Shell Island Resort

We booked Shell Island for our wedding venue. The location is AMAZING. They have a beautiful space for a wedding, and we could not have be happier to celebrate our special day there. We love that all the rooms are ocean front rooms. The staff is very friendly and helpful. We will be coming back yearly to celebrate our anniversary.

We love staying here. All of the rooms have a beautiful ocean view! Its far enough away from the hustle of WB but still technically wrightsville (obviously). The walk down to the ocean is a short walk. The parking in relation to the rooms are also a short walk. The indoor pool is heated and was great. This hotel is not like the big cheesy monstrosities like youd see in myrtle beach--- its nice, elegant, quiet, and an escape from the touristy side of the beach. We love Shell Island Resort!

Room 716 is in a very bad shape. I took my wife to enjoy her off day from work, Dec 20'th, and unfortunately, the room ruined the experience. The heating unit did not work. When I complained to the front desk staff, their solution was to give us a small portable heater that we had to move from one room to another throughout our stay. The couch was filthy with visible stains; my wife refused to sit on it. Our mattress was obviously very old and overly used to the point of expiration; it had a concave shape; I was too scared to see what under the sheets may have revealed. The stove was not functional. That bathrooms were filthy. The entire room was dirty and dated. There was a "picture note" from the owners of the unit asking to treat their place with care and love! I suggest that maybe they could use their own advice. They obviously did not care about their own place, but they were happy to take our money, though!. Shell Island is not a resort. It is a run-down hotel. It is a shame considering the amazing ocean front view. What an embarrassment this was in front of my beautiful wife. Stay away if you could!!

Had an overwhelming day and needed to get away. This was a perfect spot for solitude and peace. The suite has an entire wall of ocean view, so I just left the curtains open and the sliding door and watched and listened to the waves for a couple days. Sometimes I sat out on the little balcony, but mostly just enjoyed the peace from the room itself. My room was on the 7th of 9 floors. The beach is within walking distance, so bring your lawn chair or towel and enjoy, like I did. If you're expecting the most modern of amenities, this may not be your speed--regular coffee maker with carafe, my extra bed in the living area was a pull down bed from within the wall with recessed touch lighting. The plumbing fixtures in the kitchen were also a bit dated but generally worked--filtered water dispenser on the left that came out with pretty low pressure, spray nozzle on the right with the same--but it worked for me. The television in the main room had streaming service options (Prime Video, Netflix etc) but not in the bedroom. I loved that there was an actual bathtub because I needed that calming soak! It IS a resort, not hotel, so make sure you bring what you need--lotion was not available, only the little shampoo/conditioner combo and a small hand soap in each bathroom. There are dishes and cooking supplies, but also restaurant options on site and within a quick drive. I had on site breakfast and the restaurant was a good. Sorry I didn't take a pic of that wonderful omelette. Leave the waffle alone though...

Shell Island Resort has a great location with beautiful views and easy beach access. The staff were friendly, and the overall property was nice, but the room wasn’t as clean as expected, especially considering the price per night. The biggest disappointment was the gym; the equipment was very old and limited, and the dumbbells weren’t even matching weights, making it hard to get any kind of real workout. For the cost, I expected better upkeep and amenities. Overall, the stay was decent, but the resort could use some updates and improvements.

I scheduled Shell Island Resort for a three-day retreat ... walks on the beach, room service, perhaps a meal downstairs in the restaurant, all in a nice setting. Ooops. While the website says there is room service and a restaurant, the restaurant serves a low-quality breakfast only. I had the same breakfast burrito at the tiny concession stand in the tiny Green Bay, WI airport. No other meals. The server was the only employee I met there who understood customer care. He was positive and attentive. So, no retreat for me. I stayed from Sunday afternoon until Wednesday morning. Housekeeping never set foot in my space. No trash removal. No removal of used towels. No coffee replenishment. I got coffee and filters for myself at the front desk from folks who were doing their jobs and nothing more .. no smiles, no questions about my stay, no questions about whether I needed anything else. When I went asked how to change the thermostat in my room, I was told to hold the plus sign down until the thermostat changed. I would still be standing there. Perhaps there were better instructions on the brass plate above the thermostat. It was on the wall at the edge of the ceiling. As for the little things... the folding door in the living room closet was too big for its space. That closet held two cans of paint. The dishes were mismatched. The under-the-counter refrigerator had a freezer compartment that thawed and dripped into the refrigerator. There were two controls for the TV but no instructions as to what they were for. I did not figure out the second one. In fact, the room came with only a single sheet of instructions handed out at registration, not the usual binder or folder of information and instructions. The computer in the business center was so slow that it should have been replaced 5 years ago. On the positive side, the beach at Wrightsville Beach is fabulous and I was fortunate to have great weather. Some things the hotel cannot screw up.

We were in town for a funeral and decided to get 24 hours of beach in. We reserved the King Suite. It was basically an apartment with a bedroom, bath & a half, kitchen, eating area and sitting area. A sliding door opened up to balcony with 2 chairs and a great view of the beach and pool. The bed was comfortable but the fitted sheet wasn’t large enough so popped up at all 4 corners. The desk staff were very friendly and helpful. We ate in the restaurant for supper, enjoying the food and service. Having a parking deck was great with the scorching heat. It was a much too short, but very relaxing stay.

Just got home from one night stay with my wife at the Shell Island Resort, very disappointed ... I've been there 18 years ago during a team building dinner with a prestigious company in Wilmington that I used to work for ... I was very impressed at the time, and I told myself that I would definitely come and stay there when I got the opportunity to visit ... there we were on December 12th (2025), very disappointed ... it is now an rundown hotel (although they call it resort, hahaha) ... such a great location, but the place is old and our room was filthy (the sofa was filled with dog's hair and stuff ... shower was very poor, curtains were very dirty, etc. ... although they were repainting the outside at this time, but that would not be enough... definitely need a complete renovation to be presentable ... we had a great time at the beach, but (honestly) we would not recommend this place to anyone ... front desk staffs were also not friendly at all!

