Ocean Villas II OBX - Q for Carolinian & anyone else ...

[Laurie]

I asked awhile ago for any recent experience, at which time no words of advice ensued, but since Carolinian is back in town: we have an RCI exchange coming up late spring/early summer into this Nags Head ts, a 2-BR direct-ocean front. We stopped by last year during an exchange into Golden Strand and took a quick look, all looked decent, except the beach not as quite beautiful because not a lot of natural growth on the bull-dozed dune. But of course, it's the same stunning Atlantic Ocean from the balcony. There are now a few good reviews on tripadvisor at least; when I first confirmed there was hardly anything online.

This is likely our very last RCI trade, as I've been using up all those TPU's from a bunch of very fabulous but cancelled European, Caribbean, & western US trades I had amassed during covid years, and I'm *still* not flying (when I do, I'll start with direct flights only -- no long airport connection times, delays, yada yada ... most folks I know still coming down with covid are recent flyers). So I was glad to get some good FL and NC coastal drive-to exchanges. Probably not renewing RCI tho we still own 2 timeshares; hoping our last RCI week after 26 years of membership will be a fond farewell.

 

[Carolinian]

Ocean Villas II is managed by Outer Banks Resort Rentals, which is now owned by Alderwood, and they run a pretty tight ship. The resort has a good location right on the beach. Its big disadvantage is that it no longer has a swimming pool, which was lost is bad nor'easter 16 or 18 years ago. THe pool used to be beachfront on top of the old natural dune. There was no other place on resort property they could build a replacement under building regulations. For several years they did a joint management arrangement with Ocean Villas I which including use of OVI's pool, but that arrangement fell apart and they have been giving people passes to the YMCA pool since that time which is several miles away. The views from those oceanfront balconies, so close to the ocean are great. It is also one of the few OBX resorts with an elevator to get to the upper floors.

The bulldozed dune you mention is a replacement for the natural dune swept away in Hurricane Isabel, and with OVII, the gap left by the previously destroyed pool allowed it to wipe out the dune all along OVII, halfway down OVI and at least one cottage north of OVII. Dunes South and Golden Strand lost a good bit of dune and their oceanfront pools in Hurricane Isabel as well. Golden Strand had a location they were able to build a replacement pool, but Dunes South had the same problem as OVII on not having a site (well, if they replaced their tennis court with a pool, they could, but some members objected to that).

One nearby restaurant you should try is Sam 'n Ommies, a couple of blocks south on the other side of Virginia Dare Trail. It has been there since the 1920s and has excellent food. Every time we are on the OBX, we stop by for some of their wonderful she crab soup. Another good restaurant is Darrells in Manteo, which is a favorite with locals. For lunch, the restaurant on the Nags Head Fishing Pier has good food and a great view, but its menu has been more limited since Covid (that pier is some miles to the north on Virginia Dare Trail, not the pier you can see from your balcony).

 

[Laurie]

One nearby restaurant you should try is Sam 'n Ommies, a couple of blocks south on the other side of Virginia Dare Trail. It has been there since the 1920s and has excellent food. Every time we are on the OBX, we stop by for some of their wonderful she crab soup. Another good restaurant is Darrells in Manteo, which is a favorite with locals. For lunch, the restaurant on the Nags Head Fishing Pier has good food and a great view, but its menu has been more limited since Covid (that pier is some miles to the north on Virginia Dare Trail, not the pier you can see from your balcony).

Yes, we've eaten many times at Sam & Omie's, and it's so close to OVII it'll be a good prospect for take-out to our own oceanfront balcony. In fact I once knew the woman who made the stained glass in their bar, if her work is still there. Last year we were doing outdoor dining only, and not too many OBX places offered that; they did at Shipwrecks Taphouse so we ate there a few times and liked it. In the past we also liked Colington Cafe in Kitty Hawk. I'll check out the others you mentioned, thanks.

 

[Brett]

I like the Tale of the Whale restaurant - fine casual dining overlooking the Roanoke Sound
taleofthewhalenagshead.com

 

[pedro47]

Ocean Villas II is managed by Outer Banks Resort Rentals, which is now owned by Alderwood, and they run a pretty tight ship. The resort has a good location right on the beach. Its big disadvantage is that it no longer has a swimming pool, which was lost is bad nor'easter 16 or 18 years ago. THe pool used to be beachfront on top of the old natural dune. There was no other place on resort property they could build a replacement under building regulations. For several years they did a joint management arrangement with Ocean Villas I which including use of OVI's pool, but that arrangement fell apart and they have been giving people passes to the YMCA pool since that time which is several miles away. The views from those oceanfront balconies, so close to the ocean are great. It is also one of the few OBX resorts with an elevator to get to the upper floors.

The bulldozed dune you mention is a replacement for the natural dune swept away in Hurricane Isabel, and with OVII, the gap left by the previously destroyed pool allowed it to wipe out the dune all along OVII, halfway down OVI and at least one cottage north of OVII. Dunes South and Golden Strand lost a good bit of dune and their oceanfront pools in Hurricane Isabel as well. Golden Strand had a location they were able to build a replacement pool, but Dunes South had the same problem as OVII on not having a site (well, if they replaced their tennis court with a pool, they could, but some members objected to that).

One nearby restaurant you should try is Sam 'n Ommies, a couple of blocks south on the other side of Virginia Dare Trail. It has been there since the 1920s and has excellent food. Every time we are on the OBX, we stop by for some of their wonderful she crab soup. Another good restaurant is Darrells in Manteo, which is a favorite with locals. For lunch, the restaurant on the Nags Head Fishing Pier has good food and a great view, but its menu has been more limited since Covid (that pier is some miles to the north on Virginia Dare Trail, not the pier you can see from your balcony).

Thanks Carolinian, for your mini review. We will look at this resort for a winter getaway vacation.

 

[Laurie]

We're here now, reporting back. The weather turns out to be too chilly this week to really enjoy this fabulous location, next week is much better (and I think last week was better too), so that colors my experience somewhat. The dunes in front now have vegetation growing on, so no longer appear like bulldozed piles of sand, very nice -- beautiful balcony views. They don't clean the sliders in advance of arrivals, so bring some microfiber cloths if you reserve.The resort itself is meh, OK. They've obviously done some renovations -- flooring and furniture are fine -- but other items desperately need replacing, such as bathroom vanities (the sinks can only be described as yuck) and sliders. With a property in such a prime location, if I were an owner I'd lobby for those to be completed asap and I'd be glad to pay a modest assessment. Of course, insurance assessments are probably on the horizon for owners, so there's that. Elevator in oceanfront bldg is currently broken, so walk-up to upper floors, they'll help you at checkin with your luggage. Location is just over the bridge from Manteo and points west, very short walk to Jennette's Pier, across the highway from outlet strip mall including my fave store Eddie Bauer, and a very decent restaurant with lovely soundfront outdoor seating, Miller's Waterfront, where we've already eaten 3x. Sam n Omie's wasn't accepting takeout orders yesterday right at 5 because their restaurant was full, too bad.

We rode down to Dunes South to see one open unit, since they do allow pets and we really dislike leaving ours anymore. Furniture needs replacing, similar comments to above. Most of the oceanfront units are now behind dunes, so won't have much ocean view.

As far as oceanfront OBX, we've preferred Golden Strand and High Dunes (way in the past).

Bittersweet since as I mentioned in my original post, probably our last-ever RCI exchange, after 25 years of too-many-to-count exciting trips of a lifetime. (Keeping II for now).