The Garret at The Dowager Countess

Entire rental unit in Salem, Massachusetts

  1. 4 guests
  2. 2 bedrooms
  3. 2 beds
  4. 2 baths
Hosted by Margaret
  1. Superhost
  2. 5 years hosting

Listing highlights

Top 1% of homes

This home is one of the highest ranked based on ratings, reviews, and reliability.

Self check-in

Check yourself in with the keypad.

Extra spacious

Guests love this home’s spaciousness for a comfortable stay.
Set beside Salem Common in one of the city’s most beautiful historic neighborhoods, The Garret is a refined Victorian retreat for guests who value character, walkability, and calm.

This restored two-bedroom, two-bath apartment blends historic architecture with modern comfort and thoughtful finishes.

Enjoy a private deck overlooking a tranquil garden and koi pond—an oasis just steps from Salem’s museums, restaurants, and waterfront. Two dedicated off-street parking spaces make arrival easy.

The space
The Garret is a light-filled apartment located in a restored Victorian home, featuring:

-Two comfortable bedrooms: one queen and one king-sized bed/room
-Two full bathrooms
-Full kitchen
-Quality linens and thoughtfully curated furnishings
-A spacious private deck with garden views
-A quiet, uncluttered layout designed for rest and ease

The space is ideal for couples traveling together, friends seeking both privacy and shared space, or professionals looking for a well-designed and centrally located stay.

Renovated with history and sustainability in mind, the wide plank pine floors were salvaged sub-flooring, the floor tiles were hand-cut from old roof slate, and the fir counters were repurposed from the original ceiling. The garden has been called a sanctuary. The 1,300-gallon pond is home to a baker's dozen of koi and goldfish. Recent improvements include resurfaced asphalt driveway and expanded hardscape, new roof, new heating and cooling, new electrical, and deck attached to The Garret.

Guest access
Keypad self-check-in. The Garret has two egresses: a private, exterior entrance via the 3rd-floor deck, and an interior entrance accessible from a side mudroom and original servant staircase.

The interior staircase is shared with The Violet Suite, our second-floor 1 bed/1 bath apartment.

Guests will need to be able to navigate stairs to gain access to the third floor.

Other things to note
When making a request to stay, please include a note about yourself and who you'll be traveling with (if applicable), and why you are coming to Salem.
Because The Dowager Countess is also our home, please invest the time to share about yourself in your profile or in your request. You might think of it as a brief profile/bio you would write for a dating site! We understand that you may not have any reviews if you are new to Airbnb, so your profile is our only point of connection and introduction.

Please note: Our insurance doesn’t allow children under 10 years of age because the koi pond is not fenced.

Check-in is at 3pm. Checkout is at 10am. We will try to accommodate requests for late checkout, changing your checkout time to 12:00pm/noon and adding a flat fee of $25. Prior approval is needed.

The driveway accommodates three cars. During a snow emergency, or city street parking restriction, some tandem parking may be required, up to five cars. Guests are welcome to back in but please avoid trying to turn around in the driveway. And please avoid the pavers.

No firearms and no smoking or vaping anywhere on the property and please no smoking detritus in either interior or exterior trash bins. And for the enjoyment of all guests, please avoid smelly food.

Maximum four (4) guest overnight occupancy. Please no unauthorized guests/visitors without prior approval. Please no parties or events without prior approval.

From 10 pm to 6 am, we ask that you please observe quiet hours and be mindful of noise that impacts the Violet Suite below you and the shared interior stairwell. This is very much appreciated.

We don’t subscribe to network TV but you’re more than welcome to sign into your own accounts via the Roku device.

Where you’ll sleep

What this place offers

Garden view
Park view
Shared beach access
Kitchen
Wifi

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Rated 4.99 out of 5 from 181 reviews.

Guest favorite
This home is in the top 1% of eligible listings based on ratings, reviews, and reliability
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Overall rating

  1. 5 stars, 99% of reviews
  2. 4 stars, 1% of reviews
  3. 3 stars, 0% of reviews
  4. 2 stars, 0% of reviews
  5. 1 stars, 0% of reviews

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for cleanliness

Rated 5.0 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

Where you’ll be

Salem, Massachusetts, United States
This listing's location is verified.

Neighborhood highlights

Located just off The Salem Common in the heart of the Washington Square Historic District, The Garret is easy walking distance (under 15 min) to Salem Witch Museum, the world-class Peabody Essex Museum (PEM), The House of The Seven Gables, sailing on Schooner Fame from Pickering Wharf, The Old Burying Point Cemetery and the Witch Trials Memorial, the Witch House, Essex Street shops and restaurants, the seasonal high-speed Salem Ferry (April 1-Oct.1) and the MBTA Train station with 30-minute service to and from Boston's North Station.

Meet your host

Superhost
659 reviews
4.99 out of 5 average rating
5 years of hosting
Born in the 60s
Where I went to school: UC Berkeley
MENTOR + ALCHEMIST + CREATIVITY CATALYST Salem is an incredibly special and magical place! Welcome to our historic home, that we call The Dowager Countess. Author of "Archetypes in Branding: A Toolkit for Creatives and Strategists" Hosting The Violet Suite and The Garret.

Margaret is a Superhost

Superhosts are experienced, highly rated hosts who are committed to providing great stays for guests.

Co-hosts

  • Richard

Host details

Response rate: 100%
Responds within a few hours
To help protect your payment, always use Airbnb to send money and communicate with hosts.

Things to know

Cancellation policy
House rules
Check-in: 3:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Checkout before 10:00 AM
4 guests maximum
Safety & property
Nearby lake, river, other body of water
Carbon monoxide alarm
Smoke alarm