Well. One of the reasons that Shell Island Resort is so special to us is its solitude - the hotel is at the very end of Wilmington Beach on the Atlantic Ocean. (Getting here on the main narrow road - which ends right at the Resort - you'd be lucky to see cars, let alone traffic. Now, this means: quiet! I mean delightedly quiet. Now, this doesn't mean that this establishment is not popular. In especially holiday times. We are so fortunate to stay here off-season! We have been coming here to celebrate our anniversary for years. It is uniquely "away" though, ironically, easily accessible to other places of interest and need! We've found a plethora of activities in this amazing area: sight seeing, shoreline hiking, for-hire water excursions and rent-for-a-day bikes, boats, sailing and other ocean/canal equipment, and so much more! Obviously, Wrightsville Beach is ON THE ATLANTIC OCEAN! BEACH SPORTS and equipment are rental available. (We ecomimically advise you to bring folding chairs and other beach use friendly goodies with you). There are kitchenettes in each unit! Hurray! That said, many different kinds of restaurants surround this area for every pocketbook (yea!) and the town of Wilmington itself is tourist friendly and is certainly not far away. Oh. Back to the Resort! EVERY ROOM FACES THE OCEAN! I think it's amazing other hotels have not thought of this magical formula to get more guests! No matter your budget, no matter the floor you are on, you will face the Atlantic Ocean. In the morning, you will see the sunrise in all its glory from each room! Now ... how good is THAT? The resort has a an exercise room; a hot tub (outside) huge outdoor swimming pool and a covered heated pool inside. And !!! It has a small, satisfying restaurant in hours. Yes, there is a bar as well. Guess you may surmise, from our joy coming here all these years in a row, SHELL ISLAND RESORT is its own welcoming 'home'! If you've read other reviews, you will know that a few others have not been as excited as we have in our years visiting here. It should be noted the Suites have been thoroughly updated and not 'old' or 'filthy' as mentioned in earlier reviews! That said, there's never been a unit that we have rented here that hasn't been exceptional or at the least more than adequate . Our multiple experiences here gives us the experiential intuition that whatever might be lacking in an individual unit - for any reason - the management wouldn't be easily accessible and professionally prepared to address any issues!

1. The room was filthy and the couch look liked it had been in a frat house- when we unfolded it, there was food crumbs and debris all over it- super gross, we cleaned it and we are not the kind of people to make a fuss. We had to clean the dishes before use. 2. The ceiling in the bedroom started leaking on us and on our clothes, when I called the front desk to report, the receptionist responded with- can it wait until morning? She then made up an excuse as to why she couldn't move us - said something about a third party- I said no, we always book straight from your website as we have stayed here before. Note- I paid for an upgraded room- there are three tiers of room- I couldn't imagine how bad the low grade room was if my upgraded room was so dirty. It looked like someone put up new tile in the kitchen and bathroom and called it a remodel. The walls were so dirty that you could see where the bed is to set against the other wall. 3. The rude receptionist finally realized she had been caught in a lie and moved us to a new room . Guess what? It was cleaner and had newer couches and chairs. The funny part- I paid extra for a newer remodeled room , which should have been this in the first place.They appear to be cheating people out of money by using this newer room sham. 4, When packing to move rooms at 1:00am in the morning, we noticed the bathroom sink had a leak as well. Day shift and fix it guy was super nice 5. Mass amount of police out front- I mean a slew of them out front. I'm not sure what was going on , but the whole place feels greasy. I paid $400 a night- the location is lovely but the building is just not well kept at all and I'm not super picky. The worst part was the rude evening lady receptionist- I could have dealt with everything else but that was the icing on the cake. Sad because I wanted this to be a nice weekend for my mom and family. My dad had passed away this past spring and the trip was meant to be peaceful and restorative.

I attended a conference here this spring. Each room faces the beach and has a balcony or patio. It is older, but updated and well-kept. This room had a small, but full size fridge. Next year(cause, I am coming back) I hope to get the same room. I don't have any complaints except that I didn't stay longer.

Traveled there to attend a friend's wedding last month and it was a very disappointing experience for multiple reasons. We had to switch rooms when we checked in because of the smell and the condition of the beds and overall uncleanliness. The second room wasn't any better if not worse. There were random holes in the wall and just gross vibes all around. Room also had bugs and food from past guests in the couch and seat cushions. We should have known from the second we stepped into the elevator that had paint peeling off the walls that it probably wasn't a resort that put care into anything. Another review made a comment about the way the bedroom location was set up and how people in the hallway could see into their bedroom because the curtains didn't cover the windows which was the absolute truth. We just couldn't wait to check out. Other friends shared the same experience so apparently our experience was the norm and not the exception. Strongly recommend anyone considering Wrightsville Beach as a destination to check out other hotels.

short review, great location. ocean front. otherwise, the place is old, dirty, depressing.

