Originally booked 4 nights at the Vista during our Sept trip to greater Boston area. Once we were there, we liked the area so well, we extended our stay 3 more nights. Had a queen deluxe room ($120 week nights, $145 wkend) on the 2nd floor. Great sunrises. Staff were all very helpful and friendly. Yes, this place has been around for awhile and some things are showing their age (i.e. the paneled walls) but it was comfy like your favorite beach cabin. The breakfasts are mainly starches - muffins and cereal with coffee and juices but that was more than adequate to start our days. GREAT access to Good Harbor Beach and, despite another reviewers concerns about the proximity of the shopping center, we found that to be very handy.Easy to pop over to the grocery store for the salad bar or to the the drug store for things we forgot. All in all, an excellent base from which to explore the beautiful north shore!

I stayed at the Vista for a long weekend in early June 2009 with my mom and my 5-year old son. Since we were going to be visiting my sister and other family during most of our days, we didn't need a "full service" or fancy hotel. The Vista was perfect. The staff was always very friendly and helpful. They let me use their tape and scissors in the front office to help wrap a baby shower gift. They are also helpful over the phone about choosing a room to suit your needs. When we left, my mom booked a room for a two week stay for when my sister would be having her baby, and they worked with her on a reduced rate for that.

The view of Good Harbor Beach from all rooms is wonderful, and my mom and son loved sitting on the balcony to relax, enjoy morning coffee or snacks, or to look at the moon. The nice sloping lawns are also great for kids to run around! We spent a day at Good Harbor Beach, so of course the location was perfect. It would be walking distance if you don't have much to carry, and they offer reduced rate parking passes at the front office. Their breakfast is donuts, cereals, milk, juice, coffee. My son was thrilled to have donuts every morning, so he rates the Vista as tops!

The rooms are a little worn and dated, but completely adequate. If you're looking for a luxury hotel this isn't the place for you, but it was perfect for our needs on this trip.

We stayed at the Vista Motel for Labor Day weekend. We got a rate of $165 on Saturday night and $140 the second night. Upon check-in, the woman working kept re-iterating that we had been quoted wrong. I wasn't sure what she wanted from us - did she want us to offer to pay more? We were quoted one night summer rate and one night fall rate, and I wasn't going to complain! She brought it up again at check-out like she wanted us to volunteer to pay the higher rate - obviously we didn't!

Either way, it was a good price for the location of the hotel. Within probably 1/4 mile of Good Harbor Beach and they offer a parking discount if you would prefer to drive. Views from the rooms are great - we stayed in a 2nd story "efficiency" and the view was great. Nice patio with views of the ocean.

The rooms themselves could use quite a bit of updating. I understand why they haven't been updated if the hotel continues to have "no vacancy" but a few simple updates could go a long ways - the carpet is light blue, walls are paneled, beds have old floral comforters, bathrooms are very outdated. While the rooms are clean and housekeeping does a great job, management could replace the carpet and the bedspreads and the rooms would look 100 times better.

The pool is nice and is heated which is great. Breakfast was a nice addition as well (it's not advertised on the website that it is included so that was a nice addition). Donuts and muffins, cereal, and drinks. Nothing fancy, but a little something is nice.

Also, the wireless internet is sort of a joke - while there was a "signal" it was very difficult to get and once you could get it, the internet CRAWLED. Don't plan on doing work here!

Overall, I would recommend this hotel. It is in a great location within walking distance of Good Harbor Beach (a somewhat long walk however). Rooms are clean and well-priced. Some updating though would be great, and then they could charge even more and still have no vacancy!

We headed up to Gloucester on a spur of the moment trip without trying to book a room in advance. Luckily we came across the Vista and they had one vacancy. The staff was very friendly and helpful with every thing we asked. The room was big and spotless with a full equiped kitchenette. Gorgeous view of the ocean from our balcony. Good Harbor beach is within walking distance for some... but being 7 months pregnant, we chose to drive. Between 5-9pm you can park in the beach lot for free, you just have to be gone by 9 because they lock the gate. The vista also gives you a $10 coupon discount for beach parking. And we discovered the best little restaraunt right around the corner. Good fried seafood and great breakfast....Charlie's Place. Just be aware that at peak mealtimes, it gets crowded and there's a little bit of a wait.
All in all... we will definetly be staying at the Vista again!