5 Hotels and Motels to Avoid in Myrtle Beach, SC
There are many, many options for lodging in Myrtle Beach. These are five you should definitely avoid.
Lodging in Myrtle Beach
Have you been searching for an affordable hotel or motel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina? You're not alone. The price of lodging in Myrtle Beach can be unbelievable, especially in the summertime. That can lead you to look for the best deals possible. However, as a Myrtle Beach local, I can honestly tell that you get what you pay for.
It can be tempting to choose a cheap hotel, especially if you don't plan to spend much time in your hotel room. Many people just need a place to sleep for a few hours, so they skip the bells and whistles and get a bare-bones room. Unfortunately, in Myrtle Beach, bare-bones rooms are where you tend to find all the criminals and crazies.
The owners of these hotels know their main clientele don't care about "quality," so they don't keep up the premises. They get money quick, don't ask questions, and keep their mouths shut. Travelers, unfortunately, don't know this until they arrive. By then, they're stuck with these awful rooms because hotels in Myrtle Beach stay booked far in advance.
This article will help you avoid five of the worst hotels and motels in Myrtle Beach. There are likely a lot more than five you should avoid, but this is a start.
1. Happy Holiday Motel
In my experience, anything that starts with Happy Holiday is probably a bad bet. This hotel fits that description. The location of the motel isn't bad. It's on Ocean Boulevard, not terribly far away from the boardwalk. They have ocean view rooms and a large parking lot which is great for SUVs. Unfortunately, the good news stops there.
The outside looks good—they keep the parking lots clean. The inside is a different story. The number one complaint about the motel is black mold. I don't know how this motel hasn't been shut down yet, but it's dirty. It's obvious they don't do deep cleanings here, so there is a good chance your room could have "unwanted organic matter," for lack of a better term.
If you think risking your health for a cheap rate is worth it, then take your chances. However, I would recommend staying somewhere else.
2. The Virginian
The price and location of this motel are amazing, even in the middle of the busy season. It's one block from the ocean and three blocks from a Walmart. Plus, there are plenty of restaurants and attractions within walking distance.
Unfortunately, what you save in money, you lose out on in comfort. This motel is known for old, broken furniture. However, the top complaint is bed bugs!
The staff does a great job of keeping the place relatively clean, but this motel can't seem to get rid of its pest problem. There are even a lot of complaints about dead roaches being found in drawers and corners. I suppose it's good that they're dead, but it's obvious the roaches are an ongoing problem.
The rooms here are dirt cheap, but you may end up spending a fortune getting rid of bed bugs and roaches that travel home with you.
3. Sea Gypsy Inn
Run . . . don't walk . . . RUN away from this place. I don't know how this motel is still open. They must be paying off health inspectors. Don't be fooled by their photos online. These are old, and the motel looks nothing like this anymore.
First off, the location is in the middle of a large unhoused population where a lot of open drug use happens. Sure, it's basically an ocean-front motel, but that is literally the only positive thing about this place. If you stay here, be prepared for shifty people hanging around at night and plenty of visits from cops. And no, they aren't patrolling the place. They're called there often for incidents.
Secondly, the place is filthy. It's always trashy, housekeeping is a joke, and you can forget about clean sheets and towels (or clean anything for that matter). Do yourself a favor and spend the money for a better motel room before you settle for this one. Your health and safety are so much more important than a few dollars.
Don't believe me? This motel has one of the worst ratings on Trip Advisor. Just read through some of the reviews and you'll be convinced.
4. 712 Inn/America's Best Value Inn
I'm not sure if the hotel has lost its branding, but it used to be called America's Best Value Inn. Now it's called 712 Inn. That's not a good sign (pun intended).
This hotel doesn't really have anything going for it. It's pretty far away from the beach, and the only thing near it is a gas station. People have left reviews detailing finding needles in the drawers and being advised by employees to stay away from the rooms that are rented by the hour. Police lights are a common sight here at night. It's not a place that you want to stay if you value your safety or if you have young children.
It's a very poorly kept hotel. You've got a 50/50 chance of getting a decent room, and by decent, I mean not totally disgusting. They are skimpy on soap and shampoo and they're known for bad customer service. They also charge extra for use of the Wi-Fi.
There is nothing about this hotel that is worth the measly few dollars they charge. You can read some of the reviews I mentioned on Trip Advisor.
5. Summer Wind Inn & Suites
The only thing good thing about this motel is the location. In fact, it's directly across the street from The Virginian, the second motel on this list. But like that motel, everything else about it is bad.
The biggest complaint is that the motel has the worst customer service on the planet. When you get there to check in, you might be waiting 30 to 45 minutes for the front desk clerk to decide to do their job. The front desk clerk might be in a good mood, but it's rare. After that interaction, you can forget about any other help.
The second biggest complaint is that the place is disgusting. It looks as if they don't have housekeepers. You can clearly tell that rooms don't get cleaned on the regular. There are rings around the bathtubs, dirty sheets, and cigarette butts all over the place. The pool might be clean or might not. It's a toss-up.
If that's not enough, the place looks like it's falling apart. It's clear that the motel isn't being maintained very well. I would really suggest you pick a different place to stay.
Choose Lodging Wisely in Myrtle Beach
I get it—hotels and motels are expensive in Myrtle Beach. It's no surprise you might try and shave a few dollars off your lodging so you can splurge in other areas of your vacation. However, lodging is not something you want to skimp on here. If you find a motel or hotel in Myrtle Beach that is dirt cheap, there is a reason for that and it's usually not good. Go for "middle of the road" pricing if you want to stay safe and healthy while visiting.
If you are trying to vacation on a budget in Myrtle Beach, try visiting some of the shops I discuss in my other article about the area. I promise, they are all much cleaner!
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2022 Dani Alicia