From the moment you walk into the lobby This place is a mess and it smells Outdated and not cared for Old and not renovated Dirty elevators The clock in the mini living are is wrong..just saying some details matter to some people AC vents are dirty The room: it smells it's outdated the blinds the furniture all of it The kitchen counter dirty upon check in no hot water kettle Not a single bottle of water in the room Nothing! One coffee pack and one filter enough for one cup The curtains in bedroom no long enough to cover the blinds / window So light creeps in from hallways Whoever peeks in from hallway can see you laying in bed Also beds are midgets too short too small WiFi ....it's simply terrible Toilet seat busted upon check in we did call for maintenance or front desk this place is beyond calling maintenance no use no need and don't even bother. We don't use the jacuzzi outside but it looks dirty yellow in color. For what this place is charging it's a rip off a total rip off No beach chairs or lounges or umbrellas This is pretty much a 2 at best that's is in rough shape but charging $300 a night plus taxes & resort fees ‍‍ Stay somewhere else book somewhere else. Not a chance on earth that we would return here. This property is not worth more than $129.99 a night and still I would not return even if it's free. This true precise review shall be a wake up call to management and owners ( you should not be in business )

WOW, this was supposed to be one of the best hotels out here but boy were we fooled by the creative photos!! This place is not what's being depicted online. Not knowing anything about this area as we are visiting for the first time we wanted a nice posh and comfortable place to stay all of which this is not. The beds should have been changed 30yrs ago, the sinks don't drain properly, the doors are hallow core and don't close properly as they are not framed properly, the exterior doors all slam so that's all you hear all day and night, it's very annoying and makes it difficult to sleep. This hotel should be relabeled as a 2 star motel at best. Sofa bed for the kids looked like they got it at the Goodwill, janky and stained all over the 2" thick mattress... This place screams "Tear me down".. probably the worst hotel we have stayed at in 30yrs, and mind you this place is NOT cheap, we did not price shop, we simply wanted a nice stay which we didn't get. We are unfortunately stuck here for 5 days..

Problems: Pool needed cleaning, towels everywhere with spiders, bugs; sheets dingy, iron rusty, light bulb blown out, toilet ran all night, blow dryer was full of lint, customer service average, few complimentary, not a resort standard.

Photos are posted in this review. Our room was dirty. There was dirt and dust lots of it under the beds. The pull out couch had food and crackers under it. The floors were filthy. The kitchen sink and dish drainer were filthy. Sinks in bathroom had crust and grime around faucets. The air vents were dirty. The water smelled like rotten eggs. We did not drink it. There was large amounts of water in the hallways with no caution signs. That's dangerous. Other guests we spoke with had similar remarks. I emailed the general manager about these concerns. There was no response. We were planning to have a large family event here. Not now that would be horrible and embarrassing. There are plenty of other hotels with ocean views on Wrightsville Beach. We will return...just not here.

We decided to go for a Christmas vacation at Wrightsville Beach. Shell Island Resort is a little less expensive than some of the other hotels so we stayed there in room 205. I called the hotel and they told me that the online reservations usually did not include parking. I preferred a complete price so I went with the hotel directly. I did not pay attention to what I reserved to be quite honest and was happy to see that it is more of a suite than a hotel room. We had a kitchenette, a couch/bed fold-out, two full beds, and a direct ocean front room with a balcony. I called some other places and they were essentially hotels with a couple of beds for the same price or higher...except they were not ocean front for anywhere near the same price. There are some minor touches that we appreciated like the heated stairwells and the heating vents really blasted in the bathrooms so when we got out of the shower, we were really warmed which was much appreciated for the winter. Some reviewers mentioned that Shell Island had rooms more like a motel; that was not my experience. There were a few rust spots on the shower rod, but nothing major. I paid for a "deluxe" room which was around $30 more for the four days. As I wrote, I did not pay much attention during the reservation, I just heard there were three choices based on which units were upgraded and I chose the middle tier, which is the "deluxe." I had no trouble with toilets, showers, etc. We went to the front desk and they provided us with more towels and toilet paper. I do not really want a maid coming around as we like to be left alone. We were happy with the unit, in particular the balcony and the floor to ceiling windows which showcased the ocean. The employees were friendly and they had fruit, breakfast bars, and coffee when the restaurant was closed for the Christmas holidays. Our children used the fitness room. They could use a few more choices in there like more dumbbells, and maybe another stationary bike. Coffee in the lobby at all times would be appreciated as well. The main selling point of this condotel is the view and the proximity to the beach. We really did not have to walk far and we were right on the beach.

Lipstick on a pig, this place is dirty. Don't plan on using the "drip" coffee pot in the room. Sticky tabletops and stained furniture. For a resort at these prices this place is way below the standards. Not 100% wheelchair chair friendly. We had 1 meal at the restaurant which as expected was gross. Undercooked chicken tenders, fish tacos missing ingredients covered in kraft parmesan cheese with a server focused on everything but the customers.

Most amazing view! And the best customer service the GM And sissy greeted us with the biggest smiles and most friendly faces we will definitely be back! 10/10

Like other reviewers have mentioned this "resort" could use a serious remodel. The amenities are subpar, the furnishings look like something you would find at a Goodwill and the water smells like sulfur. It is basically a overpriced Motel 6 with a spectacular view. The staff (especially Rachel) are very kind and accommodating.

Don't rent rm 409. Not a bad hotel but many units are also owner units. Hotel staff couldn't be bothered to answer any questions, 1 towel per person, no wine opener in kitchen and 3 glasses. Small pool and by 12 we we told no beach towels. TV kept freezing and internet slow. No decorations and cheap dishes. Lights in the kitchen flicker. However it is rated a 3 star so maybe appropriate. The view from kitchen is amazing and the beach is wonderful. Small pool and limited chairs but we stayed when it wasn't busy so no issue. I would recommend renting directly through hotel!

This spot is all about location, but unfortunately needs some work. We visited over a 3-day weekend in January. We expected the indoor pool to be useable, but both the water temp and air temp was too cold to be enjoyable. Staff said the indoor pool was usually 87 degrees, but it was struggling to keep up with the cold weather outside. The outdoor hot tub was also more like a warm bath, not at hot tub temps. So we didn't use that either. The view from our room on the second floor was really pretty with floor to ceiling windows. However, our room needed a few repairs, one of the bathroom sinks wouldn't turn off properly, and you had to get the handle in just the right position or you'd be wasting a ton of water. Our exterior door was also in need of repair. You had to slam it so hard when leaving otherwise the locking mechanism wouldn't connect and you could just push the door open. A few of the towels didn't seem super clean. I found a gross hair on one of them and a stain on the other. The restaurant wasn't open. The covid waiver we signed upon check in made it seem like it was due to covid but the staff said it was closed for maintenance. The bar was open during afternoon/early evening hours and they made a nice rum cocktail for us.

