[music] - How would you describe the cove to somebody who's never visited?

- I would tell them that the cove is a one-of-a-kind boutique experience stay in downtown Wilmington.

- And they're houseboats.

- Yes.

So they're floating, which makes them really unique.

But when people hear the term houseboats, they generally think of something very different than this.

When guests step in the front door, they realize how spacious they are and that it's really much more than a boat.

The boat piece is that it's floating.

But we are right in the heart of downtown, and so it's very walkable to get into the historic district and get to so many wonderful restaurants and shops.

It provides the opportunity for guests to have a really relaxing quiet stay while also being right in the heart of downtown Wilmington.

- Well, each one is so beautifully designed.

I just think right inside the unit, you can go upstairs and relax on the little patio area.

You can enjoy the views from the dock.

[music] And inside, each houseboat has its own look and personality, with a distinct theme chosen by Summer Dumont and her team.

- Every houseboat here at the cove has completely unique decor.

Not one houseboat is the same.

The one we just finished about two weeks ago, La Maison, is a French country.

That, to me, was one of my very favorites to decorate.

I love picking a staple item and kind of decorating around it.

I have a passion for it.

I think the most fun is doing something different every time.

[music] - What are the amenities that guests will find in each unit?

- So there's a full kitchen in every unit, which is really what makes it different than a true hotel room.

We have them stocked so that they can cook a full meal.

But there's also multiple bedrooms.

We make sure that every unit has a king bed somewhere in it.

The neat part here is that they can really make the stay what they want it to be.

So if they want a really relaxing stay, they can come and just stay here and enjoy the space.

And if they want a fun adventure, they can head into downtown or even beyond into Wilmington and there's so much to see and do.

- Since I've visited a few years ago, there's some new things.

What are those?

- We have the golf carts that help our guests get around.

We do offer that assistance to get further down into downtown and to bring all your belongings down.

- We can bring you downtown so you don't have to drive.

If you plan on staying locally, you can say, "Peace out to your car until you check out."

- We're really excited about our retail store and check-in area.

So we have a really nice relaxing area, kind of like a hotel lobby in there.

We also have several new types of units and models.

We added a three-bedroom unit as well as more one-bedroom units with the full rooftop patio.

And we have a new duplex unit.

- Some people cannot travel without their pets.

- Yes.

- Do you allow pets here?

- Yes.

We have, I think, we're up to six units that are pet friendly.

And we love to have dogs here.

- When people stay, what's one of the things that they remember the most?

- I think they remember how it made them feel.

- It's peaceful.

You're in the city, but there's something about water that is extremely peaceful.

- We have guests that come back again and again, and they leave saying that they wish that they could have stayed more nights.

♪ - The Cove Riverwalk Villas are located at the Port City Marina in Wilmington.

For more information or to book your stay, visit them online at thecovewilmington.com.