Ocean Creek - A13 by RedAwning

The location was excellent, and the staff were friendly and helpful. The room also seemed clean, one of the few positives we found. Still, our anniversary stay was disappointing, and the online photos made the place look much cuter than it was in reality. We stayed in Studio Villa On the Beach #2329 on the third floor. The room looked nothing like the pictures, and I wouldn’t have booked it if they’d been accurate. There was a strong musty carpet smell, like an old basement, outdated furnishings, a very small toilet, and a hard, uncomfortable bed that gave me neck and back pain. There were no USB ports, coffee filters, or dish soap. Roaches were in the hallways and stairwells, with notices about them on every floor. We had to hurry between the room and other areas because they were on the walls and ceilings. Gross. There were several fees that weren’t clear upfront: $10 per day for parking despite lots of available spaces, a $39 damage waiver covering up to $1,000 in damages or a $250 credit card hold, and a 3% card processing fee that you can avoid only by paying in advance with a debit card. I can’t see $1,000 worth of anything in that room to damage. Myrtle Beach’s attractions and activities were great, but our stay at Ocean Creek Resort wasn’t. I understand the positive reviews about cleanliness, since that was one of the few good things we encountered. I’ve left a message and emailed GM Cari Garvey, whose contact details were hard to find, hoping to hear back. I’d recommend looking at other places to stay.

There’s a real creek here that flows into the ocean, with a walking bridge over it where we could fish, and people can wade in the water. The beach is beautiful, too. The resort has lovely pools with comfortable loungers, and the staff were helpful. During busy season, there’s a golf cart tram to get you to the beach if your condo isn’t nearby. It’s close to everything, and the kids are already asking to return after just our first night!

The accommodations and amenities are lovely, but this resort isn’t very motorcycle friendly. Bikes aren’t allowed through the resort gate, and you have to pay $10 a day per motorcycle to park in a gravel lot. It’s open from 8am to 11pm and locked outside those hours. We had to hike to our room or plan around the tram, which ran from 10am to 8pm. After booking, I was also told about a $250 security deposit that would be held for up to two weeks. The extra fees they glossed over were irritating. The place doubles as a timeshare and a 50+ living community, a bit like Florida’s Villages, with rooms for rent presented as a resort. If that sounds good to you, you’ll probably love it. For us, a middle aged biker couple, it was okay. We only booked because of a concert across the street at barefoot landing. We won’t come back.

We’ve stayed at Ocean Creek with my family for twenty years, but something has changed. On our recent weekend trip, the first condo had stains on the rug, a bed almost on the floor, and cardboard wedged under the glass dining table to level it. There was also an old rusted pool chair turned over on the balcony, with the paint peeling badly. Customer service offered us a better equipped room, but the front desk acted like they couldn’t care less. I was told there was no manager available to hear my concerns. When I tried to show my photos, the employee cut me off and said I could email them. I ended up cancelling our summer reservation. I don’t want to risk getting another subpar room with no alternative available. I was told this unit had just been acquired by Ocean Creek, but I’m not sure what’s happened to the furnishing standards or customer service.