About the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber Commerce

Code of Ethics

• Code of Ethics
• Additional Complaint Resources
• File a complaint with MBACC

The Ethics Review Committee is a joint committee of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association, working cooperatively to maintain ethical business standards in the Grand Strand community. We are a nonprofit membership organization and have no legal authority to establish or enforce business policy.

The committee does not judge the comments from a guest; neither do we take sides on the issues. We merely request that the guest be granted the courtesy of a reply and/or rebuttal.

Since hospitality is the lifeblood of our local economy, the board of directors of the chamber and the Hospitality Association regard unresolved issues seriously. Generally, an issue is considered resolved when the guest who contacted us has received a reply and a copy is provided for our file.

For your information, the State of South Carolina does provide an office for consumers who have concerns: South Carolina Consumer Affairs Department, P.O. Box 5757, Columbia, SC 29250; telephone (803) 734-4200. It is our hope that your complaint will be resolved satisfactorily.

Contact information: Ethics Committee staff liaison (843) 916-7309

Ethics staff is in the office on Mondays and Tuesdays only. If you call and get voice mail, leave your name, phone number and a brief message. Your call will be returned as promptly as possible.

The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association would like to extend a big “Thank You for Visiting” to those who choose the Grand Strand as their vacation destination.

Lodging Code of Ethics

“Innkeeper,” as pertains to the Code of Ethics, is defined as the owner, operator, manager, or keeper of the members of the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association or the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

1) Truth in Advertising, Literature, Letters, Electronic Media

1. No innkeeper shall misrepresent location, accommodations, rates, services, or facilities, either in advertising, printed literature, correspondence, or electronic media.
2. Where innkeeper advertises or publishes by any newspaper, mail, literature, or electronic media daily rates per person, it shall include “2 in room,” or “3 in room,” or similar representations which shall be clear to the public when rates are quoted.
3. Definitions of words in advertising:
   
   “Ocean Front” – shall mean a room or property that faces directly on the ocean, not separated from the ocean by a street or other property.
   
   “Ocean-View” – shall mean a room that is not “ocean front” but has an unobstructed view of the ocean from the room or private balcony. An ocean-view room cannot have a walkway in front of it.
   
   “Ocean Front View” – shall mean a room or property that faces directly on the ocean, but may be separated from the ocean by a street or land.
   
   “Side-View” – shall mean a room with a partial view of the ocean from either the balcony or walkway directly in front of the room.
   
   “Forest-Side,” “Court-Side,” “Street-Side,” “Pool-Side,” “Standard Room” – shall mean a basic room without a view of the ocean, but with all the conveniences and comforts to make one’s visit enjoyable.
   
   An “Efficiency” shall be minimally equipped to prepare and serve basic meals to the number of people normally expected to occupy the room. The minimum shall include, but not be limited to, a range top, refrigerator, sink, and appropriate cooking and serving utensils.
4. Room rates that are advertised on changeable copy signs must at all times be available to the general public.

2) Rates

1. All innkeepers shall post their maximum rates and any additional per-person charges either in their office and/or rooms.
2. Innkeepers shall post their rate schedule details of their own cancellation, refund, and advance-payment policy so that it should be completely understood by the public.

3) Deposits

1. It is normal practice to expect a deposit for a reservation. This deposit will guarantee the room will be available for the guest for the prearranged period of stay, and will, in turn, guarantee the innkeeper payment in the event the guest fails to arrive. Innkeepers may require deposits in such amounts, as they deem necessary.
2. Unless otherwise stated in the innkeeper’s literature, the innkeeper shall be required to keep accommodations available, which have been confirmed by deposit, until the next check-out period for persons failing to arrive as expected and who did not give notice of later arrival.
3. The innkeeper may deduct from a refund of an advance payment to a person, who has been ejected from the lodging establishment, the value of one day’s lodging plus half the value of lodging for additional days remaining in the reserved period. This subsection would not preclude the innkeeper from deducting a lesser amount of the advance payment or making a full refund.
4. Some properties may require a damage deposit; also, that the damages be reconciled in writing at checkout and an appropriate damage deposit refund be made in a timely manner. This shall be posted in the office.

