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Inn Provides Oasis Amid Boardwalk Bustle
 | | An Inn on the Ocean affords great views of the Boardwalk and beach. |
John and Cathy Brock winced when they peered out the French doors of their seaside room at An Inn on the Ocean and noticed Ocean City's famed Boardwalk just beyond the veranda.
"I thought, 'Oh, no. What have we done?'" recalled John, who feared the
throngs of tourists who walk the boardwalk all hours of the day and night
would disrupt the tranquillity the Rhode Island couple sought as they
celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary.
His fears proved unfounded. The inn, owned and operated by Charles and Vicki Barrett, endures as an oasis on the Boardwalk, a genteel world sheltered from the hubbub.
"We've been to a lot of bed and breakfast inns up and down the East Coast
and this place has been a real treat," says Mrs. Brock, a retired registered nurse.
"It's like being in your own house. The innkeepers are always around if you need them but they're not in your way. They just really do the place up really nice."
Built in 1938 as a summer cottage, An Inn on the Ocean boasts six guestrooms - each with an ocean view, ceiling fan, air conditioning, TV and VCR. Five rooms are on the second floor of the Victorian cottage and the other, the Veranda Room, where the Brocks stayed, is on the main floor and includes a semi-private porch.
While the wood-frame cottage's exterior is Victorian-style - with a wraparound porch, awnings and picket fence - the décor of the guestrooms and main rooms are eclectic. Queen Anne and Chippendale antiques can be found throughout. In the winter, the brick fireplace is the focal point of the living room, with oversized sofas and chairs clustered around the hearth.
In the summer, wicker sofas and chairs and glass tables replace the heavy furniture, helping create a light, breezy ambience.
"It's elegant with comfort in mind," Vicki Barrett says. "We try to keep it like home. We pamper and take care of our guests."
Three years ago, the Barretts left their jobs in the Boston area - he worked for the post office, and she was an art educator - to take over the inn and return to Vicki's roots on the Eastern Shore. She grew up in Wilmington, Del., and spent a lot of time in Salisbury, where her parents grew up. Her family also spent many summer vacations in Ocean City.
 | | Courtney Tasker | | Guests love people-watching from the big wrap-around porch. |
The couple had no experience as innkeepers, but Vicki thought of herself as "a pretty good cook" and thought she could put those skills to good use. It doesn’t hurt that she's also attentive, personable and hospitable.
"We've made this our home for good," Vicki says. "It's a wonderful, wonderful life. "It's fun to meet people and share in the lives of our guests. We're real happy to be here."
During the warm months, the Barretts serve breakfast on the veranda. Vicky's specialties include crème brulee French toast, cheese soufflé, breakfast enchiladas, eggs Benedict and a casserole of leftover breakfast foods like muffins and donuts mixed with blueberries, cream cheese and maple syrup. The recipe, long a favorite with guests, was handed down by the inn's original owner, Annabelle Plumber, who occasionally stops by in the summer.
By all accounts, Vicki and Charles are hands-on owners and innkeepers. Vicki makes breakfast every morning and prepares afternoon refreshments - iced tea, lemonade, coffee and cookies. One of them is always at the inn. "Someone's always asking for a hair dryer or to put on a pot of coffee. We want to meet their needs," Vicki says.
With its Victorian ambiance, the inn is a popular setting for weddings. Many brides and grooms exchange vows on the deck - enclosed by a white-picket fence - at the edge of the Boardwalk, facing friends and family crowded on the porch.
"After they say their vows, there's always applause,” Vicki says. “People stop on the Boardwalk to watch, and pretty soon there's 300 people.”
In the late fall and winter, Murder Mystery Weekends are popular. With help from a kit, Charles and Vicki assign their guests parts in a 1920s or 1960s murder mystery and sometimes play supporting roles. Guests are greeted with a welcome party on Friday nights and a sit-down dinner and the game on Saturday. The inn is decorated in the theme of the mystery, whether it's an ocean yacht or a 1960s flower child party.
An Inn on the Ocean claims two distinctions: It's Maryland’s only oceanfront B&B and the only one on Ocean City's Boardwalk.
"You have all the action of the Boardwalk and the ocean, but you're removed from it," Vicky says. "It's quiet and peaceful here."
The Brocks would attest to that. And being so close the Boardwalk has its advantages, say guests, who spend many an afternoon or evening sitting on the veranda, watching passersby.
"It's so much fun. You sit out here and people watch," Mr. Brock says. “It's the greatest show on Earth. It's the best reality TV - You see everything and everyone there is to see. It's so interesting."
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An Inn on the Ocean is at 10th Street and the Boardwalk.
On-site parking is available. Peak season rates range from $205 to $300.
From Sept. 3 to Nov. 15, double occupancy rates range from $140 to $240. A two-night minimum stay is required on weekends. For more information, call
410-289-8894 or 888-226-6223.
Other Stories by Greg Tasker
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