Outer Banks Hotels

OBX hotels start getting visitors from around May 10th and reach peak occupancy levels around July 15th every year. Generally, Mid-May through late-August is the time when the Outer Banks receives its maximum visitors. Historic 5 year visitor data suggests that August is the busiest month for OBX Hotel occupancy. August 2019 saw hotel/motel occupancy numbers reach 14,094,249 (almost 1.5 million).

Based on Dare County statistics for gross occupancy taxes in Jan 2019, we see that Avon is the most popular destination in the Hatteras Island district. The Avon fishing pier is the most visited place in Avon. Besides the great catch at the pier, Avon also offers great experiences such as surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, the OBX Jetovator, Studio 12, the Comedy Club and more. The other most visited places on Hatteras Island are Waves, Hatteras, Rodanthe, Buxton, Salvo & Frisco.

Data from Dare County statistics for gross occupancy taxes in Jan 2019 suggests that Kill Devil Hills is the most popular destination on the Northern Beaches. The most visited place in Kill Devil Hills is the Avalon Fishing Pier, famous for its great catch and clear waters. The other top destinations on the Northern shore are Nags Head, Kitty Hawk, Duck, Southern Shores and Colington.

Yes, almost all hotels accept cash as a mode of payment. But, keep in mind that some hotels, may charge you a deposit if paying in cash. Why? Because, hotels always prefer a credit card payment, so just in case there is any room damage, they have an option to charge the card on file. However, with cash payments, there is no surety of any kind. For example, a customer or a pet could cause substantial damage to the room furniture, carpets, appliances or the bedding linen. A cash customer may leave before the room is inspected and the hotel has very little means to recover the damage restoration costs. This is the primary reason why most hotels charge a deposit for customers paying in cash.

This shouldn't be a problem at most hotels. We have seen many customers who wish to pay the room cost, some part in cash, and the rest on a card. Although this transaction is a bit complicated to accomplish on a hotel reservation system, it can still be done in a few minutes. However, a note of caution: some hotels may charge the customer a small deposit, because this kind of transaction might make the hotel staff wary of low to no funds on the card. When this happens, they may follow the usual practice of asking for a deposit to have some surety for any unforeseen property damage.

Based on historic data, we have seen a trend showing that hotels in the Outer Banks are usually cheaper on Sundays. The next least busiest day with lower rates is Monday. As a rule of thumb, most hotels worldwide have lower occupancy on Sunday nights. So, here's a sweet tip. If you have a weekend booking (Friday-Sunday)., an extra night for a Monday check-out can get really cheap. Make sure to "not" book the Sunday night stay online, as rates will always be higher online. It is always better to get a deal right at the hotel front desk when you check-in. Just inform the hotel staff that you might consider staying a day longer if they could give you the Sunday night stay for cheap. Most hotels are going to offer you a great deal for the Sunday stay. So, get a 3 night stay for lesser.

It is natural that most pet owners dislike the idea that they have to pay moderate to high pet fees for a hotel stay. After all, a pet is considered a family member by a pet-owner. But, considering the high competition (thanks to Airbnb & VRBO), shouldn't hotels be more bothered about getting customers than keep them away with high pet fees?

So, what exactly is happening here? Well, the fact is that hotel management has to incur higher costs to maintain pet-friendly rooms. There are very few 100% pet-friendly hotels (where every room is pet-friendly). The ones that are pet-friendly have only a certain number of rooms allocated for guests with pets. And these rooms are, in general, given out only to customers with pets. This means that if a hotel has 10 pet friendly rooms, then on many days, these rooms lie vacant because they can only be occupied by guests with pets.

So why can't a pet-friendly room be given to a person without a pet? Well, many people have pet dander allergies and some are just not used to even the slightest pet odor. So, hotels in general, do not assign these rooms to other guests. No hotel wants it's guests to get an allergy due to mold or pet dander, caused by living in the room.

So, hotels have to bear the cost of maintaining these low occupancy rooms. The second cost factor is cleaning the room after check-out. You might be surprised to learn that pet-friendly rooms take longer to clean (on average 30-35 minutes). In fact, long-stay rooms need up to an hour or more of cleaning and de-sanitizing. After check-out, all bed sheets, covers, bath towels and linens have to be sanitized. Carpets and sofas need deep-cleaning or (in some cases) steam cleaning to remove all pet hairs and other animal residue. Remember, housekeeping staff is paid by the hour. Your pet fees cover all these charges. Finally, hotels also insure themselves for furniture and linen damage caused by pets. Considering these factors, we can now see how a hotel pet fee is more than justified.

Many of us, at some point, have requested an early hotel check-in, and have been turned down. So why do most hotels have this strict no early check-in policies? Well., hotel policies differ based on room availability inventories. But, as a general rule of thumb, most hotels do not encourage early arrivals. This is because, guests usually check-out by 11 a.m. after which the housekeeping staff gets to work cleaning all the rooms. Remember, the housekeeping staff not only cleans checked-out rooms, but also has to do basic cleaning or "service" of "occupied rooms" which in hotel lingo is called a "stay-over".

