Kingston Plantation is a gated 145-acre oceanfront resort community in the Arcadian section of north Myrtle Beach, set along more than half a mile of beach. The community combines oceanfront condo towers with villas, townhomes, and low-rise condos, supported by resort amenities including multiple pools, the Splash water amenity, and the on-site Embassy Suites hotel — offering turnkey oceanfront living with a built-in rental program.
About Kingston Plantation
Kingston Plantation is best understood as a resort that residents can own into. Spread across 145 landscaped acres, it sits behind 24-hour security and fronts more than half a mile of beach, with a network of pools, walking trails, and amenity buildings. A beachfront boardwalk connects the buildings along the shoreline.
The housing runs from oceanfront condo towers to townhomes, villas, and low-rise condos. The towers each carry their own character: Margate Tower is the tallest at around 29 stories with larger two-to-four-bedroom units; Brighton Tower stands roughly 21 stories; North Hampton, South Hampton, and Royale Palms round out the oceanfront inventory. The on-site Embassy Suites and Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort hotels, with restaurants, lounges, a Starbucks, and the Hilton-managed rental program, give the property an active hospitality side that draws second-home owners and rental investors as much as full-time residents.
Grande Dunes Real Estate Market
Kingston Plantation (Q2 2026)
~$200K (condos) to $1.5M+ (premium oceanfront/villas)
Oceanfront condo towers, villas, townhomes, low-rise condos
~600 sq ft (condos) to 3,000+ sq ft (villas/townhomes)
Gated, 145 acres, over half a mile of beach
Hilton-managed rentals available on site
Schools
Kingston Plantation is served by Horry County Schools, on the Myrtle Beach-area attendance track: Myrtle Beach Elementary, Myrtle Beach Middle, and Myrtle Beach High. As a condo-dominant resort community weighted toward second-home and investment buyers, schools are a secondary factor at Kingston.
Amenities and Lifestyle
- Over half a mile of private beach — a gated, secured oceanfront with a beachfront boardwalk connecting the community’s buildings.
- Multiple pools and the Splash water amenity — a large pool network across the property, plus Splash with slides and a lazy river.
- Embassy Suites and on-site dining — restaurants, lounges, a Starbucks, and the Hilton-managed rental operation, plus tennis courts, a fitness center, and walking trails.
- Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort and waterpark — both hotels within the gates give owners hotel-grade recreation without leaving the property.
Tower vs. Villa: How to Read the Kingston Market
The central decision at Kingston is the building, not just the community. The oceanfront towers deliver high-floor ocean views and the strongest rental demand but carry the highest dues. The villas, townhomes, and low-rise condos trade lower and appeal to buyers who want a quieter primary or second residence over an income unit. Within the towers, floor, view, and whether a unit is in the Hilton-managed rental program can move value as much as square footage.
For an income-focused buyer, the analysis is effectively a small-business one: project the realistic rental revenue against the master and building dues, the management split, and the cost of keeping the unit rental-ready. The all-in monthly cost varies substantially between buildings, so the right unit depends on use. Phil can pull the dues schedule and rental terms for any specific tower or villa before an offer. See the second homes and investment guide for how to evaluate a unit like this.
Buying in Grande Dunes
Buying well in Grande Dunes means understanding the village structure and the membership layer before the home itself. The membership question is the one most out-of-state buyers underestimate — the community HOA, sub-association dues, the optional Ocean Club, and golf memberships are separate line items. A buyer should price the full stack, not just the list price, and confirm which memberships convey with a given property.
Because Grande Dunes also sees steady new construction, buyers weighing a resale home against a build should compare not only price per square foot but the timeline, the lot premium, and the difference in dues between an established village and a newer one. The luxury buying guide covers how to weigh coastal premiums like these.
Frequently Asked Questions
