Loved this place. The Sanderling is a huge resort located right on the OBX, and I found the place to be pristine and hospitable. While it's an "older" hotel, I know they are undergoing massive renovations in 2013. I'm hoping they don't lose their quaint old charm in the process. Overall, I found the ocean-view from the room to be beautiful (although the view is partially blocked by dunes and grass). I also loved the free coffee in the lobby in the morning, and occasional tea/snacks at tea time. I enjoyed the lobby - they have spin-offs of the Audubon books, and you can see a new painting every day (encased in glass under lock and key). And of course: free wifi, coffeee, and bottled water in the rooms too! Woo hoo! As a spa aficionado, I also found the Sanderling spa to be relaxing (great massage, decent steam room). The only negative is that I don't think they have an elevator, so likely not too handicap accessible. Also, there were minor adjustments to my bill that took 10 minutes to rectify when checking out, but overall, great customer service. It's a quaint, quiet part of Duck, NC (OBX), and just what I needed for some quiet QT. read more

We went to the Outer Banks for a wedding in June. We have never had an extended stay in the area and were really looking forward to the trip. The Sanderling was by far the most beautiful resort in the area. The sleeping rooms are quite large and I believe all of them have a porch. The lobby is lovely and the upper lobby even better. A wonderful spot to relax and read or just sip a cup of tea. The beachfront is gorgeous and the staff attentive. The pools are terrific as well. The staff is friendly and helpful. Each morning there is coffee and tea in the lobby for all to enjoy. The restaurants on site are very good as well and the lobby bar is welcoming. A terrific place for a great getaway if you can afford the price. My only issues were that we requested an early check in and we did not get into our room until after 3. Also the sleeping rooms could use a little more or better lighting. But all in all a great place! read more

Food is very over priced and poor quality for a high end resort. Lame, high priced snacks at the pool. Forget Kimbell's Kitchen, make a reservation in Duck. Staffing is still very short due to Covid, the few waitresses are running crazy and cleaning is an after thought. The best was the S'mores kit for 30 dollars! Very few activities and many of those fall through. Honestly, any one attempting to stay here during this time should be given a credit for future stay, when hopefully improved staffing will improve the stay. It wouldn't take much to make the food better...the chicken tacos were good...but with a teaspoon of chicken in each at some 20 plus dollars, I was left hungry. read more

I really wanted to love this hotel. The setting is beautiful and most of the staff is lovely. The front desk check in personnel is not good. I felt like there was an underlying problem with any request I made. Here is an example. At one point, our room key was not working and in the pouring rain, I had to walk across the parking lot to get another. (I understand the rain is not the hotel's fault.) However, when I appeared in the lobby dripping wet, I got a shrug and a "sorry". No offer of a towel, umbrella, or even a heartfelt apology. For the amount we paid for our stay, I felt there was not any special care taken to make our stay enjoyable. We probably will not stay here again. read more

I had an appointment with Glen today and want to give him a score of 10++. He took the time to ask questions and understand what I wanted out of my massage. Not living in the area, I was unsure of what to expect - he exceeded every expectation! If you are in the area and are looking for a wonderful relaxing massage- I thoroughly recommend Glen! read more

Beautiful resort for massages, nails, swimming, and especially dinner:) Here today for a nice Thanksgiving meal with the family.

What can I say this place is pretty gross. Rude front desk staff for a start. They were super unhelpful regarding everything, seemed like they didn't want to even be bothered answering questions. The grounds were dirty and buggy. No bellhop service, rooms were dated and not worth the price: saggy beds, dirty carpet and disgusting balcony. Pool was filled with suntan grease and bugs. Spiders everywhere. I can't believe what they charge for rooms; admittedly the beach access was great but that has nothing to do with how this place is run. Couldn't even get maid service due to Covid but seriously cleanliness is what helps fight Covid in the first place, right? Do not recommend at all!! read more

Top notch professionalism. Lovely atmosphere. Clean and just a nice, relaxing experience.

