North Padre Island hotels are rather limited in choices, but we review the main choices from our vacation stops to this part of the of Texas Gulf Coast. There are only a handful of North Padre Island hotels available, and there is only one hotel available right on the beach – the Holiday Inn Sunspree. The Holiday Inn Sunspree is our favorite option among North Padre Island hotels because of their beach location.

North Padre Island, Texas is located across the bay from Corpus Christi. The north end of Padre Island is less developed than its more famous southern end, but it does have its own laid-back charm (note that over 100 miles of untamed island, accessible only by boat or four-wheel drive, separate the two ends.) North Padre is only about a 20 to 30 minute drive from Corpus Christi, and shares many of its tourist attractions. There are many hotel options in Corpus, but on the island itself only a handful.

The Holiday Inn Sunspree is really the only hotel right on the beach at North Padre Island. There are a few condo complexes and other similar rentals, but the Holiday Inn is the only full service hotel. Depending upon your perspective, this is game, set, and match if you are looking for a hotel room on the island.

There is one hotel across the street and one down the road, but…they are not on the beach. Personally, we would not stay in these alternatives unless the Holiday Inn is full. For us, that is kind of the point of staying on the island is to stay on the beach. If you don’t mind driving to the beach, then there are also plenty of options in Corpus Christi too.

Is it a Resort?

The question as to whether the Sunspee is actually a resort or not is often a point of consternation in various online reviews you may see. It is not Hawaii. It is not the Maya Riviera. It is on the Texas Gulf Coast, and it is a hotel right on the beach with a pool-side bar and live entertainment right at the foot of the beach; it is not, however, probably what most would consider a resort.

It might not be a real resort, but it does try to provide the same feel, Texas Gulf Coast style (with dripping kids running around in the lobby and fat rednecks hanging out by the pool.) They don’t valet your car or take your baggage up for you, but…they are on the beach with pool-side bar and live entertainment. They have tables at the bar outside with a view of the ocean, and they have a restaurant indoors where the wall facing the ocean is all glass so you have a view there too.

Do the Elevators Work, and Does the Place Smell Funny?

Some reviews have complained of broken elevators and funky smells through out the hotel. We went on vacation there around the middle of April and one at the first of October, and the elevators were working fine. There were also some funky smells though as you would expect from a hotel that has been right on the beach for many years. Mainly in the hallways and elevator, not so much in the rooms. A few of the smells here and there might have been more moldy than funky, but it is matter of personal taste if that would be a deal breaker for you.

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Some people prefer the Comfort Suites because they are newer and shinier and still have that new hotel smell.

But to get to the beach you have to cross the street, walk through the Holiday Inn parking lot, past the pool and bar, and finally you are there. When we were on vacation at the Holiday Inn, we regularly saw people walking over from the Comfort Suites to come use the bar and listen to the live music.

It comes down to whether you want something a little shinier and better smelling, or do you want to be right on the beach and not have to cross the street when walking home from the bar.

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It should be obvious that we like the Holiday Inn Sun Spree the best out of the North Padre Island hotels. The primary factor is that it is the only one of the hotels on North Padre Island that is right on the beach. We also liked that while it is not really a resort, they tried to at least give it a little bit of resort-feel. The pool side bar, the restaurant bar, and the live pool-side entertainment made it feel like you were on vacation.  If on the other hand, you prefer a newer, shinier hotel then there is another option among North Padre Island hotels, but you have to walk across the street and a parking lot to get to the beach.