect for us. There was space to spread out--adults could be in the front living rooms while kids enjoyed feeling independent in the back. Two kitchens avoided any crunches of space. Bedrooms galore provided great flexibility. A short walk to Lighthouse Beach or to town provided perfect outings. And, used to living ourselves in a house of a similar era (early 1800s) with English antiques accented by China Trade pieces, we felt perfectly at home. The house clearly has a force field around it that avoids "beach house kitsch." It's just charming. And three big cheers for the Heidi, the manager. On top of providing a wonderful welcome when we arrived, she hit true heroics at 10:45am on New Year's Day when she answered our call on the first ring and arrived at the house within minutes and jumped our car, the battery of which had died, in time to make our boat off-island. That is truly above and beyond.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2021
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

candy b.

Fantastic Family Reunion
We had 3 generations of our family staying in the house over an Oct. holiday weekend- 14 adults/9 children and it was absolutely perfect! The location is superb, the spaces inside were great for small gatherings and conversations, and the children loved playing hide and seek in this grand old house. The host was most accommodating and we could not have asked for a better stay! HIGHLY recommend!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cristen M., Cambridge, MA

Great stay for large group in Edgartown
Lovely historic house in an excellent location. The host was great and very helpful. We really enjoyed our stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Bernard G., Santa Barbara, CA

Captain Morse House
Excellent
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Norman Y.

Golf trip
Perfect
Stayed 3 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Caitlin D.

Beautiful home in a perfect location
The Captain Morse House was lovely and in a perfect location in Edgartown. The kitchens were well stocked, the yard and patio were beautiful, and the house was full of charm and history. I highly recommend staying here.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

mitchell m., Ridgewood, NJ

Capt Morse house
Very well out-fitted house with all necessary amenities including bbq, beach towels, games, internet, printer, & cooking utensils.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Taylor M.

Great house for a big group
We were a group of 10 work colleagues who enjoyed the house for some off site meetings and fun. It was great for both. Plenty of space for people to gather or spread out as needed. Would definitely stay there again.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Rike B.

Best Family Vacation Ever!
We stayed at the Captain Morse House for a large family celebration (10 adults and 3 kiddos) and had the most lovely stay! The house is situated perfectly between cute shops in downtown Edgartown and the idyllic lighthouse. We loved taking strolls for a morning pastry, followed by lunch at the house and a meander to the beach to frolic in the ocean. The house also has bicycles, which we took out to explore other parts of the island. The Captain’s house was a perfect place to stay -- we got to hang out all under one roof, eat meals together, watch the Warriors together etc. All while having enough space for everyone to feel comfortable and enough rooms to nestle in by one’s self if needed. There are two kitchens (fully equipped with all sorts of cooking utensils, platters, dishes, anything you could want ) -- our family used the smaller kitchen for breakfast preparation and the large kitchen for epic dinner preparations. As for the sleeping quarters, the bedrooms are cozy and flooded with light. Two of the upstairs bedrooms connect to a gorgeous porch which is great for a nice view and people watching. There is also a downstairs porch that was perfect for cocktails and many games of chess. The backyard outdoor space was beautiful -- the tables outside were great for a delightful outdoor lunch while the kids ran around on the lawn nearby. The owners are also incredibly kind and generous and made our stay at Capt. Morse’s house very special, smooth and sublime! We cannot wait to visit again. June 10, 2019
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Charity W.

Beautiful!
I went here with a great group of women last week, and had a wonderful time! I had never been to the area, and couldn’t have asked for a more central spot. There was so much in walking distance, and such a quaint town! The house was beautiful, and so full of character and history. It was extremely well-appointed and comfortable too. I would definitely recommend it!!

10/10 Excellent

Cheri W.

Have you seen Martha?
Beautiful, unique and spacious! One of the most interesting houses, I’ve ever had the pleasure to stay in. Charming and old with lots of character, but modernized in the places that needed to be. Trip of a lifetime with some amazing women, and this house just made it that more special and fun!

10/10 Excellent

John R.

Great experience
The Captain Morse House was an excellent experience for our group. There was plenty of space, it had everything we needed and it was close to downtown Edgartown. I would highly recommend this property.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Daniel M.

Breathe taking house overall
This home is a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to experience one of the best vacation rentals on the island. My family rented the house in July of 2018 and we had an incredible stay and the memories we made will last a life time. The home has EVERYTHING you will need to enjoy a fun filled vacation. The location of the home is truly ideal with just a short walk (2 blocks) to Edgartown Harbor, 3 area beaches to chose from and a just short stroll to the business district with some of the best restaurants and shops on the island. The home itself exudes old world charm, yet has ALL of the amenities and upgrades that will make your stay a memorable one. The owner, and his team, are there for you if you have any questions during your time at the property. Very nice people and very accommodating. There is plenty of out door living space including the private patio in the rear of the home with seating for the extended family that incudes a huge gas grill, plenty of front porch seating as well with some views of the harbor or you can even lounge out on the well manicured grounds with beautiful mature plantings. There is no need to rent bikes as there are plenty of high-end bikes with helmets in the shed for your use. You will not find a better vacation on the island. This is the one!! #fivestars

10/10 Excellent

Steve S.

Amazing and Memorable Vacation with the Family!
My family and I absolutely loved the house and our stay in Edgartown. The house is in an amazing location right in the middle of town and within walking distance to everything.The house is very well kept and there is great attention to detail. Platt was an unbelievable host and was always available to take care of anything we needed. I highly recommend the home for anyone taking some time to vacation in Edgartown!