Have you ever wondered where Ocean Reef Resort got its start? Read on for a little walk down memory lane:
The property now known as Ocean Reef Resort got its start as a Sheraton. The Sheraton was the first to own the Resort dating back to its start 35 years ago in 1975. The Oceanfront tower was the first building, and back in the 1970s, the hotel targeted couples looking to escape the cold, and small families looking for a low-key getaway. At this time, the tower only had efficiency units and suite and parlor rooms.
After the Sheraton felt they had done everything they could with their given surroundings, they sold the property to The Dargan Group, a construction company, later named The Martinique Investors Group. Their main goal was to surround their guests with Southern hospitality and provide them a taste of the South in a predominately touristy area. However, The Dargan Group dared to be different. They wanted an edge that other hotels in the area were lacking, which led them to the islands of the Caribbean. This venture led them to St. Bart’s where a man was able to provide the group with floor tile unlike any other that could be found in the Myrtle Beach area. If you go to the resort today, you can still see this tile and the footprints from animals and vacationers back when it first opened. How’s that for a fossil?
Their southern hospitality marketing technique and unique sense of style worked until 1999, when Brittain Resort Management decided to invest in the property.
This is where it all began. As you know it today, Ocean Reef Resort has since expanded. Under the management of Brittain Resort, the south tower was built in 2001 to accommodate larger families. The expansion was also necessary for the large number of golf-lovers flying down to Myrtle Beach. These new and improved condos are now a major hot spot for all who here throughout the year.
But one of the best things about Ocean Reef resort is that many staff members have stayed on since the days that the resort was a Sheraton! If you ever have breakfast in the Café Du Port, you’ll likely recognize some of these familiar faces, including Maggie, Walter and Judi. In fact, so many of our guests have been visiting year after year for so long, our breakfast staff exchanges Christmas cards every year with generations of families!
(posted 3/9/14)
