8 Best Hotels in The North Carolina Coast, North Carolina

Rooms in this 1882 Italianate Victorian residence feature high ceilings and modern fixtures with well-curated antiques and reproductions, premium linens, and thoughtful amenities. Linen-covered tables with fresh flowers greet you at breakfast in the dining room. Porches, a garden courtyard with a fire pit, and a stately sitting room painted in a soothing blue offer relaxing communal spaces. Across the street, an additional cottage houses two suites and a meeting room.

This small, yellow inn is perched right on Silver Lake, within walking distance of most restaurants, bars, and the lighthouse. Owned by a ninth-generation Ocracoker, the inn has eight one-bedroom, 1½-bath waterfront suites, all with full kitchens; there's also a cottage and a penthouse suite. Amenities include boat slips and bikes for rent. Discounted weekly rates are available.

Relax in a rocking chair on the verandas that encircle this classic, three-story, cedar-shingle inn (it's on the National Register of Historic Places) and admire the ocean views across the 4-acre lawn. Rooms have four-poster or canopy beds, handcrafted armoires, and English antiques, along with extras such as heated towel bars and English toiletries. A hot breakfast and evening wine and cheese are served in a lovely sitting room or can be taken upstairs to the Virginia Dare library. The story of this landmark's near demolition, its rescue, and the move to the present site is told in framed photographs, letters, and news accounts lining the sunny dining room.

You'll feel like an honored houseguest in this casually elegant, full-service boutique hotel, with sweeping waterfront views, intuitive rather than intrusive service, and an indoor-outdoor fine-dining restaurant, Café Pamlico. Lounge by the pool, walk out to the dock, or relax on an array of decks and porches, all designed to maximize the sunset experience over the sound. Schedule an in-room spa treatment, borrow a movie to watch in the 14-seat theater, or kick up your heels by stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, fishing, or bicycling through the Buxton Woods Preserve that's just across the street. There's a full-service bar and regularly scheduled live music.

At the confluence of the Neuse and Trent Rivers within the historic district, this comfortable hotel—with marina facilities—has rooms and suites with terrific views of the city and waterfront. Rooms offer plenty of space and a restful color scheme, and those on the fifth floor have a balcony overlooking the river. A fitness center, business center, Confluence restaurant, and an outdoor pool along the waterfront round out the amenities.

The nine-story Hotel Ballast, part of Hilton's Tapestry Collection, aptly contains features of both a boutique hotel and a corporate chain. It has direct access to the riverfront boardwalk and it's just a few blocks from the heart of the historic district. Half the rooms have terrific views of the river and the USS North Carolina—the rest have views of the city. There's a trendy outdoor dining and lounge area with a small pool, a restaurant, and a coffee shop.

Built in 1853 in the Italianate style, the 8,500-square-foot Verandas underwent a full renovation in 2019 after damage from Hurricane Florence, bringing the beautiful mansion to its original glory with elegant and magnificent—but functional—furnishings. While the decor is formal (brightened by attractive color schemes and high ceilings), the atmosphere is relaxed. Guests can socialize on the four verandas, stroll in the garden, enjoy nights of luxury in one of the eight beautiful rooms, or climb the winding staircase for a wonderful view from the roof-top cupola—the highest point in the neighborhood. So far, new ownership in 2022 hasn't changed a good thing.