So, for a fully occupied 100 room hotel with 50 check-outs, the housekeeping team has an extremely back-wrenching job on hand (ask a hotel housekeeper and they will wholeheartedly agree). The housekeeping staff has a time-window from 11 a.m. till 2.30 p.m. to complete all the rooms, This is a daunting task considering the fact that not every guest leaves at 11 a.m. Many guests request a late check-out or may just leave later than 11 a.m. Add to this the fact that the stay-over rooms may request a full cleaning rather than just a linen and towel change.

So now, we begin to understand why a hotel does not encourage early check-ins. Rooms have to get cleaned and inspected by the housekeeping supervisor before the next guest can move-in. All this takes time and most rooms are usually ready by 2.45 p.m. However, if a hotel has many vacant clean rooms, then hotels are more than glad to allow guests an early check-in

Hotels may, at their discretion, honor your request for a late check-out. But, this is usually based on their next day booking schedule. If the hotel is "sold-out" (all rooms booked) for the next day, you stand a slim chance of a late check-out because the hotel needs to get all its rooms cleaned for the new 3 p.m. guest arrivals. Hotels sometimes bend these rules for loyal regular customers or for diamond/platinum/gold level customers. But, in general, as a best practice, if you plan to check-out later, it is best to let the hotel know in advance or at least while you are checking-in. This way, the hotel staff can plan their housekeeping report and you have a good chance of them letting you check-out later. If they don't agree, try offering them a late check-out fee. Most hotels will oblige a 1-3 hour late departure if you can pay them extra fees. And, finally, it always helps to be respectful and courteous while asking the hotel staff for a late check-out. Remember, a late check-out is not a right, but a granted privilege.

The average price of hotel rooms in the Outer Banks varies by season. Expect higher prices during the peak season (mid-June to late-August), when prices average $151. Hotel rates go down during off-peak season (from October through March), when customers can get prices as low as $69 per night. (prices based on a 2 year average across our OBX hotels)

Here's the deal, the Outer Banks can be the most affordable place to stay during the off-season. Winters can get chilly, but not frigid. The ocean water is pleasantly warm till mid-October. For the most part of winter, the air is crisp and cool. And the good news is that OBX hotels get dirt cheap from November through March. In fact, many hotels literally close their shutters from December through March due to low occupancy. No point in keeping a 40 room hotel open for 5 guests, right?

At the same time, during the off-season, hotels aim to have a minimum 40% occupancy rate. So, if you're looking for a winter home, the Outer Banks can be a lucrative and cheap place to snuggle in. Our Outer Banks Hotels offer super-low weekly and monthly rates during the off-peak season. In fact, cheap hotel room rates, as low as $750/month, bring in lots of people to the OBX. This winter, give it a thought....why not stay right near the ocean and enjoy the comforts of a hotel room?

The most popular and highly rated OBX hotels are the Hampton Inn & Suites in Corolla, Seahorse Inn & Cottages in Nags Head, Holiday Inn Express Nags Head, Hatteras Island Inn - Buxton, The Inn at Pamlico Sound - Buxton, NC, Shutters on the Banks - Kill Devil Hills & The Sanderling Resort - Duck, NC.

There are many pet friendly hotels spread across the Outer Banks. Popular hotels with a pet-friendly policy are the Seahorse Inn & Cottages in Nags Head, The Colonial Inn Motel, Nags Head, The Inn at Pamlico Sound, Breakwater Inn and more. Bringfido.com has more detailed information on pet friendly hotels in the Outer Banks.

Seahorse Inn & Cottages at Nags Head is the hotel nearest to Jennette's Pier (0.1 mile). Walking time is approximately 3 minutes.

Driftin Sands Motel offers highly affordable room rates with a smoke-free environment. Driftin Sands is conveniently located right in the heart of Kill Devil Hills between Kitty Hawk and Nags Head. Select rooms feature a kitchenette for the home-away experience. This quaint, Kill Devil Hills Motel is a traveler favorite.

The Hatteras Island Inn has been consistently ranked in the top 3 traveler favorites for years. Located in Buxton, NC, this unpretentious Outer Banks Hotel offers an observation tower, a beautiful outdoor pool & a gazebo. Rates are comparatively low and guests appreciate the high standards of service, location and room amenities. Other highly rated hotels on Hatteras Island are the Inn on Pamlico Sound, Cape Hatteras Motel & Lighthouse View Oceanfront Lodging.

The Seahorse Inn & Cottages is located right across Jennette's pier. This modest hotel is very affordable compared to other hotels in the area. Enjoy beautiful ocean views from select rooms. Similarly, the Colonial Inn Motel is a beachfront property right next to Nags Head fishing pier. Colonial Inn has been newly renovated and offers beautiful apartment-style rooms and individual rooms. This motel at Nags Head also offers a seasonal pool and is conveniently located near to popular attractions and restaurants.The Colonial Inn motel has year-long low rates.

Not all hotels offer cribs. Some smaller motels & hotels may not have cribs available. It is always advisable to call the hotel directly and ask for availability. Even hotels which do offer cribs, very often, have very limited cribs. So, to be safe and prepared, it is always a good idea to request a crib in advance to avoid any last minute frustration and disappointment. The good news is that most most bigger hotels and hotels under a brand franchise, almost always have cribs available on-demand.