This was our first visit to Redington Shores and we were very pleased with the area. Emerald Isle is located within walking distance of several good restaurants and is within 5-10 minutes of everything we needed. For our visit in April, nothing was crowded including the area around our building, the beach or the building itself. I'm not sure when the "busy" time is for this area but this wasn't it and we loved it. To check in we first went to the rental office which is located 10-15 minutes south. The receptionist was very helpful and friendly and we were pleasantly surprised to learn that our unit was ready an hour early. When we got to Emerald Isle, we found our parking spot to be just out from the front door which was perfect. There was a luggage cart available and the elevator was fast and big enough for the cart and the four of us. The building was well maintained and secure as we needed to use our key to get into the building, out to the pool, and out to the beach. It sounds like a hassle but once you get used to it, it is no big deal and it makes you feel more secure. The unit we stayed in was nice...roomy, and clean. We only used two of the three bedrooms but both had comfortable beds and working TVs. We did notice that there was not a working TV in the third bedroom but that didn't affect us. The bathrooms were nice as was the living room, dining area and balcony. The living room furniture was comfortable and there was plenty of seating available. The hot water was a little inconsistent in the master bathroom shower but the water pressure was amazing. The only reason that I didn't rate this unit a 5 is because of the kitchen. It really needs some attention as the cabinets, countertops, and dishwasher could all use replacing. That's really the only area in the unit that showed wear and tear. All that said, I searched around for months before I reserved this unit and for the price, I think it is a great place to stay. It had everything we needed and we wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.