This is the second part of our Beaufort Accommodations Guide. You can catch the first part here. Once we’re done we’ll be combining, updating, and expanding them all into a single ebook!
Beaufort’s historic area really does have an eclectic mix of accommodation choices including small hotels, small inns, bed and breakfasts, and vacations rentals, as well as rooms available through Airbnb.
What is truly unique about Beaufort’s accommodations is the complete lack of mass market chain hotels and motels. When visiting, this gives you a real sense of comfort knowing that you are indeed supporting the local economy and helping to make Beaufort an even stronger and healthier place for the future.
In this post we’re going to introduce you to the small hotel choices in Beaufort.
Historic Beaufort only has three choices of hotels and they are probably the first choice for many Beaufort visitors. We’re no exception and at least two of the choices have become homes-away-from-home for our family.
You can find contact info for all three choices at the bottom of this post.
Let’s start with the first small hotel you’ll see when driving into Beaufort from Morehead City and places west:
The Beaufort Inn.
You see it to your right when crossing Gallant’s Channel over the drawbridge.
A shot of the drawbridge from a room at the Beaufort Inn
Officially The Beaufort Inn & Suites, it is a small hotel of 40 rooms located at the far western end of Ann Street on the water along Gallant’s Channel. It has a meeting room, a dining facility, an exercise room, a hot tub, and boat slips adjacent to the hotel.
Cecilia posing with the Beaufort Inn’s sign at the west end of Ann Street
The Beaufort Inn has been around since 1987 and it holds a special place in our hearts. The Beaufort Inn was the first place Jennifer and I ever stayed together in Beaufort, and it was the first place I ever stayed in Beaufort as “an adult” back when I was in college in the late 1980s.
They have a variety of rooms including several two-room suites.
Most rooms are facing the water, looking west, and include a balcony with two rocking chairs – perfect for enjoying the sunsets. However, a few rooms do face south perpendicular to the water and go for a bit lower price. You’ll have a choice when making a reservation.
A Beaufort Inn sunset
Breakfast is included in the price of the stay.
Do not miss the breakfast pie!
WiFi is included and the connection has been strong in every room we’ve ever stayed. That said, put down that iPhone and close up that laptop. Who needs the internet, you’re in Beaufort, get out and enjoy it!
The Beaufort Inn from Ann Street
What are our favorite parts of a Beaufort Inn stay?
In no particular order, the hot tub, the breakfast pie, and watching the sunset from the balconies. We’ve been staying at the Beaufort Inn for years and have never had a bad experience.
Any drawbacks?
Only one, the rooms at the Beaufort Inn sleep a maximum of four people, including children of any age.
A view of the Beaufort Inn from the parking lot…love the palm trees and the crystal blue sky!
Beaufort Inn management is fanatical about this, so don’t even ask for an exception or try to sneak by. For us, as family of five, this precludes bringing the whole lot of us to the Beaufort Inn.
That said, we still enjoy it tremendously as a couple.
We don’t consider it a drawback at all, but from the rooms you can hear the alarms signaling the raising of the drawbridge. This might disturb some, be we consider it part of the charm, and a distinctive part of being in Beaufort – at least until the new bridge is complete.
Gallant’s Channel along with the docks and the grounds of the Beaufort Inn
We have found, just based on the personal experience of making reservations, that the Beaufort Inn has become busier and busier as the years have gone by.
From late spring until early fall they are booked nearly very weekend. If you plan ahead just a little though you’re almost certain to get a room. If you have any questions about making reservations, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Bringing Home Beaufort or on our sister site and business Southern Girl Travel.
Another familiar view from a room at the Beaufort Inn
We would love to help you enjoy a perfect weekend at the Beaufort Inn.
Beaufort Inn is a short walk to the waterfront.
Headed down Ann Street from the Beaufort Inn
Just stroll east on Ann Street, take a right on Moore Street, a left when you hit Front Street and see the water. As you look out over the water you’ll be at the spot where Taylor’s Creek and Gallant’s Channel meet, looking south past the island known as Town Marsh and the Rachel Carson Reserve, not far north from the Beaufort Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean.
Let’s move east down Taylor’s Creek to the corner of Front and Queen Streets and our second of Beaufort’s small hotels:
The Inlet Inn.
The Inlet Inn is a small hotel of 36 rooms, most of which face Taylor’s Creek, though several face west parallel to Taylor’s Creek and looking out across town. These room are discounted.
The Inlet Inn’s sign along Queen Street
To quote from the Inlet Inn’s website:
“All first and second floor rooms (waterfront and non-waterfront) have one king bed, a sofa, a dining table and a large private porch with rocking chairs. Six of the first floor rooms have working fireplaces instead of the dining table. First floor rooms are well above street level, have great views and are well protected from the street by a fence and hedge row.”
