Sanderling Resort

It’s a wonder that North Carolina’s Outer Banks haven’t been more heavily developed. The narrow chain of islands is home to one picture-perfect coastal scene after another — starkly beautiful beaches that go on for miles, sand-swept two-lane roads that wind along the shifting white dunes, quaint towns with a smattering of cafes and homey seafood restaurants. It’s like a softer, sandier version of Cape Cod, but with fewer tourists and a faint Southern accent. Though for the most part the islands remain the province of locals and second-home owners, the Sanderling is an exception. In fact it’s the lone exception — the only full-scale resort on the Outer Banks.

Set on a sixteen-acre sliver of a peninsula, with the crashing waves of the Atlantic on one side and placid Currituck Sound on the other, the Sanderling could likely have gotten by on its location alone. Thankfully, they’ve instead chosen to make the most of it. After an extensive 2013 renovation, the one-time hunting lodge emerged as a fresh, contemporary-looking hotel with a less masculine, more family-friendly feel. Light and space seem to be the primary materials, and the guest rooms pretty well define casual elegance — there’s nothing ostentatious or stuffy, but the comforts are all accounted for, from high-end linens and terry robes to spa-like bathrooms and big, sharp screens. Each room comes with a balcony for taking in the breezes off the sea or the sound.

Naturally, the full list of resort amenities is accounted for. A 6,000-square-foot waterside spa has all the requisite tools for busting stress. Three pools — one indoor, one adults-only, one for kids and families — offer a place to splash around (or paddle quietly) for swimmers of all stripes. An on-site activity center can set you up with everything from boogie board rentals to kite-boarding lessons. And the dining options run from the casual Sandbar, which handles the poolside deliveries and beach picnics, to the upscale Kimball’s Kitchen steakhouse, a reinterpretation of the old surf-and-turf concept.

At the end of the day, though, what makes it all work is the genuine feeling of warmth about the place. The service is casual and friendly, but never lax, and there are clever little touches like salt-water taffy at turn-down and free s’more kits to take to a bonfire. In short, it’s a full-scale resort with a friendlier face — a new look for the Outer Banks, but one that feels at home.