The Inn at Long Beach (Long Beach, Mississippi)

 

I was shocked to discover it had been 10 years since my family and I took an out-of-state vacation and decided it was time to go to the beach. After a lot of consideration, we settled on Long Beach, Mississippi, based on the travel time by car and I reserved two rooms at the Inn at Long Beach. We enjoyed most things about Long Beach but as it turns out, we agreed the Inn was the thing we enjoyed the most.

This hotel was a little more expensive than some of the others we considered, costing a little over $1000 for three nights (again, for two rooms). However, it was one of the few things on the trip I could honestly say was worth the money.

First of all, the rooms were huge. I'm not exaggerating when I say they were larger than some apartments I've been in. They also had just the right mix of luxury and modernity while also having a comfortable bed. The last isn't always a given at hotels. Usually, my wife can't sleep because I can't get comfortable and start snoring. That wasn't the case this time.

Photo by Cynthia Helmer

Our room had a slightly obstructed view of the ocean because of the tree in the front of the hotel by the pool but the rooms on the west side of the hotel (where our daughters had their room) had a full view. Either way, they were both still better than plenty of other views we've had.

Photo by Cynthia Helmer

As far as amenities go, this hotel had plenty. There's a fitness center, which we didn't use because we were getting plenty of exercise both at the beach and in the outdoor pool. The staff was very friendly, willing to offer advice about everything from where to eat to how to treat a jellyfish sting (advice we needed on the second day there). We even had someone knock on our door to make sure our room was cleaned to our preference.

Photo by Cynthia Helmer

While Long Beach is still rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina, the hotel is located within reasonable distance of several restaurants. Some are within walking distance while others are a short drive. It's not far from Gulfport, allowing access to an aquarium and other attractions if you don't just want to swim. 

Our favorite thing about the hotel though, other than the free cookie at 3 p.m. and the pool's popsicle hotline (just pick up the phone and they'll bring you a popsicle) was the breakfast. Most hotels serve breakfast now but the definition of what counts as breakfast varies considerably. Most of the time, you're lucky to get a bowl of cereal or stand in line waiting to use a waffle maker.

The Inn's breakfast, however, was comparable to what I've seen at some restaurants with a room filled with choices that included fresh fruit, yogurt, sausage, bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy and my wife's favorite, grits. Oh, and if you want a pancake, they'll custom make you one. This alone make up for some of the extra cost for the rooms because it saved us a good $40-$50 per day versus going out to eat.

No joke, the breakfast might be the one thing I miss most now that our vacation is over. It sure was better than making it myself, especially since other people also washed the dishes.

In fact, my only real complaint about our stay actually wasn't even the hotel's fault and is more the fault of the community of Long Beach itself. The beach, while nearby, still required crossing a highway and, while not impossible, that did prove to be challenging at times because there weren't any crosswalks and people didn't stop or even slow down.

As a result of that, one thing I would love to see added prior to our next stay (if and when we have one) would be a traffic light, pedestrian bridge or something to make it easier to get across that four-lane highway safer. So, get working on that Long Beach. You have a nice gem of a hotel that could only be made better as a result.

Final Opinion: I'm not sure if or when we do plan on returning to this part of the country since we have other regions on our bucket list as well. However, if we do go back to the Mississippi gulf coast, there is no doubt in my mind this is the hotel we will be staying at, regardless of cost.

My Grade: A+