Emerald Isle Beach

Excellent location! We stayed in a 1-room space, and it was perfect. A nice deck with patio tables/chairs was accessible, and it was lovely to sit at night to gaze at the stars through a small telescope we brought. Peaceful location and hope to stay aging when we return to the area.

The property was fine overall. The location was great and the pool was nice. The hotel appears to have undergone recent renovations, but unfortunately, our stay was marred by a cockroach in our second-story room and, even more disappointing, the front desk’s response. After spotting a cockroach on the property’s sidewalk the first night, I found one running across our second-story room floor the following morning. I caught it in a disposable cup and brought it to the front desk. The employee was completely dismissive, offered no apology, and insisted it was a “palmetto bug” rather than a cockroach, as though a nickname made the situation more acceptable. (Spoiler: a palmetto bug *is* a cockroach.) She then shrugged it off by saying they’re common at the beach. I’ve been visiting the beach for nearly 40 years and have never encountered a cockroach inside my hotel room. I understand insects can occasionally find their way indoors in coastal environments, but a basic apology and acknowledgment of the concern would have gone a long way. The cockroach was unpleasant, but the lack of customer service was the bigger disappointment. Instead of addressing a guest’s legitimate concern with courtesy, I was made to feel as though reporting it was an inconvenience. An otherwise adequate property was let down by an experience that could have been handled so much better. Hospitality matters, and unfortunately, that was what was most lacking during our stay.