Myrtle Beach, SC--

With the temperatures heating up and vacation time the only thing on the mind for summer, our staff decided to make a trip south to find a resort that families, business travelers and golfers could enjoy that provided an upscale environment, but not upscale pricing. What we found was a gem located right on the Atlantic Ocean in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort.

While some travelers will be convinced that time shares and all inclusive packages are the way to go when coming to this predominately golf travel town, we have found a place that offers more than you will find anywhere else in Myrtle Beach.

Our welcomed experience started before we even entered the hotel when the resort's bell men were at our car when we pulled to the front of the hotel offering assistance, certainly a southern trait. Their resort style dress of flowered shirts and straw style hats insured us that we were at the right place. Not one, but two bellmen made the transition to the inside of the hotel and our bags were brought to the room within three minutes of arriving in the room after check-in.

As we continued the speedy check-in process all of the staff made sure that we knew about the resort activities and all they had to offer throughout the weekend. All we really wanted to do is climb into the lounge chairs in the lobby, which were some of the most relaxing chairs we have sat in a long time after a long round of golf.

We normally do not rave over a lobby, but the Hilton lobby is reminiscent of a Moroccan Palace. Huge potted plants surround oversized seating areas. Huge swaths of blue and white fabric rise towards the soaring ceiling, which creates a tent-like atmosphere. If you are a business traveler and can withstand the need to conduct business while in Myrtle Beach, have your client meet you in the lobby. One word describes the lobby, WOW! There are meeting facilities on-site, a gift shop, and a coffee shop that has Starbucks. How about the best coffee for that early wake up? If this sounds good, we haven't even gotten to the best part of the hotel yet.

After all of the checking in and the friendly staff assisting us during our stroll through the lobby, we decided to see what the Hilton had to offer with its beachfront rooms.

Any of the 385 rooms at the Hilton that face the beach certainly give you a view to remember and even offer a great balcony to relax and enjoy a sunset. Waves crashing and the birds chirping, we did all we could do from falling asleep into tranquility.

Inside of the room travelers will again be delighted with what the Hilton has done with all of their rooms. They are bright and beach style colorful. Each part of the room has a matching flavor and certainly is better than looking at a tan wall commonly found inside of hotels .The furnishings and the decor is more maritime than tropical, which is a refreshing change from the over-done palm tree cliché.

We had two double beds in our room, the sheets were crisp and fresh, and the pillows fluffy and seemed new. There's an extra Velux blanket and pillow in a zippered bag in the closet, to be used as needed. Also in the closet was an iron, real wooden hangers, and two of those famous Hilton cotton spa robes. When we came back to our room after a short trip downstairs, the robes were placed neatly at the foot of the bed and the nightly turndown service was done with an extra touch of chocolate left on each pillow.

Each room has a large television, medium sized fridge, mini microwave, coffee maker, and hair dryer. There is a high speed internet portal, with an extra fee to use it. While some hotels include the high speed internet, the resort offers you more in place of not having free high speed internet access. During the week, guests will awake to a USA TODAY placed at their door.

Inside of the room the amenities continue to get even better. On top of the towels we found a paper flower that looked more like a piece of artwork than a welcome decor. Each day a new one was placed in the same place along with the matching wash cloths rolled into a flowering shape. Add the Crabtree and Evelyn soaps and shampoos replenished daily, these are some features that are not even found at five start resorts where guests can pay as much as $800 a night for a room.

If you thought the hotel just could not offer anything more wait until you try dinner at Amafi's. If you aren't blown away by the ocean view, wait until you see what chef David Guerin has brought to the hotel with his native New Jersey roots.

Our dining experience began with a pleasant hostess awaiting our arrival and then we were greeted by one of the most comprehensive food and beverage directors we have met in many years. Alissa Conti, who not only cares about service, she cares about her patrons as well. She was seen greeting each guest as well as helping the wait staff. Conti is a great example of the team effort at the Myrtle Beach Hilton and their commitment towards great service.

After Conti made a few suggestions to our staff we decided to add a few of our own, it only took a few minutes into the appetizers to figure why this might be the best asset at the hotel and why Cafe Amalfi might even be one of the top places to dine in Myrtle Beach.

The appetizers we tried were definitely made with artistry and excellent presentation in mind.

The Almond Crusted Soft Shell Crab is highly recommended. Its almond and tempura batter makes it more like eating desert than an appetizer. The soft shell comes pan fried and is served over mixed greens and tossed with oranges, sliced strawberries and orchid petals and topped with an almond brown butter vinaigrette. The flower petals almost made this too good to eat. It will not last long, as the flavor with the fresh fruit is unbelievable for $8.75.

If you go anywhere in the south such as Charleston or Savannah, you will probably find Fried Green Tomatoes in many places, but the Fried Green Tomatoes Napoleon were served to another level with the melted fresh buffalo mozzarella and roasted red peppers. The remaining garlic basil cream sauce is good enough to be soaked into the warm bread on the table. This plate won't even see the dishwasher after anyone is finished.

With Guerin insuring that the dinner entrees would only be better than the appetizers, we decided to try the Diver Scallops with recommendations of Guerin himself and we were not let down with the pan seared scallops dusted in cocoa powder with vanilla cream sauce with a sweet potato tartlet. While some scallops have a strong seafood taste, many will steer away from their chewyness. Each bite was like a Hershey's kiss melting in your mouth. These were so flavorful, that they almost could be ordered as a desert with the combination of vanilla and chocolate. This entree has become an award winner in Myrtle Beach for Guerin and he serves it with pride to his customers as he is extremely happy with his recipe.

