7 Best Hotels in The North Carolina Coast, North Carolina

The rooms at this downtown newcomer—built within three retrofitted historic buildings, including a former convent and a dye factory—appear lifted from a design magazine. Pink tile, gold fixtures, marble tables, wooden king-sized beds, and muted paint colors work toward a cohesive whole. Communal spaces are all outdoors (apart from the popular restaurant that draws weekend crowds), including several fire pits and fireplaces, plus a small lawn with cornhole boards.

The 32 houseboats docked in two rows at Port City Marina don't feel like boats on the inside—high ceilings, modern fixtures, quartzite counters, and classy furniture make it feel more like you've rented an elegant town house. Each two-story boat features an upstairs porch overlooking the Cape Fear River. The Cove is within easy walking distance of the Live Oak Bank Pavilion music venue, making it a popular booking for summer concerts. 

Small and charming, this cedar-shingled inn is new construction, but it blends perfectly into the Corolla aesthetic—you'll feel like a local sitting in a rocker on a screened-in porch, and like a special guest in rooms with 13-foot ceilings and thoughtful, coastal decor.

The bright and spacious suites at this oceanfront inn feature wide private balconies, letting you idle close to home and soak in the view all day long. Of course, the beach is merely steps away when you do want some sand between your toes.  Room 9 is in the hotel's namesake lighthouse, a neat architectural feature with a wall of windows facing the sea.

This luxury resort comprising three multistory buildings and six large rental homes spreads over 16 quiet acres of ocean-to-sound property that include two outdoor pools (one that's adults only), hot tubs, an indoor pool, firepits, and a bocce court. Grab a drink at the beachfront Sandbar, sign up for kayak tours and yoga classes, or just relax on your porch and watch the waves roll in. The elegant, dinner-only Kimball's Kitchen restaurant (open May to October) has a wall of windows overlooking Currituck Sound. The resort-casual Lifesaving Station, a restored 1899 former lifesaving station, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner year-round.

This waterfront resort takes advantage of the perfect kiteboarding conditions just outside its door—and the surf break just across the road—offering an everything-you-need complex that includes modern, luxury suites with views of the action, an upscale restaurant and rum bar, and the REAL Watersports store, all on-site. In addition to the main building's suites, there are cabanas and a stand-alone cottage.

Just up the street from Manteo's romantic waterfront, this B&B is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and meets all the criteria for luxury wrapped in serenity. Each architecturally unique room is furnished with antiques curated from family heirlooms or private collections, and rich linens, cushy bathrobes, and gas-log fireplaces reflect an inn designed for the pampered traveler. In addition to spa and concierge service, afternoon coffee, tea, and desserts are served, and the private gardens, verandas, and porches extend the hospitality outdoors.