Ocean Isle Inn manager says staff, location make all the difference

OCEAN ISLE BEACH—The friendly way customers are treated at the Ocean Isle Inn is one of the main factors in the resort’s success, manager Lee Shapiro says.

SARAH SHEW WILSON

The pool and the beach make a good combination at Ocean Isle Inn, which was recently named top resort on the Atlantic Coast by resortandlodges.com.

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The fact that it’s on a wide, uncrowded beach doesn’t hurt, either.

Recently, resortandlodges.com named the Ocean Isle Inn the number one resort destination on the Atlantic Coast.

“Fish off the pier, watch dolphins swim by and enjoy the stunning sunset at dawn. At our No.1 pick you’ll be able to experience a tropical island beach the way they used to be—uncrowded, unhurried and unforgettable,” the website writes about the Ocean Isle Inn.

“Whether traveling for the week or weekend, the Ocean Isle Inn provides the ultimate tropical island getaway on Ocean Isle Beach.”

For Shapiro, the ranking is “a tribute to my staff.”

“When you call here, you’re going to get a friendly voice. That makes all the difference,” he said.

The 70-room Ocean Isle Inn is on the oceanfront and has an outdoor pool, a heated indoor pool, a walkway to the beach, a conference room that can also be used for wedding receptions and even a wedding planner on staff for beach weddings.

“Our staff is never complacent. They’re always coming up with ideas based on what they hear from customers.”

Maintenance supervisor Don Kelly said being friendly is never difficult for the inn’s employees.

“We do what we can to accommodate whatever they need,” he said, and their positive relationships with each other spill over to the guests, as well.

“We laugh and joke with each other, and we laugh with them,” Kelly said. “The guests joke with us. It’s like a family affair. It’s a fun atmosphere.”

In addition to the lighthearted mood attracting repeat guests, the Ocean Isle Inn’s social media presence has recently been bringing in new visitors.

“We’re big into social media. Our key focus is family business,” Shapiro said.

Recently, the inn has become a popular recommendation of “mommy bloggers” who have been visiting the resort and recommending it to their like-minded readers.

Because of the inn’s newfound popularity with mothers, Shapiro was able to put together a “children’s weekend package” for families earlier this summer featuring a visit from a popular children’s television personality “Miss Lori” from PBS.

Other packages at the Ocean Isle Inn include spa getaway weekends for women and a “pink package” weekend deal for breast cancer survivors. Five percent of the proceeds from the package is donated to Susan G. Komen For The Cure.

“We’re always thinking about things to do,” Shapiro said.

The packages are continuing to be popular, and he is also seeing an increase in traffic over last year, when business took a hit due to the economy.

“People are traveling,” he said. “Maybe it’s because it was such a tough winter, or maybe the economy is improving.”

According to Clayton Bartizal, business development manager at resortandlodges.com, various teams of writers and editors write “top 10” articles once or twice each month based on social media reviews, price ranges, the size of the units and how the resorts meet customers’ needs.