“All third floor rooms have two queen beds, high vaulted ceilings, a dining table and a window seat. Third floor rooms do not have a balcony however the view from the window seat is spectacular and there is a public balcony on the third floor as well.”
The modern Inlet Inn was built in 1984, but the name and the location have a long history with a portion of the original inn still standing and being used as a residence.
Part of the original Inlet Inn
You can see it off the northwest corner of the Inlet Inn’s parking lot.
The Inlet Inn serves a continental breakfast to your room every day on request. The third floor rooms sleep five!
The Inlet Inn as seen from Front Street
The building has a Widow’s Walk near the peak of the room that provides amazing views across the Rachel Carson Reserve and Shackleford Banks to the Atlantic Ocean.
Becket checking out the view from the Widow’s Walk
The Widow’s Walk is one of the best spots in Beaufort to catch a sunset. Do not miss it!
They do have WiFi included though the signal weakens a bit in the rooms on the east side of the Inn.
What do we love about the Inlet Inn?
The location could not be more perfect.
Likewise, the view could not be better. From the third floor rooms you can see over both the islands of the Rachel Carson Reserve and Shackleford Banks to the ocean. The sunsets from the Widow’s Walk are amazing. The Inlet Inn employees are as nice as they possibly could be and we’ve even overheard them going to great lengths to find folks other accommodations when they were booked.
Sunset from the Window’s Walk
The Cape Lookout lighthouse see from the Widow’s Walk
Looking out from the Widow’s Walk to Beaufort Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean
Most important to us is that the third floor rooms at the Inn sleep five.
The wonderful day beds that allow room for five in the third floor rooms of the Inlet Inn!
The view while relaxing and enjoying a cup of tea on the day bed…one of the best spots to relax in Beaufort!
We can get the whole family into a single room saving us tons of dough and allowing for more frequent trips to our favorite go-to-getaway-spot, Beaufort!
Any drawbacks?
The only drawback we can think of is in the high season on the first and second floors you can hear a bit of street noise from the pretty well-behaved revelers enjoying Beaufort after dark. That said, normally this would be during warm weather and your in-room AC will likely drown out any noise.
Ok, those are Beaufort’s two historic district waterfront choices, but there’s one more that is adjacent to the historic district and is a good option, especially if you need a full kitchen or are bringing along a pet:
The Beaufort Harbor Suites.
Beaufort Harbor Suites is along Cedar Street/Highway 70 near the intersection with Turner Street. It’s about a ten minute walk down Turner Street or Orange Street from the historic waterfront area.
Although Beaufort Harbor Suites is smaller than both the Inlet Inn and the Beaufort Inn with 16 suites, it does offer some nice alternative amenities, especially for a longer stay.
From the Beaufort Harbor Suites website:
“We’ll provide everything you need to live, work, and relax while you’re away from home. Our suites feature fully equipped kitchens including a full-size refrigerator with ice maker, dishwasher, microwave and stovetop, plus a variety of dishes, cookware, and utensils.”
And unique among Beaufort’s small hotels, they have several pet friendly suites.
Only a few years old, we have yet to enjoy at stay at Beaufort Harbor Suites.
The main pluses seem to be the extra space of a suite at a cost in line with the other small hotels in Beaufort, and the full kitchen which would allow some home-cooked meals during a longer stay in Beaufort, as well as the option to bring along the furry members of the family.
The only down side would be the location. While it is still an easy walk to the waterfront, you do have to cross Cedar Street, which can be a challenge at times.
We’d be happy to help.
And while we have not yet stayed at one, we’ve never had a bad experience at any.
We had planned the Beaufort Accommodations Guide to be a three part series, but once we really delved into our notes, we realized how many choices Beaufort really has when it comes to accommodations, and those choices are increasing, so this may be an ongoing series.
Next up will be a focus on the small inns of Beaufort. These are inns of 10 rooms or less all of which are in former residences around town.
This is probably the most interesting of the group with a good bit of variety and personal service.
Stay tuned, and don’t forget to:
Relax…you CAN get to Beaufort from here!
Here’s that contact info:
The Beaufort Inn and Suites
101 Ann Street
Beaufort, NC 28516
252-728-2600
800-726-0321
You can make reservations on the Beaufort Inn’s website or with a phone call. Occasionally during peak times the Beaufort Inn will have two or three night minimum stays.
The Inlet Inn
601 Front Street
Beaufort, NC 28516
252-728-3600
800-554-5466
Call for reservations and see the website for rates. You’ll enjoy the call, they’re always super nice. Occasionally during peak times the Inlet Inn will also have minimum stays.
Beaufort Harbor Suites
313 Cedar Street
Beaufort, NC 28516
252-728-3483
Call for reservations and see the website for rates. Occasionally during peak times Beaufort Harbor Suites will also have minimum stays.
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