The Sanderling Resort & Spa Review

Upon our arrival, front desk staff was rude. The room itself was disappointing. Similar to a room at a chain hotel. No room service or housekeeping services which is expected during covid 19. However I d suggest nightly rates be adjusted accordingly. For anyone looking to stay in Duck or anywhere on the outer banks, I d recommend booking a house. This place was overpriced and an overall disappointment. My husband and I came here for our honeymoon amidst covid. Most resorts offer vouchers, discounts or upgrades for couples celebrating milestones. This place, nothing. We drove past the Hilton and Hampton in. These hotels were much nicer than what you get at Sanderling.

Food is delicious. Servers and all staff are amazing, professional, very good at their jobs. It is very expensive though; so go for something special.

Love, love the spa! Friendly staff clean facilities, awesome service options.

Food was good as was the Bar Tender. I really like that the bar offered Kill Devil Rum. Tuna was a tad overcooked.

Trying to talk with a sales agent, reservation agent, front desk personnel is virtually impossible and I did not appreciate continually being told to leave a message or go to the website when I have a confirmation number and want to make a simple change to an existing reservation.

Even though the weather didn't cooperate we had a good time. The restaurant and staff were great. Thanks for making our 25th anniversary special.

This is my idea of simple elegance. I have had the pleasure of staying there four times. I wanted to reply to someone who had missed the welcome basket of nice treats, even for breakfast. When I last visited, I ordered a basket for about $50.0 to be a gift for the three of us. Perhaps it wasn't gifted to you on this most recent trip. The baskets are special ordered amenities.
I have a question regarding the north
building, where I has stayed 3 times. It wasn't until the last visit that my guests and I discovered there isn't an elevator in the north building. I was so glad to be aware of that! Anyone who isn't able to climb stairs would be extremely disappointed if staying in the North Building on the second floor!
I did find the new dining area in the main building quite lovely.
I need to return to enjoy the redecorating throughout!

Everyone is so nice and the place is very clean. They have literally thought of everything for you!

We couldn't have asked a better environment! Everyone and everything was just total southern hospitality!

It's been years since our last visit. The experience was outstanding and brought back many great memories.

We were married here in 2012. Love the resort and the rooms offer fantastic views. Great hospitality and amenities.

Be careful if you stay and watch your charges. An employee charged an expensive breakfast to my room that I didn't have or charge.

Ehh. Maybe because of Covid but wasn't anything special to write home about.

We ate at the Lifesaving Station for breakfast one morning, and it was a delightful experience. Great food, great service, beautiful restaurant.

Location Location Location. Went to a wedding here. Very nice atmosphere. Food was excellent as well.

Food was great. 20 minute wait to sit down. Service was slow. Our waitress disappeared after she delivered our food. They couldn't properly separate our check. I would consider going back if I had nothing else to do all day.

Just visited friends who were staying here and it was so beautiful. Great amenities and gorgeous beach location.

I liked the proximity to the beach and the views of the ocean from my balcony.

Sanderling Resort is conveniently located in between Corolla and downtown duck. In this section of the northern Outer Banks the traffic remains very moderate compared to some of the other areas. The sanderling is known for its excellent cuisine and awesome amenities for catching the perfect rest and relaxation. It has indoor and outdoor pools condos as well as beautiful rental homes. I recommend the sanderling resort to all and everybody it truly is a jewel.

Good food. But I think $30 is a bit much for 4 shrimp and grits. Even if it is fancy.

Cool place, really nice for the older community. Everything closes at 10 and the onsite bar, not the rescue station, stops serving drinks at 6. They also do not lite the fire pits anymore due to safety reason so don't expect that.

We visited the Sanderling for a wedding during a hurricane. I'm sure the views would have been gorgeous if the weather cooperated, but the wedding was great either way. My only complaint was that the bathrooms were outside the reception area.

Winter is the best here. Went for a girls weekend in February of this year. The resort was a quiet area next to the beach. Our room was amazing and had a great view of the ocean. The service was great and everyone was very friendly.
The spa was our favorite part. From massages, steam rooms, a nice kitchen where you can relax and drink hot tea, or take a nap in their whisper rooms, or get your pedicure or manicure. It had everything a girl could ever need. Being your wallet though but it was worth every penny.
Thank you Sanderling for an amazing and relaxing stay. I WILL BE BACK.

Very clean rooms, newly renovated, beautiful views, and great staff

Very nice resort. They are remodeling in some areas. Mary Ann is the best masseuse on both sides of the Missippi!! I would highly recommend you request her. The spa was second to none.

