Thank you to PhotoFusion Media for the images in this blog.
Since April 2019, guests have experienced a memorable stay at the Beaufort Hotel NC, an Ascend Hotel Collection Member. The 133-room boutique hotel offers relaxing accommodations and friendly staff members that introduce travelers to the unique sights and experiences in Beaufort, North Carolina.
A Boutique Experience That Mirrors the Charm of Beaufort
As one of JAI’s favorite projects to date, the Beaufort Hotel is a hotel with a story to tell.
Beaufort’s draw has always been the waterfront. The hotel is a waterfront property on Taylor Creek across from Carrot Island where wild horses live and dolphin swim. The property on which the Beaufort Hotel now stands played an important role in the history of Beaufort’s fishing industry. Today, you can step back in time to the Menhaden fishing era in Beaufort. Experience the local history that lives on today through images that continue to endure.
This unforgettable destination is located along the Crystal Coast on the Southern Outer Banks of Eastern North Carolina. The Beaufort Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. There are about 285 historic homes in the district; of these, over 150 boasts plaques awarded to homes at least 100 years old, dating back to the late 1700s.
Romantically called Beaufort-by-the-Sea, this charming North Carolina coastal town even inspired Nicholas Sparks to set two of his novels, “A Walk to Remember” and “The Choice” here. Travel + Leisure magazine named Beaufort “America’s Favorite Town.”
We focused our design selections on making the Beaufort Hotel a unique reflection of the local community.
It’s a Full Waterfront Experience
It was a special experience working with clients who are also residents of Beaufort. They have poured their heart and soul into the full property, which started with a boathouse and marina, then expanded to townhouses and a wedding chapel, and now includes the Inn and Bistro.
It was our goal to guide every design choice in the direction of their heart and vision for the project. The Beaufort Hotel is part of their legacy and JAI’s lead project designer, Christina Kirkpatrick, wanted to honor that through the design.
With a wedding chapel on site, the destination attracts many couples who want a wedding that features the upscale coastal chic charm of the area. Lux blues, tans, and whites can be found everywhere in the natural surroundings, and we were sure to bring those appealing, seaside outdoor colors into the design.
The Coastal Chic Design
Relaxed elegance with a Coastal North Carolina décor, the highest quality amenities, luxurious linens, and stellar views combine to create a perfect destination setting for any Southern Outer Banks vacation.
The boutique hotel is an Ascend Hotel Collection Member that is also proud to be designated as a North Carolina GreenTravel business. Unlike designing for other brand hotels, boutiques have less stringent brand standards that allow the design to uniquely capture their location and tell their individual story. Because boutique hotels tend to have a more generous design budget and allow for additional creative freedom, the JAI team pushed the design and creativity further than we have on many other projects.
The Details of Design
Historical Tibit: The South is known for blue porch ceilings. It was superstitiously thought that the color would fend off bugs, evil spirits, and nightfall. Sherwin Williams has a shade of blue called “Porch Ceiling” that we just had to use outdoors on the porches and then a softer, grayer version of it on our guestroom ceilings.
Guest Room Features
The guest rooms feature unusually high ceilings allowing us to float the crown moulding and extend the calming blue color of the ceiling down onto the walls. Moulding for the base, crown, and doors all showcase traditional Beaufort architectural detail.
Guest Comforts
Every hotel room is designed so the guests are treated to pure luxury. The beds are made with 300TC imported linen and premium bedding, and well-designed blackout draperies enhance the guest experience to help ensure a great night’s sleep. Bath Robes and Slippers are provided for use during the stay and can be found hanging in a chic, luxurious bathroom.
Nostalgic Elements
The floors and fireplace in the lobby, bar, and bistro are a mix of antique bricks, reclaimed factory maple flooring, and unique heart-pine–all local to the area. The use of local reclaimed materials was a way to infuse history and authenticity into the property and provide a connection from the past to the present that is appreciated by older and younger generations alike.
Design that Makes a Difference
It was an honor to create a one-of-a-kind hotel that offers relaxing guest rooms overlooking the unique sights and local culture of coastal North Carolina. The Beaufort Hotel provided JAI the opportunity to pour our time, talents, and passion into a design that will be experienced over and over through the long-lasting memories made by the guests staying at the Beaufort Hotel.
Congratulations to the Beaufort Hotel NC, an Ascend Hotel Collection Member. We celebrate your future success with you.
