Would you stay here?
If you’re looking for an unusual, perhaps slightly dangerous, hotel experience, a former Coast Guard station off the coast of North Carolina might be the place for you.
Located 35 miles away from the coast, the Frying Pan Tower sits in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with winds sweeping the rusty walkways about 20 to 30 miles an hour.
Here, the owner, software engineer Richard Neal, and his family welcome those who dare stay for the night.
Neal turned the station into a B&B in 2012, greeting visitors who want to disconnect from our hyper-digital world and focusing on surviving for the weekend.
Two years ago, YouTuber JStu aka Justin Stewart visited the eight-bedroom hotel with his JStuStudios channel partners Andrew Scites and Hyper Fenton for a holiday they’d never forget.
“This hotel used to be a lighthouse in the 60s because hundreds of ships would sink here due to shallow waters nicknaming it the ‘Graveyard of the Atlantic,'” Justin said in the introduction.
“Not only is this hotel 35 miles away from any piece of land whatsoever, it is only accessible by helicopter,” he continued.
“It’s also swarming with sharks, barracudas, a hotspot for hurricanes and constantly being renovated so it doesn’t collapse and fall into the ocean at any moment.”
The trio rode in a helicopter to the hotel, where they met with Richard who gladly showed them around.
“If you feel it flex funny, well maybe we need to repair that area,” Richard joked.
The three YouTubers took turns to get in the water on the hotel’s small wooden swing, attempted to catch their own fish for dinner and ended up having steak. Finally, they lit up fireworks on the helipad and had a fire pit with Richard before heading to their bedroom.
Richard turned the station into a hotel in 2012. (YouTube/JStu)
“You can hear the wind and the waves crashing underneath us, even in our bedroom. It’s crazy,” Andrew said.
“Like we said, if this weather doesn’t clear up a little bit by morning, then the helicopter probably won’t be able to come get us. We’ll be stuck here.”
After the power went out in the morning, promptly brought back on by Richard, the three had some coffee and made it back to shore when the helicopter came, albeit a little late.
“We made it. We survived 24 hours in the world’s most dangerous hotel,” they said, visibly relieved.
Speaking about having the hotel’s very first guests over in 2012, Richard recalled the challenging conditions that family of four encountered.
“They were sleeping in the open rec room area on air mattresses,” he told Condé Nast Traveler in 2017.
“We had electricity going, but it was a noisy, fuel inefficient generator. We probably had a little water pressure for a shower, but it was still a very rugged place. We’ve come a long way.”
“It’s an adventure, and it’s safe as we can make it,” Neal said of a stay at the Frying Pan Tower.
“It’s definitely not a Disney ride.”
A Frying Pan Tower Eco-Tourism Adventure Weekend is currently priced at $1,950.00 per person, with the staff providing food and non-alcoholic beverages, and organising leisure activities. A Volunteer Trip, where you’ll be able to help with renovation, is $900.
