Village Marina

We liked the quiet, with no pool and not many kids running around or screaming. It meant we could hear the ocean instead of tourist families. Our upstairs room for two adults was clean and very reasonably priced. The beds were comfortable, the refrigerator had lots of room, and there was good counter space in the kitchenette. The ceiling fans in both main rooms were appreciated, and the AC worked well.

I always come back because the Village Marina motel staff make sure the rooms are clean and comfortable. This time, the room was neat, the AC was already on, and there was no smoke smell or anything else that would make for an uncomfortable night. The refrigerator, microwave, sink, table, bed, sheets, pillowcases, carpet, bathroom, television, and even the Bible were all in good order. I love staying with the kind people here, right by the water. When I arrived, I went straight out on the boat to fish. After the trip, a lovely lady checked me in and kept me smiling with a little conversation. I think she’s the same person I meet every year. I go back every year, so where else would I go? I’ll return.

The checkout time is an absurd 9 am. There were hairs on the supposedly clean plates, and you only get a small bar of soap, so bring shampoo and conditioner. The sofa should have been replaced a decade or two ago, and the bed felt like it still had plastic on it, so it wasn’t breathable. The room layout left the front room frigid and the back bedroom too hot to sleep in. The AC is only in the front, with no air pushed or vented into the back. The ice machine was broken, too. They put a roof over our heads, but not much else. I wish I could get half my money back, and we’ll find somewhere else next time we visit the island.

Hatteras is still our happy place for its nature and beach, but we’ll find somewhere else to stay. The reservation was mixed up, and this year we weren’t told to bring blankets. For the second year in a row, room service came into our room with little notice. Last year we thought it was a mistake, but this year it happened twice, on both days we were there. At checkout, while we were packing, room service rudely told us it was 9 am, even though all posted information said 11. She wouldn’t listen and kept repeating that it was 9 and someone should have told us. Nobody had. As we kept loading the car, I saw her barge into another room. We told the front desk, and they said we were booked for another day. Why push us out, then? They didn’t listen or seem to care. We still love Hatteras, but the hospitality left a lot to be desired.