OMG, THIS PLACE IS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!! Right on the water with a pool at a stone's throw!!

Best place I've ever been, think of anything you could want, and they have it. S'mores? They got it. Amazing view? They got it. A nice spa and gift shop? (that actually had things i would want to buy, which I did) They got it.

The beach is beautiful. They gave me chocolates, marshmallows and crackers so I could make smores. Very peaceful and quiet in the winter. Good if you want to get away from the crowd. Very dark too bring a flashlight.

Very over priced and you do not get your money s worth (500 a night). Sound view (sunset view) mostly overlooks parking lot which ruins the view. No room service which I understand is covid times but should reduce price. Also food wasn t very good (had a really bad breakfast at life saving station). Tea/coffee bar closed when advertised open on website. No coffee machine or microwave in room. room was very average for what you re paying (you could pay less at a chain hotel and get more).
Pros: nice beach access and pool/jacuzzi. Service friendly.
Overall stay was fine, but you don t get money s worth.

We booked a room at the sanderling for Labor day weekend. We so looked forward to the sun and relaxation that we both needed. Then the news that a tropical storm was headed to the outer banks. I called the Sanderling 3 times and was told that it was business as usual and could not cancel without losing 975.00 that had been paid for the 2 days we booked. We loaded up and went, I enjoyed spending time with my husband, but we were never able to use the pool, walk on the beach, or any of the wonderful things we had looked so forward to. Even the outlet shops were closed. The staff at the Sanderling were wonderful. I had booked a room next to the pool ( the adult pool ) never even had a chance to swim in it. We feel cheated because there was never a chance to use the items we paid for. We had to pay an extra $30.00 to cover cost of beach chairs, assistance with bags, etc. This is a nice place to stay, but I believe this was an example of very poor customer service. We were so excited to find a place we could book for other places we may travel, because they have resorts all over the world. That will not happen now.

We chose to take advantage of a pre-season special on room pricing and it was a great deal. Reserve a nights' stay and get another for half price. We were a late arrival and were pleased to be so welcomed at check-in. Our room was upgraded from a king standard to king corner suite. That was a nice surprise. We had requested an oceanview room and it did not disappoint. The view was spectacular. The restaurant services that were available were delicious (it was off season). The staff at the desk and working the grounds were pleasant and polite. We were very impressed with this venue. We have some nice memories.

Beach was good saw some dolphins and crabs and pelicans

I enjoyed Sanderling's Spa services.
Wonderful experience, kind & attentive staff. Will absolutely return again.

Absolutely amazing! We went in the off season for my birthday and we had an amazing time! While sitting by the water, we even saw dolphins!! Definitely would recommend if you want a coastal getaway!

I had hoped for a better experience after having visited the resort so many times in the past. This year, I noticed a distinct decline in the overall appearance of the rooms and in the customer service. Our visit wasn't bad by any means, but just not up to the standard to which we had become accustomed. We stayed in the Beach House and the room we were in seemed unfinished, with several noticeable areas on the wall that appeared to have been patched but the touch up paint color did not match the rest of the wall. There was no closet in the room -- only a very small alcove already stuffed with the ironing board, guest robes and only a few hangers. Luckily I did not have things that needed to be hung up. The usually nice bathroom was inefficient with no room to place belongings. And the bed had a lumpy mattress that had indents and was very uncomfortable. As far as service, the two times we went to the outdoor bar, we were met with a very unfriendly bartender who made us feel like we were putting her out with our simple requests. Breakfast and dinner in the Life Saving station was very good though.
Disappointed -- not sure if we will try it again.

Wonderful rooms with a balcony that w could see the sound and the ocean from!

we had a BLAST!! great service,great food, and friendly staff. just wonderful.i give you 5 stars!!! i will highly suggest sanderling as a vacation spot and we plan to return in the future.

We went to the Life Saving Station restaurant. Great food and great staff. Nice atmosphere

Even in the off season, the Sanderling is amazing. All of the staff were welcoming and accommodating. My husband and I came here for a short honeymoon, and they congratulated us at check-in. We decided we wanted to be lazy for an afternoon and we were able to check out a complimentary blu-ray player. We also visited the spa and had a couples massage, which was excellent. The spa was super clean, and everything was set up for maximum comfort and relaxation. I wish I could visit everyday.

