Frequently Asked Questions

  • You're chatting with our on-site team based right here in Wilmington! We’re at The Cove every day from 9 AM to 6 PM, and the same friendly faces answering your messages, emails, texts, and calls are the ones you'll see on the dock during your stay. We don’t outsource our communications—when you reach out, you’re speaking directly with our local team who knows the property inside and out and is here to help make your experience smooth from booking to check-out.

  • All of the houseboats permitted for the Port City Marina have already been purchased. If you're interested in exploring the purchase of a houseboat for another location, feel free to reach out to the Atlantic Houseboats team at info@atlantichouseboats.com

  • With the exception of our exclusive 1-bedroom villa, Delight, all other houseboats share an identical layout and nearly identical amenities. The primary distinctions among our 2-bedroom villas include their location on the dock, pet-friendly status, the presence of a desk and chair in the second-floor living room, and the availability of a pullout sofabed in the upstairs living space.

  • Absolutely! We currently have all of our villas listed on either Airbnb and VRBO, and will have the option to book directly through us available very soon. Go to our Villas page to find your way to each individual listing on Airbnb, and don't hesitate to email us at info@thecovewilmington.com if you need any help.

  • Each reservation includes one free parking spot. 115 Brunswick Street is the address of our garage. Reach out to our guest services crew for more information!

  • Our standard check-in time is 4pm, and check-out time is 10am. We also offer the option of arriving early (guaranteed by 2pm, offered earlier when availble) and/or extending your check-out time to 12pm for an additional 50.00 each. This request must be made prior to the morning of your check-in. 

  • We have five dog friendly villas and love to have our guests bring their well-behaved pups along. Inspiration, Lookout, Haven, Santorini & Journey are our five villas available for those traveling with their furry friends, and include water and food bowls, pet waste bags, pet wipes, black towels for wet paws, and covers for couches and beds. 

  • Guests tend to describe them at "surprisingly spacious" and often comment on the layout providing a great use of space. Our two bedroom houseboats offer just over 1,200 square feet of living space and including two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms, and a full kitchen.

  • The Cove is ideally located on the Northern end of the Downtown, right along the Riverwalk. A 15 minute stroll will bring you to the heart of Downtown, where you'll find a wide variety of restaurants, craft breweries, local shops and more.

  • Many guests enjoy the scenic walk into the heart of Downtown, where a wide variety of restaurants await. For those who prefer to stay nearby, Marina Grill, Tequila’s Waterfront, and Bonita Latin Fusion are all located right in our marina, offering delicious options with a beautiful waterfront setting. Just next door, Embassy Suites’ restaurant, Steam, also features stunning river views and a refined dining experience.

  • While our dock is specifically designed for houseboats, the Port City Marina does have several docks with slips for rent and they would be happy to rent you one for your stay. You can contact them directly at taylor@portcitymarina.com

  • The Cove is the closest rental accommodation to the Live Oak Bank Pavilion Amphitheater, and is located 0.4 miles away, making it the perfect place to stay when you're in town for a concert

  • All of the houseboats on our dock, as well as the custom built dock itself, were the brainchild of the Atlantic Houseboats team. Based out of Wilmington, Atlantic Houseboats constructed all of the houseboats, from scratch at their construction site right across the river.  For more information about them, visit www.atlantichouseboats.com

  • With the exception of our one one-bedroom houseboat, Delight, all of the other houseboats at The Cove have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms and a private second floor patio. Some of the houseboats also have pullout sofa beds, so 4-6 guests can sleep comfortably overnight. See the guest counts on our Villas page for more details about each individual houseboat's overnight capacity.

  • Absolutely! Our team would be happy to assist with identifying which houseboats are available for your dates that are closest together on the dock. Feel free to reach out to us at info@thecovewilmington and let us know what dates and how many houseboats you'd like, and we will get back to you as quickly as we can.

  • Yes, we do offer group booking discounts!

    For exact rates and details, please contact our Guest Services Crew at info@thecovewilmington.com. To take advantage of these offers, the discount must be applied at the time of booking.

    Please note that due to limitations in our booking platforms, we’re unable to apply group discounts retroactively once a reservation has been confirmed.

    Be sure to mention the group discount before booking to ensure it’s included. We look forward to helping make your group’s experience an exceptional one!