See all properties
House boat

Cozy Houseboat in Port City Marina Wilmington, NC Nestled among The Cove Villas

Photo gallery for Cozy Houseboat in Port City Marina Wilmington, NC Nestled among The Cove Villas

Exterior
Aerial view
Interior
Living area
Private kitchen

Reviews

10 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 10% of guest reviews in this area
2 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 61100 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Air-conditioning
  • Outdoor space

Explore the area

View in a map
Wilmington, NC
  • Place, Riverwalk
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Wilmington Convention Center
    ‪6 min walk‬
  • Place, Cape Fear Community College
    ‪7 min walk‬
  • Airport, Wilmington, NC (ILM-Wilmington Intl.)
    ‪5 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Upper Stateroom

1 King Bed

2 bathrooms

Lower Head

Toilet · Shower only

Upper Head

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Dining area

About this property

Cozy Houseboat in Port City Marina Wilmington, NC Nestled among The Cove Villas

Cozy houseboat located in the downtown Port City Marina nestled among The Cove Riverwalk Villas. It is centrally located between the Wilmington Convention Center and the new City Park and Amphitheater. Rare opportunity to stay not near the water but ON the water. Amazing views not only of the Cape Fear River but also of the beautiful yachts that visit and call Port City Marina home.

Beautiful open layout with 2 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. First floor includes full kitchen, dining room, living room, one of the bedrooms and full bathroom that includes a washer and dryer. The second floor includes the master bedroom with a full bathroom and additional living room with sectional couch that includes a pullout queen sofa bed. The views from the spacious second floor outdoor patio (with retractable privacy fence) with sink and mini fridge and comfortable seating will have you planning your next visit. We are in a premier location with direct views of the Cape Fear River and the yachts in the marina.

Port City Marina is also a center for entertainment and dining along downtown Wilmington's Riverwalk, popular Front Street and the Historic District. If you love music, Downtown Wilmington is the place to be. There are concerts at Marina Grill, the Marina Pier and the Live Oak Amphitheater, all riverfront. You can enjoy this live music directly from our outdoor patio. Wilmington has been recently ranked as the top up-and-coming destination in the South.

For video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAqRUqzm1MI
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Water view

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Similar properties

Exterior
The Regency - Houseboat Downtown
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
  • Air-conditioning
9.8 out of 10, Exceptional, (33 reviews)
The Regency - Houseboat Downtown

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 26
Check out before 11:00 AM
default

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
default

Events

No events allowed
default

Pets

No pets allowed
default

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

About the area

Wilmington

Located on the waterfront, this houseboat is in Downtown Wilmington, a neighbourhood in Wilmington. City Stage Theatre and Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts are local landmarks, and some of the area's attractions include Wilmington Railroad Museum and Brooklyn Arts Center at St. Andrews. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College or Legion Stadium. With power boating and fishing nearby, you'll find plenty of adventures in the water.
View more Houseboats in WilmingtonOpens in a new window
Map
Wilmington, NC

What's nearby

  • Riverwalk - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Live Oak Bank Pavilion - 4 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Wilmington Convention Center - 6 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Cape Fear Community College - 7 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College - 7 min walk - 0.7 km

Getting around

  • Wilmington, NC (ILM-Wilmington Intl.) - 6 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Brunch Thyme - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪The Half - ‬16 min walk
  • ‪Bonita Latin Fusion - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Copper Penny - ‬15 min walk
  • ‪Tequila Comida & Cantina - ‬1 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Cozy Houseboat in Port City Marina Wilmington, NC Nestled among The Cove Villas pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Cozy Houseboat in Port City Marina Wilmington, NC Nestled among The Cove Villas?

As of 7 Mar 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Cozy Houseboat in Port City Marina Wilmington, NC Nestled among The Cove Villas on 23 May 2026 start from £368, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at Cozy Houseboat in Port City Marina Wilmington, NC Nestled among The Cove Villas?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Cozy Houseboat in Port City Marina Wilmington, NC Nestled among The Cove Villas?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Cozy Houseboat in Port City Marina Wilmington, NC Nestled among The Cove Villas?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Cozy Houseboat in Port City Marina Wilmington, NC Nestled among The Cove Villas located?

Located in Downtown Wilmington, this houseboat is steps away from Riverwalk and Riverfront Park. Live Oak Bank Pavilion and Cape Fear Community College are also within 10 minutes.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 94 out of 98 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 98 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 98 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 98 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 98 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Tyler H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great location and such a unique place to stay
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Wesley F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Awesome location and the house was amazing! Great views!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Christie N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing property, everything was perfect!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tim C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The house boat and location were perfect! Great communication with the owner!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Carla B.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Host was very nice and responsive let us check in early neighborhood safe. Lots of restaurants nearby.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Joy G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Unique place to stay in downtown Wilmington. We rented this place for UNCW Family Weekend and had a blast. Highly recommend.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Philip S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Awesome place to stay! Highly recommend
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Vicki B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing Staycation.