Shell Island is NOT a resort. Very much in disrepair. We have been staying here for 40 years. We won't be back. Especially unit #607. I am grossed out completely. Motel 6 looks like a 4 star hotel next to this room. ​

I made the reservation in a short time-frame. After making the reservation, I saw some negative reviews on yelp about cleanliness so I called the resort to ask about their cleanliness and told them I'm a stage 4 cancer patient on chemo so I need to know it's going to be super clean. I was advised their rooms are deeply cleaned and immaculate. So we stuck with this reservation. When we got there, the first thing we did was to look around the room, including opening the sheets to check the bedding. One bed had what looked like a pee stain and something brown on the sheet. We called the front desk and they sent someone up to change the bedding. Although we were grossed out by the shower and some other small things, we decided to stay. Apparently, they only changed the sheet because the next morning one of the pillows that hadn't been slept on got flipped over and had what looked like snot wiped all over it. Once we saw that, she went to the front desk with the pillow and they apologized although it didn't seem very genuine. After some discussion, they finally agreed to refund one night of our 2 night stay as long as we left right away. We started packing immediately and housekeeping was knocking on the door trying to get in before we could even get out. They didn't have beach towels available when we tried to get them. The restaurant wasn't open on Wednesday when we got there...so the $25 a day resort fee seems exorbitant for us to checkin and walk on the beach. The unclean conditions wouldn't be so bad if it was a $100 a night room...although it's never acceptable. The room was $250 a night because we did book the premier room that they say is fully upgraded. I think that just meant it had some new flooring and new counters because everything else was old and the shower floor was totally disgusting. Water fixtures are stained. We hand washed any dishes we used based on everything else we'd seen although the water has such a strong sulfur smell that it's hard to think of it as clean. I'm familiar with the smell being more common in beach areas but not to the extent it was here. It's just overall a dirty environment. There's also barely any lighting in the "living" area. There's one small lamp that has to be turned on/off on the wall lamp and then make your way back through a dark room. It's such a shame too because the hotel could be a wonderful establishment with its location and just a little upgrading and a LOT of elbow grease. Even the elevator floor and walls were dirty and stained...both days so it's not something they clean regularly. Since the front side of the hotel is marshy land, the mosquitos were horrible. I didn't expect that so early in April and based on my recent stay on Emerald Isle with absolutely no mosquitos. There aren't screen doors on the sliding glass doors so if you want to enjoy the ocean waves inside the room, you'll be sharing with a LOT of mosquitos sadly. Bird poop was all over the patio and chair/table outside the room. Lastly, there's not good insulation so you hear so many sounds from the other rooms, especially the one above us with a small child jumping, yelling, stomping and screaming. I called the front desk and was told they'd let the manager know. I have to assume they didn't address it because it continued on into the night. So the entire stay was very disappointing, disgusting and I'll never return...unless it changes management and they actually clean the entire hotel from top to bottom. I know they call it a resort but it's definitely more of a motel than a hotel even. So they refunded one night but we ended up only staying the first night and leaving the next afternoon when we found that disgusting pillow. You would think they would recognize the seriousness of the issue and make some additional concessions or make you feel like they take your concerns seriously. There was none of that. I can handle basic as long as it's clean and sanitary....and I'm not paying premium prices. Pictures are attached of some of the dirty elevator, room and the disgusting bed mess.

This hotel needs a serious update! Looks as if nothing has been done for many years. Great location could be a wonderful resort with some improvements.

This resort is located on the water with a great view of the beach. It is about a ten minute drive to several restaurants in the area. However the resort is old. The particular room that I stayed in did have updated flooring in the sitting area. I am assuming that they painted portions of the room at some point since there was a can of paint in the closet. The water in the shower did not drain properly, there were dead bugs on the floor near the windows in the sitting area and there was a large amount of dust on the window blinds. During my visit I found out that each room has different owners and some rooms may not have irons in them. The front desk does not have an iron to provide if that is the case. There is a gym with some equipment and weights even though some sets were not complete. The resort also has an indoor and outdoor pool and hot tub. We ate at the resort for dinner and the food wasn't bad. The resort staff was kind.

The rooms are dirty. The chairs were covered in sand and the pull out bed looked like it was falling apart. The restaurant in the hotel is awful as well.

Spent May and September here. All the problems addressed in May never fixed in five months. Returned in September still same problem. Hot tub didn't work, all ice machines down, over come by 50 teens not even staying there, when asked about it , we are short staff and laugh about it. Always supported it and run down.

Please disregard my application for this so-called "employment." I arrived expecting an interview, only to be told I'd just be filling out an application. Had I known this, I would have been better prepared. I value my time, and I expect others to be upfront and straightforward with me, but you failed to do so. You wasted my time. I rode my bike 20 minutes to get there, expecting an actual interview, not this nonsense.That is not how you conduct business I spoke with the front desk and told them I was here for an interview for hotel housekeeping. They arrogantly told me you were "done for the day" or "wrapping up," but I made it clear my interview was at 3:30 PM. I told them I was supposed to be here, yet they still insisted I was wrong. Completely unprofessional. I take this as racial discrimination from the front desk and I will be making a complaint with the EEOC.