This is the most wheelchair accessible resort we've found. The room, the restaurants, the roll-in pool, and the beach overlook. And whenever we encountered a small barrier, the staff took care of it right away. They really lived up to their 'can do' attitude. Plus, a very diverse family all had a good time, even on the rainy days! read more

I really, really wanted to give Sanderling a 4/5 star rating. After launching the Yelp app, I actually stared off into the distance for a few minutes trying to mentally rationalize why I should give a higher rating. Let me start with the good. We are set to leave tomorrow and the accommodations are excellent. The resort is a nice size. Not too large; very comfortable. Very clean, nice "beachy/ Restoration Hardware" feel throughout the property. We stayed in a first-level suite with our 2 kids. I'm usually not a fan of having a ground level room, but it ended up being perfect because we had easy access to the adult pool, family pool and beach and the room was great! Huge bathroom, nice common area and separate bedroom with a bed that has a killer pillow top or something because you kind of sink into it. The staff are very friendly. I don't think I passed an employee that didn't give me a genuine "hello" and smile. We had to call guest services a few times for a couple of small things. I'm used to calling the front desk for something and then going on to do something else for 20 minutes or so while I wait, but it almost felt like they were at the door before I hung up the phone. Housekeeping staff was very pleasant. Also, there are a lot of little things that really added to the experience. There are fire pits with chairs surrounding them that they fire up at happy hour time. A simple ask and someone sets up four chairs and an umbrella on the beach for you. They have lots of cool simple activities that you can do if you want to switch things up: paddle boarding, surfing, bocce ball, corn hole, beach bikes, kites, etc. While we didn't do any of these activities because we were in full pool / beach mode the whole time, it was nice to know they were there. Also, while the resort caters nicely to families with children, you never feel as if your are at a "family resort". You feel as if you are at an adult resort which families integrate nicely into. Very effortless feel to the whole place. I guess the moment which most aptly underscores this is the fact that my wife was totally relaxed and she's not the type that relaxes easily (Type A). I can't remember the last time we stayed somewhere with a spa that she hasn't used. I asked her yesterday why she hadn't made an appointment here and she replied that she is so relaxed that she didn't feel a need to. OK. The reason for my mediocre rating is the dining experiences I had. If you're the type that doesn't care too much about dining service you might find this review a bit overly critical, but I do attribute a lot of value to this. I only ate at two of the four dining options. We had lunch three times at the Sandbar (bar/restaurant by the pools) and had breakfast three times at the Life Saving Station restaurant. In EVERY SINGLE instance, except for one, I had to actually get up and asked to be served! And then once the initial exchange at the table happened it was 20 minutes before we got our drinks. At our most resent lunch I got bold and decided to ask for a refill on my Diet Coke. My son, as a joke because we had already had 4 poor dining experiences, actually timed the time from request to getting the Diet Coke and it was 16 minutes and we had finished our meals. Now, I was a server in Los Angles for five years through school, so I know how to assess whether a staff is just slammed or simple ambivalent and it was definitely the latter. At no time was more than half the restaurant or outdoor seating filled. Additionally, servers would look directly at me and proceed to do other side work or chores. The last time I had my 9 year old son track someone down to take our order. I thought it was just me until I saw two other tables do the same thing. You may be asking yourself, "why would someone eat at a place after such a poor experience, a second, let alone third time?!" Two reasons, (1) the convenience of just being able to walk a few yards to grab a meal and get back to the pool/beach instead of having to jump in a car and drive a few miles and, (2) the thought that there's no possible way the same thing will happen again (Anyone know the definition of "insanity"? Apparently I don't)! Anyway, if this is something that isn't that big a deal for you, then disregard and reread the first half of this post. I will say that once "located" the dining staff were nice people, they just need to be retrained. Net, net the Sanderling is a very good, chill, well done resort and I would stay here again without a second thought. I would just have breakfast and lunch somewhere else. read more

