My husband and I stayed at The Cypress Inn from Dec 29 - Jan 1, for a New Years getaway. On the day of our arrival, we were shown to the Carolina Room, which was a very comfortable room with a king-sized bed and large jacuzzi tub. The room was very clean, airy, and cozy. Because we asked for a romantic stay, there was champagne chilling and chocolates waiting for us in the room. The downstairs sitting areas were also very warm and inviting, with books laid out everywhere to be read by the guests.
While we never met the male innkeepers, the ladies (Carol and Anne) were extremely nice. They were more than willing to offer driving directions to various attractions, as well as offering to make dinner reservations if needed.
They made a fabulous hot breakfast every morning. The breakfast always started with coffee, orange juice, mixed fruit slices, and either a pastry or muffin. Then the main course was served. On our first day, we had french toast with bacon or sausage. Because I do not eat beef or pork, the ladies very kindly substituted turkey sausage for me. On the second day, eggs benedict was served. Because I am a picky eater and do not care for this entree, the ladies made me scrambled eggs, hash browns, and an English muffin with strawberry preserves. On the third and final day, we had pancakes shaped like hearts, with sausage or bacon. Overall, the breakfasts were very delicious and filling. Furthermore, Carol and Anne were always there offering seconds, so there was no chance of leaving the breakfast table hungry!
Just about everything was perfect, with one exception. My husband and I received massages from the on-site massage therpaist during our stay. As someone who loves a good massage and has had many during my lifetime, I know a good massage from a sub-standard massage. This one definitely rated as sub-standard. I went first, and my husband went right after me. When we were both finished and had an opportunity to compare notes, we had the same complaints.
The massage can best be described as one involving light rubbing and poking, as opposed to massaging and kneading. The therpist would run her hands over our skin very gently, with little to no actual massaging involved. Imagine rubbing lotion over your arms or legs....that was the "massage" we received. After what felt like half an hour of this, throughout which I kept expecting the massage to actually begin, I decided to point out my problem area to the therapist. I explained that my stress was centered on my back between my shoulder blades, and I asked her to work on that area. She kindly agreed, and proceeded to do so. However, rather than massaging my back directly, she lifted the sheet over my back and proceeded to complete the massage through the sheet. Needless to say, the feeling of a sheet rubbing against my skin was not pleasant. And my husband, who is a weight lifter, said he received the same kind of massage.....very light, with lots of poking. Overall, we were not pleased and we would not recommend the massage therapy.
Overall, however, our stay was wonderful. We loved the Inn, the room we stayed in, the hot breakfast every morning, and the overall atmosphere. We would not hesitate to return, or to recommend this location to other travelers.