I’ve Designed 19 Rental Properties—These Details Get Guests to Hit “Book”

Grassless yards, washable slipcovers, off-street parking—Rebecca Ramsay’s priorities might look a little different from most homeowners’, but that’s because she and her husband buy, design, and manage short-term rentals in Charleston, South Carolina. “We try to make everything party-proof,” she says, laughing. Durability is a word you’ll hear her mention a lot, but that’s just on the topic of maintaining the properties. As far as getting people to click “book,” it takes a lot more than a pretty pink pastel door, although curb appeal in the form of interesting windows, shutters, and historic moldings is something for which she always has her eyes peeled. 

“We want them to go, ‘Oh, I wish I had that in my house,’” says Ramsay. “People book off of aesthetics.” Given she’s worked on 19 rental units (64 bedrooms total) for Guesthouse Charleston, we consider her a pro on the matter. We chatted with Ramsay about the details that lead to reservations and why the polished touches matter. 

While it might not be totally budget-friendly, Ramsay often makes kitchens a lot larger than they need to be. “Guests probably aren’t going to cook, but we have beautiful gas ranges in there for them if they want to,” she says. The dishwashers see a fair amount of activity, so that’s another appliance worth splurging on. But you’ll never find Ramsay going with a fridge that has an ice-maker on the door. “They break,” she says simply. Because the kitchens are getting a deep clean constantly, it’s actually okay to go with natural stone countertops (the luxe feature pays off).