To begin, I wish that Yelp allowed for 1/2 stars because this would be a solid 3 and 1/2 stars for me. This review is based on paying more than $400 a night plus $25 a day resort fees, so what may have been acceptable if we were paying $200 is no longer when considering the higher price. I've been going to The Sanderling for years and agree with the other poster who noted the disappearing amenities. You used to receive a breakfast basket each morning and a welcome bottle of wine, the last few years you received two bottles of water and a jar of homemade granola. Now? You get a refillable carafe of what I assumed was distilled water that doesn't even get refilled every day. Or at least ours didn't. Online Reservations - in the past you could specify your building (North, Main, or South) and then your room type. Now you just have room types without the choice of building. So your "Sunset Room" could either be in Main with a view of the sound or in North looking at the greenery? And if you choose Oceanside King your room may open directly onto the outside bar area affording you zero privacy. Based on this I'd suggest calling and making a reservation directly so that you could still have some choice in the matter. Tip - North has 1st floor rooms that open directly onto the family pool area. There is no other barrier. These rooms have an alarm that goes off whenever the patio door is opened so if you like to just have the screen open the alarm continuously goes off. New Reception Area - this in now very bright and open. The bar is tucked behind the wall next to the check-in desk. We had a little confusion when checking in since I had booked a deal and was combining two reservations for a four night stay. We had an email from the resort stating this was no problem. While we were in the same room all four nights, we were forced to come down and exchange keys at the start of the second reservation. Adult Pool - we loved this area, but service was sporadic. The lounge cushions were placed out a different times each day, often after people were already enjoying the pool. Plus the terrycloth covers mentioned on the website rarely made an appearance. However, the pool itself was barely heated and the jets in the spa pool were already broken. Beach - the best part of staying here. Now you can have the resort set up chairs and an umbrella on the beach for you and not try and race to get one of the old blue beach chairs before they were all gone. A definite plus. Firepit - also very nice. There are actually two of these, one directly out back of Main and one closer to North. My issue here is that the website makes a big deal out of being able to make smores. When we were there, if you wanted smores you had to purchase a smores kit from the inside bar. I guess $400 a night doesn't get you a break on the smores. Room - we had a very nice room on the second floor in South. Unfortunately the staff decided that mowing needed to be done before 9am on Monday - our 1st morning there. Not the best way to start my vacation. And you could tell that the renovations hadn't reached out building yet. In Main all the room doors were painted bright white. In South, the doors were brown and the old door number placards still hadn't been entirely removed. Outdoor Sand Bar - service here was very attentive. We enjoyed just walking up from the beach, eating lunch, and wandering back down. Much nicer than last year's outdoor bar. Overall - we had an enjoyable stay, I just wish the service had been more consistent for the price we paid. read more

The resort was very nice, clean, and the staff was very friendly. The location was great - right by the beach, with services to have beach chairs and umbrellas set-up for you. The accommodations were great, except the walls were very thin. I could hear footsteps from the floor above my room and activity in the hallway very clearly. The beds were so uncomfortable/soft as well as the pillows. Also, there was no bathtub in the room, which was an unpleasant surprise for a resort. The spa and gift shop was splendid, probably my favorite part of the resort. The gift shop was clean, tranquil, and well-organized and stocked. The spa was a truly relaxing area and experience. read more

Loved our weekend stay at the Sanderling! My husband and I went for our babymoon during the off-season in December. The weekend weather was horrible, but the resort was so magnificent we had no complaints about staying inside all weekend. We were upgraded to an oceanside room, and the room was spectacular. Super clean and a very comfortable bed. There was an adorable make-your-own s'mores packet waiting for us in the room as well. Ate at the bar of the on-site restaurant, the LifeSaving Station. The food and service were impeccable. Spent a whole day relaxing at the spa, which I highly recommend. We can't wait to book another weekend trip to the Sanderling! read more

On a whim we decided to head to OBX for mother's day. Fortunately, there was a free-day stay deal when we booked, and based on the other reviews (and the website design...I'm a snob that way) we went for it. Bottom line up front...go here. Stay here. You won't regret it. Even though we were there off-season, the service and resort grounds were impeccable. Disney-level customer service, I kid you not. And not from just the front desk staff. The cleaning staff...the hospitality staff...the activities rental guy. Everyone! The resort itself was beautiful, and having three swimming pool options was great (indoor, adults-only and family). The two large fire-pits were also a great touch...but not quite as awesome as the s'mores welcome kit when we checked in. Great for kids (and adults, I'll be honest). Not only was it a great snack, but it brought us to the fire pits and also provided as a non-threatening, casual introduction to other folks staying at the hotel that we otherwise would not have had a reason to interact and speak with! I can only imagine how much more fun we'd have there during the high-season. We also loved the Nag's Head chairs and swings that are all over the resort so much that we stopped at the store before we left and bought some for home! The room itself was great. The pull-out sofa and little dividing half-wall was a hit with our 6 y/o who got her "own room" and "own bed". In the end, please check this place out. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as we did. We'll be back again soon, and may have to bring some friends along and reserve one of the homes there for a longer stay. We stayed in the main building with a parking lot/bay view and it was actually very nice - I found myself enjoying my Sunday times and coffee on the patio in the breeze. And while I only rated this as a 4-star, it's as close to a 5 that you can be without being a 5 (Turtle Island Fiji being a 5, but honestly that's a completely different game, not just the same league). The Sanderling is way beyond the Hotel del Coronado and Sheraton Kauai...and right up there with our other favorite getaway, the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. You will not be disappointed here. read more

