Cape Hatteras Motel

We come to the Outer Banks to fish and paid extra for an oceanfront room with a full-size fridge for our catch. Instead, our oceanfront room had a mini fridge and microwave, while a vacant room across the street had the full refrigerator and freezer. That was a small inconvenience, and we managed. The bigger problem came at checkout, when we went to get our 25+ filleted fish and found they were gone. The front desk said a housekeeper had cleaned the wrong room and thrown them away. We were frustrated, though we understand accidents happen. What really bothered us was that no discount or complimentary night for a future stay was offered. We won't be staying there again.

We spent the evening on the deck watching dolphins jump in the surf, and the ocean was so soothing at night. Our oceanfront rooms had a fantastic view, and the rooms themselves were clean and well kept, with comfortable beds. Jamie welcomed us warmly and worked hard to get our group checked in, then gave clear directions for zipping across the street to the rooms. It rained, so we missed the sunrise, but I imagine it would have been beautiful. We'll be back to the lovely Cape Hatteras Motel.

We ended up driving a few blocks to Hatteras Island Inn and staying there for the night. I was scared about crossing to our room in the dark, with high-tide water everywhere and ocean water beneath the motel. They were repairing the other half of the hotel to reinforce it so it wouldn't be swept away, and I worried about waking up in the middle of the ocean, especially since that had apparently been happening lately. We had been told to park at the office and walk across the street to our oceanfront room. The office smelled like mold as soon as I entered. I called back from my car and asked if we could stay upstairs near the office instead. The woman who answered said there were no rooms available, which I thought was BS: there were no cars at the property, and it wasn't busy season. This was December 19, 2025. My husband and I were disappointed they didn't try to help us. We drove past the office again late that night and still saw no cars parked there. I'll never stay at this motel or recommend it.

We came mainly for the ocean, and the oceanfront suite was perfect for that. The location was amazing, and the staff were friendly and helpful. Fatty’s across the street was an amazing restaurant, too. Still, housekeeping didn't come during our stay, and while most of the room was clean, the couches had gross stains and the floors felt slimy, as if something had been sprayed and left unwiped. The place could use updating, especially for what we paid. It wasn't a total bust, but I'm not sure we'd stay again.