July 27, 2007
My wife and I spent a week here in early July which is the second time we have stayed at The Pickett House. The first time was in July of 2002, before it was refurbished. It was very nice then but now it is outstanding.
The owner, Elizabeth, is a most interesting and gracious hostess. Mornings, she provided fresh organic fruits, gourmet cheeses,homemade zucchinni and bannana bread with great coffee.
The house is attractively decorated and has a nice comfortable, homey feeling with privacy and freedom to come and go. It is located on an old country road in a pristine setting, just a short disrance from the little town of Chilmark. The location is in close proximity to Lucy Vincent and other beaches. The property has a beautiful lawn and gardens and sports a wonderful outdoor shower.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here and our time on the Vinyard on both occasions. We have recommended The Pickett House to some friends who also enjoyed their stay very much.

We booked the large, king-sized room at The Pickett House for 3 nights in July and were sorely disappointed, especially after reading the other reviews.

For the $300-a-night pricetag, we expected a quiet, luxury retreat in one of the Vineyard's prettiest towns. Instead, we found a bed-and-breakfast located directly off a busy road and terribly lacking service. In fact, we left a night early after dinner, which is saying a lot because we love the Vineyard and have stayed at a wonderful range of places there (from the Outermost Inn to the now-defunct Bluebird Meadow Guesthouse).

The room was big but not pristine, with a private balcony overlooking the gardens, but we could hear traffic whizzing by. The bathroom was small with an average shower, and we were supplied with two towels, two washcloths and a small cherry-sized ball of soap. That's it. No other bath products, robes, extra towels -- and we had to ask for an extra ball of soap on our third day because the ever-shrinking one was not replaced. Our wastebaskets were never emptied, our toilet and bathroom counter was not cleaned, dishes were not taken away, the one small bottle of water was not replaced, and there was not a telephone in the room -- nor a number by the phone downstairs to locate the manager/owner. Nor were we provided with a key to lock our room (not always necessary or desirable on the Vineyard, but would have been a nice choice given our camera equipment and the always open front door) or a safe for valuables.

Breakfast was terrible. A pot of coffee with Coffeemate creamer, when there was much coffee left at all. Orange juice, a bowl of unpeeled (and washed?) fruit, and a plate of carved up warm cheese left on a coffee table for all the guests in the living room, without tables. One morning we found four small stale halves of banana bread leftover; another morning a bag of granola that had 1/4 left.

We were given a pass to Lucy Vincent Beach, which is lovely (but not necessarily the loveliest beach on the island), but it was a walk-in pass only -- we chose to park our car in the early morning at the nearby community center and walk the 20 mins to the beach. Otherwise, we would have had to rely on a bus shuttle. So we weren't exactly paying for great beach access, either.

We're not high maintenance folks, but at the price, we expected far more. We are not sure if the owner was away, but the responsibility of providing good value for money and excellent service for a lot of money still lies with her. We do not recommend this bed-and-breakfast.

Five stars. On second thought make that six! The Pickett House is tucked away in a quiet corner of the Vineyard, "Up-Island". We found this home is meticulously cared for at this lovely retreat. Upon first stepping into the house we felt like we were home. Upon arrival the aroma of freshly baked cookies hovered in the entryway and dining room, and were offered to us as we were welcomed as guests. If you're looking for a memorable, relaxing place to stay that is authentically Martha's Vineyard this IS it! Recently restored and simply yet elegantly decorated, the home rests amongst forests, and meadows, just off the main South Rd. A short distance from a well known Chilmark Market and it's famous frequent guests, the quiet fishing town of Menemsha and postcard perfect beaches, all are within a mile's or so walking or biking distance. The two largest rooms are more than adequate, large comfy beds and recently restored bathrooms with custom tile work. Although many of the Vineyard's beaches are private, the Pickett House offers its guests beach passes to both Lucy Vincent's and Squibnocket beaches, the former being arguably the most beautiful and coveted on the island. This was the second place we'd stayed at on the island and honestly we could say it was hard to leave the peace and beauty of this bed and breakfast and it's surroundings. When returing to the island, the Pickett House will be the first and only place we'd consider staying again. Many thanks to our gracious and kind hosts who went out of their way to make us feel at home.

My wife and I recently had the pleasure of staying at this b + b for four wonderful days. This establishment offers three bedrooms on a beautiful piece of bucolic property. The bedroom that we stayed in downstairs was exceptionally well decorated with a Ralph Lauren bed set and plenty of room for us.It is conveniently located to the private town beach, Lucy Vincent. This beach can be reached either by a 15 minute walk or a pick-up by the regularly scheduled town bus. The morning breakfast at 8:30 usually consisted of a breadstuff ex. croissants, cheese, fruit salad of some form, orange juice, and coffee. One exceptional feature is the outdoor shower that certainly adds a special touch. Despite the superb features of this establishment, the innkeeper, Elizabeth is absolutely wonderful-very friendly and extraordinarily accomodating. It is her personal touch that makes this b + B one that I highly recommend for anyone coming to this area!!