This review is about the Lifesaving Station restaurant at Sanderling. Our stay at Sanderling predated Yelp, and the internet, and any memory of that is long gone, but fond memories their restaurant options are fresh in my old brain. There are four eateries at Sanderling: the Beach House Bar, the Sandbar, Kimball's Kitchen, and the Lifesaving Station. Kimball's is the most formal (and excellent), Sandbar--Sanderling's version of the beach shack--is the most casual. The Lifesaving Station is a vastly reconstructed and re-imagined lifesaving station from which the Lifesaving Service operated on the Duck coastline during the last century. The LSS's hundred year old rainwater cistern still stands guard by the door. Lifesaving memorabilia decorates the interior. The Lifesaving Station is a terrific place to for lunch or dinner. It has a nice deck for outdoor dining during the warm season, and a fully equipped indoor dining room as well. Meals in either venue are excellent. Waitstaff are very attentive, the Maitre d--Dino--is an extremely gracious host, there to make your dining experience completely excellent. This time she had roasted lamb chops, I had tuna steak. Both were excellent. For appetizer my fried "cast iron" oysters were terrific, not overdone, light, and tender. "Bloody Mary Shrimp", served with "bloody mary" cocktail sauce and served with half a lobster tail, were over the top. We finished it off with a berry and whipped cream puff pastry. Magnifique! read more

See all

This place was AMAZING! The service was friendly, professional and overall impeccable! My wife and I ordered room service for a cheeseburger, fries and a couple of milkshakes; they brought us chicolate milk instead. They apologized for the misunderstanding and were told that they don't serve milkshakes. Five minutes later they brought us two delicious milkshakes the made themselves just for us. Love the little different "nooks" around the common areas where you can just sit, relax, read or do whatever. Our balcony/patio was cozy with beautiful ocean view. Spa was wonderful, beach access with beach lawn chair service was nice and convenient, firepit with the complimentary s'mores packet was a nice touch, and so was the nightly turn down service with the saltwater taffy. Well worth every penny!! read more

See all

My girlfriend and I came here on the off season to get alway from D.C. And relax over Valentine's Day weekend. Prior to our stay I had some trouble getting through to the reservation line so I called the front desk to inquire about the rooms. I spoke with Elisa, I believe, who was incredibly friendly and helped me reserve a spot two nights. When we arrived at the Beach House reservation desk we were greeted by her in person this time and informed we had been upgraded to a suite. The room is as incredible. The living room had a fire place and had a window and porch view of the ocean. The bedroom had a view of the sound and the bathroom was large with a massive shower and large bathtub that easily fit two people. The room was incredibly clean when we arrived and even had a complimentary Smore making kit for the fire pit behind the building. We went out in the mornings to walk the beach and watch the sunrise and were excited to catch dolphins surfing the waves right in front of us. It was beautiful. Even in February. I highly recommend this resort. The staff and room were both amazing. I would however, caution those that come out during the off-season to be prepared for the majority of shops and restaurants to be closed. This can be a little frustrating as Yelp doesn't really reflect off-season closures well. There also seems to be no logical pattern to when things are open and when they are not. Always call ahead. read more

My husband and I loved this resort for our weekend getaway! The rooms are so beautiful with comfortable beds and pillows! We enjoyed walking right up to the beach, roasting marshmallows by the fire, and taking a hot tub dip! Most of all we loved how at home and inviting the staff and property was! Nancy was so great with all of our questions and help throughout our stay! We will definitely be back :) Thanks Sanderling ! read more

The Sanderling Resort - Resorts Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

This hotel is located on a quiet road in the Outer Banks, less than two hours South of Virginia Beach. The standard room is modern, clean and roomy. It almost seemed like we were staying in a suite. The room we got was on the second floor, in the main building. The grounds were immaculate, the staff was friendly and attentive. The flat screen in the room was a bit dated, but I imagine that a hotel can't simply buy 100 new flat screens every year, so surely they update this type of equipment on a cyclical basis. Although we had a room facing the inner waterway, the rooms facing the ocean are pricier. There are very tall sand dunes in the way, however, so not sure if the ocean or beach are actually visible from any of those rooms! The surrounding area is safe and there are a couple of great restaurants just minutes away. We loved the fact that the refrigerator in the room was empty -- many hotels fill their refrigerators with pricey snacks equipped with hair-trigger sensors that automatically appear on your bill at the slightest touch. read more

