Alex and Freddy Hinck stand in the communal breakfast area in the Christmas Cove Inn in South Bristol. The couple offers a breakfast or order menu with a wide variety of foods to fit all dietary needs. (Christina Wallace photo)
The new owners of the Christmas Cove Inn hope to fill a gap in the town’s accommodations and provide a memorable experience for guests with their newly renovated bed-and-breakfast.
Freddy and Alex Hinck are both former teachers who were looking to change their careers after feeling uncertain about continuing in their field. With the prospect of another 20 years of teaching ahead of them, they said they were ready to take on their desire to flip houses.
With a goal of moving back to Maine, where Freddy is originally from, the couple saw an opportunity in 53 Coveside Road in South Bristol when it was put on the market.
“We saw this space and saw the potential,” said Freddy. “Our initial vision was just how much we could actually do to bring this back up to speed, as well as the fact that we could then use it to provide an opportunity that wasn’t in the town.”
The Hincks had stayed at the inn previously for their wedding in 2005, so they already had a special connection to Christmas Cove. They said knew that this property was meant to be when they found a photo from their wedding during the inspection process.
Freddy said he was looking at a photo album that had been left in the house that documented the construction of the inn and the start of the B&B during a property inspection.
“On the very last page, (Freddy) said ‘Alex, you need to come look at this’ and it was a picture of me in my wedding dress with three bridesmaids,” said Alex. “It was the only picture of a guest in the entire book.”
After deciding the inn was meant to be, they purchased the property in February 2024. Their main goal was to update the interior to have a more modern design.
The welcome sign greets visitors to the newly rennovated bed and breakfast in Christmas Cove. (Christina Wallace photo)
They began their renovations with moving out the previous owners belongings and adding their own touch by redoing the walls and ceiling, adding in new beds and bedding, and installing a mini split system so that each room can have its own temperature control.
After adding in five Jacuzzi tubs in the bathrooms, the Hincks installed a new water heater to accommodate the larger demand for heat.
They also wanted to provide their guests with amenities that weren’t available in town. The couple added in a game room, gym, and sauna to the basement for guests to enjoy.
The main feature of the inn, however, is their breakfast. The Hincks have provided a menu of ready-to-order breakfast items that they say can accommodate just about every dietary need you can think of.
The menu consists of omelets, breakfast sandwiches, French toast, and crepes with a side of fresh fruit with every meal. There are also yogurt and granola options.
“We are still working on it, but we feel like we give a little bit more than most places,” said Freddy Hinck. “We enjoy that aspect more so than we thought.”
The Hincks said that they especially enjoy the social aspect of running a B&B.
“Breakfast time is the perfect time to get to know the guests,” said Alex. “There is that time to chat and see where they’re coming from and what they are doing.”
Looking ahead, the couple has a few more renovation projects they plan on tackling, the largest of which will be restoring a stone fireplace in the main living area.
“I think it helps that we are a team and we are doing this together,” Alex said. “We can focus on the things we are good at.”
For information about booking, go to christmascoveinn.net or call 664-0020.
Renovations at the Christmas Cove Inn include a new gym installed in the basement of the bed and breakfast. (Christina Wallace photo)
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