I recently stayed at the Abilena Mansion for a friend's wedding and appreciated how inclusive the…read moreproperty is. The mansion sleeps 14 people with 7 queen beds, but we were able to accommodate more by using the spacious couch in one of the bedrooms and sleeping 3 to a bed another night. It was so nice to have the entire wedding party stay in one place. We had the rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and reception on property, and there was enough lawn parking for all guests. The ceremony space is outside overlooking a peaceful lake that beautifully compliments the sunset. We used the dock for wedding party photos and as a place to hang out and chat on our fist night (tip: bring bug spray). The reception area is also outside but completely covered and with optional side shading. Both areas are the perfect size for small-to-medium size weddings. A big con, should it affect you and your guests: the mansion and grounds are not wheelchair accessible. There are quite a number of steps to get to the ceremony area with no alternative route. Guests who cannot walk or climb steps may not be able to view the ceremony next to everyone else. I also did not notice a ramp leading inside the mansion. We joked that the kitchen has everything you don't need. They have like 3 cheese graters and 50 wine glasses, but no Pam, scissors, or a wine/beer bottle opener. The owners probably don't stock the place with these essential items because guests could easily steal them, so please, for your own good: BRING A WINE BOTTLE OPENER. The kitchen has two refrigerators--enough room to hold 5 bags of ice in each freezer. The mansion also has a washer and dryer and plenty of clean towels. And a piano! And a pool. And tons of room to work on wedding decor projects. Basically this place has almost everything you could want in a wedding location. The owners are available via phone at almost any time and are quick to reply. The husband and wife duo visited every day to clean up, check-in, and help with ceremony set-up. My biggest complaint with the Abilena Mansion is the wi-fi. It worked for about 30 minutes when I first connected and then died for the rest of my multi-day stay. No one's phone could successfully connect to the wi-fi even though it appeared available. This is a huge downside for a place that's supposed to service large groups of people who want to stream music, look up information, post on social media, and activate other celebration-related things.

We just attended a Wedding here and it was beautiful. The backdrop of the water for the ceremony…read morewas perfect. It was about 98 or so degrees out but with all of the shade and the breeze it was tolerable. We ate outdoors under a kind of covered porch with great views of the water and sunset. Parking was easy and they had a golf cart shuttle service to and from the ceremony site. We walked through the house (the bridal portraits we in one of the side rooms) it was a charming older home with early 1900s finishings. To get 5 stars, we would need it to be a bit easier to navigate, there were a lot of large stairs that were hard for those wearing heels. I don't know how much control over the event the owners have but it was a bit confusing knowing where to go and when, maybe bigger signage would help. Overall it was a lovely outdoor venue.

Quaint little Cafe With French music and great apps. All outdoor seating. Amazing cheese plate…read more Will go again.

Perfect venue for a wedding! Mike was great to work with and available whenever we had questions.read more

We live about an hour from New Bern. My wife and I like to get away for nearby weekend coastal…read moredestinations every couple of months to loosen up the grind of work. New Bern has become a regular favorite out of our visits to Beaufort, Edenton, Oriental and Wilmington (used to live there). All of those places are worth a visit. Don't get me wrong. We have stayed at neighboring B&Bs near The Jarvis. So far, there is no comparison. We have also stayed at the chain hotels there. If you go to New Bern, The Jarvis is a place you should consider first. You'll get extremely personalized service from Ian, the innkeeper. He slightly reprimanded me for fetching my own coffee on our last morning there. The Jarvis is a destination venue for wedding parties. We expected the sleeping hours might get a little loud and we were prepared for it. However, it was remarkably quiet in the wee hours and the bed may be the most comfortable I have ever slept on. We both came home well rested. I won't go into the cool amenities, but you need to check out 'The Cellar Door' in the basement. We spent a couple of fun hours there during the rain storm that hit while we were there. Highly recommended! We will definitely return.

Lovely quiet place very accessible to all the shopping and dining nearby…read more The downside was that there was no one on duty to ask question about the area! No breakfast either!

Small town little local theater that showcases music, plays and movies…read more They have a events list for the next few months and we went on a Sunday afternoon for a movie. They show an older movie one Sunday a month and tickets are purely by donation so it's great to support local ! They also have popcorn, sodas and wine also by donation. So pay what you like. But obviously be generous ! We saw an oldie but goodie which I hadn't seen in years , Out of Africa. Great movie and they had a nice turn out of locals. I loved I was the youngest person there lol. I was happy to make my friend happy by attending somewhere she'd been meaning to try out. The staff are also so nice . Would definetly do this again!

Had a great time at Movie afternoon at The Old Theater in downtown Oriental. They were showing Out…read moreof Africa with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. The cinematography was fantastic so it was great to see it on a big screen. They had wine soft drinks and popcorn too! Admission and concessions were strictly by donation. A fun afternoon while helping an old landmark stay operational. Hope you'll do the same the next time a movie,comedy night or concert is available. Check website or marque for upcoming events.

This has to be the best caterer ever! Last night we were at a Marine Corps Ball with over 700…read morepeople. The staff was phenomenal and the food the best we have EVER had! The hor doerves not only flowed but continued to be refilled all evening from start to finish at the end of the night. Platters of fruit, cheeses, crackers and more served all of us throughout the evening. Mouth watering beef and delicious chicken, fabulous mashed potatoes and carrots that were wonderful. I cleaned my plate and I NEVER eat like that. My food allergy to onions was not only watched carefully but none of the food served had any onions at all! Bravo to the entire staff especially Ms Garner who worked with us when my husband called as this is the only caterer to consider when I'm the area. Thank you from all of us!! A+++

Excellent love visiting when they have Mother's Day , Father's Day buffet will be the for…read morethanksgiving dinner as well.

I am so glad I finally stopped by Kems. I got a iced tea. I picked a blueberry green tea and it…read morewas amazing. Before I even left the bar I could smell it and just the aroma just sucked you in. I definitely will be back the price was really reasonable I think it was like $3.50. I got one of their croissants, very fresh although I think I would probably just get it plain rather than with peanut butter as I don't think it needed any filler. The atmosphere was very welcoming as well as the owner and staff. Such a wide variety of choices, I will definitely be going back!

Lisa and her team were excellent- We used their services for our rehearsal dinner, welcome party…read moreand wedding. The communication was next level- answering all of my questions so quickly and kindly. They bent over backwards making sure not only me, but none of my family or guests felt they had to lift a finger- from swinging by the air b and b to pick up mixers to picking up beer and wine from the store for us- They were one of the best decision made during my wedding planning experience 100/10 recommend!!!

Their customer service was amazing for our Hats, Heels and Derby event and looking forward to…read moreutilizing their services again!

We rented a cotton candy machine and tables for a party- the owner, Ashlea, was terrific to work…read morewith and the rentals were exactly what we needed! The cotton candy machine (clean, easy to work ) was A HIT at the party (for both kids and adults). Easy to rent, easy to pick up, easy to return- I'll rent from here again for sure!

Ashley is incredible rude and wanted to engage in an argument with the customer, how sad, she felt…read moreshe needed to get in the last word. Delivery times were changed, of course she said we were informed, we weren't , completely unprofessional company, will never use them again!!!!