The Forsythia Apartment

Entire rental unit in Salem, Massachusetts

  1. 3 guests
  2. 1 bedroom
  3. 1 bed
  4. 1 bath
Hosted by Barbara
  1. 10 years hosting

Listing highlights

Top 10% of homes

This home is highly ranked based on ratings, reviews, and reliability.

In historic Salem, steps from the wharf

Pickering Wharf and the Salem Maritime National Historic Site are right outside

A 1769 building with original character

Built in 1769 as a hat factory, with original hardwood floors and a brick hearth in the living room

Barbara's regulars keep coming back

Guests return year after year, praising Barbara's local tips and the walkable location
Beautiful hardwood floors in the living room, study & bedroom. Apartment is very roomy & the hearth in the living room is one of the apartment's best features. It's a very open layout with no doors between the rooms. Walk to cafes, restaurants & the sea. Minutes to bus & commuter rail. Modest unit but cozy & convenient. Rustic in a good way. It's in the heart of everything that is interesting about Salem. (Note: bathroom is sorely in need of an upgrade but everything is fully functioning.)

The space
We are in the middle of everything that is fun about Salem. Nathaniel Hawthorne, the writer of The House of Seven Gables & The Scarlet Letter was born on this street. We are near the Salem Common which hosts many events & many dog-walkers as well as a small playground. We are also near Pickering Wharf which is the place to be on a weekend night. We are near the historic district for those who fancy history or literature. The house itself carries its own history since it was built in 1769 as a hat factory for Joseph Hood who later converted it into a dwelling for his widow.

Guest access
The rental is an entire private apartment so guests have access to the whole unit. They have a separate entrance with a gate between the two small yards which is great especially if one has brought their dogs. Keep in mind it's an old funny house so there are little quirks here & there that add to its charm. We live upstairs so are available pretty quickly if any issues arise. With that said, we are an active busy family so we are always coming & going. With our pets & very social family, & occupying a very old house, it's good to keep in mind that this is not an apartment one would rent for quiet but more for it's uniqueness & it's awesome location.

Other things to note
Parking is on street only with a resident's visitor's pass which we give you when you check in. This pass can be used both on our street and the neighboring streets. Salem uses a color coded system and we live in the Blue Visitor's Pass area. It's important to return it once the visit is over as the city is strict about giving out visitor's passes. Occasionally, we do have to deal with street cleaning and will update the guests on back up parking when necessary. This applies to snow emergencies too as applicable.

Where you’ll sleep

What this place offers

Kitchen
Wifi
Free street parking
Pets allowed
37 inch HDTV with standard cable

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Rated 4.83 out of 5 from 486 reviews.

Guest favorite
This home is in the top 10% of eligible listings based on ratings, reviews, and reliability

Overall rating

  1. 5 stars, 84% of reviews
  2. 4 stars, 15% of reviews
  3. 3 stars, 1% of reviews
  4. 2 stars, 0% of reviews
  5. 1 stars, 0% of reviews

Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars for cleanliness

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for accuracy

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for check-in

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for communication

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for location

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for value

Guest reviews mention

Where you’ll be

Salem, Massachusetts, United States
This listing's location is verified and the exact location will be provided after booking.

Neighborhood highlights

We are in the heart of the city and accessible to all the things people come to Salem to see: the historic places such as the House of Seven Gables, the Maritime Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum. We are also near the ocean so beautiful glimpses of the sea. The adjacent streets abound with diverse restaurants, pubs and cafes. During the month of October, a mini-carnival is set up on Derby St with rides and games. Salem even has it's own little movie theater with wonderful popcorn and reasonable prices. They show too the latest movies plus host Film Festivals and Concerts. It's worth it to check it out.

Meet your host

Host
486 reviews
4.83 out of 5 average rating
10 years of hosting
Born in the 60s
My work: Airbnb, UMass Boston
My husband and I moved here from Cambridge MA with our two children (now young adults) in 2006. What is great about Salem is that it's a booming city with a suburban feel. Not one for cookie cutter style houses, we fell in love with our house that was built in 1769 and features many of the original woodwork. For years, we have been renting out our charming first floor unit for year leases but wanted to explore short term rentals. We are English majors and appreciate that Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on this street. Living near the sea is invigorating and it's nice to be able to walk around the corner and see the blue of the ocean. It's also nice to walk a a few steps to great cafes and restaurants. We live upstairs and are constantly coming and going and appreciate similar activities in our guests. We love great coffee so if you are looking for a decent cup of joe, ask us and we can point you to several nearby cafes - all with their unique style and flare. We are also close to the MBTA for buses and trains. This is a great place to have as your launching pad for your adventures (Website hidden by Airbnb) many past guests stay here and then jet off to Rockport, Gloucester, and Marblehead as they are all in the vicinity.
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