The Roanoke Island Inn — Hotel in Manteo

The Roanoke Island Inn is a lovely place. The setting is beautiful. The shared areas are perfect. The room was fairly large with only minor issues. So, why the 3-star rating? Oddly, the SAFETY of the guests. Winding stairs are hazardous. Winding stairs with poor lighting, poor delineation and sub-standard features are inexcusable. To access rooms 4-8, guests must maneuver up a narrow winding staircase that has six treads that are nearly reduced to zero inches in width on the inside. On the wider, outside of the stair, there is a lack of a railing for part of the climb/descent. Carrying luggage makes the traverse frightening and passing someone is impossible to do safely. Please see the photos with 3' (indicating one example of the approx. height covered with virtually no tread-width) and numbers 1-10 (indicating the huge elevation change where six of the ten treads are unexpectedly unusable on one side). There are also two winding stairs that guests of ALL rooms must traverse. These involve four steps/five levels in the breezeway area which are poorly lit making it very difficult to discern the location of the tread "noses". Please see the photos with the numbers 1-5 shown (indicating levels). You can barely see the individual odd-shaped stairs and may easily mistake one level for part of another. If you are elderly or have small children and are a guest at RII, please be aware of these hazards and don't forget to be diligent EVERY TIME you use these stairs during your stay. To the owner, please, minimally, put some sort of dilineators on the front edge of the treads. Also, please add lighting which would draw your guests' attention to the odd-shaped treads. Consider additional hand rails and/or...

A Perfect Stay at Roanoke Island Inn. We recently had the pleasure of staying at Roanoke Island Inn in Manteo, NC. Btw, all of the other 5-star reviews are correct! It was an absolutely wonderful experience from start to finish. From the moment we arrived, our host Lee made us feel right at home with his warm hospitality, attention to detail and stories about island life and the Wright Brothers Memorial in Kitty Hawk. The entire atmosphere of the Inn is so welcoming, and we felt comfortable and relaxed throughout our stay.

The rooms were spotless, well stocked, and had everything we needed for a great stay. We especially loved the beautiful grounds, which offer plenty of outdoor space to unwind. The Koi Pond with rocking chairs was a nice feature. The rocking chairs on the porches, with a view of the harbor and old lighthouse, were the perfect spot to sip our morning coffee or simply enjoy the scenery.

Breakfast was delicious and thoughtfully prepared, giving us a great start to each day. It included nice conversation with other guests and our host Lee. The location is ideal – just a short walk to historic downtown Manteo with its charming shops, restaurants, and museums, yet the Inn still offers a peaceful, quiet retreat. If you want to hit the beaches, it’s only a 10-minute drive over to Nags Head.

Overall, we had an unforgettable time and are already looking forward to our next visit. The Roanoke Island Inn is truly a gem, and we highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, relaxing, welcoming stay in Manteo....

Had a great stay for a weekend in their bungalow. It is a very convenient location just outside of downtown Manteo. There are several parking spots on property and ample and convenient street parking just outside. The hosts are very friendly and happy to provide suggestions of things to do and answer any questions you may have.

The two things that really stand out about this place are the garden area and the amenities. There are plenty of places to relax around the koi pond or under the gazebo. You may also enjoy the view from the second floor porch. There are lots of books and game available for rainy days and bikes for when it is sunny. They also provide all type of snacks and drinks for guest to enjoy at any time. Our room was charming. It had a very nice deep soak tub and a small kitchen area with a sink and refrigerator (microwave is located in the lobby).

My only criticisms are that the lighting throughout the bungalow, with the exception of the kitchen, is somewhat dim and the air conditioning (wall units) might not be up to some people's standards. I wish the bathroom, especially, had more light. I found the air conditioners to be sufficient, but took some toying with and getting used to. I think they would really struggle during a heat wave. Also, the bungalow has little to no wifi signal, but that was clearly stated during the booking process and mentioned when...