My girl and I stayed three nights during Xmas week. We reserved a room in the North Inn for the Relax and Rejuvenate package. When we arrived at the resort, they upgraded us to a room on the 3rd floor - unfortunately, the room was filled with fruit flies. On Wed, we get our couples massage (that is included in package), and it was the worst massage either of us has ever had. My girl and I have had plenty of massages, with most being at Umstead... so we know a good massage when we feel it, and this definitely wasn't even close to being good. In any case, we told the assistant spa mgr our experience upon leaving the spa. On Thu, I receive a call (late morning) on my cell from the resort while we were out & about - the resort wants to give us a complimentary soak that is good until 2pm (as the spa is closing for Xmas, etc). I informed that this would not work for us, and that was it. They didn't offer us anything else... only what was convenient for them. The good; room upgrade and resort's location. The bad; fruit flies in the upgraded room, bad massages, and poor marks to make good on the bad massages. read more

This review is for Sunrise Yoga on the Pier. We didn't stay at the resort, but dined at Kimball's Kitchen the night before and saw a flyer for yoga and had to give it a shot! We arrived on Thursday morning just after 7 am and were checked in, given mats and directed to a waiting area until the start of class at 7:30. Customer service was fantastic - the woman at the front desk even let us know there was an area for us to fill up our water bottles before class. At 7:30, we were led to a smooth wooden pier that was situated just above the dunes, overlooking the beach and the ocean just as the sun was rising. IT WAS HEAVENLY. I normally shy away from yoga on the beach because of my hesitation to balance on shifting sand, but the pier gave me the same atmosphere with a better experience. I can't remember our instructor's name, but she led us through an invigorating vinyasa class that was both challenging for an intermediate yogi (myself) and approachable for a newbie (my good sport of a boyfriend). She also offered modifications as needed. If you are considering the early wake up to make it to this class, I highly recommend it. It was a perfect start to one of our last days of vacation and I've never felt more relaxed and at peace than I did on the pier that morning! read more

Location and beautiful beach! Unfortunately that ends the positives at this 'resort'. Outdated and dirty rooms and general cleanliness of the resort was disappointing. The pool open to families was small and always crowded with worn and dated outdoor furniture. We weren't able to sit outside on the deck of the ocean view room we splurged on due to the bugs and filth. For $750/night I had a lot higher expectations. read more

Just stayed here in early June, loved the resort. Like others have said it's away from the touristy areas of the Outer Banks. If that's what you want, then this is perfect. I'm over the crowded-beach trip. We had a two-room suite on the second floor that was perfect for a family. The beach is a short walk over the dunes and secluded enough, but not desolate...the perfect balance. We started each morning with breakfast at the Lifesaving Station (which was great). The lunch menu at the beach-bar was great and featured more than your normal burgers, etc. Afternoon tea at 4pm in the main building was a nice touch as well. Sadly we didn't get a chance to eat at The Left Bank since we had kids with us. The lovely town of Duck, NC is just a short drive down the road with some great restaurants. Heading further south for the Wright Brother's National Park and Jockey Ridge is about a 15-20 minute drive. All the staff was very courteous from the maids to the servers. Next time we're back in the area we'll plan to stay here. read more

The beach is great and the pools are OK. The facilities are dirty, in disrepair, and the service and maintenance are shoddy or non-existent. There is not nearly enough staff for a hotel of this type and cost. I suspect that the REIT/private equity owners are too cheap to spend what is necessary to provide a guest experience commensurate with the cost. One morning they decided to charge $4 for coffee in the lobby when it had been free. Another day there were no towels at the pool and it overflowed. Two of eight umbrellas are broken at the adult pool. The hallways are filthy and there is no daily housekeeping (COVID is the excuse though many other hotels offer guests the option). Here, they are just cheap. I would not return under any circumstances. read more

Our family has returned to the Sanderling for the past 4 years, it's the only resort on the Duck. Great resort with full amenities, wonderful service and convenient to Corella and Kitty Hawk. Worth to stay on beach side for easy access to beach. The pool is fantastic and great for kids. We love this place and would recommend to anyone. And look forward to coming back again. read more

The Sanderling Resort - View from The Sanderling. - Resorts Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

