I booked a room from the motels website because l thought it would be a more personal experience. I was going to celibate a big birthday and l was excited to spend it at the Dolphin Oceanfront Motel. After driving 5 hours l find out that the motel does not have a record of the reservation. The man behind the desk said, "You can try Elizabeth City." He didn't even say he was sorry. I would give a -65 for this experience if l could. read more

Amazing place amazing staff price was right room was amazing wonderful beach access I highly recommend

Decently priced oceanfront hotel. They are pet friendly and the room was clean. The rooms are kinda small but you're not on vacation to just sit in a hotel room. We were checked in and out by Jim who was very friendly and helpful when a situation came up. Highly recommend the Dolphin Motel. read more

I did like the oceanfront room. Since the ad stated the room was 'recentlly renovated', i did expect it to be new. Our room was probably redone in the 90s. (?) Also, for the price , i expected ice to be included. Not enough to fill up a cooler, but at least 1 bucket per day would be nice... Speaking of price, w/ taxes, my room averaged $314/night. Also, don't stay out too late - parking is VERY limited. Don't invite any guests, unless they are taking a cab. As for the Outer Banks in general, the water was FREEZING - in August! (the hottest month of the year...) We will be staying further South in the future . read more

Dolphin Oceanfront Motel - Hotels Near Me - Nags Head, North Carolina

Way to expensive. Don't book online you will not get ur money back. Pics online about this place are deceiving. We wanted a room on the beach and taught that's what we booked not so. read more

See all

Love this hotel. This is our go to spot every time we come to obx. We've stayed here a bunch of times and I have been hesitant to write a review because I don't want others to know about how great and convenient this place is. Prices are great too. But location location it is right on the beach literally on the sand. Staff is super friendly and accommodating. We usually stay 1 or 2 nights and basically stay on beach. Plenty of restaurants and shops right here too. When we check out at 11am we just turn key in and they basically they always allowed us to to stay and enjoy beach for rest of the day. This place is best hidden gem on obx. read more

Location is good but this hotel has seen better days...not clean room, dirty sandy unkept corridors, guests doing their own maintenance (literally). Also a bankers hours desk that gives no help before 9 or after 5. Over priced by double for what you get! Stay elsewhere for a nice vacation. read more

This place needs to do one of the following two things; either lower the pricing or renovate to match what you're charging. ‍ that's all I have to say.. read more

Tons of flies in the room, general manager advised he killed them all. Left me a fly swatter! Would not refund , hadn't even placed bags in the room. Rip Off! read more

Good value! We are pleasantly surprised and will be back!! Well renovated family owned motel that is more like a cottage than a motel. Walk out of your room, and within 20 steps, you are on the sand staring at the beautiful ocean. It's all of the little touches that makes this place stand out. Friendly staff, picnic tables with grills, a basketball hoop, a hose on the deck to wash your feet off, Adirondack chairs outside the rooms, swings, and a newly renovated pool to name a few. read more

Recently stayed here and I was super happy with this motel. We had a regular queen room. Rooms are on the smaller size, but it was very clean and efficient! Location was perfect! Steps away from the beach, Jeanettes Pier, and restaurants. The owners/office staff were very friendly! This will be my go to for any future trips to the Outer Banks!! read more

This place had more flies in the room and more dog poop in the "picnic area" than at most kennels have in a month. We had to use towels in the window gaps around the window ac to keep the flies out after we killed more than 20 in our room. Thay don't offer refunds or customer service. We booked for a week and stayed one night. I paid the same thing at a much nicer hotel (Econo Lodge) up the road. read more

Recently stayed at this motel. The view out the window was a 10 foot high stockade fence, two feet from the window. The parking lot had small spaces filled with oversized trucks taking up 1 1/2 spaces leaving none for other customers. It sounded like the trucks were coming through the room. There was also no maid service for guests staying more than one overnight. There was a broom for the guests to sweep their own rooms . Linens were to be used over and over. And all this for just $190 per night !!! What a deal, I mean rip off!!!! read more

Never, Never, Never Ever again. Nothing but flies and dog pooh. The room was full of flies that would come in the through the huge gap between the window and the A/C unit. The small patch of grass in the parking lot was loaded with dog pooh that was NEVER picked up. The parking spaces are super small to the point that we had to pull out of the space each time just to open the car door. It seems there is no maid service as we had to wipe everything down. The rooms are super small and they charge a pet fee. We paid for 5 days but stayed 1 night even though they have a no refund policy. It was just not the place for us or our pets. read more

