Emerald Isle

We’ve been coming here for 15 years, and every time we’ve seen a pod of dolphins swimming along the sandbar. It’s a great beachfront property with a private pool, reserved parking, and beach access through the gated pool area. All the rooms have ocean views.

This was my second stay at Emerald Isle, and I rented unit 601. The view was beautiful, the pool wonderful, and the beach well maintained. But the unit was very worn. A cupboard door fell off from age, and the cable box in the master bedroom didn’t work. I filed a work order, but nobody came to fix it. With all the vacationers who’ve used the unit over the years, I understand things wear down, but 601 needs an update. One parking space per unit can also be a challenge. If I can find out which units have been updated, I’d spend more time at Emerald Isle.

Beautiful beach and great location, and condo 302 was a good size for three couples. We stayed there in 10/2020 and gave the room another chance, but it needs updating ASAP. Both refrigerator crisper drawers were broken, the dishwasher was dirty, and the carpets were very dirty. The in-unit washer and dryer were locked, so we couldn’t use them, and the machines on the complex’s second floor didn’t spin. We also didn’t like needing keys to get to the pool and back from the beach. For three couples in a three-bedroom unit, we got only two sets. We asked for a third, had to Uber back down, and those keys didn’t work. We had to Uber back again to get a working third set.

The beach was uncrowded, and the balcony view was awesome. There’s lots to do in the area, from mini golf and boat rides to the boardwalk and all sorts of restaurants. The room had plenty of space and some nice amenities, and the place is right on the shore. But the mattress was so uncomfortable that my wife and I slept on the couch. The bedroom furniture was old, and the drawers wouldn’t work. Our room was pretty dirty when we arrived, with dust everywhere, badly smudged windows, and a dead cockroach on the floor. We called to have it cleaned, and the cleaning crew seemed annoyed when they arrived. I also called for help parking our second vehicle. The guy who answered, Mark I think, was incredibly unhelpful and told us to figure it out ourselves. We were new to the area and needed more specific advice. For the price, I expected more. We’d probably stay somewhere else if we came back.