My boyfriend and I have been very impressed so far with our stay at The Sanderling. Upon booking, I was a little set back by the price. It seemed like we were choosing between paying $500+ for a good room, or staying at a place that includes complimentary bed bugs and takes you back to the 70's. We are glad we paid the extra money to stay somewhere that would make our trip memorable and fun! First of all, I must say how amazing the staff are. The ladies at the front desk are friendly and informative, and it seems like there is a staff member there right when you need them. Right after checking in, someone offered to help carry our bags to our room, and even late at night after we went to pick up some snacks and drinks, there was a nice gentleman in the parking lot offering assistance with our groceries! If you stay here or anywhere nearby, GO TO THE SPA! I'm from Virginia, and we don't have spas like this back home. This place was amazing, you could relax here all day. I got a deep tissue massage and it was by far the best massage I have ever had. I can't remember the lady's name for the life of me, but she was definitely experienced and knew what she was doing...I left feeling like a brand new person! Now, to get into the normal stuff....the place was super clean. I won't spoil some of the cute surprises that are waiting in your room, but there is definitely a lot of thought put into this place. The decor is fun, the bed is comfy...it's very well kept. The grounds offer alot more than a typical hotel. Tonight, the fire pits were lit and there was live music. The beach is within walking distance. The best word to describe this place is "convenient". There were a few things I feel could be improved. Everything closes super early, like the bar. I don't know about you, but I want to drink at night, not early in the day...we wandered down to the bar by the beach at around 10PM and it was closed. There were no towels by the pool, it would've been nice to not have to run back to the room for towels. Probably the biggest annoyance was the lack of kitchen in the room. I have stayed at placed for half the price that have a small kitchen, or at least microwave & utensils, in the room. There is a small fridge hidden below the TV, which is nice....I guess they are trying to encourage guests to order room service? All together, this place is wonderful. If you are coming to the area I highly recommend The Sanderling, just don't forget to book a massage ;) read more

There was some confusion with my reservation, but it all worked out. I wasn't sure what to expect because the hotel said they couldn't provide a few services due to Covid safety precautions, but they did a good job. Restaurant and service were great. read more

My *new* husband and I chose the Sanderling Resort for our "destination/elopement wedding" last week:) It was my first time visiting the Outer Banks and my husband's first time staying in Duck. I'm so happy I found the Sanderling Resort during a Google search for romantic wedding venues:) The Sanderling Resort is *breathtaking,* the staff was extremely friendly and attentive, and the food (especially the breakfast room service) was beyond delicious! I'd also like to compliment the Sanderling Spa where I received my manicure and professional make-up application prior to my ceremony - Brittany (sp?) and Ashley both did an *amazing* job:) read more

The Sanderling Resort - View from our balcony (South Wing - third floor). - Resorts Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

Spa review. I went to the spa before Christmas 2016 and purchased a gift card for a deep tissue massage for my girlfriend. She wanted to get the massage on Saturday January 14th so I made her an appointment through Kristopher. We arrived at the spa on time. The front door was unlocked and we went inside. No signs on the door explaining the facility was off limits. The building was obviously under renovation. No one met us in the lobby. I yelled out so as maybe to get someone's attention if they were in the back. The spa manager popped out of her office near the front door and said "hey, your not allowed to be in here. The whole building is a demolition zone". To which I explained that we had an appointment. She continued in a manner I precieved to be less than welcoming and advised we did and that it was across the highway in room 500. And that Kristopher and the masseuse were waiting. I added that we were not notified by Kristopher earlier in the day that the spa was closed and that we needed to go to another location on the property. She seemed shocked but added "you're locals". As if being local somehow ranked us and our experience not important enough to care. My girlfriend walked across the street got her massage. However, no robes, or complimentary refreshment was available nor was it offered. We are less than happy or satisfied with the experience. And that is why as a "local" I will promote another spa and will steer others including visitors to the competition. And as I work in a public service capacity, I will without question get my opinion out. Sorry Sanderling Inn that we locals are less than desirable. read more

Beautiful resort and location, amazing tranquility pool. Our check-in experience with Christie was top notch, even at 10:30 pm. Both Nancy and Vicky at the front desk looked after us exceptionally throughout our stay with premium service throughout. Will most definitely return! read more

I really wanted to be wowed, but sadly you just don't get a lot for your money. The walls in the north building are paper thin! It was like a cheap motel off the highway. The people next to us were just talking at a regular level and I could hear everything they said. They had the TV on one night and kept us up until 4 in the morning. I was also treated to hearing whinny stomping children on the other side of us the whole stay as well. This place is almost twice the price of their closest competitor in Corolla, but you probably only get about 10-15% more in the way of "luxury" or additional services. The beach and pool staff were just about absent the whole time or playing on their phones in plain sight and ignoring everyone. They make you go to another building when you need beach towels, which wouldn't be an issue if they replenished them in the room like they were supposed to. I am not cheap! I am willing to pay for a luxury experience, but this isn't it. Like I said the name brand hotel up the beach was just as good and included breakfast. They both have the same "bad" view of the ocean because if the dunes, so save some dollars and skip the ocean side room. The life saving station is a nice restaurant and the meal I had from the sandbar while sitting on the beach was the best meal I had during the whole stay. That's saying something because we had dinner at Kimball's which was not wonderful. You can't just say you are a luxury or high end place, charge for it, and it just happens. You have to work at it, and employ good people to make the experience happen. If you want a luxury experience, stay at the Nemocolin Woodlands resort in Pennsylvania. That there my friend is a luxury Resort. Not to keep making it about money but we were treated like royalty for a lot less then the Sanderling. read more

