May 6, 20225 min read

Find Yourself....at The Atlantic Inn

"Find yourself at the Atlantic" - These were the very words that were in my head back in April 2020 when we purchased the then "Seaside inn".

Finding the Atlantic inn was one of those things that happen in life that are just meant to be, much like JB and me finding each other, even though we lived some 5000 miles apart. Born in different towns, one a tiny farming community, the other a small beach town and each in different countries - Scotland and the US, but…..with the same shared name, Ayr, Nebraska and Ayr, Scotland. There have been so many "signs" that we are supposed to own the inn, some may call them coincidences....I prefer to think of them as "signs" that we are in exactly the right place, at the right time 💗(I'll tell you more about these next time 😉)

So, like all good TV shows, we are back for Season 2!!!

JB and I are excited to launch into our second season of welcoming guests and returning “friends” to our island home in Hatteras Village….and, if the last few weeks are anything to go by – it’s going to be an incredible summer.

We’ve already had over 3 times as many people stay with us as this time last year, reservations for the summer are up considerably, and we’re most definitely ready to welcome them to the “Atlantic”!

Our initial guests have been nothing short of awesome….We have met some wonderful new guests that are just discovering the “Atlantic” for the first time, and to our delight, have already had many returning “Friends” that found us last year in our first season, and have decided to visit with us again. This past weekend we were completely booked out, and over 2/3 of our guests were returning “Friends” …..what a way to begin the season.

I'll not bore with lots of pics of our recent reviews, but thought I would post just a few:

Spring Reviews...

JB has spent some of the winter months researching and practicing new recipes for breakfast, here are just a few examples:

JB's Frittata

Strawberry and Cream Cheese Danish Slice

Yummy Cinnamon Rolls

Freshly baked Biscuits (I couldn't help being Scottish and covering them in butter and strawberry jam, they tasted like light, fluffy Scottish scones 😋)

When guests say to us they’re so happy they “found” us….we feel like we are the lucky ones that we have such amazing, thoughtful, and considerate guests.

We decided very early on in the planning stages, that we didn’t want to be part of “mass tourism”….it’s not what Hatteras Village is about….nor what JB and I are about. We wanted to create a unique experience for those that choose to stay with us…..a more personal approach. Most people "Find" us through both "The Atlantic Inn" and My Atlantic Life" blogs, our Facebook page, reviews on Tripadvisor and Google, and personal referrals.

Not only do we own the inn, JB and I manage and work at the inn – it’s us you’ll find in the kitchen at 5:30am (after we’ve had our first coffee upstairs in our apartment with Bailey, Bodie and Pumpkin of course), it’s us cooking and serving the breakfasts, it’s us that clear up afterwards, it’s us that’ll check you in and out, that will help you with your luggage, or recommend the best places for dinner or to take a boating trip, it’s us that can help you choose a gift in our little gift shop…it’s us you may see in the main guest lounge when you come back from your evening out to dinner – prepping for the next day, or perhaps just having a glass of wine and hanging out with “friends” aka guests….and, it’s us that will get up in the night to answer the phone or just to check all is well.

The “Atlantic" is not just a business for JB and me – it’s a way of life, one that we chose, and are so, so happy we did.

Now don't worry...we do take time off and we do have work-life balance 😊 (remember the winters are super quiet at the inn). When we get downtime, we love enjoying our Atlantic Life....

JB and me

JB in his "Happy Place"

Me, swimming with the boys

Hanging out with friends at sunset

Time to read for me....

Just chilling...

Boating anyone??

Wine with friends on the beach (Thanks Gina!)

Watching my dolphins...

Hatteras Beauty

JB and Bailey out for a stroll

My flapping friends being released

How my day often begins...💗

As to "finding" The Atlantic Inn.... yes, it may be a tad more difficult for people to find out about us down here in Hatteras Village, as we don’t pay to be on Expedia, KAYAK, AirBnB or Booking.com, but for me, I think that makes the “Atlantic ” all the more unique and special when you do find us….A true “boutique inn” experience

The Atlantic Inn...Est.1928 - Re-established 2021

Now, like the Atlantic Ocean that I love so much, which although is a constant feature on our little blue planet....it is ever-evolving and changing - we want to reflect this ethos in The Atlantic Inn – The hotel has been a constant feature in Hatteras Village for almost 100 years, and we love its history and beauty and will do everything we can to maintain it…. we also want to ensure it constantly evolves too, even if it’s ever so subtly. With this in mind, each time you visit with us, you’ll probably find new artwork, or a different piece of furniture, additions to the library, different layouts….

I mentioned in one of my earliest blogs, that one of my pet hates was when I saw photos of an hotel on a website and I booked my stay based on the pretty pics.......only to find when I got there, the photos were out of date or taken from ridiculous angles to make a room look larger - that the reality was far from the enticing pics on their website. I want to ensure that this is not the case with our inn, which is why I like to post new photos so people can be confident that what they see online is what you'll get. Although recently, we've been told that our pics don't do the suites and rooms justice, that they are even more delightful when you see them in person.....Now that comment, I really don't mind hearing at all 😊

So, please forgive me, I got a little carried away with the pics taken in the last couple of weeks to see some of the latest pics from the “Atlantic”,

and, for those who have visited with us before, you may spot a few additions/changes…😉

Welcome...🤗

Chill out on the Atlantic Porch

Come on in...

And, just Relax...

Courtyard Decks

The back of the inn is enclosed in thick, maritime trees and bushes....perfect for a little privacy

Hiding in Plain Sight....my tiny dragons taking a nap

Our new Stargazer Deck seating.....perfect for watching those incredible Hatteras skies 💗

The Stargazer Deck is also ideal for that early morning coffee!

"Atlantic Rock(ing)"

Welcome to the WIndchaser Suite...

Coffee Time....

It all started with one game.....The giant scrabble that we brought from the farm... then I decided it might be fun to have a game on each table in the main guest lounge...