Airbnb nightmare on HHI: Tourists cause thousands in damages using trash bags, crab legs

A group of vindictive vacationers reportedly caused thousands of dollars in damages to a Hilton Head short-term rental, leaving the property flooded and filled with the odor of rotting seafood.

Police received a report of vandalism on Saturday from a 55-year-old Massachusetts man who owns a unit at the Hilton Head Beach Villas , a 30-unit complex located steps away from South Forest Beach. He rents out the property using online services like Airbnb and Evolve.

The caller said the group of four had booked a three-week stay at the property from June 28 to July 19. The guests were “rude and not friendly” to the representative who greeted them, according to an incident report from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.

Cleaning staff arrived after checkout to find the rental in disarray: Garbage bags had been twisted and “shoved down” the sinks to cause flooding and multiple floor tiles were broken, the police report says. The tourists also reportedly crammed crab legs and blue cheese behind and between the kitchen cabinets and cranked up the heat before they left, causing the food to spoil inside the small crevices.

Altogether, the renters caused about $2,000 in damage to the property, the owner estimated. He told the Beaufort County deputy he would like to press criminal charges, although the officer advised him the case would be a civil matter due to South Carolina’s short-term rental laws.

Hilton Head is home to about 6,700 permitted short-term rentals, which play a large role in the island’s booming tourism industry. In recent months, town officials have discussed stricter regulations for rental properties , including occupancy caps and more consistent enforcement of parking violations.