My boyfriend and I had a phenomenal time here. We stayed 4 nights. We booked on their website with ease. Everything went smoothly. Not one complaint. We, and other guests we spoke to, are still wondering why there are bad reviews. It's the beach! It's not a 5 star Sandals resort. It's older, yes. But you really can't beat this deal We checked in early with no problem. We were given a parking pass. They have a parking garage and a parking lot. Never had issues with parking. Always spaces available. The views were amazing from our balcony. I recommend higher floors or rooms closer the end unit. I say this because of the pool being in the center. We were able to see dolphins from our balcony! We kept the door open while we cooked breakfast and drank coffee on our balcony. They provide unlimited coffee for us. The kitchenette was perfect. It had 2 burners on top and it was equipped with all of our cooking needs, pots, pans, cutting board, soap, etc. The bathroom was equipped with 2 toilets! Haha and two sinks, divided by a door of course. I thought that was funny but also nice to have. I had my own bathroom and he had his to get ready in! The king sized bed was average. We both had nightstands and both had a stand to put our suitcases on. As a flight attendant, I appreciated that very much. Okay, for my favorite part. The beach! What I loved most about this is that we felt like we had our own private beach. Walk left to the hotel and you will feel like you're on a private beach. There is a bird sanctuary next to the hotel, so we saw lots of birds. It was so peaceful. The hotel is on the end of the island, so it was perfect. We saw people waiting in line for public parking to get to the beach (before our hotel)... so to have this type of access was well worth the price. The water of the ocean was clear, green & blue. We are from NC so we were shocked the ocean was this beautiful. The people at the front desk couldn't have been more friendly. From the customer service reps to the management. Every morning, we saw employees cleaning the pool area. So they def keep this clean. Don't let the other reviews scare you away. It's the beach. If you want something brand new, then maybe this isn't for you. But keep in mind, this is the beach life. There will be areas that may look dirty- but it's really not. Anyways, I am posting my photos :) hope you enjoy! I highly recommend this if you want a quiet get away. Also, check out the restaurant, Bridge Tender- best food we had. Oceanic was nice and casual as it was on the pier. Restaurants were about 8 min drive away. Nothing is walking distance. My photos are from AFTER our stay.

Ok the view was great but other than that . . . Beds were an uncomfortable mattress sitting on a wooden box. Area rugs in lobby and elevators were not secured and we and others tripped on them repeatedly. And please don't eat at the restaurant - we had breakfast there one morning and it was one of the worst meals I've ever had, and very expensive!

How do I start? "Serviceable, scenic and secluded but requires modernization." Emphasis on Serviceable because the rooms are unspectacular. While they are ocean view and there's a kitchenette with two toilettes and a king sized bed in the room that I'm in, the decor is dated and appliances are again, Serviceable. Cleanliness wasn't a concern on initial inspection but became a concern once I began to use appliances. Keep this in mind when booking and I doubt this phenomenon is unique to my unit. Otherwise, the views are fantastic and you're literally steps away from the Atlantic Ocean. I additionally like the privacy you seem to benefit from as there are no other resorts or properties to your left - the beach is all yours. One last note - the restaurant isn't open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays so if you're doing a M-F stay as I am be prepared to eat out in town or BYOF. I'll end with this - the beach is the draw to this property and the rooms and accommodations are simply a means to an end. They should NOT be what you're banking on when booking but rather the beach experience. The staff, however (including maintenance) is incredible. Eager to serve, upbeat and welcoming. With that being said, this is my first time staying and will likely be my last. I've visited at least one other place in this area for a comparative analysis and it's much more bang for the buck.

The service was terrible. The sheets were never cleaned and we never received more towels than the two we were given at check in. The water in the showers smelled horrible and we were not given shampoo or conditioner.

My wife and I have just finished a stay at shell island resort. I want to preface this review by saying I am a frequent traveler and normally stay at Hilton or Marriott properties. Maybe I'm a little spoiled, but with the price that we paid for this room at Shell, Island, Resort I was quite disappointed. We started our vacation with a few days with family at a family home on Carolina Beach and then wanted to get away to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. My wife did not want to travel so we scheduled our time here in Shell Island. It met a lot of the criteria that she wanted , first off , It was close. It was beachfront and it had a pool and hot tub. While it had all of those items, it definitely is not what we were expecting. We have stayed at many resorts over 30 our years this was definitely the most disappointing. When we first walked into our room at first glance, it was quite nice, but then, as we looked closer, we begin to see how neglected this room had been. We would say that the bed is one of the most comfortable hotel beds I've ever slept in. I do want to say the beach views are incredible, this is probably the prettiest section of beach in the state of North Carolina. The best thing that could happen to Shell Island resort would be for Marriott or Hilton to buy it, and turn it into a nice property. It is on the north end of Wrightsville Beach, it is quiet and you get to enjoy sunrise over the Atlantic and sunset over the marshlands on the west side just beautiful but that's where the beauty stops. In the photos of attached, you can clearly see the hotel lacks attention to detail. From spiderwebs to chipped paint the little things are everywhere. Five days and no service available for our room while we were there without an extra charge. We're on the beach there's not even a broom supplied for the room so naturally sand is everywhere. The furniture is definitely dated from white wicker to stained yellow chairs. This place could be so nice. I do wish the owners well and hope they will get their act together, or realize their need for better management. This place could be a true vacation destination on the coast. It just needs some help. The list of items doesn't start with just the room. And check in if you look up towards the upper windows, she will see spiderwebs all over the blinds above the check-in desk. The hot tub does not have working jets so it is just a hot tub no whirlpool. The restaurant serves mediocre bar food. Well, the restaurant is situated to have a commanding look at the Atlantic. You would think they would try to have a menu that catered to seafood instead it's wings and burgers and fried shrimp that you can get anywhere. There's numerous other items that I could list but bottom line if you want to pay too much to be disappointed, go ahead and stay here. But again, the views and beaches are beautiful.

Stayed there July 17 - 21. It was our 1st time staying there and it was great! Our suite was very nice. Very roomy for the 2 of us. All staff members we encountered were helpful and personable. Gorgeous area! Very happy we found another vacation destination.

