Our two resorts sit one avenue apart on the same beach and share the same waterpark, which makes the comparison harder than it sounds. Neither is the upgrade. They are built for different trips.
Here is what actually differs, laid out plainly.
The side-by-side
| Sand Dunes Resort | North Shore Oceanfront Hotel | |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 201 74th Ave N, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 | 201 75th Ave N, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 |
| Layout | Eight buildings of villas and towers | Single oceanfront hotel |
| Accommodations | One-, two- and three-bedroom suites, villas and condos | Seven room types, from oceanview rooms and studios to one-bedroom units and penthouses |
| Beach | Oceanfront | Oceanfront |
| Sands Resorts Waterpark | Onsite — admission included on any stay booked through Sands Resorts, direct or via a travel site | Onsite — free admission for every North Shore guest |
| Pools | Oceanfront outdoor pool, indoor pool with whirlpool | Oceanfront outdoor freshwater pool, indoor pool open year round, large whirlpool |
| Onsite entertainment | Family FunZone | Family FunZone; poolside family activities daily in summer |
| Dining | Oceanfront dining onsite | Salt & Lime — oceanfront Latin American, indoor and outdoor seating, full bar |
| Meeting & event space | Shared — groups at either resort use the space at North Shore | 14,000 sq ft of flexible space; six meeting rooms from 1,000 to 6,000 sq ft; up to 400 attendees |
| Reservations | 1-866-845-1011 | 1-800-959-6418 |
What the table does not tell you
Sand Dunes is a campus; North Shore is a building
Eight buildings means variety — a three-bedroom condo in the North Tower is a different stay from an executive suite in the South Tower, and the villas are different again. It also means the walk to your unit depends on which building you are in. Ask when you book if that matters to anyone in your party.
North Shore is one oceanfront hotel. Everything is under a single roof, which is quieter to navigate with a stroller, a wheelchair or a late arrival.
The waterpark is shared — the way in is not
One Sands Resorts Waterpark serves both properties: 130,000 gallons, a lazy river, waterslides, waterfall pools, a splash zone with a swinging bucket, a kiddie-pool playground. Whichever you book, that is the park you get. The difference is admission: every North Shore guest is covered, while at Sand Dunes it comes with any stay booked through Sands Resorts — directly or through a travel site. The exception is a unit let by an outside rental company, which Sands does not manage. Book direct and the question disappears. Seasonal hours apply, weather permitting.
Sand Dunes has written up the complete waterpark guide if you want the detail before you book.
Room count is the real fork in the road
If your party needs three bedrooms, Sand Dunes has them and North Shore does not. If your party is two people, a three-bedroom condo is money you did not need to spend. Most of the calls we take resolve on exactly this.
An event no longer decides it
A rehearsal dinner, a company breakout, a reunion where forty people need to sit down together — all of that happens in the shared Sands Resorts meeting space, and groups booked into either resort use it. So the event itself does not pick the property. What it picks is how far your group walks between the meeting and their beds: stay at North Shore and that is a lift ride. See what the rooms hold on the meetings and events page, or call group sales on 843-692-5266.
How to decide in one minute
Answer these three, in order:
- How many bedrooms do you need? Three or more, book Sand Dunes.
- Is there an event? The meeting space is shared, so this only decides whether you want the group sleeping where it meets. If you do, North Shore.
- Neither applies? Then compare rates and views for your dates and take the better one. You are not giving anything up either way.
Call 1-800-960-9273 and we will check both properties for your dates in the same call.
