No tourists here: These 5 Hilton Head gated communities have banned short-term rentals

In many gated communities on Hilton Head Island, short-term rentals and tourists are not welcome.

Some gated communities have taken a stand against “short-term rentals,” because residents say a high turnover of weekly rentals leads to lower property values and create safety concerns for permanent residents.

Although the island is marketed as the “best island in the U.S.” and “no. 1 island in the U.S.” in national magazines, some residents who have moved or retired here like to keep the island a secret.

Here are the gated communities on the island that have “short-term rental” limitations:

• Port Royal Plantation: rental contracts must be at least 90 days long.

  

• Indigo Run: rentals must be a minimum of six months.

  

• Windmill Harbour: rentals must be a minimum of six months.

  

• Palmetto Hall: rentals must be a minimum of six months.

  

• Moss Creek: rentals must be a minimum of one month, and the owners of the property have to register with the property owners association and pay a $1,000 fee each year.

  

• Hilton Head Plantation: the community will vote in January on whether to ban rentals that are less than six months. Currently, renters with leases less than six months do not have access to amenities like the pool.

  

Most Airbnb postings are centered in the South Forest Beach area and north near Chaplin Park, according to online listings for the island.