Was pretty disappointed in our recent stay here. We've been coming to Shell Island for at least 20 years and always enjoy ourselves. We love the location and the private ocean-front balconies. But the unit we stayed in really needed some attention. The living area was crowded with furniture to the point of our having difficulty walking around. We ended up moving some furniture out of the way just so we could open the sleep sofa. The refrigerator in our unit was a small dorm-style model with a very small freezer, that was frosted over severly which made it pretty useless. The dishes/glasses and flatware in the unit were lacking as well. We had 2 wine glasses (one white, one red). Many of the cups/dishes didn't match or only had a total of 3 pieces. We booked the entire week and there were 2 adults but we were only supplied with 2 bath towels. We went to the front desk to get additional towels but some of the towels we received were ragged and more grey than white. The restaurant was another area where we felt disappointed. I realize Covid has changed a lot in the restaurant business, but the operating hours were almost non-existent. We would have happily spent some time eating and drinking there, but the days/hours closed seemed to be more often than not. All in all we had an enjoyable trip here, but given the fact that we booked a "deluxe" room makes me wonder what the regular rooms are like. I wish they would make some updates to this place. It's really been a nice place but I hate to see it neglected.

We attended a Conference for several days (2-27-20 through 2-29-20). ROOMS: Our room was perfect. We had an amazing view of the ocean. The small balcony was perfect for just two people wanting to relax together. The bathroom separation was nice (there are 2 bathrooms - one adjacent to the bedroom and one adjacent to the hallway). The kitchen/living area is spacious and doable for a long-term stay. Our bedroom had two beds that were comfortable and fresh. NOISE: I can tell that this place would be really noisy in the summer. It is a great place to host a Conference in the off season but it would be rough to do it in the summer. When the gentleman that was above our room would use the restroom, it sounded like he was going to pee on our forehead; it was really loud! There was a young child that would run the halls every time they were in the hall; his little feet were really loud as he thundered down the hall. I cannot imagine hundreds of families with excited children running everywhere. It would be a really loud place for business professionals that need to sleep after a long day of sitting/learning. FOOD: I cannot say enough about how amazing the food was! Our wait staff (Bonnie Chasmer-the head of it all was amazing and thought of every detail, Justin-our bartender that came up with creative ideas, Anthony, Billy, & Tom-took care of us the entire time with a smile on their faces). Suggestion: please put place cards with the meals indicating the name of the dish and/or ingredients (we had one person with a severe allergy eat something because they did not recognize an ingredient-she had an emergency shot on hand so all was well but it could have been prevented with a simple name card indicating what the dish was). I would love a few more options to go with the tea; honey would be a nice addition. Since many of us do not drink coffee, tea is our option and often neglected or an after-thought. Tea could actually have its own table - if you ask a tea drinker like me... Parking: stay on floors 1-4 so you can park in the ramp and park your car at your room entrance. It is very convenient! During the summer time, I would park on floors 1-3 so my car would be in the shade and not baking in the hot sun all day! Enjoy your stay! It is a really beautiful place! Most Sincerely!

Wonderful view. That's the best I can say. The pillows on the beds were horrible. The restaurant didn't have grits on a Sunday morning. Drive to a grocery store and buy some. I'll stay somewhere else next time.

I wouldn't call this a resort.. More like an INN. Views are great but the amenities, customer services And cleaning of the room are very lacking. Before arriving, I have fell down a set of stairs. And tried my best to locate the vending machine to ice my ankle.. I walked the whole 7 floors but couldn't find it. I finally gave up.. called the front desk.5$26 stated that it's on every EVEN floor.. so I asked if they can bring me a bucket of ice. I'll pay and tip. Since I can't bare to walk anymore. They said yes.. but never show nor call. Water system is in serious trouble. Not sure if this is how it is. But it smell like sewers, I couldn't brush my teeth. Had to get bottles water. Shower and my hair smelled even with shampooing it 3 times. Customer services at the front desk is lacking and not friendly. I walked out and said good morning. And not one response back. Brought some meds, and front desk lady barely said a word. I see the cleaning staffs tried to clean and keep up as much as possible but room doesn't have a lot of amenities. No extra garbage bags, frig isn't clean all the way. Dirty accent pillows. Won't be back

Booked a premier unit for the highest price. Towels stained, unit dirty...dead bug fell out of sleeper sofa mattress freaking out child out so much we had to go with blow up air mattresses. So disappointed. Was really looking forward to this trip because the view is amazing. There is no way this unit can be called updated and premier.

I will give 2 stars for the fact that we had the best view in the building room #901 and staff was kind. The cleaning was poor with dust on many items and the base of sink and toilet being dirty/gross, low water pressure, water smelled like sulfur, hot tub was not hot and miniature in size, one of the elevators was out of service for half a day (not that big of a deal), snack shop/gift shop might as well just been a vending machine, water was dripping on me at the front desk, another customer said their friends room had water leaking down the walls. The positives were a great TV, good pillows and soft towels.

We had the pleasure of traveling to Wrightsville Beach, NC this past month. The beach is beautiful and the Water is a lovely shade of blue & the perfect temperature. Unfortunately, our stay at Shell Island did not match the quality of the beach. Firstly, this place needs to decide if it is a hotel or a condo as it's somewhere in between the two. However, what it is definitely NOT, is a "Resort" which implies luxury & top-notch service. The rooms are just okay. Nothing great, nothing terrible. They could definitely be cleaner and updated and each is different, with some nicer than others. While it has a cooktop and some dishes like a condo, it has no washer/dryer, no cleaning supplies, and a small refrigerator. If you request towels, they're dropped off in a garbage bag outside of your door. You must deal with a sandy room for the duration of your stay since there is NO housekeeping, yet no supplies to keep the room maintained and cleaned. The bar/restaurant on site is inconsistent at best. Sometimes it's open, sometimes it's not, and sometimes it has basic things on the menu while other times it doesn't. The tiki bar leading to the beach was appreciated and some music would be a nice touch. There is one small pool to accommodate the whole "resort." Each room has a view of the ocean which was definitely a perk. Additionally, it sits at the end of the beach so it's inherently not overcrowded. While we'll go back to Wrightsville Beach in the near future, we'll make an effort to stay elsewhere.