We ate at the Lifesaving Station twice - dinner and breakfast. Both were fantastic, but breakfast is a must-have for anyone staying at the resort. The Beach Bar was also great. We probably had a few too many drinks there, but all were made well, and the bartender was friendly. It was nice to be withinh walking distance from our room so we didn't need to worry about driving. It was chilly outside, but they light huge fire pits at night, which not only made it bearable but enjoyable to sit outside.

Enjoyed the Survival Station after a long walk on the beach.

Had a lovely time, and the location is phenomenal. That said, the price tag implies a 5 star resort experience and that is not what one will find at the Sanderling. Attention to detail is key and that seems to be what was missing for us. Though all were minor inconveniences easily tolerable at a roadside hotel, they should be non-issues at a resort-caliber establishment: Chipped soap dishes, hooks falling off the wall, no USB ports built into rooms, no glass/cups by the bathroom sink for oral care, sandy stairwells, and no water of any kind available at the fitness center. I understand it's standard practice these days not to clean rooms during guest stays because of COVID, but I don't understand or condone it-a freshly made bed and fresh towels should be a daily experience no matter the precautions.
Our 3 meals at the Lifesaving Station Restaurant were fantastic and our server Sandy at dinner was beyond exceptional.

Decent food. Nothing special. Nice atmosphere. Friendly staff.

Way over priced for what you get. 3 stars at best. Service is good but other than that extremely over priced.

Spent a few days. Beautiful resort too bad we are in the middle of a pandemic. Staff was great, room was very cozy. Walk on the beach most relaxing. Sunsets were beautiful!!

Great resort, 2 fire pits and an adults only pool with a separate kids pool.

Ate breakfast at the lifesaving station restaurant and it was delicious!

Rooms are very disappointing, no room service which is fine but I shouldn't be paying $535 a night for that. Hotel balcony was always full of dirt and bugs. Also, we told them we were on our honeymoon when making the reservation and they said they would make it extra special and have something for us- nothing. Not that it matters, just adding to why my review is low. Food at beach bar is good so was breakfast.

Beautiful location, occasional superb service, sometimes poor. Staff inconsistent.

If I could give a zero star I would. Came here for our wedding anniversary and they put us in a room with a balcony directly in front of the bathrooms above the bar. If they would have told us that this was our only option besides a basement room that smells like a basement and a room under maintenance, we wouldn't have wasted the money. This has ruined our first anniversary that we won't get back. They offered to comp future stays, but there will be no future stay. They also said we got a discount on our room, but we didn't see any kind of discount on our confirmation for the room. We expected so much more, and now we have the image of a bar bathroom for our first wedding anniversary.

Enjoyed a nice massage at the spa, I would highly recommend

My sister had a wedding there recently in which Debbie, the wedding coordinator was in charge of. We decided not to go with the $2000 cake that the Sanderling wanted us to spend, so my sister went to a baker elsewhere that was more affordable. The night of the wedding, I had noticed the cake was not served. I asked many servers who told me it was coming. Twenty minutes before the night was over the cake was not served and I heard through another guest that when they asked the kitchen, a server had told them that "the cake could not be served because it was not up to the Sanderling's Standards". Debbie and the kitchen staff made the decision not to serve the cake without speaking to anyone in the family. Right before the wedding ended, I was told the same comment by a server and demanded to speak to Debbie, who for the whole night was nowhere to be found . Instead I spoke to her assistant who told us the cake was "chemical tasting" and they did not want to serve it. At this point in the night it was too late anyways. Either way, the next day we found out that the bride/groom and twenty other people had the cake and loved it. The bakers baked four other cakes that day to which everyone loved at those weddings. The Sanderling never asked anyone who paid for the cake to pull it. It was not their decision. My family is now out $800. The Sanderling is refusing to budge. Debbie also dropped the ball on many other things that night. She hid a flip flop basket under the guest table the whole night that the guests were going to use for dancing and also told us she would have the bridal suite cleaned by the time they came up, which never happened. The Sanderling is not worth the money to have a wedding there and Debbie does not do her job the way she should for a bride on a special day.

We booked a room for a wedding we were attending. Then we had an emergency with one of our dogs. She had to have emergency surgery so needless to say we missed the wedding and had to cancel our trip. We called to cancel our room and were told we would receive no refund of any kind nor a credit of any kind. We were also told a manager would be calling us to discuss any kind of repayment that could be worked out. No one ever called. I have stayed here a number of times in the past but because of this I will never go back and will use the new duck country club hotel instead. You have lost a loyal customer for life Sanderling but simply not doing what you said you would. Also no where does you site or conformation email say all money's will be forfeited. It says may be which to me means if there is sufficient reason something can and will be worked out. Very sad to see you go from my life and I will continue to spread the word about this.

