Embassy Suites by Hilton Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort

The Embassy Suites by Hilton Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort is the flagship hotel of Kingston Resorts, a large beachfront resort community at the northern end of Myrtle Beach proper, and it is the Grand Strand's best answer for families who want a real hotel with resort extras rather than a condo. All 255 rooms are two-room suites with a separate living area and sleeper sofa, private balconies and ocean views, and every one was refreshed in a recent renovation with new furnishings and queen beds in the double suites. The Embassy Suites formula adds real value: a free cooked breakfast and an evening reception are included. Around the hotel, Kingston's facilities are extensive. Currents Seaside Entertainment includes two waterparks, one with bigger slides for older kids and one for younger children, a large pool deck with hundreds of loungers, daybeds, rentable cabanas, a hammock garden and fire pits; guests of the Embassy Suites and the neighboring Hilton get exclusive pool-deck access. The 78Fitness club has an indoor pool and splash pad for cooler days, Spa33 handles treatments, and there is tennis, pickleball and golf simulators. Dining spans six outlets and two grab-and-go spots, led by Black Drum Brewing, a Carolina-inspired restaurant with 40 Carolina beers on tap, a beer garden and an ocean-view event space. A complimentary shuttle runs throughout the resort.

Kingston Resorts occupies a long stretch of oceanfront at 9800 Queensway Boulevard, north of the main hotel strip, and its setting feels calmer and more self-contained than central Ocean Boulevard, with a complimentary shuttle linking the hotels, pools and restaurants and a wide beach in front. The Embassy Suites is the social center, with the main pool complex and restaurants close at hand, so you can spend whole days without moving the car. For families, the two-room suite layout is the key: children can sleep in the living room while parents have the bedroom, and the included breakfast removes one daily expense and decision.

The waterparks are the headline in warm months, and the indoor pool and splash pad at 78Fitness keep children happy in winter. Black Drum Brewing gives adults a good reason to stay in for dinner, with its beer garden and local taps, and the evening reception is a relaxed way to start the night. Golfers can book packages to courses along the Grand Strand.

Location trade-offs: the resort is a 15 to 20 minute drive from the boardwalk and Broadway at the Beach, and a similar distance from Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach, which places it well between the two hubs. It is also convenient for the theaters on North Kings Highway, including The Carolina Opry and Pirates Voyage. Off-season rates are a bargain for a hotel of this standard, and the quiet, spacious grounds are pleasant for walks in November and December.