Booking, cleaning, taxes — here’s where Hilton Head ranks in terms of extra Airbnb fees

Hilton Head Airbnb renters will pay 33% more than the nightly rate in added fees, according to a Forbes Advisor analysis for summer 2023.

The island’s extra fees are less than most, though. Hilton Head ranks 70th out of the top 102 most-popular Airbnb markets.

Across all 102 markets, tacked-on expenses such as cleaning fees, service fees and taxes bump up the nightly tab by an average of 36%, according to the analysis.

Hilton Head’s added fees were lower than such popular destinations as Fort Myers, Florida, Savannah, Georgia, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

In South Carolina, Charleston ranked 57th and averages 35% in fees on top of nightly rates, and Myrtle Beach ranked 45th and faces 37% in fees on top of nightly rates.

Vacationers should be prepared for added fees when booking a short-term rental and keep in mind the nightly cost isn’t what they’ll actually be paying, the magazine advises.

According to the analysis the average rental in Hilton Head is $320 per night with the following fees tacked on:

▪ Average cleaning fee — $32 per night, 10% of nightly cost

▪ Average service fee — $48 per night, 15% of nightly cost

▪ Taxes — $25.6 per night, 8% of nightly cost

To collect the data, Forbes analyzed more than 32,000 listings in 102 Airbnb markets. The magazine searched for properties available from July 14 to July 19, 2023, to be occupied by four guests.