MainStay Suites Wilmington - University Area

Hotels
•
Main Stay Suites
7.9 (479 reviews)
5229 Market Street , Wilmington , US
+1 910-392-1741

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Fitness facilities
WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Fitness center
Swimming pool
24-hour front desk
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Comfortable rooms
Spacious rooms with kitchen
Helpful/friendly staff
Excellent location (near beach/shops)
Good value
Some rooms described as clean
Cons:
Dirty carpets and filthy furniture reported
Noisy AC in some rooms
Poor/limited breakfast options
Maintenance issues (stains, need for repainting)
Shared/unclear pool access
Some guests experienced poor resolution from staff

Categories

Cleanliness
6.2
Mixed reports: several guests specifically reported dirty carpets and filthy furniture, though some reviews noted rooms as clean.
Service
8.8
Generally described as kind and helpful by multiple guests, but there are notable service failures (unwillingness to resolve AC issue, hangups) reported.
Location
9.6
Very strong: repeatedly praised as central/supercéntrico, close to restaurants, shops, and beaches; convenient for local attractions.
Room Quality
8.3
Rooms described as spacious, comfortable, often with a kitchen; some issues reported (loud AC, flickering light, broken hair dryer).
Amenities
6.6
Limited or confusing amenities: shared pool with neighboring property (not clearly communicated), basic breakfast offerings, AC/duct issues reported.
Value for Money
8.4
Many guests noted good value (large rooms, kitchens, convenient location), though some felt breakfast quality did not match expectations.
Food and Beverage
6.3
Several complaints about breakfast quality and limited hot items (mostly waffles, bagels, heat-and-serve sandwiches); breakfast described as basic.
Overall Experience
9
Overall positive experiences dominate (headlines like 'Excellent' and 'Great'), with comfort and location praised; cleanliness and breakfast issues tempered some stays.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-11-05 14:16

Property Description

Convenient Location and Nearby Attractions
The MainStay Suites hotel in Wilmington, NC, nestled between the beach and downtown, offers easy access to local attractions like the Cape Fear Museum and Wrightsville Beach.

Full-Service Amenities
Enjoy fully equipped kitchens, complimentary deluxe continental breakfast, premium cable TV, high-speed Internet, outdoor pool, fitness center, and manager's reception every Wednesday.

Spacious Suites with Home-like Comforts
Relax in suites featuring full kitchens, living rooms, and convenient amenities like coffee makers, dishwashers, and ironing boards.

Experience comfort and convenience at MainStay Suites Wilmington. Book now for a memorable stay!

Important information:

Guests must be 21 years of age or older to make a reservation.

Upon check-in photo identification and credit card is required. All special requests are subject to availability upon check-in. Special requests cannot be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Swimming pool: Closed from Tue, Sep 29, 2026 until Fri, Apr 30, 2027
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Airport code: ILM

Location

Guest Reviews

7.9
Based on 479 reviews
Cleanliness: 6.2
Service: 8.8
Location: 9.6
Room Quality: 8.3
Amenities: 6.6
Value for Money: 8.4
Food and Beverage: 6.3
Overall Experience: 9
A
Ann • family_with_children • us
9
2026-10-24 • via Nuitee
N
Nadia • family_with_children • fr
10
2026-10-22 • via Nuitee
B
Bjorn • family_with_children • nl
7
2026-10-19 • via Nuitee
S
Smith • solo_traveller • us
10
Excellent stay
Pros:

The room we stayed in was exceptionally comfortable. We often travel to visit our family and this was the most comfortable place we have stayed. Our kids live in Leland and we originally thought we might have made a mistake staying in Wilmington, but we are glad we did.

Cons:

We felt the carpets could be cleaner.

2026-10-19 • via Nuitee
E
Elizabeth • family_with_children • us
5
It was ok
Pros:

The staff was friendly and helpful. The hotel was as cleanish.

Cons:

The hotel needs major maintenance-such as painting, the ceiling and walls have years of stains.
New carpet, new bedding etc.
The AC makes terrible noise and all ducts need cleaning.

2026-10-19 • via Nuitee
M
Mary • couple • us
7
2026-10-08 • via Nuitee
L
Lilia • solo_traveller • us
10
Great place.
Pros:

The cleaning.

Cons:

I will say that I like everything.

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
D
Diane • couple • us
1
It was dirty and staff was unaccommodated and unwilling to resolve my issue with room 319
Pros:

.

Cons:

The ac was very loud in room 319. I spent all day Saturday trying to get a solution to it. I had another family member staying in room 323 so check out was not an option. Staff and property manager practically kicked me to the curve. I had to get multiple room cards because the door card reader would not in room 323.

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
M
manuel • family_with_children • us
8
Pros:

For more confortable you need private pool and better breakfast

Cons:

Breakfast

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
C
Cathy • solo_traveller • us
1
Pros:

I have spoken to a representative Friday and already explained the situation and he proceeded with taking care of the problem. I wanted to upload more pictures but the link given wouldn't work. I called 3 times today to get a new email upload link and was hung up on 3 times. I am attempting to add the pictures here. Today was very disappointing that your representatives were so poor.

Cons:

The furniture was absolutely filthy. Checked 2 rooms and same problem.

2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
E
Elizabeth • solo_traveller • us
10
Excellent Experience
Pros:

The room was spacious and clean. The staff was kind and helpful. It was extremely convenient to have a kitchen. The location was central to many restaurants as well as shopping.

Cons:

It would have been nice if the situation about the pool was made a bit clearer. Apparently this location shares a pool with the neighboring property but this was not mentioned upon check in or in the information found through QR code in the room which does not list a pool as an available amenity. We assumed there was no pool and the online information for the property was out of date. However the day we checked out we found the welcome letter which explains this. A lesson in making sure you ask :)

2026-09-09 • via Nuitee
P
Paula • family_with_children • us
1
Pros:

Location was really good.

Cons:

Not clean, AC was not working.. breakfast was bad for what you paily

2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
N
Noguera • solo_traveller • us
9
Pros:

Supercéntrico las habitaciones cómodas el personal siempre fue de gran ayuda no tengo fotos de la habitación Pero la pasamos muy rico

2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
D
Donalie • solo_traveller • us
9
Comfortable and relaxed.
Pros:

Relaxed atmosphere. Homey feeling. Clean. Comfortable. Met or exceeded my needs except for one.

Cons:

My only regret was the hair dryer didn’t work. Yes, I reset the GIF.

2026-09-05 • via Nuitee
B
Bria • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-09-05 • via Nuitee
E
Elroy • solo_traveller • us
10
Pros:

It was good

2026-09-01 • via Nuitee
J
jessica • family_with_children • us
9
Great
Pros:

Only issue i had was with a flickering light in sleeping area, but overall was great

2026-08-30 • via Nuitee
E
Erik • family_with_children • us
10
2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
C
Carlo • family_with_children • us
8
Good experience overall, with room for improvement
Pros:

Great location, spacious room, comfortable bed, clean and spacious bathroom, nice courtyard

Cons:

Common areas could be improved (except the courtyard which is pretty nice), people nearby talking very loud over the night, even on the 3rd floor. Breakfast is basic and pretty low quality.

2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
T
Tamarius • couple • us
10
2026-08-19 • via Nuitee