Houseboat had everything we needed! Plus, walking distance to restaurants, events and a farmers market.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sean L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Place!

Very clean, great location, loved sitting out on the deck at night. Host was great and very responsive.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

mark v.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Getaway

What an amazing little spot! I highly recommend this property! My only wish is that I could've stayed longer!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Randi S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place to stay in downtown Wilmington.

Great accommodations. Great location.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Social C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The property was as beautiful in person as on the site. A contemporary home with the perfect beach touch. Our hosts were excellent. They communicated providing detailed instructions that were so helpful and provided information regarding events occurring while we were in town. Great touches greeted you such a goodie basket, plush towels, and little extras - not your typical rental property fare. The boat home is located near great restaurants and are a short walk to shopping. I can’t wait to stay again!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Richard C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Love this place!

Host is amazing, houseIs spotless and well equipped. Very comfortable and great place to stay for. Long weekend
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rahshad H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We really enjoyed our stay. The location was perfect. The house boat was immaculate inside and out. The balcony had views of the marina and cape fear river. Our host had everything you could possibly need for an extended stay. I highly recommend, you will not be disappointed.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Theresa L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Exceptional!!

Very clean, comfortable houseboat in a great location with an exceptional host!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lindsay M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Best stay

Great location. Stay was very cozy and open feel. Definitely would stay again
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Joshua F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

We had a great time at HB3. The home is beautiful and the owners made the check in and out process very easy. Would highly recommend and will stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jerry N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place

Nice and clean
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Walt M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Unique

Great stay would recommend to anyone coming to downtown Wilmington for a trip
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

KAYLEY T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location!

Easy walk to conference center and Cotten Exchange. Beautiful view of sunset.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

sharon S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Teddy Swims fail

Teddy concert cancelled, but Kelly and the boathouse made the visit to Wilmington worth it!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Leigh C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Anniversary trio

My spouse and I had a wonderfully relaxing stay. The houseboat was beautiful, clean, and had everything that we needed.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Donna G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Did not disappoint!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. This villa had much better views than others closer to the dock. The owners were meticulous in terms of cleanliness and the homes overall design. The cove is in walking distance to restaurants, bars, conveniently located adjacent to downtown Wilmington. My husband and I are already talking about booking again and have shared the details with other friends interested in visiting.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kellie A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Unique and excellent!

We love staying at the boat houses at the Cove! There was plenty of room for hanging out with friends, bedrooms, and all amenities were excellent. Everything was really clean and location was superb! I would definitely rent this again
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Christy T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

We had a great time

Very nice property. Enjoyed sitting on deck and watching water. We were pleasantly surprised by how quiet it was
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

About the host

Hosted by Patrick and Kelly Patterson

Host profile image
We are Patrick and Kelly Patterson, owners of HB3. We are from Ocean Isle Beach, NC.

A little history about how HB3 came to be. We purchased our houseboat in April of 2021. We call our it HB3 because we were the third houseboat to be built in the marina. The first two were the models.

Our youngest son attends UNCW. We came to visit him one weekend and stayed at a hotel right near the marina. The marina was hosting a boat show where Atlantic Houseboats was offering tours of their houseboat models. On a whim we decided to take a tour. We fell in love with the concept and could not pass up the opportunity to part of this growing community. The rest is history!!

Why they chose this property

Port City Marina is a center for entertainment and dining along downtown Wilmington's Riverwalk, popular Front Street and the Historic District. If you love music, Downtown Wilmington is the place to be. There are concerts at Marina Grill, the Marina Pier and the Live Oak Amphitheater, all riverfront. It's also a few steps from the Wilmington Convention Center and a block from the Wilson Center. The opportunities are endless!

The houseboat rental property at the marina offers convenient access to Historic Downtown Wilmington, less than a mile away. Guests can explore the vibrant area by strolling along the Riverwalk, taking a free trolley, or driving a short distance down Water Street. Downtown Wilmington boasts a variety of attractions, including local shops, restaurants, breweries, live music venues, and events, ensuring there's something for everyone to enjoy.

For more information on recommendations and events in the area, guests can visit the website www.thestrandshouseboat3.com.

Additionally, the location provides easy access to other popular destinations in Wilmington. The Wilmington International Airport (ILM) is just an 8-minute drive or Uber ride away. Within a 10-mile radius, guests can visit attractions such as Wrightsville Beach, Jungle Rapids amusement and water park, the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), and more.

For guests interested in bringing their own boat, the property recommends contacting Port City Marina, where slips are available for rent. Guests can coordinate directly with Port City Marina to arrange slip rental for their stay dates.

What makes this property unique

The houseboat provides a unique blend of adventure, relaxation, and connection with nature that sets it apart from the traditional hotel experience. It offers panoramic views of the surrounding river and shoreline, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the area.

A stay at HB3 offers the perfect solution for those wanting to avoid the chaos of parking, event traffic, and needing a DD.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback

Hotels

Holiday Rentals