Compass Cove is the water-park resort of the south end, and after a renovation of more than $25 million it is one of the best-value family stays on the Grand Strand. It occupies a long stretch of oceanfront at 2311 South Ocean Boulevard, about a mile and a half south of the boardwalk's end, in three towers named Mariner, Pinnacle and Schooner, with more than 530 rooms ranging from hotel rooms and efficiencies to suites and one- to three-bedroom condos with kitchens. The headline number is 23 water features: six indoor and outdoor pools, three lazy rivers, five kiddie pools, two waterslides and seven hot tubs, enough that children rarely run out of new places to swim and parents can usually find a quieter corner. The indoor pools keep the water program going through the cool months. Dining is on site and casual: Compass Rose Restaurant for sit-down meals, the Crow's Nest Oceanfront Bar and Grill and the Oceanfront Tiki Bar and Grill by the water, and Compass Joe for coffee. The resort is managed by Brittain Resorts and Hotels, the group behind The Breakers and the Caribbean Resort, so guests join Brittain Rewards, which brings free attraction tickets with every stay. The south-end location gives a slightly calmer beach than the central blocks while keeping the boardwalk, Myrtle Beach State Park, The Market Common and the airport within a short drive. Choose an oceanfront unit if the view matters, and look for direct-booking offers, which sometimes include breakfast.
Who it suits: families with children of almost any age, especially those who want a pool program big enough to fill whole afternoons, and groups who need multi-bedroom condos with kitchens. The three towers spread the crowds, the variety of pools means toddlers and teens can both be happy, and the lazy rivers are the resort's signature. Couples looking for peace are better served by a smaller property.
Choosing a room: the towers and room types vary widely, from compact hotel rooms to three-bedroom condos, so read the descriptions carefully. Oceanfront units face the beach directly; ocean-view units look at it from the side. Units with kitchens make a week's stay much cheaper, and the renovation means rooms are fresher than at many older south-end resorts.
Location and season: Compass Cove sits on South Ocean Boulevard, about ten minutes by car from the boardwalk and SkyWheel, a few minutes from Myrtle Beach State Park and The Market Common, and close to the airport. Off-season rates drop sharply, and with indoor pools, hot tubs and Brittain Rewards attraction tickets, a November or winter stay can be a bargain for families.
Why stay here
- ✓Three oceanfront towers
- ✓Rooms to three-bedroom condos
- ✓23 water features
- ✓Three lazy rivers
- ✓Indoor and outdoor pools
- ✓Two waterslides and kiddie pools
- ✓Oceanfront bars and restaurant
- ✓Brittain Rewards attraction tickets
Good questions
How many pools does Compass Cove have?+
It counts 23 water features: six indoor and outdoor pools, three lazy rivers, five kiddie pools, two waterslides and seven hot tubs.
Has the resort been renovated?+
Yes. The resort reports that a renovation of more than $25 million is complete.
Where is it?+
At 2311 South Ocean Boulevard, about ten minutes by car south of the boardwalk and close to Myrtle Beach State Park and the airport.
