Owner Blog

Eight of 10 Hilton Head tourists are repeat visitors, survey says:                                        
Evidently, Hilton Head Island leaves a lasting impression.  Last year, a record 2.74 million people visited the island.  According to the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Visitor and Convention Bureau, 88.5 percent of the island’s visitors have visited before.  What draws them back year after year?  Maybe it’s the bicycle paths or the beaches. Maybe it’s the food.  Kelli Brunson, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce research and digital marketing coordinator, said that the island’s repeat visitors tend to stay in the same areas they did the first time.  “It’s something they’re familiar with,” Brunson said. “It’s almost like a backyard.”  Earlier this year, world-traveling blogger Drew Binsky declared the island to be the nation’s “best hidden gem.”  “It’s a magical little island that has a very clean and safe atmosphere,” he said Friday. “I really hope to be back soon.”


Town to improve Shelter Cove intersection
24 January 2019
The corridor between Queens Folly Road and King Neptune Way on William Hilton Parkway will soon undergo construction to improve traffic conditions near Shelter Cove. The consultation, design and construction process of the Shelter Cove Revitalization Project will cost $1.25 million and work should be completed by summer 2020. The project aims to improve conditions for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists who frequent the Shelter Cove area. Since 2015, there have been nearly 100 recorded collisions in the Shelter Cove corridor. 



The Hilton Head Island Airport announced Wednesday that American Airlines will begin flights to Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport in May 2019.  The announcement comes less than a month after United Airlines announced it would begin service between Washington, D.C., and Hilton Head in March 2019. The United flights will operate in and out of Washington Dulles International Airport two times per day.  The airport said the new American flights are “in part due to a runway extension that was completed in June,” to accommodate larger jets.  About 30,000 people use the airport each year. Most  traffic comes between April and October. 

                       5 Interior Design Tips to Help You Get More Bookings

First impressions are everything in a vacation rental. If the pictures of your villa don’t look inviting and if your entryway doesn’t make guests feel at home, you’ll struggle to get the positive reviews that encourage more bookings.  Here are some tips for creating a special space that travelers can’t resist. 
1. Give your vacation rental more personality
One of the reasons travelers choose a vacation rental over a hotel is to have a local experience. Guests want to see the area through your eyes. So skip matchy-matchy vases from national chains and instead decorate with driftwood you found at the beach or art from a local painter. Use colors or patterns that say island vacation.
2. Manage your clutter
Having too much stuff out is one of the top design issues in vacation rentals. You need to keep clutter under control.  Guests don’t want to feel like they’re intruding on your space. Your clutter and personal effects remind them that they’re staying in someone else’s home.  If you organize everything so your property doesn’t look messy or chaotic, it’s easier for them to see it as a neutral space where they can relax and unwind on vacation.The key is to use your mementos in a way that adds visual interest to your property. Another thing to be cautious with – family photos. Too many personal pictures make it hard for guests to forget that they’re staying in a stranger’s house. Force yourself to keep the family photos to a minimum. 
3. Don’t leave the walls blank
Interesting wall art is a key ingredient that makes a space warm, welcoming, and one of a kind. Invest in local art or prints that speak more to our region.
4. Create a Comfortable Layout
Don’t just fill your rooms with furniture. Put some thought into the layout and consider how guests will use the space when they’re staying.  Furniture staging has a big impact on how people use your space and whether they have a positive experience there. It’s best to arrange seating around a central focal point, like a coffee table or a fireplace. This invites people to gather and enjoy each other’s company, which after all, is what they’re going on vacation to do.
5. Invest in durable and comfortable furnishings
Even if you’re on a budget, it’s wise to invest in quality furniture and decor.  Inexpensive bedspreads and low-cost furniture are much less likely to stand up to wear and tear than quality, durable materials.  If high-end furniture and decor isn’t something you can afford, that’s OK. Secure the basics first – quality linens, sturdy furniture, warm blankets – and use the money you earn from your bookings to add other luxury items over time.
Now is the perfect time to evaluate your vacation rental.  Do you need new bedding, artwork, throw pillows?  Is it time to get rid of some clutter, dust collecting artificial plants, old patio furniture?  Trident Rentals will be happy to assist you. Just give us a call.

                                                  
 Surprise, surprise. Hilton Head made it onto Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice list once again. Not only is the island No. 1 according to Americans, but a number of Hilton Head resorts made it among the top 30 list of best resorts in the South. The winners were announced and published in the October issue. Palmetto Dunes (No. 12)

 
                                        HGTV ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND  9/23/19
An HGTV crew is on Hilton Head Island filming another episode of “Island Life”.  The show will be visiting condos on the island and filming at local businesses to give viewers a feel for the area.  It’s not the first time “Island Life” has filmed on Hilton Head.  In June 2017, cameras tagged along as Penny and Darryl Gray of Lake Placid, New York, looked at homes in Indigo Run and Hilton Head Plantation. Another episode filmed that summer featured the Martindell family from Doylestown, Pennsylvania; they ended up choosing a home in Port Royal Plantation.   HGTV’s website says “Island Life” is about people who are making their dreams come true by buying a residence on an island. “Tropical dreamers will be shown island properties that fit into any budget, from ultra affordable to totally outrageous,” the website says.


HILTON HEAD SOUTH CAROLINA AREA  2018 
VACATION RENTAL PERFORMANCE REPORT 


                                         Hilton Head named South’s best beach

Another summer, another honor: Southern Living magazine recently named Hilton Head Island the South’s Best Beach for 2018, earning praise for its flat, wide Atlantic beaches and waterways that readers said are perfect for paddling. And access to world-class golf at resorts like Sea Pines and Palmetto Dunes didn’t hurt, either.