This is for the spa: I made an appt with Glen to get a deep tissue massage plus an exfoliating scrub. I got the spa about 15 mins before my appt. I changed into a comfy robe and headed to a relaxation room to sip some water and chill on the comfy chairs. Glen came over shortly after and off we went. He asked me about problem areas etc and then left the room to allow me to get comfortable. He returned and gave me an amazing message, we talked the entire time and I felt so connected to him. He really worked on the knots in my back and helped me relax. Once the massage part was done, we did the sugar scrub. OMG that was so nice. Glen asked if I was going to stay for a bit and use the steam room, he said it wold be good for the oils etc. I was planning on it anyway, so all the more reason! Before I went to the steam room, I went to the tea room and got some cinnamon spice tea and snacks (dried mango, banana chips, and a nut mix). I sat out on the deck (there were no chairs....they used to have chairs out there) so I sat on the steps. I hit up the steam room, took a shower (the provide shampoo, conditioner and body wash...even razors etc) and got dressed. I love it here and come every year. read more

When we decided to host our destination wedding at The Sanderling, we had already fallen in love with its beautiful decor. Over the past 8 months, we have visited twice and exchanged countless emails and phone calls with Taylor, Kristen and Davis, our wedding planners. When we arrived last Wednesday, we felt confident that our guests would fall in love with the resort as much as we had. Although weather required we move our ceremony indoors, we were able to use Keepers Loft, which was beautiful. The cocktail hour and reception was hosted inside the Event House, and could not have been prettier. The food was amazing, literally every single guest commented on how good everything was and how they were so full! The staff at Sanderling was so kind, compassionate, helpful and congratulatory they made our event and entire stay perfect. Thank you so much! read more

This is a review for the spa, not the rest of the resort. I purchased massages for a good friend and myself last month--it was a disaster from start to finish and WAY overpriced for what you get. The massage was among the worst I've ever had (from the cool oil on the back to the massage therapist having finger nails that I was afraid were going to cut into my skin). They messed up the reservation for the subsequent manicure (instead booked us for a pedicure) and then while we were in the sauna, they took our robes off the hooks outside the door and threw them in the dirty hamper (we were only in the sauna for 10 mins max) so we had to go out into the public hallway in the towels (I'm petite and these towels were tiny!) too small to cover our bodies to ask for help in finding our robes that had our keys in the pockets. They were out of lotions, etc., too. There was nothing good about this experience except that the resort itself is in a nice location and the staff was friendly at least. I would definitely NOT recommend this spa, however. Maybe it was because we were there off season, but when spending $175 (each!) for a massage, I expected a lot more! read more

From reservations to checkout and everything in between, Sanderling is perfection. The beach setting is so peaceful; the rooms luxurious. The spa massages are the best ever. The staff simply spoils you. read more

I went to Sanderling Spa to have my hair and make-up done before my WEDDING, and was incredibly disappointed and upset about the way both came out. My foundation did not match my skin, I had black eyeshadow on the side of my face, and my eyeliner made me look like a raccoon. The room was so dark that we (me and my bridesmaids who all had similar experiences) were instructed to go into the nail studio to "see" how it came out. In my wedding photos, I visibly have a different color face than neck (whiter and ghost like). Additionally, I was worried about my hair falling because of the heat and humidity (I have straight hair and would have been fine keeping my natural hair if that was the case). I was told curls would be fine and was soaked in hairspray after having tight, poodle like curls. My hair was NOTHING like the picture I showed. It looked greasy and IMMEDIATELY fell. I honestly look like I was caught in the rain. Our wedding photos were so expensive and I was dreading them due to how crappy my hair and make up came out. It was incredibly upsetting. I did not feel confident or special on my own wedding day. Even worse, I am constantly reminded of this when I view my photos. read more

