At This Provincetown Hotel, Bohemian Minimalism Abounds

Equipped with a private roof deck, the hotel’s Lark Suite boasts its own distinct design, anchored by wide pendant lights. / Photo by Read McKendree

As hotel developers and principals of the design firm Elder & Ash, Rob Blood and Megan Kennedy often use location as a starting point for their contemporary schemes. And AWOL, the Amesbury-based duo’s new property in Provincetown, is no exception. Once the home of the defunct Inn at the Moors, the revamped space takes its design cues from the surrounding dunes and salt marshes. “[At AWOL], you’re on the outermost point of the Cape with all of this natural beauty,” says Blood, who also serves as the CEO of Lark Hotels. “We wanted [the scenery] to be the driving force behind the design.” It was also important, the designers add, that AWOL embody the bohemian spirit of the neighborhood. “Provincetown feels like an outlier to the Cape,” says Kennedy, Lark’s creative director. “[It] was the perfect place to introduce something a little sexier and edgier.”

To spotlight AWOL’s unique setting, Blood and Kennedy focused on creating neutral, pared-down spaces that wouldn’t detract from the water views. Guest rooms, each outfitted with a private outdoor space and oriented to face the marshes, feature little more than built-in platform beds and woven light fixtures. The linens, though decidedly luxurious, feel minimalist, too: Burlap throws drape whimsically on the beds while Turkish towels hang on hooks outside the bathrooms, complete with black vertical subway tile. “We wanted [the hotel] to have fun and funky elements,” Kennedy says.

The outdoor space at AWOL, in Provincetown, offers views of the surrounding marshes. / Photo by Read McKendree

“Overall, we wanted the aesthetic to feel sultry and seductive, but not in a serious way,” designer Megan Kennedy says. “We picked materials that had imperfections and personality.” / Photo by Read McKendree

First-floor guest rooms at AWOL open to furnished patios. / Photo by Read McKendree

AWOL’s amenities include a luxe heated pool and three fire pits. / Photo by Read McKendree

An umbrella-dotted lounge area serves as one of several communal outdoor spaces. / Photo by Read McKendree

Contractor
White’s Construction Co.
Developer
Bluefish Property Group
Interior Designer
Elder & Ash
Landscape Contractor
Cheney Landscape Design