Review of Barrier Island Station, a VRI resort 2*

Very disappointing experience. The proximity to the beach is the main redeeming quality this place has to offer. The outdoor pool is decent (but no outdoor hot tub). Everything else was bad! Walking into the unit: we stayed in a three-bedroom, which was reasonably spacious. However, it's split-level, and a staircase in the middle of the unit is a pain. The unit is very outdated and does not feel clean. The kitchen is sparsely stocked. The couches are lumpy and grimy, I put blankets over the top of them before I felt like I could sit on them. One is a pull-out, and with no mattress inside, it sags badly. The whole place is dimly lit. none of the bedroom doors lock. (Privacy is a big issue for me! ) In the master bedroom, the bed was set into an alcove; the floor of the alcove sloped at an angle of at least 30 degrees down. We ended up moving the bed into the middle of the room, otherwise you'd be sleeping with your feet above the level of your head. The master bathroom was ridiculously small. The toilet is in the same space as the shower; to get to either, you have to pass through a small shower door. I'm an average sized person, and I can't walk straight in, I have to squeeze in sideways. Someone who was larger in stature probably wouldn't even be able to fit through. The beds were all uncomfortable. The pillows were all lumpy. The sheets were badly stained. There were not enough hand towels, and no dish rags for the kitchen. There was mold growing on the bathroom ceiling. The TVs in the master and the main room are about 30", which feels very small for the big room. The walls are very thin; I could hear the upstairs neighbors talking and moving in their unit. The facilities are outdated. Only the outdoor pool is in a reasonable condition. The indoor pool is gross, with mold and/or moss growing everywhere. There's not much for young children. The map has a playground listed, but we searched everywhere, and there is no playground to be found. Not to mention that there are stickers EVERYWHERE, that get stuck in your shoes and clothes if you take even two steps off the pavement. My 2-year-old was crying with these pokey things stuck in his skin. The town of Duck is cute. The beach is fantastic. But Barrier Island Station was incredibly disappointing.