Modern Mississippi: Inside the Floating Cabins of The Hotel Beatnik, Ocean Springs

Is Mississippi the last place you think of when you think of modern design? 

If you answered yes (which be honest, you did), I’m right there with you. 

When you hear the words modern design you, like me, most likely think of places such as Tokyo and New York City and Beijing. But Mississippi? That’s somewhere last on the list.

However, you clicked on a post titled Modern Mississippi, so there must be something deep within you that wants to be convinced that Mississippi does in fact have something modern to offer.

Why would you be here otherwise?

The Hard Truth

Here’s the hard truth: 99.9% of Mississippi is whatever the opposite of modern is.

Hey Alexa: What is the opposite of modern?

Opposite of modern: "ancient, antiquated, obsolete, old, old-fashioned, outdated, passe"

Do these words better describe the Mississippi you’re familiar with?

If so, you’re not wrong.

So what about that .01%?

Popping up alongside the antiquated Deep South homes and old-fashioned lifestyles throughout the state, are hints and movements towards more contemporary lifestyles and design. These hints and movements look like the French café inspired Elvie’s restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi and the revitalization of cities such as Laurel, MS and a tiny shipping container home in the college-town of Starkville, MS.

And the latest to join .01%?

A new four-cabin tiny hotel nestled under the ancient oaks of Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

Keep reading to meet the latest in Mississippi Modern Design and see why you’ll be booking a stay for yourself by the end of this post.

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The word I would use to best describe my first impression of The Hotel Beatnik is shocked.

I had been to Ocean Springs, Mississippi a handful of times over the past few years, and spent those days enjoying coffee from The Greenhouse on Porter and eating donuts from the local TatoNut Donut Shop, but from what I remembered, there was nothing of modern design to write home about.

Until now.

When I first laid eyes on those four curious floating black cabins, I was stopped in my tracks, mouth hung open, shocked. Shocked that since my last visit, someone decided to build these modern and contemporary cabins on the side of a nondescript road in Ocean Springs. Shocked by their peculiarity and the contrast of those black cabins against the surrounding landscape. Shocked that I was actually still in Mississippi and had not been teleported to some other, more modern city or state.

I had a Dorothy moment and thought to myself: “We’re not in Mississippi anymore.”

Except unlike Dorothy’s experience, we were, indeed, still in Mississippi.

I had just found myself lucky enough to cross paths with the latest and greatest of modern Mississippi.

I couldn’t wait to book our stay.

A NIGHT’S STAY AT THE HOTEL BEATNIK

A few months passed after my first encounter with The Hotel Beatnik and I finally decided to reach out and book our stay. After introducing and sharing some background on myself, they agreed to let us come stay for a night in exchange for this post. I couldn’t wait.

On the afternoon of our stay, we drove the short 20-minute commute towards the hotel. Regardless, I still felt the same level of anticipation and excitement as I do when we’re heading to the airport.

Nothing gets my heart pumping more than looking forward to a good stay.

OUTSIDE THE CABINS

You don’t need to book a stay at The Hotel Beatnik to see the modern and contemporary elements at play throughout the exterior of the property. The most impactful and obvious I’ve already mentioned: those four floating black cabins. The design of these cabins was clearly inspired by the elements of modern Scandinavian design with features like muted, dark hues that remind of Nordic landscapes and the use of wood furniture and accents.

In addition to the four cabins, the exterior of the property, which can be viewed by all passersby from the sidewalk, features a fire pit at the entrance and a narrow path that separates the four cabins from the gated pool area.

INSIDE THE CABINS

Once you lay eyes on property, you simply can’t resist seeing what’s inside these little black Scandinavian-modern cabins. From the outside, you can see that each cabin features its own screened in porch, but other than that, you get very little hint at what lies inside.

THE ENTRANCE

To enter the cabin, you walk up a handicap friendly ramp entrance and as you open the door, you find yourself looking at a quaint kitchen nook, equipped with a sink, dishes, a mini fridge and even a Chemex Pour Over Coffee Maker (with local Bright Eyed Coffee to fuel your stay). 

As you turn the corner from the doorway entrance, your eyes start to explore the lay of the land and you come into a room smack in the middle of the cabin layout. Immediately in front of you, you see a playful space featuring two in-wall bunk beds, perfect for littles or for a traveling group of four. The beds are closed off by a velvet curtain, which is also helpful if you can’t sleep on the night of a full moon (learned that one from experience).

THE BATHROOM

After soaking up this first room, you can decide which direction you want to explore next, by either heading to the front of the cabin or the back of the cabin.

For the sake of our journey, we’ll head towards the back first.

As you exit the central room, you find yourself stepping into a bathroom as unexpected as the black cabins on the exterior. You’ve arrived in a bathroom boasting abnormally high ceilings, tall rectangular windows and mirrors filling the room with natural light, and hand selected details inclusive of a red marbled sink, custom wood paneling separating the toilet from the rest of the room and even a cave like, dark tiled, walk-in shower.

Your eyes soak in the goodness that is this bathroom, and land on a glass door inviting you to explore whatever it is that lies beyond.

