I stayed for 4 nights at the Wanchese Inn on a girls' getaway to the Outer Banks, and I would definitely go back. We rented the entire B&B (4 bedrooms), and it was frankly more space than we needed, which is the only reason why I give this place only 4 stars for Value -- with the large beds and futons in the rooms, we figured place could easily have accommodated 10 people or more. (We originally had more people planning to come on the trip. I'm told that each room also rents separately.)
I had never stayed in a B&B before, but the entire experience exceeded my expectations. The inn was a rambling old Cape Cod style house at the end of a residential lane, with wildflowers in the yard, surrounded by a literal white picket fence. I was afraid the inside would be lacy, fussy and decorated all in pink (again, never stayed in a B&B before), but I found the decor very comfortable -- everything was done in the blues and grays of the ocean and the tawny colors of the beach, a cross between Southern comfort and New England sensibility, with pictures of local fishing scenes on the walls.
At first I was slightly disappointed that the place wasn't on the beach -- we were a couple of miles away from the water, but as the trip went on, I saw this as an advantage. The beach in the Outer Banks is extremely windy, and sand gets into everything, so it was nice to be able to leave the waterfront behind and come home. We rented a car and we never found the drive to nearby towns or the beach to be a pain -- the scenery is either beach-beautiful or small-town-quirky.
I'd give the B&B 9.9 out of 10 comfort in the common areas. The interior had been fully rehabbed, with refinished hardwood, new carpet, fresh paint and new furniture. We either ate at a boarding-house style wooden table in the dining room or at a smaller dining table on the screened-in porch. Our favorite gathering spot was the sun room, which had a large flat screen TV and DVD player, with a couch and two squishy armchairs. We spent some very comfortable evenings in the sun room. We bought our own drinks and snacks and there was plenty of room for them in the house fridge. My one and only complaint about the common areas was that my friends and I stubbed toes and banged heels a couple a couple of times on raised pieces of hardwood at the thresholds between rooms -- in an old house, sometimes the floors are different heights. But once we remembered to wear shoes in the house, all was well. The high-speed internet was free and served us well.
The rooms were quite comfortable. Two rooms had private baths and the third and fourth rooms shared a bath. All the bathrooms were perfectly clean, with plenty of hot water and exhaust fans. The master suite was gigantic, with its own sitting room and a private bath with a glass shower and jacuzzi, if memory serves. My one reservation about my room, one of the shared-bath rooms, was that the mattress was slightly lopsided from use, but I slept like a baby. Someone from a bustling city might find that kind of deep quiet disconcerting, but I loved it! All the bedrooms had flat-screen TVs of varying sizes, but I never turned mine on.
Last but certainly not least, our inkeeper, Lynn -- she was a jewel. She is a fantastic storyteller with a great laugh. She kept us entertained for an hour the first night with great local stories and plenty of suggestions on where to go and what to do. She made us breakfast every morning, and it was reliably hot, on time, and delicious. And best of all, after she made sure we were comfortable, she left us be to do our own thing.
Finally, my thumbnail sketch of the Outer Banks -- we went in late May, right at the start of "the Season," and things weren't yet crowded. Our weather was perfect, but we were told storms can pop up and disappear just as quickly. The waterfront in the village of Manteo, about 10-15 minutes north of Wanchese, also on Roanoke Island, was charming. The Outer Banks folks have mastered the art of making tourists feel comfortable and welcome without turning themselves into a plastic replica of a fishing village. The boutique shopping is fantastic, and there are deals to be found on jewelry, pottery and nicer souvenirs if you browse a bit. We climbed through the replica sailing ship, the Elizabeth II, which brought very early English colonists to those shores, and then rented sea kayaks and paddled around the sound. Food, culture, shopping, and athletic activities, all in one spot -- Manteo was great. At Lynn's recommendation, we drove an hour south to the beaches near Cape Hatteras, which were flawless. Stop on the drive down and climb over the dunes (as long as it's not roped off to indicate a wildlife protection area) -- the beach on the other side is untouched, with unbroken shells as large as your hand. A thoroughly enjoyable trip!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