While this is a lovely resort that I've enjoyed going to a number of times in the past, I was absolutely appalled by the lack of safety measures being taken by the staff in and around the resort. My family and I chose to come to this resort because of the rhetoric of safety and precautions being taken at the resort, including masks required inside (AS MANDATED BY THE STATE OF NC) and thorough cleanings of the rooms. Upon arrival, we noticed that there was hair in the drain of our shower, indicating that the room had not been as thoroughly sanitized as stated. But worst of all, we saw MULTIPLE STAFF MEMBER who were NOT WEARING MASKS INDOORS AT ALL. In fact, we even passed by one young housekeeper who held the door open for us and did not even try to put her mask on before we passed. As a person with a high risk family member, this is completely unacceptable!! I highly DO NOT recommend vacationing here during COVID, especially if you have safety concerns. completely unprofessional and unsafe. will not be returning until the pandemic has ended. read more

During the current COVID pandemic, establishments can either rise to the challenge or use it as an excuse to offer inferior service, unfortunately The Sanderling chose the ladder. There is no room service, no coffee makers, minimal toiletries, and subpar upkeep. Our room was not well appointed, dirty balcony and stained carpet and upolstery. I honestly was perfectly happy with not having our room cleaned daily, but at least vacuum and clean the hallways. I called the front desk to ask them to pick up the trash in front of the house keeping closet at the end of the hall. There were empty water bottles and trash that had been there all day. On the plus side, the beach was beautiful and the beach staff was wonderful. I was so looking forward to what I thought was going to be a wonderful stay at the old Sanderling. It use to be an exceptional Inn. My take away, expect to pay top dollar, but receive substandard service. read more

I want to the Sanderling spa for a mani/pedi ($115 for 80 mins). What I left with was worse than what I would have gotten for a $25 manicure at any walk-in place. Sloppy filing and cuticle job and their signature "Vinylux" nail polish was chipping within hours. The nail polish wasn't applied to the entire nail - she missed the sides of my nails. You know how you get that gunk under your nails when you file them? Well that was all still there when she painted so it was very uneven. At one point I told her that the nail polish was bubbling and she claimed that the top coat would fix it. It didn't. Not worth the money paid by far. read more

The Sanderling Resort - Resorts Near Me - Duck, North Carolina

See all

As I just wrote a review for the Ritz Carlton, I can't help but notice the glaring differences hotels can have (despite similar room rates!). The good is far outweighed by the bad, but I will say a few nice things--the rooms were pretty nice, I loved the shower with two shower heads for full coverage, every room has a balcony (although the view was supposed to be ocean, it was mostly blocked by dead grass/weeds). There is a workout room (but hours are limited and it closes at 8 or 9pm). Also because the layout of the resort is sprawled out, you can get an easy/free parking spot near your room, which is very convenient. Also there is coffee in the individual building lobbies (self-serve) but disappears by 10AM which is an hour too early for me. You also get free umbrellas and beach chairs to use on the beach, which is private, also very nice. However, despite some of these niceties, there are so many things wrong with this place that soured the experience: -The first and foremost is the poor service. Just because you say things in a charming southern accent, doesn't mean they are always nice. There were a lot of issues with our bill, and we had to go through, I don't know, 7 or 8 people to resolve them. Really got the runaround which was aggravating. -Key cards. Oh my god, this was one of the most irritating things ever. Our key cards never worked! For 5 days, we had to continuously go to the front desk or wait for someone to come to let us in our room. Multiple times a day. We had to have our door reprogrammed twice and still the cards wouldn't work. The manager said it was because the magnetic thing inside the door was old and worn. Ok, so get new ones!! -The Sanderling is located in the most difficult part of the island to navigate. I don't know if the entire island is like this, but traffic was absurd the entire time, no matter what time of day or which day of the week! Why is traffic at a standstill 50% of the time? -The building we were in (North Inn) had no elevators, which is no big deal, but I had a huge bag packed and there was also no bellhop or anyone who offered to help with the bags. Truly annoying. -Check out is 11AM (not 12PM as most places), and late checkout was refused to us -Price--rooms are $425/night with tax and fees--this place is not worth prices like that (see Ritz review for comparison) -Along the same lines, for the Spa--it was something like $150 for a 60-minute massage, which was tempting but seemed sort of ridiculous. -no Ipod dock to play music--hello, isn't that standard at hotels now? -Reception for phones and internet was terrible!! This was definitely a hotel issue, because as soon as we would go off the property or drive anywhere, it was a lot better. -Finally, cockroaches on the beach chairs!!! Okay, maybe they weren't cockroaches but they looked awfully close, and there were a lot!!! Gross! Anyway--overall I suppose this is a nice enough place, but definitely over-priced for the quality, and I would certainly not recommend it or return. Probably would stay in a different area than Duck, which had maybe one nice restaurant (Aqua--see review for details). read more