THE BACK PATIO

You open it and are welcomed into a private patio completely your own. On one side of the space, you find an outdoor shower, perfect for rinsing off after the pool or for anyone brave enough to shower in the wild. On the other side is a hammock to swing in as you read your favorite book or doze off under the gulf coast breeze.

You think you could stay out here relaxing the day away. Yet, your curiosity knows there’s still more to be seen, so you head back indoors.

THE BEDROOM AND FRONT PORCH

Once back inside, you quickly meander along the hallway up to the front of the cabin, where you’re greeted with an a-framed high ceiling, an mid-century modern globe light fixture, a king sized bed (surrounded by that same wood paneling feature), and views out over your very own screened porch, fitted with rocking chairs perfect for listening to the summer gulf breeze.

The large room also features a desk, making it a great space to work remotely.

what we loved about the hotel beatnik, Ocean Springs

All of the above?

But seriously, there wasn’t a single detail that was missed in the design of the space, and we were both incredibly impressed by how much was accomplished on such a small foot print. So much so, that we discussed building something similar for ourselves. Because although we love the good experience of a tiny house, which you can read more about in this post, we appreciated how much more open and spacious these cabins felt.

ONE SIZE FITS ALL

Have you seen the trend recently of fashion brands offering a one-size-fits-all sizing model? In the past, I think most of us would scoff at the notion (like, remember those tiny stretchy shirts from the 90s)? But in today’s world, I’ve seen some really great examples, with the most impressive being You Swim. They claim and stand by their one-size-fits-all swimwear, and from the outside looking in, it seems to work.

When it comes to hotels and accommodations (and to all of life for that matter), rarely would a one size fits all strategy work. You just can’t be everything for everyone. Maybe your hotel is for the pet-lovers (like this one in New Orleans), or maybe it’s for those who love nature (like this Airbnb), or maybe it’s a romantic getaway (like these tiny house Airbnbs).

But all of the above? Those are few and far between.

However, I would argue that The Hotel Beatnik, is an anomaly in the hotel and accommodations industry.

Here’s why.

After our stay as I started to think about how I wanted to structure this post, I began to recognize just how many different types of travelers this hotel was suited for. The list was so robust and impressive, that I almost angled this post entirely around it. Nonetheless, it was too surprisingly good of information to omit, so here we go.

8 REASONS THE HOTEL BEATNIK IS FOR ANY AND ALL TYPES OF TRAVELERS

• 1) It’s family-friendly: The space is great if you’re traveling with young kids and would also work for all types of families. For instance, if you’re planning a family reunion, you could book all four cabins, which would sleep 12 total, and you would have the entire pool and property to yourself.

• 2) It’s dog-friendly: Is your dog your family? Then The Hotel Beatnik is for you. If you’re traveling with your fur baby, you can pay a small fee $50/pet (up to two pets) and have them stay with you as long as they are under 40lbs.

• 3) It’s romantic: Remember those pictures of that big fluffy bed, that private outdoor shower, and that deep walk-in shower? Whatever your picture of romance is, the Beatnik has something to offer. If being romantic means something sweet like rocking on the porch with your sweetheart, then rock away. If it’s something a little more “crazy,” get cray.

• 4) It’s pandemic-friendly: If you’re still feeling hesitant to travel during the pandemic, but want a safe place to getaway to, The Hotel Beatnik is a great option. You’ll have the entire cabin to yourself, there are no shared interior hallways, and there are only 3 other cabins on the property, meaning the pool and shared spaces will never feel crowded. The property would also be a great stop for someone road tripping along I-10, or for stay-cationers that need a getaway.

• 5) It’s group-friendly: Similarly to it being family-friendly, The Hotel Beatnik is a great property to consider for your group gathering. Again, you could book the entire property for something like a family reunion, or, an individual cabin can sleep 4 (if more than two adults/room there is an additional $25 fee), which is a great option for something like a bachelorette or girls trip.

• 6) It’s not too expensive for solo-travelers: If you love riding solo, are creative, or simply need a break all by yourself, The Hotel Beatnik would be great for a solo traveler who can enjoy the spaces to relax and retreat.

• 7) It’s a design lovers paradise: If you’re a traveler who plans trips around good design (hello, it’s me!), I highly recommend booking a stay. This is personally why we wanted to experience it for ourselves and we did not leave disappointed.

• 8) It’s wheelchair accessible: Finally, The Hotel Beatnik is wheelchair accessible, making it a great option for vacationing with elderly parents or anyone that has mobility issues and all of the spaces within the cabin are wide enough for anyone moving around in a walker or wheelchair.

READY TO BOOK YOUR STAY?

I don’t want to say I told ya so, but … I told ya so! If this post peeked your interest and you’re itching to book your stay for any of the 8 reasons above, click the “book your stay” button and be sure to tell them The Weithouse sent you.

STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE

Visiting other destinations in Mississippi or along the Gulf Coast?

Be sure to read our Jackson, Mississippi Travel Guide, our roundup of the best beachfront rentals along the Gulf Coast, or a review of a pet-friendly hotel we love in New Orleans.