By Holly Camero — Correspondent
Some people can’t wait to come to Concord for the 250th anniversary of the Revolution’s start.
Others may be thinking of getting out.
Concordians who want to forgo all the hoopla — or cash in on the weekend’s festivities — can apply for a special town permit and turn their house into a tourist home or bed and breakfast.
Per Concord’s zoning bylaws, anyone living in a single-family, detached home is eligible to rent out three rooms in their home — with the proper approvals.
It costs $200 to apply for the special permit, which is good for one year for first-time applicants, said Building Commissioner Paul Creedon.
After one year — provided there have been no issues — residents can reapply for a three-year permit and, following that, apply for a five-year permit, Creedon said.
So far, about 12 residents have the special permit, he said. The town does not limit the number of times a homeowner can rent out rooms during the year.
A building inspector must review applications before they’re filed with the town clerk. The Zoning Board of Appeals grants the permits.
Creedon hadn’t received any requests from people wanting to take advantage of the special permit as of a few weeks ago, but he urged homeowners to allow plenty of time if they’d like to apply.
“It could take up to three months to actually get approved,” he said.
Still (some) room at the inn
Rooms are going fast for those who do want to sleep in the cradle of the American Revolution for a night or two.
“We are already sold out. People started adding their name to our waitlist in 2020,” said North Bridge Inn owner Heidi Godbout.
Rates for the holiday weekend range from $225 to $275, depending on the room, said hotel manager Deborah Wright.
Rooms in the off-season — November to May, except for Patriots Day weekend — go for $165 to $200.
Guests that return every year for the Patriots Day holiday received preference for the inn’s six rooms, Godbout said. Others went on a waitlist.
“We have a longer waitlist than we have rooms,” she said.
The Colonial Inn has already started taking reservations and has a three-night minimum stay for the celebration weekend, said Cameron Martel, senior sales manager. The inn has 52 rooms, including two cottages.
Several rooms have already been booked and he expects the remaining rooms will go fast. Patriots Day weekend is typically one of their busiest, he said.
“We are starting to fill up quicker and quicker as the weeks progress,” Martel said.
The hotel is split into two wings: The Prescott Wing features rooms that are a touch more modern, while the rooms in the main inn have a more traditional New England inn feel, he said. All rooms have private baths.
Rooms may also be available at The Residence Inn by Marriott in Concord, which accepts reservations one year in advance.
Don’t sleep on booking a bed
Concord’s tourism manager, Beth Williams, says those seeking a place to stay should act quickly.
“Rooms will be scarce,” she said, noting that the Boston Marathon, Easter, and Passover are also taking place that weekend.
Nearby towns, including Lexington, Bedford, Burlington, Chelmsford, and Woburn, also offer overnight accommodation.
Williams says people can visit the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s site at visitma.com, which will be updated by June, for a list of 250-related events around the state and of area hotels.
