Surf Side Hotel

Motel needs to be renovated. Rooms /​furnishings are old and stale, lobby is dank. Pool tiny, hot tub does not work.
Hotel staff has a collective IQ of about 20 to go with a smart mouth.
There are much better places to stay than here.

Great location for this hotel. Our room was cleaned daily and breakfast was quite good. They have a fabulous complimentary coffee machine on the ground floor and lemon water that seems to be available ²⁴⁄₇. The only thing I was disappointed with was our view. We expected an ocean view room since that is what we paid for. However, in our north-​facing room on the first floor, we could only see a little sliver of the ocean in the distance. Most of the view was of the parking lot, other houses and power lines. Would have been five stars if the view had been better.

We stayed here recently and it was far better than we even IMAGINED. We chose an Oceanfront King Superior room on the second floor and it was absolutely perfect! The lady who checked us in was super informative and incredibly nice. The FREE breakfast was delicious and there was a lot of options (AND A WAFFLE MAKER) and I can’t tell you how beautiful and relaxing it was to stargaze out across the ocean at night, go to sleep to the sound of the waves and wake up to a breathtaking sunset right on the ocean. Highly recommend this hotel and the Second Floor Oceanfront King Superior room! Next time I visit OBX, I’ll be staying here again!

We decided about 2 weeks prior to our visit to go to OBX and, based off of reviews and pricing, we chose Surf Side Hotel. Neither of us had ever stayed here before, so we weren’t sure what exactly to expect. I can honestly say that neither of us were disappointed! We arrived about an hour early for check-​in, just to see the hotel and find our bearings, but they went ahead and let us in to our room. It’s a bit of an unusual setup. There are two different buildings that comprise the entire property. The building that houses the lobby, front desk, breakfast room, and various other basic amenities seemed to be a standard, modern hotel building with indoor hallways and an elevator. The second building (where our room was located) seemed to be a little older in style, but was every bit as comfortable and well-​appointed as one would expect. We had a king oceanfront room. Their wording is a little strange on their rooms, but once you arrive you see why. It was oceanfront instead of ocean view because there were dunes that obstructed our view of the sea directly in front of our balcony. However, we could still see the ocean and beach to our left and right. The dunes also provided an extra level of privacy, which we really liked. The staff here was nothing but wonderful. There was a tiny mixup with our housekeeping (they forgot to replace the towels one day) and they went above and beyond to make sure that the mistake was corrected and that we were taken care of. Our room had a fridge and microwave and when we were using the microwave to defrost our lunch cuz the fridge worked TOO well, it went kaput. We called the front office and within 2seconds (I kid you not) maintenance was at our door. The gentleman who helped us was incredibly polite, kind, and provided us with great dinner suggestions and tips! They replaced our microwave within minutes and would check up on us whenever they saw us out and about. Overall, I would say that Surf Side Hotel is close to perfect. It feels like a small, mom and pop run place but with all the amenities and comfort of a larger operation. The only things that were not absolute perfection were the shower/​shower head in our bathroom (not enough water pressure or just a crappy shower head… Made taking a shower feel like using a dripping hose), the shower to rinse off ourselves from the beach to our building didn’t work but the main building’s did, breakfast wasn’t served until 7:30am (we’re early risers though), and that we couldn’t stay any longer!!! We’re already planning our next trip to OBX and it will definitely depend on when Surf Side Hotel has availability! :)

Let me start with this hotel deserves the 5^th star and on my next trip I’m sure I will give it to them.
Hotel is very clean. Rooms are up to date. Beach access is excellent. Rentals right at entrance to beach. Free breakfast which is a must have for any hotel I book! The lady who runs the breakfast is very sweet. Air conditioner in room wasn’t too noisy. Pool isn’t ever busy. Indoor or outdoor pools. Free coffee all day and a happy hour thing around 4.
It seems like they have been re investing into the property pretty recently so that’s always a plus.
People who complained about staff and elevator must have been at a different hotel the elevator worked fine and all staff I encountered were extremely friendly!
Cons:
I booked a specific room and when we got into our room it was the wrong room! They were completely booked so they couldn’t give me the room I wanted. THEY DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO MAKE ME HAPPY besides kicking someone out of the room I wanted. I WANT TO STRESS THEY REALLY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND TO FIX THE MISTAKE. AND I WILL RETURN
NO SHADE AT THE POOL AT ALL
Need light switch for balcony light.