Literally checked in and checked right back out . There was a sign in the room (307) that it was individually owned so be aware the reviews are on specific units. BUT..... as a whole this "resort" is VERY outdated and grimy..... It is comparable to a motel 6 AT BEST. The view was amazing, but the room and furniture were dirty and dingy . Could not get comfortable---- so we left within 15 mins. Our room smelled like someone had smoked a cigarette and put it out somewhere in the room to relight and smoke again later. It was disgusting. The room also has a sewage smell on top of the stale cigarettes. There is NO way I would've been able to sleep. This entire place needs a serious overhaul. ***Shane at the front desk was super awesome.

This should be a nice property at a very nice location. Unfortunately, the linens in our room very clearly had not been changed before we arrived, inasmuch as there were a number of hairs on the sheets that were obviously not our own, as well as other debris, the origin and nature of which I could only speculate about. To its credit, the front desk immediately sent up a set of replacement sheets when we called down. However, the person who brought them up didn't offer to change the bedding. While my wife and I are not above doing this ourselves, some sense of embarrassment and desire to rectify the situation would have been nice. In sum, the condition of the bedding was disgusting and the resolution was unacceptable, particularly at a hotel that markets itself as an upscale resort. We will not be staying here again.

Two positives - nice beach & great employees (especially the front desk & chair/umbrella rental). Negatives - rundown rooms, badly functioning equipment, no cold water in shower, solid block of ice in freezer, doors that don't shut all the way, broken locks, zero soundproofing, strange hairs on bedsheets and shower walls, bottom floor rooms do NOT have beach/pool access from patio and a high berm blocks all views of the ocean and people gawk in your windows from wooden pathway that leads to beach, bedrooms with headboard underneath window to pathway loud people are constantly walking by to/from lobby (on first floor), forced to pay for parking yet locals park for free and use beach/pool without staying here, HORRIBLE tasting water requiring the purchase of bottled water, loud/annoying people lurking in public areas (garage, corridors, pathways), no broom in room so sand everywhere, ZERO housekeeping service for no discernible reason, badly stocked kitchen equipment, weird bathroom set up with a door between them, no shade/umbrellas around pool, extremely overpriced, etc.

Location is good. All units are Ocean front. Needs a little TLC. We went for a quick weekend getaway. Biggest complaint... The water smelled so badly of sulphur that you couldn't shower in it. When we let Management know, they basically blew us off blaming "Island water" and that it had not been used for a while. Were told had we let them know sooner they would have sent someone up to "flush" the water. They knew the unit was rented, why was water not flushed before we got there! We were repeat customers. WILL NOT be going back!

We have stayed here for several years and love the resort. HOWEVER! The place has constantly been declining and no upkeep has been done. Things are getting rusty and worn. The elevator has been broken for weeks. Why is it not fixed yet!! My main concern is that staff works very hard but are not being given corporate support. They are understaffed and under supplied. (And no, I am not an employee complaining) I would be happy to provide my personal info. My main question is, if you are under staffed, why are you selling out all rooms?? You can't even provide a full menu or have the kitchen open later than 3:30 pm. or provide room service, towels and basic amenities that are included with a resort that charges over $300 a night, or repair the elevator. You are not staffed or equipped to handle capacity of 50%, and now the weekend is coming and you have no chance of giving appropriate service. Total disservice to everyone. I would love to talk to your board members, needs to be a plan.

My husband and I stayed at Shell Island for 8 days. The room was dirty. The water smelled like rotten eggs. Pot as and pans couldn't use. 4 forks 4 knives 4 spoons 1steak knives. 4 plates bowls coffee cups. 1dish towel. Baths dirty. Crumbs in the cabinet. The restaurant open two days of our stay. You don't get what they advertise. Our bed was very uncomfortable the sheets felt like plastic. Very disappointed. The worst I found a roach in my mix drink. This place needs a deep clean. The people who own them should take more pride in what they offer.

Wonderful staff! Beautiful view! Rooms a little worn, but the view and staff outweighed any problem we encountered. Kenneth, the hotel manager is very friendly, professional, and caring. His concern for my husband after a mishap confirmed we would return for another visit.

First of all, I honestly don't know why this place is considered 3 1/2 stars on the booking sites, as compared to 3 stars for the Holiday Inn or Blockade Runner (both of which are nicer imho). That being said, this is a perfectly okay 3 star (albeit an expensive one!) At half the price it would have been quite good. At over $200 a night, it was very over-priced for this gal. They can get the high rates due to location and the fact that there are very few hotels on Wrightsville. Important part: Our room was like a small apartment! Fully-equipped kitchen, living room, deck, king-size bedroom with TWO bathrooms. One with a tub/shower, and one without. By far, my favorite part of it...his and hers reading rooms! Seriously, you could move in here if you could afford it! View...fabulous! How nice to be right on the beach. (again, you're paying for it!) Less favorable: The public areas...well-worn, not too clean. When we checked in on a Friday night there was a good puddle by the front desk. I know, it's the beach, there's WATER, but this was a considerable amount and it was not inviting. Also not favorable: It's a motel, not a hotel in that rooms are accessed from the outside. Not quite what I expected from what was considered to be 3 1/2 stars. Parking is free in a less than desirable deck. There didn't appear to be any way out of it other than to walk down. (stairs? elevator?) Certainly don't mind walking it, but it's not the safest thing to do if you're alone at night or concerned about cars seeing you. We even heard a woman in the lobby that night yelling at a man about never touching anyone in a parking deck. There are two elevators. Fairly old, fairly slow. Pools looked okay, nothing special. We didn't have time to check them out. Beach is, of course, beautiful and it's awesome that all the rooms are ocean-front. Check-in and check-out were cumbersome and felt like they were struggling with the computers or not liking what they were seeing. Couldn't tell for sure. Restaurant was okay (I reviewed that separately). Thumbs up for bar service both inside and out. Overall for a "resort" it lacked a resort feel imho.

