We ended up at Captain's Landing more or less by accident (at the last minute we decided to take…read morethe Cedar Island-Ocracoke ferry instead of driving via Manteo to Hatteras Island, and this was the only hotel we found with room -- most hotels on Ocracoke close in winter, and one that was open, Pony Island, didn't answer its phone or return our calls.) A helpful person at NC Ferries gave us the tip on Captain's Landings.
We're so glad we did! We got the next to last room available at this inn, and probably on the island, a one-bedroom, one and a half bath suite for just $110. Rates in summer rise to $280, but there's a discount for weekly stays, and I would guess that this place stays fully booked much of the time.
The inn, painted a light yellow and patterned after another, long-gone hotel on the island, the Ponzer Hotel, is owned by a ninth generation Ocracoker, Betty Chamberlin, and her husband. It is perched right on Silver Lake (the Ocracoke harbor) in the heart of the village, within walking or biking distance to just about everything, including one of the best and most pristine stretches of Hatteras National Seashore beach on the entire Outer Banks. In a Frommer's guidebook I wrote to the coast of the Carolinas and Georgia years ago, I rated this 14 miles of Ocracoke beach the best beach in the three states. In my view, it still is.
You're also just a short bike or hike away from the lighthouse and the shops and restaurants in and around the village. Although they are closed in winter, you'll probably find as most do that the Flying Melon and the Back Porch are the two top restaurants on the island, and that Howard's Pub is a great watering hole. On this visit, we ate at Jason's for dinner -- it has good, fresh seafood and probably the best pizza anywhere around.
The views across the harbor, including the Ocracoke Lighthouse, are wonderful. Our first-floor suite had everything we needed -- fully equipped kitchen, a balcony overlooking the inn's 10 boat slips and the water, a pleasant living room with a large flat screen TV with DirecTV and DVD player, and a comfortable bedroom with a quality queen bed. There's free Wi-Fi. The manager is very friendly and helpful, and she gave us good advice on the three restaurants that are open for dinner this time of year.
We've visited Ocracoke many times during annual stays at Avon or Rodanthe on Hatteras Island, but I have only stayed overnight on the island only a couple of times.
This visit, in late February, we lucked out on the weather. It can be surprisingly cold on the OBX in winter, but this time it was sunny and around 70 degrees in the day, perfect springlike weather.
Ocracoke is one of the jewels of the North Carolina coast, and in our book Captain's Landing is the top place to stay on Ocracoke.