By Chere Coen - Louisiana Road Trips
There are beach people, and then there are beach-appreciating people. I’m one of the latter.
I love the beach, but my idea of sand and surf is to walk along the Gulf waters, admiring birds, sand critters and the gorgeous Gulf sky. Or a cocktail in one hand while I sit on a hotel balcony watching the sun set, followed by a seafood dinner at a beachside restaurant.
Hotel Pass Christian sits top of my list in this regard, a new boutique hotel offering 10 comfortable coast-style rooms with the Elysian Salon and Spa on the ground floor, next to the Pass Christian Soap Company.
Beach, spa, fabulous bath products — it doesn’t get better than this in my book.
I stayed in the 1200-square-foot King Suite 202 with a spacious private balcony overlooking Scenic Drive and the marina, a comfortable living room, bar area with two bar stools, mini fridge and sink and a luxurious bathroom with a deep bathtub, specialty products from Pass Christian Soap Company and an equally fabulous shower. The bedroom opened to the balcony as well and included two spacious closets, thick bathrobes and a coffee station.
The style here reflects coastal colors, in my room lots of lime green, soft blues, off whites and earthy wooden floors. The living room chandelier with its pastel blue beading produced a nice glow in the evening as I relaxed on the sofa with a soft, light throw.
Both the living room and bedroom have TVs but once I enjoyed salon services downstairs and a dinner at Bacchus I headed straight for that soaker tub, adding a Pass Christian Soap Company bath bomb by the title of “Good Karma.”
There are little details that make a stay at Hotel Pass Christian so special – Kleenex boxes by the bedside, glasses for drinking instead of plastic, interesting light fixtures, the hair dryer hanging on the wall within easy use and local magazines. As a regular traveler, I appreciated those extra touches.
The hotel is the brainchild of Jourdan Nicaud, who owns Bacchus on the Beach restaurant across the street. On the other side of Scenic Drive lies the new Pass Christian Municipal Harbor with beach access on either side. Nearby, within walking distance, is the trendy Davis Street with Pass Olive Oils and Vinegars, Pass Wine and Spirits, Cigar’s on the Pass and Robin’s Nest in the Pass, owned and operated by Dorothy Roberts, sister to Robin Roberts of “Good Morning America.” Along Scenic Drive, trees line the Pass Christian War Memorial Park with its gazebo, workout stations and walking trails and at the corner of Davis the Cat Island Coffeehouse, named for the island off the coast that was once home to Frenchman Nicholas Christian Ladner who gave the town its name. A stop at Cat Island Coffeehouse means books from Pass Christian Books, specialty coffees and locally made Cat Island cookies or cheese crackers; it’s a great spot for breakfast.
In addition to the shopping and dining at the town’s many restaurants, including, of course, Bacchus on the Beach, there are charter services for those who want to fish the Gulf waters and unlimited attractions up and down the Mississippi Gulf Coast, from Bay St. Louis to Pascagoula. Some interesting spots to check out in “The Pass” are the 18-foot-tall Our Lady of Guadalupe statue and the many historic homes and buildings lining Scenic Drive, many with historical markers out front.
The beaches in Pass Christian are like most along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, shallow with warm waters and touches of beach grass and small dunes as havens for small birds. I rose early one morning and explored the beaches, finding mullet jumping like crazy and pelicans swooping downward to enjoy their breakfast.
Like I said, I’m a beach appreciator, not a sun worshipper. And boy was I in heaven.
Websites
Hotel Pass Christian
https://www.hotelpasschristian.com
The Pass Christian Soap Co.
https://www.passsoap.com/
Elysian Spa and Salon
https://www.facebook.com/elysianpc/
Bacchus on the Beach
https://www.bacchusbeach.com/
Pass Christian Books
http://www.passbooksonline.com/
Mississippi Gulf Coast tourism
www.gulfcoast.org
