3 Best Hotels in Northern Beaches, The North Carolina Coast

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We've compiled the best of the best in Northern Beaches - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

Hilton Garden Inn Outer Banks/Kitty Hawk

$$ | 5353 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC, 27949, USA
This beachside resort is one of the largest of the chain properties on the Outer Banks; the U-shaped hotel has a patio and large pool on the ocean side, as well as easy access to the beach (a seasonal nesting ground for sea turtles) and the Kitty Hawk Pier for fishing (closed in winter) via a short walkway over the dunes. There are 48 oceanfront rooms and suites with balconies; the rest of the rooms have ocean views and balconies. The remodeled Aviator Bar and Bistro offers room service. There's a fitness room, a game room, a business center, and plenty of free parking.

Pros

  • Full-service beachfront resort with all amenities
  • Spacious rooms
  • Every room has a balcony

Cons

  • Beach is fairly narrow in this area
  • Breakfast is an additional charge if you're not a Hilton Gold or Diamond member
  • Fills up for special concerts and events
5353 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC, 27949, USA
252-261–1290
Hotel Details
180 rooms
No Meals

Quick Facts

  • $$

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Sanderling Resort

$$$$ | 1461 Duck Rd., Duck, NC, 27949, USA

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.

Pros

  • On-site spa with views across the sound
  • Private balconies with hammock chairs
  • Oversized bathrooms

Cons

  • No elevator in primary building
  • Pricey rooms can leave something to be desired
  • Outdoor pools not heated
1461 Duck Rd., Duck, NC, 27949, USA
877-610–9464
Hotel Details
129 rooms
No Meals

Quick Facts

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Shutters on the Banks

$$$ | 405 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, NC, 27948, USA

This oceanfront, family-owned hotel is a bargain hunter's dream (at least by Outer Banks standards), with spacious rooms sporting updated furniture, and a seaside aesthetic, plus microwaves and refrigerators. On-site activities include a family game room, indoor and outdoor pools, beachfront access, and cabana services.

Pros

  • Free continental breakfast
  • Recent updates to rooms and communal areas
  • Some rooms have full kitchens

Cons

  • Not all rooms face the ocean
  • Outside entrances to rooms
  • Pools are by parking lot and not beachfront
405 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, NC, 27948, USA
252-441–5581
Hotel Details
86 rooms
Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

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