A guy name Kenneth Capazzi stated to me that he was the manager on duty to speak with about my concerns, so we conversated over the phone. I stayed overnight just to getaway inside of room 210 and this is what I discovered pics below. When conversating with Kenneth on 1.6.2022 @10am letting him know before posting that I had major problems relating to this room. Kenneth stated if you had so many problems why didn't you just change rooms? I tried telling him that I had to ask for towels, sheets, cooking utensils. Nightshift crew stated they didn't have the manpower to bring sheets up to the room so I had to go get them at 1.00am along with other items. KENNETH STATED I DONT THINK I WOULD HAVE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THAT I MEAN I WOULD HAVE CHANGED ROOMS. I EXPLAINED IT WAS LATE I STARTED COOKING AND STUMBLED ACROSS THESE PROBLEMS EARLIER THAT MORNING. Kenneth made me feel like I lied about the problems or was simply trying to get something from him. I will never go back to this establishment for no reason not worth the money. Then I said the word shit in a sentence and he stated I was being unprofessional. This place is rated 1 star. Unsatisfied with management and the room I stayed in.

We wanted to love this resort, we really did. The lobby was encouraging as it has a nice boutique-y feel but then it went down hill. This resort is oceanfront and all the rooms face the ocean which is awesome! But the view doesn't make up for what you pay for: the uncleanliness, inconvenient amenities and lack of service. Our room wasn't ready for check-in at 4:00 pm and we had to wait 15 mins which wasn't really a big deal. What was a very big deal was how dated and worn ALL the furniture was and how uncomfortable it was. The first night the TV in the living area didn't work and we called the front desk twice and never received help for it. The AC was loud and rattled and because the bedroom is located on the wall of the public hallway, you can hear people as they walk by. The king mattress was old too and uncomfortable and the woman in the unit next to us asked if our sheets were clean because the sheets in her unit were "filthy". There are inside and outdoor pools. The outdoor pool is much smaller than what it appears on their website and has very limited seating so we spent our days jockeying to get a chaise as did others. If you like to park yourself on the beach all day and aren't concerned with accommodations then you won't feel inconvenienced. Sorry, we won't be back.

I stopped counting hairs in the room after I found around 13 of them (one of every color and size mostly in the shower, towels, and sheets). I asked for cleaning supplies for the room and the staff said it was a liability (?) so I went to CVS and disinfected the room myself, I won't say how many black paper towels I had at the end. It's a shame because the location is so nice and the staff does actually seem to try but you can tell they get hammered with cleanliness and maintenance issues constantly.

I don't usually leave reviews but this hotel room was so dirty that I felt like I had to share my experience .. I'm on a family road trip, North Carolina was one of our stops. My family got two rooms, I was in room 219. I am not the one who booked this hotel so I didn't know what to expect. We only stayed one night and thank god it was only one night.... I'll just get to the point 1) as soon as I walked into the room you could visibly see just how dirty the floor was, it looks like it has never even been mopped. 2) the bath tub had streaks from mildew and the bath tub floor was visibly dirty aswell 3) the toilet bowl had a sh*t stain on it and we had just checked in none of us had used it yet so it was like that before we got there 4) bed sheets did not look clean either, one of them had stains on it like greyish 5) sofa had popcorn in between cushions from previous guest so we didn't even wanna use the pull out couch Also it had some stains on it 6) Hot tub water looked questionable like i couldn't tell if it was white mold or dead skin and after seeing the room I thought when was the last time this was even cleaned or drained 7) after taking a quick dip in the hot tub I showered in the rooms bathroom (with sandals on ) and like 15 minutes later felt itchy all over my body, I'm not sure if it was because of the water quality or the chlorine Its honestly a shame because the beach is really nice and the room has such a beautiful view and the decor in the lobby and room is nice aswell but again not worth it enough to ignore the uncleanliness ESPECIALLY with Covid I didn't feel comfortable enough to sleep knowing how dirty it was, I laid clean towels on top of the bed to avoid skin contact with sheets and had sandals on at all times to avoid getting feet dirty ... like that's how filthy this place was I thought about contacting the front desk and expressing my disgust (in a respectful calm manner Ofcourse ) but I decided to leave a review instead and will call eventually and tell them they really need to hire new cleaning and maintenance staff. Will not be staying here again. Probably the dirtiest hotel I've stayed at. I only took pics of the floor unfortunately

I cannot allow myself to give more than 3 stars because it was filthy, not even close to being clean. Floors were sandy and dirty. The countertops and tables were sticky and grimy. I spent the first night sanitizing everything, including spraying the mattress and furniture cushions with Lysol. Room had a musty smell and that is because the drip pan was full of water from the AC dripping constantly. It did keep the room cool but the water dripping was annoying! I agree with another reviewer that this is not a resort nor is it a hotel, it is a motel because the doors open to outside. The parking is not free, there is a daily parking fee on top of the outrageous room price. Views were wonderful and that is the best feature for this motel. I asked for a premium room and was assured it was well worth the $75-$100 extra per night...not! The furniture was dirty and not high quality. The dining table was so wobbly, I just ate in sitting area and used coffee table. Nicest part of room decor was tile backsplash in kitchen. I think the prices should be lowered and rooms should be cleaned more thoroughly. I'm not sure if I will return.

The wedding sales director Meredith is not organized, takes too long to get back to you, and leaves her staff hanging to figure out a wedding on there own. The wedding was missing stuff, they put too many tables in, they never cleaned our room for wedding night and charged us when they said they wouldn't. The rooms are also gross. If I could give it 0 I would.