4) Reservations

1. Innkeepers unable to fulfill their commitments shall make every effort to place such guests temporarily in another motel, at a rate of no higher than the original reservation. In the event the off-premise accommodations are at a lesser rate than those originally called for, the difference shall be credited to the guest’s account.
2. Innkeepers unable to fulfill commitment shall immediately return the deposit in the event the guest, who has made a reservation, which the innkeeper cannot fulfill in its own establishment, refuses to accept the accommodations which are offered in another motel.

5) Length of Stay

The innkeepers have the absolute right, at their discretion, to determine the minimum number of nights for which they will rent accommodations at their property.

6) Refunds During Evacuation

If the governor orders a mandatory evacuation, the board of directors recommends that lodging establishments make refunds or in-kind credits for guests during that period.

7) Checkout Hour

Innkeepers shall fix checkout hours as they desire, and plainly post the checkout hours in the office and/or in the rooms.

8) Guest Satisfaction

Upon request from a guest, an innkeeper shall show the accommodation before renting it to the prospective guest.

9) Sanitation and Cleanliness

1. All innkeepers shall maintain acceptable standards of sanitation and cleanliness in all rental rooms and baths. In addition, all public spaces, halls, walks and surrounding grounds shall be maintained in a clean and attractive manner, free of litter and debris.
2. All innkeepers who have pools shall keep them in a clean manner daily. Pools should have such clear water that the bottom of the pool can be seen at all times.

Suggested Deposit Policy

Deposit & Payment Policy

A $… deposit per room is required to secure reservations. Rooms will be available only to those requests secured by deposits. Your deposit is applicable to the fulfillment of your designated length of stay. When requesting reservations, please, note ARRIVAL and DEPARTURE DATES carefully. LATE ARRIVAL and EARLY DEPARTURE requires forfeiture of deposit, unless cancellations or changes are made…days in advance of your scheduled arrival date. Refunds of deposits resulting from cancellations will be subject to a service charge of $…. Payment of the balance of the room charges and any related taxes less the advance deposit are due and payable on the arrival date.

Additional Complaint Sources

Better Business Bureau of Coastal Carolina
P.O. Box 379
Conway, SC 29528
(843) 488-0238
http://www.carolina.bbb.org
Rules of Arbitration
http://www.dr.bbb.org/ComSenseAlt/bindArb.asp

South Carolina Dept. of Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 5757
Columbia, SC 29250
(803) 734-4200
(800) 922-1594 (in SC only)
http://www.scconsumer.gov/

Attorney General
Henry McMaster
P.O. Box 11549
Columbia, SC 29211
(803) 734-3970
http://www.scattorneygeneral.com/

South Carolina Real Estate Commission
P.O. Box 11847
Columbia, SC 29211-1847
Telephone: (803) 896-4400
Fax: (803) 896-4404
http://www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/RealEstateCommission/

Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO)
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
Room 5204 451 Seventh St. SW
Washington, DC 20410-2000
(800) 669-9777
http://www.hud.gov/complaints/housediscrim.cfm

Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 2115
Myrtle Beach, SC 29578
(843) 626-7444
File a complaint with MBACC

South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (DHEC)
1511-A 9th Ave.
Conway, SC 29526
(843) 248-1506
http://www.scdhec.net/

Horry County Environmental Services
Animal Control Office
(843) 248-1520
Call to speak to an Animal Control Officer to file complaint
http://www.horrycounty.org

Myrtle Beach Police Department
Patrol Division
1101 Oak St.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 918-1382
http://www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/policedept.html

City of Myrtle Beach
Mark Kruea, Public Information Officer
P.O. Drawer 2468
Myrtle Beach, SC 29578
(843) 918-1014
info@cityofmyrtlebeach.com

Myrtle Beach Fire Department
Bruce Arnel
921 B Oak St.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 918-1109