Banana leaves loom overhead. There are so many varieties of palm trees, 11 to be exact, it is easy to lose count. Sea breezes waft through the air. Oh, and the sweet smelling faces of hibiscus flowers—what perfume! On its own private island on the southern North Carolina coastline, the Winds Resort Beach Club, in Ocean Isle Beach, connected by a bridge to the mainland, seems eons away from the Myrtle Beach crowds, but is only 20 minutes in driving distance.
Where better to spend the lazy days of vacation as well as steamy romantic interludes than in your own tropical paradise?
The four-season resort boasts a subtropical climate, enabling the palms to survive the winter. Two full-time gardeners tend the lush exterior. A host of amenities and activities enhances the modern, updated interior.
The resort started as a mere grain of a dream in the undeveloped powdery white sands. During the 1970s, Ocean Isle was the answer to Helen and Miller Pope’s intense quest for a beachfront property.
Initially, the Popes perceived the endeavor as a retirement venture. Miller had spent his life as a successful magazine illustrator and, later, in book publishing. The couple had lived in Westport, Connecticut, while raising their two children. Still residing in Westport, they purchased a 75-foot lot for a beach house in Ocean Isle. His blueprint for a duplex eventually turned into a fourplex.
While considering a name for his new development, Miller, who frequently commuted between his Westport and Ocean Isle properties, sat at the airport’s Four Winds Bar Lounge in Stratford, Connecticut. The name imprinted on a bar napkin that Miller picked up under his beverage made an impact. “He thought, ‘That would be a great name—on the beach—the Winds,’” his son Gary, who is today the President and Marketing Director at the resort, explains.
Once the family relocated to Ocean Isle, instead of settling down, Miller and his wife bought up more property. Slowly, the fourplex transformed into a vacation panacea.
Sadly, Miller’s wife passed away in 2005, however, he is still involved in the operation. Crediting his father, Gary says, “His art is everywhere in the sense that he designed the place and planted the gardens.”
Gary’s sister Cathy, who is an artist like her dad, serves as vice president. Miller’s grandchildren are also involved in the company, which still utilizes the same philosophy that the business was based on. “If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backwards; there’s no standing still.”
“We are constantly renovating. We built a lot of new buildings. We have three pools, one indoor. We have a poolside Tiki bar restaurant that’s real popular. We’ve opened that in the last couple years,” Gary explains. Other perks that patrons will discover include whirlpool spas, fitness room, volleyball, shuffleboard, ping-pong and free use of bicycles for island exploration.
“The best description of the Winds is that we are a small, intimate resort on an island,” he says.
Another important attribute, out of many, is that the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association awarded the Winds with “The Gold Star of Excellence Award” for “Spotless Reputation in Cleanliness.”
The complex is comprised of four oceanfront buildings and nine resort cottages. With such names as Palm Breeze, Southern Breeze or Carolina Breeze, living is a breeze—especially with the numerous honeymoon and romantic packages available!
Describing the 86 units that range from a single guestroom to one- two- and three-bedroom suites, Gary says they all, “have at least a wet bar with a microwave and refrigerator.” Balconies accent the rooms while ocean side sundecks complement the suites.
“The oceanfront suites all have either a compact kitchen or a full kitchen with a big living room; most of them have the full kitchen,” he says. “Going back the next two rows are houses. Those are four- five- and six-bedroom houses. Those are built for groups; every room in those have a wet bar, microwave, refrigerator, a large great room and a kitchen.”
Honeymooners or longtime mates, couples can catch more romance outside the sleek, tastefully decorated quarters by roaming the lovely setting of wooden walkways, hidden courtyards, waterfalls, pools and palm courts.
The resort, too, offers numerous banquet facilities for small-sized to larger events. In fact, it has been such a popular venue for weddings, business meetings and other special occasions that a new off-island event center, a five-minute drive away, is scheduled to debut.
Additionally, a 30 by 60-foot tent platform had been unveiled to accommodate receptions for beachside wedding ceremonies.
Of course, what would Southern hospitality be without kicking off any morning with a complimentary hot Southern breakfast buffet for guests? Egg dishes, breakfast meats, grits, potatoes, waffles, breads, fruits and more appease all appetites!
Although there are plenty of island dining options, the Tiki-bar Restaurant, open seasonally, has an extensive menu, ranging from frozen tropical drinks to sandwiches and burgers.
Frozen Margarita in hand, a virtuoso display of flowers and lush tropics, sip…slip into panacea.
Lodging Type: Resort
Location: Oceanfront on Ocean Isle Beach, NC
Guest Rooms: 86; Suites: 32
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Facilities: Full Service Restaurant, Wedding Facilities, Meeting Facilities, Fitness Center, Golf, Tennis Courts, Internet Access, Jacuzzis, Outdoor Pool, Indoor Pool
Web: www.thewinds.com
Email: info@thewinds.com
Phone: (800) 334-3581, Toll Free: (910) 579-6275
Address: 310 E 1st St, , NC, 28469 United States
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