$150–300

The premier bed-and-breakfast-style accommodation on the entire Grand Strand is Litchfield Plantation (Kings River Rd., 843/237-9121, www.litchfieldplantation.com, $230–275) on Pawleys Island, built, as you’ve probably come to expect by now, on an old plantation. There is a host of lodging choices here, all of them absolutely splendid.

The Plantation House has four sumptuous suites to choose from, all impeccably decorated. The humbly-named Guest House—actually an old mansion in and of itself—has six bedrooms, with the entire second floor being an executive suite. Lastly, the newer outparcel Villas contain an assortment of two- and three-bedroom suites.

Amenities include a full, complimentary Plantation breakfast each morning and a three-story beach club for use only by guests. If you visit in the winter you can get a room for as little as $150, a heck of a deal regardless of the temperature outside.

Similarly named but definitely not to be confused with Litchfield Plantation is the nearby Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort (14276 Ocean Hwy., 866/538-0187, www.litchfieldbeach.com, $100–170). In typical Grand Strand fashion, this property delivers a lot of service for a surprisingly low price. Also typical for the area, it offers a wide range of lodging choices, from your basic room at the Seaside Inn on the low end, to four-bedroom villas running $230 a night (still a great deal).

Though not all units are right on the beach, a regular, free shuttle takes you to the sand pretty much whenever you want. There are also lots of water activities right on the premises, including a ubiquitous “lazy river” tube course.

Vacation Rentals

Many who enjoy the Pawleys area do so using a vacation rental as a home base rather than a traditional hotel or B&B. Pawleys Island Realty (88 N. Causeway Rd., 800/937-7352, www.pawleysislandrealty.com) can hook you up.

© Jim Morekis from Moon South Carolina, 4th Edition