Sheraton Broadway Resort Villas

Myrtle Beach is known for its budget-friendly megaresorts on the sand, but the upper-middle-range Sheraton Broadway Resort Villas is not the typical Myrtle Beach hotel. This is immediately clear upon arrival, when guests must drive past the gated, staffed security entrance (a rarity for the area) into the sprawling complex.

Though families do have to sacrifice the beachfront location, the property is still incredibly family-friendly, thanks to the abundance of family-oriented water features. The large kiddy pool, shallow main pool (four feet deep), and Splash Cove make this property ideal for families with young children. Families can also be found playing basketball, tennis and mini-golf. Across the street at Broadway Beach, there's a lot of entertainment for older kids: Go-Karts, a roller coaster, indoor arcade, rock wall, and water park. And there are fireworks several nights a week.

The property is definitely one of the nicer options in the area, and the decor is, as the name suggests, plantation-style. There are decorative shutters above the front desk, and nice wicker furniture, white wood accents, and warm yellow walls in the lobby. There's also a fireplace and a coffee/tea station located here. The sprawling grounds have lawns, trees, and ponds.

While not directly on the beach, it is a short drive to the ocean. The huge entertainment complex, Broadway at the Beach, is across the street. Many golf courses are a five-minute drive from the hotel. and the airport is a 12-minute drive.

Rooms at the Sheraton are clean and have decor that is both beach- and plantation-inspired, with warm yellows, light or white woods, and blue accents. Expect other beachy details such as seashell designs around the mirror, sailboats on the couch pillows, and pictures of the beach above the bed. The fresh white bedding is definitely a step above what is found at many other properties in the area.

There are three levels of rooms: One-Bedroom, One-Bedroom Premium, and Two-Bedroom. They start at 500 square feet, and all have separate living areas with sofa beds, ceiling fans, dining areas, and two flat-screen TVs with cable. The Premium One-Bedroom is a bit larger than the standard, sleeps six instead of four, has a king bed instead of a queen, and has a private patio (the standard does not). All units have kitchenettes or full kitchens.

Some guests have complained of minor maintenance issues, though the hotel is usually quick to resolve them.

There may be no beach, but there's still plenty to do here. The Splash Cove water complex may be one of the most notable features; though only open in the summer, it has tunnels, slides, a three-masted pirate ship, an octopus perched atop a yellow submarine, and lots of interactive water play. The bright indoor pool is large enough for doing laps; there are free yellow tubes available for floating down the lazy river; and the shallow main pool (four feet deep) has plenty of adjacent loungers and tables with umbrellas.

Other activities include tennis courts, a volleyball court, mini-golf, a basketball court, and a playground. Guests can barbecue in the outdoor grilling area. Bear in mind that the Sunny's Poolside Bar & Grill is only open seasonally, and some guests report that it only serves lunch (the hotel website advertises that it serves three meals a day).

The fitness center has modern cardio machines with personal TVs and wood floors.