Prince Resort 1540

I liked the location, but after three weeks here I’d tell people to stay somewhere else. They only cleaned my room once, which was fine since I took my own trash to the chute. The way they treat “locals” was the real problem: they require $250 cash on top of the room cost, and I don’t think there’s any chance of getting it back. The whole floor smelled of weed the entire stay, with smoke visible near the lights in every elevator. I never smelled it in my room, so I kept to myself. At the security check, they claimed there was a faint smoke smell and warned me to be careful about losing my deposit. I left with four nights still on my reservation, cleaned my room, and left no mess, with the bed still made. They called hours later, although I was supposed to get my cash back in 15-20 minutes, and said they had photos showing smoking in the room. When I asked to see them, I was hung up on. The woman was horrible and said I’d lose the deposit. I wonder if she kept it herself. Smoke was everywhere on that floor except my room. Construction went on all hours, scaffolding and debris kept you from walking around the building, and dumpsters took up parking spaces. One elevator was always broken, and the other three were constantly full of some kind of smoke. The people from check-in to checkout were rude from the moment I arrived. It feels like they’re robbing people to make up for having no guests.

We enjoyed the beautiful restored beach and the location, with the fishing pier lit up at night and a nice looking restaurant on site. Still, I doubt we’ll return. There’s new construction right next door, bringing noise and disruption. The multilevel deck across the street had plenty of parking, but it was dark and often smelled of weed on the main level, where construction workers gathered. We got a large framing nail in a brand new tire and bought an emergency air pump to get through the night. Blacks Tires auto had a big jar of objects removed from tires; the man there said they patch dozens each week, and he was professional, helpful, and fair. We drove on lots of side streets, so we can’t be sure where the nail came from, though the parking deck is a strong possibility. Our one-bedroom, one-bath unit had a spacious bedroom, large bathroom and kitchen, and a storage closet for luggage and beach chairs. The living room furniture was comfortable, the balcony was nice, and there were plenty of elevators with little wait. The old soaking tub needed a handrail on the outside wall, and the bathroom door squeaked loudly. The mattress was hard and the pillows uncomfortable.

We liked the quieter feel of North Myrtle Beach, with fewer crowds than farther south but restaurants and convenience stores still nearby. Our breakfast package was handy, though the choices were limited. There were a couple of interruptions: the elevators were out for a day, and water was off for part of another day during equipment upgrades. I reported both through the resort’s text check-in system, and they responded quickly with a partial refund, which I appreciated. We had an enjoyable visit at The Price Resort last summer and hope to return when we can.

The view and Cherry Grove fishing Pier were great, but the rest of the stay had plenty of problems. The parking deck was very tight and involved a lot of walking. I didn’t find it handicapped friendly, though they offer a golf cart if you call. Check-in and getting luggage in and out were both a hassle. The in-house restaurant was terrible. The food quality was awful; my salad came without dressing, and the waitress offered to make something without knowing how it would taste. I declined and sent it back. I paid for breakfast each day expecting a fresh meal, but it was just a breakfast bar and not worth the money. No decaf coffee either. The whole restaurant was a joke. The pools were nasty and full of sand, and I never saw anyone clean them or check the water quality, so it felt like swimming at your own risk. On the first night, a woman screaming from a balcony woke me around 1 a.m., apparently drunk. The next night the same people were laughing, yelling, and acting crazy again, so I called the front desk. When I asked about the room safe for a day at the beach, the desk person acted like they knew nothing about it, so I locked everything in my car.