A Place To Rest, A Reason To Rise: sisu, a boutique motel
A piece of history, rooted in tradition, with promise of resilience and determination, sisu (a boutique motel) is a special place to rest, restore, and discover both land and sea. Located at 7 Lincoln Street in historic Downtown Plymouth, MA, sisu is a Finnish word that embodies grit, determination, courage, hard work and bravery. With 7 rooms, all paying homage to vessels at sea, sisu is perfectly nestled within walking distance to both the waterfront & harbor, and the bustling downtown shopping & dining area.
Owners, Meggie and James, opened sisu just over a year ago and have poured heart and soul into every detail of the extensive renovation. A motel (since the 1930’s) prior to their ownership, Meggie and James have preserved the history of the property while infusing Finnish details and philosophy, creating a modern sanctuary for travelers, families, and those celebrating life’s milestones and memorable moments.
When I first met Meggie, I knew “sisu” was was about more than just the name on a sign. You can feel it from the moment you pull into the drive – everything about sisu has meaning. My first question for Meggie upon my arrival was “tell me about an obstacle you guys had to overcome while building sisu that is something you might not always share, but is an important piece of the journey”.
She shared a personal story about a deep loss in their life during the time of the renovation. Suddenly, “perseverance”, “bravery”, “resilience”, and “strength of will” took on a new meaning while surrounded by the details that bring this concept to life.
In other words…sisu.
Much of the wood you see throughout sisu came from trees from a Finnish sauna camp on Suomi Road in Pembroke that James would often visit while growing up. Refurbished floorboards, wood vanities, and other details were handcrafted by James, himself. The granite used for the steps outside the guest rooms were brought from the camp as well and brought to life at sisu by Northside Stone Masonry in Kingston. In every room, you will find artifacts, treasures, and keepsakes that Meggie and James found in the original motel, and have collected around the local area over time.
When you pull onto the property, you see 4 guest rooms directly in front of you (First Mate, Helmsman, Seafarer, and Captains Quarters), the latter being the only room that sleeps 4 and has a gathering “living room” area with a queen size sofa bed in addition to the guest room and en suite bath. There are 2 rooms with private entrances above, and 1 (handicap accessible) room on the lower level of, the Main House located across the parking lot as well.
I loved my stay in the Helmsman and truly enjoyed all of the little touches that make this room feel like home: the wine fridge for the bottle of Lemonade (Day Wines) I picked up at Board143 (Scituate, MA), the vanity for my new favorite skincare products (Zo Skin Health) I grabbed from Tryst (Hingham, MA), the luxurious rainfall showerhead, and use of the Ursa Major products available to me during my stay (they smell SO good). With fresh flowers from Frost & Found (Duxbury, MA) and the Cecilia set from Ella Alden, the memory foam mattress, temperature controlled heating & cooling system, and soft lighting throughout, this felt like a luxurious escape from reality and the perfect home base to enjoy exploring the incredible downtown restaurants and shops.
Fun fact: Meggie and James are both chefs and worked at restaurants right next to each other. Meggie grew up in Duxbury and worked for Snug Harbor Fish before moving over to Island Creek Oysters 10+ years later. James is currently the chef at The Ridge Club in Sandwich, MA. We all love food, supporting local farms and purveyors, and the creativity that a culinary career provides. If I didn’t already love Meggie, I am even more convinced we will be best friends now.
I asked Meggie about her favorite local restaurants in Plymouth. She loves Salt, The Tasty and Honey Baby (all amazing spots with creative menus and incredible local flavor). I mentioned that I had tickets to the special Mexcal Dinner at Su Casa that night and couldn’t wait to see what Chef Brandon was going to be pairing with the 4 featured Vago mezcal craft cocktails Nick was creating. The best part is that you can walk to all of these amazing restaurants from sisu. You can essentially just park your car in front of your room and get your steps in everywhere you want to go.
While sisu does not offer a food program or breakfast at this time, there are so many places to grab a bite, a coffee, a juice or a box of fresh bakery items (you must try everything at Keegan Kreations, another one of Meggie’s favorite spots!). With in-room Nespresso machines, you can brew your own coffee and spend a lazy morning soaking up the tranquility of the sisu grounds. There is nothing better than a cozy sweatshirt, homemade pastries and a cup of fresh coffee in a good mug to start your vacation day.
Course #1 at the Su Casa Mezcal Dinner: Passionfruit Aperol Spritz paired with Shrimp Aguachile (avocado, cucumber, lime, Thai herbs)
Whether you live locally or have a trip planned to visit the area, you must book a stay at sisu. Come for a night, for a weekend, or stay for the whole week – you will have plenty to do, much to explore, and the opportunity to fully enjoy every inch of the property. Meggie and James will spark up the fire pit for you in the evening and you can spend hours making memories and spending quality time with the people you love (or maybe even make a few new friends).
If you have a special occasion, family reunion, wedding, or a large group, sisu does offer a full property buy-out option, too. Purchase gift cards (saying this outloud so my own family will hear: this would make an AWESOME Mother’s Day gift!), discuss buy-out packages, make reservations and more by calling Meggie and James (781-488-7068), reaching out via email (hello@sisuplymouth.com) or by booking online HERE.
When you visit, please tell them I say “hi!” and feel free to reach out to me for my complete list of local “favorite things” to pack in your suitcase.
I brought my favorite Minot Candle to leave as a gift for Meggie and James…the smallest token of appreciation for sharing their story with me and introducing me to what it means to embody “sisu“.
This is a truly beautiful place created by truly wonderful people.
