The Castle on Silver Lake Bed & Breakfast Inn

 

  

 

Complete Your Fairy Tale Wedding with a Honeymoon in The Castle. . .

 

 

You're planning the perfect wedding. Of course you want to follow it with the perfect honeymoon. Imagine a picturesque harbor dotted with boats bobbing gently against the docks. Sea gulls and pelicans circle lazily overhead. Rising above the live oak and cedar trees are the multiple shingled towers and gables that are characteristic of The Castle on Silver Lake Bed & Breakfast Inn on Ocracoke Island. Lovingly and expertly built by local craftsmen as a private retreat for industrialist and local legend Sam Jones, the Castle and accompanying Castle Villas provide the perfect setting for an absolutely unforgettable honeymoon.

 

 

 

Jones, who first came to Ocracoke in the late 1930s, fell in love with the island home of his wife's relatives. The construction of the Castle began in the 1950s and took nearly two decades to complete. Once known as Berkley Castle, the final building encompassed 12,500 square feet as additional rooms were added over the years. In his glory days, Sam Jones hosted lavish parties in its ballroom. Used as a corporate retreat, costume balls and square dances were held, set to the music of talented local musicians. Guests played croquet on the bulkheaded lawns with the finest view of the sparkling Silver Lake harbor on the island. Local watermen traded fish stories and whale tales at the neighboring Whittler's house, also built for Jones.

 

 

 

 

Handpicked cypress was used to build the Federal style mantels that adorned the fireplaces and dancers dosey-doed on the quarter sawn fir used in the ballroom. Jones furnished the Castle with oriental rugs and ornately carved Victorian furnishings as well as the art deco style. It is said that he when he ran out of space for the rugs, he layered them on top of one another! The Castle's historic photographs chronicle Sam Jones' eclectic style and his deep connection with the island and its people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After his death in 1977, Jones' masterpiece lay vacant and neglected for nearly 20 years. In 1994 it was purchased and renovated by two local businessmen and longtime friends. They bought it along with the house known as the Whittler's Club, which is now a private residence. Every available inch of the enormous original structure was saved except the heavily deteriorated breezeway. A six year renovation project culminated in what is now The Castle on Silver Lake Bed & Breakfast Inn and Castle Villas.

 

 

The Castle offers 11 rooms, each with a private bath, television and a small refrigerator. Three rooms are equipped with whirlpool tubs and the unique third floor Lighthouse Suite has two sitting rooms in addition to the bedroom area. The downstairs den offers satellite TV and a custom made pool table. The entire Castle is furnished in exquisite style that reflects its rich history.  A sumptuous buffet breakfast is served every morning that includes eggs, biscuits, pancakes, fried potatoes, cheese grits, bacon, grilled sausage, fresh fruit, juices, muffins, and pastries.

 

 

Tucked behind the Castle are 16 courtyard one-, two-, and three-bedroom luxury villas that complement the magnificent architecture of the Castle. Eight of the villas are designed with master suites. Each villa has a fully equipped kitchen, screened porch or deck, washer, dryer and whirlpool tub.

 

 

Whether you choose the Castle or the Villas, you can lounge around the heated outdoor pool, enjoy a relaxing massage or sit in the sauna or steam room after a busy day of touring the island. Stroll into Ocracoke's laid back coastal village for shopping and dining or use our bicycles to explore the village and beyond. Of course you'll want to dig your toes into the sand of the island's vast, pristine and never crowded beaches - recognized as the best beach in America year after year.

 

 

 

Getting here is easy. Drive your car onto the Hatteras Island Ferry for a leisurely (and free) ride to the island. Fly your private or chartered plane into the Ocracoke airstrip and we'll pick you up. Bring your boat or arrive by boat and enjoy complimentary docking. Our innkeeper is dedicated to the traditions of hospitality and service that have been the hallmark of the Castle since its inception. Experience the romance of Ocracoke by honeymooning at the most romantic and picturesque location on the island. Your fairy tale honeymoon is waiting for you at The Castle.

 

Don't you deserve the royal treatment?

 

--by Karen McCalpin

Images (c) 2009 The Castle on Silver Lake Bed & Breakfast Inn.

All Rights Reserved.