About the Innkeepers
and the Artist
Hello from the Innkeepers
Welcome to the Inn at the Oaks by the Seashore. We’re Marirose and Bernie your innkeepers, and we’re delighted to welcome you to Eastham, on the beautiful Outer Cape.
Our family has called Eastham home for more than 30 years, where we raised our five children and built deep roots in the Cape Cod community. Owning an inn had always been a dream, and when the opportunity arose to care for this 1896 Queen Anne Victorian, we knew it was the right place—and the right time.
Bernie spent his career in the food industry, while I work as an active Eastham realtor with RE/MAX, always admiring this home’s historic character and enduring presence. Our goal is to preserve this former sea captain’s home as a welcoming inn, not to lose it to development. Today, with the support of our family, we’re thoughtfully enhancing the property—honoring its past while offering modern comforts—just minutes from the Cape Cod National Seashore.
Classic Cape Cod charm, a relaxed pace, and the comforts today’s travelers expect.
Arrive. Exhale. Relax
The Hands Behind our Painting
Our daughter and local artist, Irene Lynch, is an artist whose work is deeply inspired by the beauty of Cape Cod and her passion for travel. After a transformative sketchbooking class in Florence, Italy, in 2014, she developed her signature watercolor and ink style. Carrying a small set of paints and pens everywhere she went, she began capturing landscapes that would later become the foundation of her collection. During her final year studying Studio Arts at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she gravitated toward painting familiar coastal scenes, refining her unique illustrative approach.
Her watercolor and ink paintings blend loose, expressive color with delicate pen details, inviting viewers into familiar Cape Cod landscapes to relive cherished memories. In addition to her paintings, Irene’s artistic portfolio has expanded to include fine oil paintings and a beloved coloring book series derived from her original work. She has been recognized for her talent, including being featured in Cape Cod Life’s 2018 Emerging Artists edition.
Beyond her own artwork, Irene is passionate about fostering creativity within her community. In June 2023, she founded Sunset Artist Studios, transforming a former campaign office into a vibrant arts space. The studio provides working space for local artists and offers a variety of community art classes, creating a hub for collaboration and inspiration.
Irene’s work is available year-round on her website, at Sunset Artist Studios, and at various Cape Cod events. This summer, she will be in residency with the Trap Shed Program in Provincetown, showcasing her work daily on MacMillan Pier. She also frequently participates in events with Arts Barnstable, Truro Vineyards, and the Provincetown Trap Program.
Historic Inn with a Storied Past
Formerly The Overlook Lodge, this was Eastham’s original inn, once welcoming author Henry Beston, who rested here while writing The Outermost House, the book that inspired the Cape Cod National Seashore. Back in 1927, the innkeeper would ride out to Beston’s dune shack to bring him here to rest and recharge. While Bernie and I won’t be picking you up on horseback, you can now book a stay with just a few clicks!
Come Rest and Renew
- Cape Cod Style
There is so much to do nearby—rent bikes, explore the National Seashore, or simply unwind on the porch with a book and a sea breeze. We provide beach towels, beach chairs, and, most importantly, our local knowledge of the Outer Cape’s best-kept secrets.
Come experience the magic of Cape Cod Inn at the Oaks, where history meets hospitality.