Fantastic value for outer banks travel! We have stayed there both in and off season as always fun clean and comfortable accomidations! The rooms are big as come with a fridge, microwave as coffee maker. The daily breakfast is sufficient an the kids are always thrilled to make their own omlettes! Two pools– indoor and outdoor — as well as a hottub. Great beach access. And, my personal favorite, complementary happy hour (wine and snacks) from 4−6pm, daily. Very close to attractions, restaurants, etc

This was a great value in the off season!
The room and hotel lobby were clean, there was fairly easy beach access, and the balcony was larger than I am used to.
I was only there for one night out and it was freezing, so I can’t review the pool or amenities. I wish the indoor pool/​jacuzzi had been open later, but they pretty much closed it down by 10PM.
I would definitely say it’s family friendly, not a wild-​party hotel.
Continental breakfast was pretty standard… I was able to make a decent meal out of a boiled egg, some fruit, and some raisin toast.
I would definitely recommend!

I just signed up on Unilocal to write a review of the Surf Side. My family and I have been vacationing on the Outer Banks for over a quarter of a century (yikes!), usually staying in a rental cottage. But for a quick couple of days between Christmas and New Years, we picked the Surf Side, fondly remembering a few days spent here many years ago. We were not disappointed. Our room, and the entire hotel, are immaculate. I felt like I could have eaten off the floor. Everything not only looked clean, it smelled clean as well. The young man who checked us in could not have been more friendly and helpful. The only thing that kept me from awarding five stars was the heat. It was so warm in our room that I had to turn on the AC, which was, as others have noted, pretty noisy. I would much rather have that than a dirty room and quiet AC, though!

Super friendly… Good service… Clean rooms… Free Internet… Free breakfast reasonable pricing… Indoor and out door pool… Right on the beach…

Surf Side is one of the best hotels we’ve stayed at in the Outer banks. We had an oceanside room which was very spacious. There is a nice breakfast included. The staff was friendly. The only negative was spotty wi-​fi; but you shouldn’t come to the beach to get online anyway! We would definitely stay here again.

We stayed in the south building. If you stay there, definitely get a room on a higher floor… we had a view of the dunes and people smoking on viewing deck while looking at the hotel instead of the water. It was annoying enough to have the smell of someone’s cigarette ruin the great beach air… but to look at guests sitting on their deck… that’s just plain rude.
The room décor was a decent sized and the décor was a bit outdated, but it was clean. The high ceilings made the room feel larger than it was which is a plus. The bathroom was small with a tiny toilet.
The continental breakfast was great, and the staff was overall really good. We would have liked to have used the Wi-​Fi, but the code wasn’t provided when we checked-​in and it wasn’t that big of a deal. Overall, it’s a decent hotel and we had a great vacation. I would recommend this place if you’re not picky about the bathroom and get a room at a higher level.

I really enjoyed our stay at the Surf Side Hotel in Nags Head for a couple of reason.
1. It’s right on the beach.
2. They have an indoor and outdoor swimming pool.
3. It’s walking distance to a couple of bars/​restaurants and stores.
4. The people running it are super duper friendly.
I was curious about the state of the rooms because I had read some of the reviews that said they were outdated and dirty, but our room (and several other rooms we peeked into during room cleanings) seemed just fine to me. They weren’t fancy like a Four Seasons by any means, but they were plenty clean and spacious for my needs and seemed to fit the small, coastal feel quite nicely.
They did offer a decent continental breakfast if you didn’t want to go out to eat somewhere else. And they do have a honeymoon suite if you really want to up your game.

Great place to stay in Nags Head. We go there once a year. They have an indoor pool, outdoor pool and are on the beach. All rooms have a view of the ocean. In the afternoons they have wine tasting in the lobby.

