The Sanderling

Given some of the very negative reviews of the Sanderling, we booked our stay with some trepidation. Things did not start off well. When we arrived to check in, we were initially told our room was ready. That changed within two minutes to not ready. We waited an hour for the room. When we got to the room, we were pleasantly surprised to see that the room was clean with no issues. For the first two days, housekeeping did a commendable job as our room was made up by the time we came back from breakfast. After that, housekeeping was deplorable. There were four days when the room was not made up before we went out to dinner. Towels were another issue as the amount of towels varied and hand towels were not provided on one day. We were told they were not available that day. Housekeeping staff also complained that there was a shortage of staff which would explain some of the issues. There was one day that no towels were available at the pool. As for the room, we had two queen beds with four pillows each. The pillows were abominable with no support, even when stacking all four together. On the balcony, there were large webs between each post. While we removed them quickly, they were back by the end of the week. Another issue at the resort was the presence of dogs. There was frequent barking at all times of the day and night as well as dogs running loose in the pool area and swimming in the pool despite signs forbidding that. The building exteriors seemed tired and in in need of updating. On a positive note, the staff at the Lifesaving restaurant were very friendly and accommodating at breakfast. Prices there weren't cheap (about $20 per entree) but the food was prepared well although you typically would wait 25 to 30 minutes for your order. While there were some positives to the Sanderling, they are outweighed by the negatives, especially considering the room rates (we paid an average of $775 per night) On our next trip to the Outer Banks, we will stay at a different place.

This resort is well situated and offers a wonderful relaxation environment, there is no doubt about it. But I guess we went to this resort at the wrong time of the year. The people are very nice but housekeeping service is a real disaster. The staff is clearly not trained properly. There was always something missing after the room was done. I will spare you the details. In addition, in two instances the housekeepers came at the end of the day while you are getting ready for going out to dinner. Checking was not the most efficient and after our check out and having settled the bill, we keep getting charged. The staff is lacking of professional sevices and lack of training is obviously the key issue. As a result, you have to deal with unqualified people even though nice and always with a smile. Last nut not least, the service at the Lifesaving station was extremely slow. I know we were on vacation, but to have to wait 40 minutes before your breakfast is being served is beyond acceptable.

A lovely resort. Our oceanfront room was beautiful, as was the rest of the main building. I assume this was renovated not long ago. The colors, fixtures, bath (as well as the four poster bed featuring sanderlings) was lovely. Enjoyed our early mornings having coffee on the empty beach. We will return.

We have been going to the sanderling for over 24 years. It’s an outstanding place to go and relax and Donovan was such a big help. We are going back to the end of June.

Our family vacation was held in Duck, NC this year and my mom had chosen one of the residences at The Sanderling for our family to stay in. Two days before our journey to the Outer Banks, I received notification from the resort that the residence would not be ready for our family (they are in the process of renovating them). What could have easily been a disaster, being only 2 days before our arrival, Zack Duzian saved the day. He contacted me and we made alternative plans to stay at an Airbnb nearby within walking distance. He booked the Airbnb on our behalf and checked in/out for us. We also still had full access to the resort and maid service for the Airbnb. Zack even provided a welcome packet with all kinds of information about activities, etc., a charcuterie board, s'mores kits, and wine. It felt as if we were still resort guests, and we were treated incredibly well! Throughout our stay, Zack continually checked in on us to make sure everything was alright and if we needed anything. Though we weren't directly on the resort premises, I would absolutely stay there just based off of the service we received. He was a pleasure to work with! And every other staff member we interacted with was so kind and helpful. We utilized the pool and gym, had a girls spa day, went to the onsite restaurant, etc. and it was all lovely.