My husband and I stay here pretty often. It's convenient to a lot of restaurants. Ocean front. Customer service has always been great. The rooms are clean and comfortable. read more

Reviews here are accurate. We made a last minute decision for a short get away (4 days). We wanted to sit on the beach and do a bit of exploring. We chose here due to the reviews, beach/ocean access and the price. We were not disappointed! The location is perfect. Literally walk out the doors/down the hall and you are on the beach. Good restaurant choices near by (Owens, Sam and Ommies, FreshFit Cafe and convenient to Roanoke Island). Easy for walking and biking. Small, simple and clean accommodations. Bed was comfortable, newer TV, small fridge and microwave and coffee maker. Peking is tight as noted in other reviews but never had a problem locating a spot. It was hassle free and perfect for what we were looking for. It's pet friendly however we didn't hear them nor hear neighbors. We've done higher priced hotels and homes for OBX for years with family. This was great for the simple and cost effective trip we wanted for just the two of us. We recommend and will be back! read more

Dolphin Oceanfront Motel - View of Jeannettes Pier - Hotels Near Me - Nags Head, North Carolina

See all

I always feel like I would rather spend money at my destination than on an expensive hotel, so I've stayed at a lot of cheap motels. This is the only one that I've felt truly disgusted by (and it wasn't even that cheap!). The bathroom was tiny, with a horrifying shower and a door that didn't close. The time floors make sense at a beach hotel, I guess, but they give it a dorm room feel. The final straw was the fact that the sheets were stained with what appeared to be blood - sure, they had clearly been washed, but I feel like rule #1 of running a hotel is you get blood on your sheets, you cut your loess and throw them away. There were also two flies and a large spider in the room. Will not be coming back - and neither should you. Owens motel, across the street (where we stayed last year), may also be small and outdated, but at least it's clean. read more

It is what it is - a quaint older motel. Super clean and easy to find. Convenient to all local attractions. I loved that they allowed pets, but not every pet owner is responsible. We had some trouble from a neighboring dog. The bathroom is super tiny. If you are a large person, you'd be better off at another motel. No shelves for shampoo, etc. in the bathroom. But lots of flies in the room. In older days, when your neighbor flushes the toilet, you get burned. Same here. Tv works, beds are very comfortable, owners friendly. WiFi worked lgreat, even on the beach. read more

Tiny room like my freshman dorm. Not even close to the pictures on the web site. Needs a coat of paint. Understand no room cleaning due to COVID-19 but wasn't even provided with cleaning products to keep room clean, wipe off table, extra trash bags. Ridiculous amount of money for such a tiny basic space. read more

If you're looking for an affordable, pet-friendly room on the beach, this is your place. Yes, it's all pretty dated (i.e. Wood paneling and window unit air conditioners) but for the price, it's a good value. We walked right out of our sliding glass door to the beach and even had an active turtle nest nearby that we checked on which was really cool. Right by Jeanette's Pier and many other conveniences. We enjoyed the little pool for quick dips after days on the beach. My only complaint would be that the fridge is pretty small if you're bringing food to stay for a few days, so we just kept much of ours on ice in the cooler. (Also, if you don't have dogs, I'd find another place, as you might not be so tolerant of all the dogs barking of yours isn't one of them.) read more

Dolphin Oceanfront Motel - View of our room from the beach in the morning. - Hotels Near Me - Nags Head, North Carolina

See all

The motel is the perfect location, right on the beach. The staff was super friendly and helpful and it was way more affordable than the other hotels in the area. Our room was not one that led right onto the beach but it was a 30 second walk through the middle of the motel and was perfect for what we needed. True, it's not a 5-star hotel, but it was a bed to sleep in and close to the beach, what more could you need? read more

Dolphin Oceanfront Motel - Hotels Near Me - Nags Head, North Carolina

See all

This is a comparatively inexpensive place to stay in nags head. Rooms are clean, staff is friendly, steps to the beach, and pet friendly.