I completely hate having to choose a hotel sight unseen (other than photos on the ‘net, that is). But when you are headed out for a family vacation, Chevy Chase-​style, there really is not much choice in the matter — it is better to book in advance, or run the risk of having no room in the inn.
So rather than not have a room, we chose the Surf Side. And all told, we were not completely unsatisfied. The place is better than a reasonable number of places along Nags Head. They even offer a «reception» each evening, if you are among the lucky few who get there first. When there is a single bottle of adult beverage and a few eats spread on a plate, it does not seem to last long.
As to the place itself? It is indeed a bit dated, in the style of most of the places along this stretch — so you cannot really blame them. Think Myrtle Beach of twenty or thirty years ago. There is even a «vacancy/​no vacancy» sign out front (it was set to «no» when we arrived, so it is actually good taht we made our arrangements in advance). I do not remember the last time I saw one of those.
The room itself is decent enough for the beach. But the racket from the a/​c could wake the dead. It would run for a few minutes, cut out, then start up again. I do not know enough to know if it is a faulty thermostat, or if all of them did this, but if it were not so blasted hot in July, I may have just shut the thing off and dealt with the consequences.
Staff was nice enough, though when asking directions to someplace, their response usually was something like «oh, I have been there, it is nice» rather than «take this road to that road, then turn left». So not the most helpful on that front.
Breakfast was decent, probably better than anything else you would get along the beach, certainly so for being included with your room.

My girlfriend and I went down for the night and I booked a room here because of the location. Awesome view from inside of the room which is spacious but dated (which we didn’t mind at all). The room had a fridge which was another plus. Plenty of places to eat close by as well.

I know Nags Head is more about house rentals than hotel rooms, so from the hotels you have to chose from in Nags Head, this is probably the best you’re going to get. However, you’re going to pay out the nose in prime season, and especially if you want an oceanfront room. Tip, the «partial view» rooms may save you some money and still provide a nice view of the ocean.
The room is pretty outdated, but spacious, and the bathroom has only enough room for you to just get by. The view from our balcony was the best part. The pool was a nice add-​on, and we enjoyed our pool-​side visits. The location is pretty good, too.
There wasn’t any insulation around the door, so the a/​c went out and the bugs came in. We sealed it with a towel each night. Sound also carried easily, and we heard at least one other person mention the same problem.
All in all, the hotel is just «okay.» I think for the money you spend, you should get a bit more than «just okay» but it was full occupancy, so people (including us) were willing to pay it. I don’t think we will again, though.

I recently stayed here during Memorial Weekend. It’s a very cute and quaint oceanfront hotel. It had everything that we needed during our weekend stay. Be sure to get an oceanfront room — it’s worth the spend! There’s something so wonderful and peaceful about waking up to the sound of the waves of the ocean crashing. The rooms are simple — nothing extravagant, but they are clean and comfortable.
The pool area is decently sized and overlooks the ocean. The oceanfront beach area that the hotel faces is lovely. This makes the trip worth every dime. We saw a pod of dolphins while sitting there during a few of the days.
Be sure to check with the front desk staff on their restaurant recommendations. They never steered us wrong!

We went to the coast a few weekends back and tried to identify a relaxing place to stay. Our preference is always to support locally owned businesses, when possible and this seemed like a local spot. Upon our arrival, it was clear that we might not have selected the right place. It was a dingy looking place, but I travel enough for work to know that the rooms make be great so we kept an open mind. We had reserved an ocean-​front room and upon check-​in we were informed that our room was «in the other building.» Let me just tell you what that entailed– an even smaller, dingier establishment with cement floors, and slippery stairs we had to climb (yes, no elevator). The room was unpleasant and we did not feel comfortable relaxing in the bed. The shower was not working and this resulted in a high-​speed spray shooting out at us where the silver dial is located (you know the on/​off switch to drain or plug the tub). At any rate, it was such a disaster that we left early and found a much better place down the road (Oasis Suites). I would NOT recommend this place if you are at all interested in relaxing in your room. However, if you are merely interested in the beach and don’t care about the conditions of your room, then this place would be just fine.