Myrtle Beach oceanfront hotel closed over illegal drug activity. What we know
Illegal drug activity at a Myrtle Beach oceanfront hotel has led to it being declared a nuisance by a Horry County judge.
The judge’s order on Nov. 17 opens the door for the Solicitor’s Office to close the property.
Solicitor Jimmy Richardson filed a petition in October asking for a temporary injunction to close the Twilight Surf Hotel, 1703 S. Ocean Blvd., stating that the oceanfront hotel “has the general reputation for repeated acts of unlawful possession or sale of controlled substances and continuous breaches of the peace.”
A message left with the hotel was not returned by publication.
The Solicitor’s Office worked in conjunction with the Myrtle Beach Police to stop and correct “dangerous and illegal activity” happening at the property, according to a news release from the police department Wednesday.
“For several years, there has been very little management or oversight at the hotel,” the release said. “Because of that, drug activity and disturbances have grown out of control, creating serious safety concerns for the community.”
Myrtle Beach Police responded to 284 calls for service at the hotel from May 18 to Nov. 17 according to the release. Myrtle Beach Fire Department responded to 22 additional calls. These calls included keep checks, disturbances, drug-related reports and other safety issues.
The high number of calls shows that the property has become unsafe for neighbors, visitors and first responders, the release said.
Posting the Twilight Surf Hotel as a nuisance begins a legal process through the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office to stop the dangerous activity and bring the property back into compliance with state law, the release said.
The Solicitor’s petition asked for the hotel to be closed for one year until a trial can be conducted. With the judge’s order this week, the hotel’s owners and employees will be restrained from using, maintaining and assisting in the using of the hotel. Also, the Myrtle Beach Police Department will remove all the furniture, equipment, fixtures and other property and put it in a place for safekeeping based on the petition.
The hotel was built in 1972 and has had three owners since its construction, according to online county records. The final was SK Holding Group in 2021.
This story was originally published November 19, 2025 at 5:30 PM.
