Jennifer MacGregor was dating her now-husband Josh for four months and four days when they went on a date to Salem and saw a line of people waiting outside a historic home for a “Christmas in Salem” house tour. They were intrigued but didn’t have tickets.
“It was a date. We were looking for mischief,” Jennifer remembers. “So we snuck in through the barn like teenagers.”
At first, it was a lark. But the more they walked around the house, the more intrigued they became.
“This house was calling to us,” she says. “We couldn’t get it out of our heads.”
The problem? Jennifer already owned a beautiful, antique home in Boston that she swore she’d never sell.
But never say never. A year later, the couple became the owners of the circa 1760 John Ives House, overlooking Salem Common. Now, they not only live there with their children, but operate it as an Airbnb.
“It was the easiest decision I’ve ever made in my life,” Jennifer says.
Bespoke Guest Rooms
In addition to being beautiful and historic, Jennifer could see the house’s business potential as an Airbnb right away, since they could easily block off certain doors and hallways without making any renovations.
“I thought, maybe, just maybe, there’s a teeny, tiny chance that we could make this work,” Jennifer says.
They’ve more than made it work. Jennifer and Josh have found incredible success since opening their Airbnb in 2019 and have only improved the guest experience, most recently completing a historically sensitive renovation to give all three of their guest rooms dedicated bathrooms.
Each of those guest rooms has its own distinct vibe and style, too, while keeping with the house’s historic feel.
The Seaside Suite is bright and airy, with blue walls, bright-white linens, a steamer chest at the foot of the bed, and a painting of the tall ship, the Friendship of Salem, hanging on the wall, recalling Salem’s maritime heritage.
The RedRüm is elegant and sophisticated, seamlessly combining the home’s Colonial architecture with Victorian-era décor and pops of red, gold, and jewel-toned blue. These Victorian-inspired details extend to the en suite bathroom, with its brass fixtures and beautiful antique mirror.
The third room is the evocative Widow’s Walk, which Jennifer calls her “work of art.” It’s drenched from top to bottom in a very dark, greenish-gray color, including the walls, trim, and ceiling. The brass furnishings, as well as the memory of the room’s one-time occupant and current namesake, Sarah Elkins, the shipping widow of Samuel Webb, add to the space’s moody vibe.
Magical Hospitality
Equally important as the décor and location is the sense of welcome and hospitality that Jennifer and Josh provide their guests. She says they’re as involved as guests want them to be and are happy to provide “extra personalized recommendations” for things to do and places to eat or even an itinerary on the best way to spend their time here.
“It takes the guess work out of their trip and they get to experience everything without doing all the digging,” Jennifer says.
Unlike so many historic places in Salem which claim to be haunted by restless or even angry spirits, Jennifer says she hasn’t felt any bad energy in their house.
“It’s magical. The house has this amazing vibe,” she says. “You can tell this has always been a happy home.”
It’s a happy home today, too, not only for Jennifer, Josh, and their kids, but also for their guests, who love the house’s convenient yet quiet location, and the space itself. Guests will find antiques and décor that feel historically appropriate for the house, as well as a parlor that Jennifer and Josh open to guests who book tarot readings.
Jennifer and Josh want everyone who visits to feel happy and welcome, including many people “in the LGBTQ+ community looking for a place that they feel safe and comfortable to live their life as their true self,” Jennifer says. They strive to always provide that.
Christmas in Salem
Now, years after first answering the house’s call, Jennifer and Josh have even come full circle by including their home on the “Christmas in Salem” house tour when they were asked to participate. “Our house has been on ‘Christmas in Salem’ twice as part of our penance for sneaking in,” Jennifer laughs. “Of course, we said yes.”