Myrtle Beach

This 405-room Marriott resort is one of the few four-pearl properties in Myrtle Beach, and it's a good deal more elegant than the typical run-down chains you'll find in the area. — Oyster

The 171-room Island Vista is a solid mid-range property located directly on the beach. — Oyster

Unlike some offerings in the condo-hotel genre, Marina Inn operates like a full-service hotel. — Star Service

There are several pools, a lazy river, and a pirate-ship facade that kids can swim in and around. The hotel is right in the middle of the Myrtle Beach Strip. — Fodor's

This expansive outpost of the Best Western chain is nicely located, but a few hundred feet from the beach. — Frommer's

Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort is a three-and-a-half-pearl resort that's adjacent to Hilton Myrtle Beach Convention Center on a quiet stretch of North Myrtle Beach. — Oyster

A "barefoot paradise," Sea View is a no-frills beachside boardinghouse (there are no TVs or in-room phones) with long porches. — Fodor's

A huge U-shaped structure standing 15 stories tall amid the beach action, the Landmark is one of the Grand Strand's better examples of midpriced accommodations. — Frommer's

The Regency Tower is an upper-middle-range beachfront property in south Myrtle Beach that's popular with couples and families. — Oyster

This mid-range property has a convenient location on the waterfront, with direct access to a great beach, and proximity to shopping, several golf courses, and downtown Myrtle Beach. — Oyster

Ocean Reef Resort is a mid-range resort with a beachfront location in Myrtle Beach that offers about the same experience to what you find at most other family-friendly hotels in the city. — Oyster

Originally built in the 1980s as a member of the Four Points Sheraton chain, this 16-floor tower is a family favorite and also the darling of the convention crowd. — Frommer's

Compass Cove Oceanfront Resort is one of the many mid-range family-friendly properties that grace Myrtle Beach’s beachfront. — Oyster

Right on the main drag in downtown Myrtle Beach, this two-story mom-and-pop-style operation has a kidney-shaped pool and the architectural styling of an early 1960s South Florida laid-back retreat. — Frommer's

Families who want to keep the kids entertained will enjoy the mid-range Coral Beach Resort & Suites. — Oyster

The Sandy Beach Resort is a 228-room condo-style hotel with an excellent location just south of Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, next to the Family Kingdom Amusement Park. — Oyster

Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort is a sprawling 589-room, mid-range resort located on an uninterrupted stretch of sand on the Atlantic Ocean. — Oyster