While the scallops are hard to pass up, the beef is a very solid 10 on the menu as well. We sampled the Ribeye and the Beef Tenderloin Tournedo. Unique flavor is rolled into the tenderloins with the espresso beans rolled on the outside along with the Vidalia demi glace. Preparation and presentation is excellent and the combination of the sauce and coffee beans gives the Tournedo's a A+ rating for presentation and combination of flavor.

Both the Ribeye and the Tenderloin are generous cuts of meat and well worth the $22.95 and $25.95. You will find it difficult to find this quality along with creativity anywhere in Myrtle Beach.

If you like crab, then the Key West Crab Cakes can not be missed. They loaded with crab that we thought the Hilton had bought all of the crab meat available in Myrtle Beach just to fill all of their orders for the evening. Add the Key Lime remoulade all served over a field green salad for $19.95. This price is the least we have seen a crab cake in season with this much meat packed into them. This item is also low carb for the health conscious consumer.

Just when you thought the menu could not get any better, dessert arrives before you know it. Your taste buds are transformed into heaven all over again with all of the desert items. Both the Banana Xango filled with banana cheesecake served deep fried covered in caramel and the Coffee Martini with its big scoop of coffee ice cream, whipped cream and strawberries are our award winners and may soon also be the best in Myrtle Beach if either Alissa or David have anything to do with it!

We were so impressed with the dinner, we decided to return to lunch at Beachcombers after a round of golf at their Arcadian Shores golf club and again the service was prompt and the food was great to enjoy on the deck, next to the pool.

Huge wooden tables with umbrellas continue the beach theme. The lunch options such as Caesar Chicken Wrap and a Fruit Platter or Fried Mushrooms make it a great way to enjoy lunch inside or outside. They also have a great selection of refreshing beverages. Whether it's a cold Iced Tea or a Strawberry Margarita, Beachcombers is your choice for lite fare and a great beach view.

One of the best assets of the newly installed deck is that the hotel provides a live band outside on deck Wednesday through Sunday. It was a real treat to come back to the hotel and sit by the edge of the beach just steps away from the back of the hotel and listen to the band. The beach in front of the Hilton is much less crowded and actually quite pleasant because the population density where the hotel is located is much less than hotels further south.

Since we have raved about all the hotel has to offer, we could not forget about what many travelers come to Myrtle Beach for, the golf. The Arcadian Shores course designed by Rees Jones gives golfers a chance to hit the beach and golf all in one central location.

or golfers who like a traditional golf course, Arcadian Shores is the course for you. They have taken a page from the Hilton's premiere service and put into the course so that no golfer will leave disappointed.

Under the direction of Audrey Apple, Arcadian's PGA Professional, every golfer will receive the attention of a country club atmosphere. Whether you bring your game to the challenging Par 72 course is on your own, we can guarantee that the golf and the service is some of the best found in the East.

When we arrived at the course not only does Apple's staff make sure you understand the course, they make sure you enjoy it as well. We have not seen a starter in some time that takes the time to make sure you understand the course. He even made club suggestions for some of the more difficult holes one the course.

For those who were looking for a great course that is award winning Arcadian Shores is the course for you. For the second time since 1997, Arcadian Shores has won an award for two holes which make up the Perfect 18 of Myrtle Beach.

One hole on this course that everyone will enjoy is number 13. It is one of the award winners and can be a challenging hole if you do not shorten your drive off the tee. While we did not hit the water, it provides a challenging second shot after a drive to the middle of the fairway to hit the green.

Arcadian offers some enticing lakes to line the course, just look, don't play there. Challenging bunkers also line the 18 holes and of course, Along the fairways Southern Pines along with Tifton Bermuda grass make this 30 year old course well respected by its peers at Golf Magazine and Golf Digest.

When you are finished the round, be sure to check out the beautifully manicured clubhouse inside, where a fully stocked pro shop and Club Grill offer an afternoon of unwinding with a drink to celebrate your score. Arcadian Shores also offers a golf school and a driving range for game improvement. Tee times can be booked by calling (866) 326-5275. Rates for the course vary by season. From $39-109.00, this is one of the best values for a great course at any price range.

Both the hotel and the golf course are located in the northern most Myrtle Beach about 5 miles south of North Myrtle Beach. This makes it much quieter than central Myrtle Beach locations but also puts it within a very easy drive to Barefoot landing, Broadway on the Beach, and the Alabama Theater. We were a able to get to House of Blues in just a short eight minute drive.

Guests will have no trouble finding the hotel. If you are traveling North on 17 (Kings Highway) it's a right shortly after you pass the Carolina Opry (The Doll House on left, CVS pharmacy on right). Well marked signs for both the golf course and the hotel will direct you right to the front of the hotel.

While there are so many options for lodging and golf in the Myrtle Beach area, travelers will find it tough to match the amenities that the Hilton has served up. From the staff to the restaurant and golf, it would be tough to find a perfect fit for all travelers anywhere else. The Hilton is making it difficult to go anywhere else in Myrtle Beach, because they bring it all right to you. The only thing you need is a smile and a weekend of great fun is not far away.

For more information about making a reservation at the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort or to inquire about their specials and current rates, contact the Hotel directly at (843)449-5000 or visit the Hilton website at www.hilton.com

The Myrtle Beach Hilton is located at

10000 Beach Club Drive

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29572