Print Date 12.10. 2021
By Judy Brenna, The Deauville Inn
As most of you may know by now, I am an avid fan of all things “history”. Some people view history as a boring and unimportant subject, I distinctly remember some fellow classmates always grumbling when it was time for history class. Not me. It was my most favorite part of the day. Well, that and gym… KIDDING. But seriously, I always loved history classes. When I was on bed rest all I did was read about different eras in history ((well, that and play Guitar Hero)). I have always been a bit of a learning sponge. And incidentally History Class was pretty much the only subject I retained in school, aside from learning how to order another beer in Spanish. Oh, and the Pythagorean theorem. And how to dissect a baby shark. But I digress… one of the most important reasons to study history is that remembering the past helps in fostering a better future. And of all the reasons to study history, this one might be the most important. How on earth can we possibly begin to understand society today without understanding what or who created it? We learn from history and from our own mistakes. Kind of like repeatedly shouting “no” or “down” to a dog so they learn to not do it again. Unless of course you’re my dog who’s a demon puppy from the pits of Mordor and is completely and wholly impervious to those concepts ((insert severe eye roll emoji here)). Which leads me to my next topic ((awful segway)), the Carisbrook Inn.
This little hidden gem in the historic community of Ventnor is just down the beach from Atlantic City. At the time of its incorporation in 1903, the city of Ventnor was a place of rest and retreat at the Jersey shore for families vacationing from nearby Pennsylvania, New York and Washington, D.C. To give the great Dr. Pitney some street cred for this, it was his idea after all to declare Absecon Island a destination for wellness and retreat. Today, people from all over the world come to vacation in Ventnor because of its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, its fabulous restaurants and unique shopping, and its easy access to the nightlife and excitement of Atlantic City and the Casinos.
The original Carisbrooke Inn was built in 1891 and was a grand ocean front inn and the first hotel established in Ventnor. This hotel served as the center of all social and political life as the town of Ventnor, New Jersey evolved. Its name, “Carisbrooke”, was acquired from the Carisbrooke Castle located on the Isle of Wight in the picturesque resort town of Ventnor, England. Unfortunately, this original Carisbrooke Inn was demolished in the winter of 1910-11. In 1996, the current Inn was established and pays homage to the original Carisbrooke Inn by assuming its name and retaining many of its original features as when the property was first built. In addition, the Inn has been recently painted in an historic color scheme consistent with the American Foursquare era (late Victorian era Architectural style). My point in all of this, Carisbrooke Inn, during its renaissance in the late 1990’s, was a very carefully though through business project.
Which leads me to my next point. Their services. Carisbrooke Inn offers a unique European-style service that is unrivaled. They cater to your needs, unlike other B&Bs I’ve been too in the past. After enjoying a magnificent and bountiful, multi-course homemade breakfast in their extremely well decorated parlor, you have so many options. In the summer you can choose to soak up the sun on their awesome ocean view front deck, relax in the serenity of the back patio, or cool down with a dip in the crystal blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. In the winter months their main parlor offers a ridiculous amount of natural light, perfect for reading, relaxing, and of course their daily Evening Wine and Refreshments. They have a concierge on staff to help you plan your perfect weekend and will help in scheduling your outings. And we all know there are infinite possibilities when it comes to things to do in the area.
They also offer some fantastic packages, AND, a very cool extended stay package for weddings, which leads me to my final point… ((Awesome Wedding Location Alert)) The Carisbrooke Inn is such the perfect destination for an intimate wedding or civil union. The carefully renovated design of the building offers a beautiful setting and backdrop for weddings and other private micro events. If you desire an outdoor ceremony, they are only 300 feet to the boardwalk and beach, plus they have a gorgeous ocean view deck. If you prefer something more secluded, you can take use of their back patio. And to boot, if weather doesn’t allow for an outside ceremony, you can hold it in their main parlor, which we’ve already discuss has amazing lighting for photographs. The wedding package will only cost you $2400 ($2600 in the summer months), and includes 2 nights in one of their luxury spa rooms, a minister to officiate the wedding, a photographer for 1 hour (photo album and picture selection to be arranged directly with photographer at additional cost), flowers for the ceremony, including a bridal bouquet, corsage, 2 boutonnieres, and a bridal arch with flowers and greenery on top, a reception dinner at one of their local upscale restaurants for four guests, car service to and from your reception dinner, and, their piece de resistance, you even get a violinist who will play for 1 hour before, during, and after the ceremony, followed by a complimentary champagne toast. It kind of doesn’t get any better than this. Something most definitely worth considering.
If you love bed and breakfast Inns, you need to add Carisbrooke Inn to your list. Email them at info@carisbrookeinn.comor call them at (609) 822-6392 today!
And also ((shameless work plug alert)), don’t forget The Deauville Inn for your Holiday Party, New Year’s Eve Plans or Super Bowl Catering Needs ((insert smirk emoji here)). Until next week, folks… #stayjerseystrong!