Fantastic stay. Spa was excellent, morning breakfasts at the Life Saving Station were well prepared and ample, and our ocean view room was fantastic.

I enjoyed a day at the spa with a couple of friends. We had massages and pedicures. We enjoyed lunch in the solarium and mimosas on the back deck. It was a perfect day. The facility is beautiful and the staff and technicians were wonderful to us.

Had a fantastic evening and dinner with family and friends. Wait staff was great even with the holiday crowds. Food was also exceptional.

went to private event here. was nice and good food but i believe some things were incorrectly promised

The Sanderling is a beautiful resort, ideally located on the Outer Banks, truly a five star accommodation! The reason I gave it 4 stars is specifically for professional events that want to be held there annually. They will present an ideal location with the amenities you want, and fulfill your requirements perfectly, but not be upfront about scheduling for the next event. Our attendees enjoyed staying there, the rooms were perfect, the staff met every expectation, and the food/activities were most enjoyable, but we will not hold another event there.

I would say this is the perfect beach resort. Food at restaurant is great. Room service wonderful. Beach house feels like a home. We ve been coming since 2014. Only thing I d say that is negative is the beach by the water has a steep Dropoff. Not idea for little children and there is no lifeguard on duty (there should be!!). However, due to it being listed as one of Southern Living s Best Hotels of the South, the prices are now outrageous! Because of its extremely high room rates, we ve been priced out of our favorite vacation spot. And the prices quoted were for midweek!

Front desk, bellmen, and all the personnel are really nice. WiFi works great throughout the resort, smores bonfire experience was great, swimming pools and jacuzzi for adults and children, beach access, beach house, north/south wing buildings have much to offer (lobby areas, etc..).

Food was good. A little expensive for what it was. They only had one waiter on duty, so our large group took a long time to serve.

Fantastic... My vacation... Expensive but worth it...... The tranquility pool is awesome!!

Got a spa treatment and spent some time at the SandBar. Both were wonderful.

Beautiful. Pleanty of amenities and the off season staff are so nice.

Only stopped here to eat at the Lifesaving Station, but it not only was the only decent restaurant we could find in the off season, but an absolutely incredible dining experience. The food was phenomenal and the service was exquisite. It was an actual dining experience which is hard to come by these days... each course, from appetizer to salad to entree, was well-timed and eloquently presented. I had the grilled chicken sandwich on foccocia with melted brie, walnuts, grapes and apples, and I can imagine it would be a great beach lunch. The duck confitte and truffle oil fries were unbelievably wonderful. My friend had the grilled cheese and pork belly and loved it too. We were there around 1pm on a Sunday. They have a full bar with fabulous options and knowledgeable staff that truly take pride in their work.

Very nice place, great views, clean and modern rooms. The staff is friendly and helpful.

The reason they didn't get 5 stars it's that basically every meal that we had at the resort had something wrong with it. Missing a side, forgot to include sauce, waitress couldn't understand their own ordering form, etc. They were quick to offer apologies and did their best to fix the issues. However, when you are paying this much for a room it is hard to justify that many mistakes.

Had dinner at The Lifesaving Station. The flounder was cooked perfectly, and the duck waffle fries were amazing. I loved the upscale ambience, however, some background music would be nice. The price was fair for the quality of the dishes. Staff was welcoming and attentive. Definitely one of the nicer dinners I've had in the OBX.

My husband and I were married here in 2014 and return every year. The staff is very attentive and pleasant. If you want luxury on the OBX, this is the place to stay! The on-site dining is unbeatable. Everything about this resort is pricey, but you definitely get what you pay for!

A amazing resort with the best restaurant on the beach the chef Dave Moore offers five star chef service very satisfied and impressed

Large, relaxing resort, with two restaurants, a bar and two pools to relax by. Above average rooms and friendly staff.

We got booked through Travelocity and got a Great Price. The room a king suite in beach house...very nice. Spacious room with balcony. We had a smores kit in room for the fire pit. We received 20 % off their restaurant. Tuna was outstanding. Not only would we recommend this place but probably will return.

Had such a wonderful time at this resort this weekend. Large comfortable rooms, the staff was wonderful--great service--especially from Sunny working the front desk and the gentlemen with the Caribbean accent. Can't wait to return!