Coming to Nags Head now for over 30 years, this motel gives the reminder of the mom and pop places that used to be the majority. The owners are so nice and do everything they can to make your stay pleasant. A big thumbs up for understanding that pets are family and they are more than welcome at the Dolphin. We will certainly recommend you and we will return to support your business! Thank you! read more

Great little hide-away in the OBX, amid all the towering rental homes. Nice clean rooms, great access to the beach, and a nice homey atmosphere. I will return again. read more

Super cozy and affordable, only issues I had was the fact that sand gets in your room a little bit due to the fact that it's right on the beach, and also that the appliances and certain things are pretty dated but overall a great place to stay on a budget! The staff was super friendly and very accommodating. read more

This is such a great place for travelers with a budget... you don't feel like you have a tight budget when you're here because it's so nice. Clean and comfortable, close to everything and totally reasonably priced. Two bits of advice: (1) If you get a room with a refridgerator but no kitchenette and put groceries in it, it's bigger than a dorm fridge but smaller than a full-size... i was able to fit sandwich fixings, liquor, mixors, milk and orange juice in it with room to spare. (2) When choosing between 'ocean' and 'courtyard' go with the courtyard. The ocean side is nice, but totally unnecessary... your beach entrance is about 10 feet away from theirs! You'll save a ton. Have fun! read more

Clean, comfortable and a beach motel :) Great location, location is everything....Great price.

Mary G. is unqualified to leave her comment. My wife spent two great days here, Our room was as advertised. If your looking for a high end hotel on the beach, this is not it. If your looking for a motel on the beach that is pet friendly and is clean, well kept and convenient to all that is Nags Head, than this if the place for you. It;s simple and a conformable place to watch the sun rise, listen to the surf, feel the ocean breeze, and have a few brews on the beach. Beds were comfortable, plus they free wi-fi is offered too. Travel tip, bring your own coffee and filters as they are not offered here, 7-11 is a 3-4 min walk away for any quick needs.. read more

This was the worst customer experience I've ever had to endure and that was just via a phone call. I was lied to multiple times by their phone representative and refused a refund even when I booked my stay more than three months in advance. Whether this hotel is nice or not, the service I received (or lack thereof) is enough motivation to not only stay away from this place, but also to post several negative reviews on multiple social media sites. read more

I loved this place. We literally opened our door and was on the beach. Going back this weekend for a getaway trip. The customer service was excellent and all are very friendly. No it is not new, it is old school..I like that. read more

Great getaway with our dogs! loved that it was in a beautiful spot on the beach and the staff was so lovely. Thank you!

Management offered me the oceanfront upgrade and I'm glad I took it. These rooms are the most updated (but remember this is still a small, old, family-run OBX motel), offer direct access to the beach (walk out your sliding glass door) and are worth the extra $$. Just a low-key OBX hotel, nothing fancy but definitely provides a value. Yes, this is not the Hilton or Ritz-Carlton -- but you aren't paying those prices either (at least not if you book through Hotwire). You're probably not going to be in the room that much, anyhow! read more

If you are expecting a beautiful five star resort with all the amenities, don't come here, and I mean that in the most honest and positive way, simply because not everyone wants that. This place was exactly what my boyfriend, dog, and I needed after it became too hot for us to camp with Ellie (our dog). We found this place on Expedia for a low price and booked at the last minute. So far every worker we've dealt with has been friendly and kind. Our room was clean when we got there and room service came the next morning to make our bed and give us clean towels. The beach is a 1 minute walk to the other side of the building with a beautiful view of the pier. The rooms amenities are a little outdated, but we personally don't care about those things. We had a working fridge, air conditioner, mini coffee pot and tv. The bed is comfy and the towels and sheets are clean. This motel seems to attracted friendly families and dog lovers I am always hesitant to stay at a motel because of their unsafe reputation, however, we never had any noise issues and were very happy with our stay. read more

If you're looking for affordable beach front and pet friendly this is your place, otherwise not so nice , tiny bathroom with tinier shower ,no micro wave ,it did have a little fridge,horrible TV reception thank god for wifi and Netflix ! The room was clean, the bedding was clean but the bed spread was threadbare and should have been tossed out, but it is right on the beach close to Jennett' s Pier and Cahoons store that has all needed supplies for fishing and food and drink to go with it ! My pups and I will go back and just deal with the not so nice room ! read more