They say no good story starts with a salad. But then again, do you sometimes feel as though you’ve been tossed? I get it. A little background to begin.
In 2004, I received my real estate license. In addition to traditional brokering, I jumped on the “flipping” bandwagon and began buying, renovating, and reselling properties in Sea Pines. My first property was a complete gut renovation at Muirfield on the Harbour Town Golf Links. I purchased it with a friend, renovated it, sold it, and closed—all within 100 days and at a healthy profit. Naturally, I thought I had found my true calling. Three months later, I found another “jewel” and set out to duplicate my previous success, this time on my own. Little did I know I was about to be met with a rather emphatic, “Whoa there—not so fast.”
By Spring of 2006, with the real estate market turned on its head and that grand profit still eluding me, I decided that 17 Hollyberry Lane had better begin helping to support itself. But everyone told me I could never rent a house in Greenwood Forest that did not even have its own pool. Now, I love it when someone tells me I cannot do something, so I set out to accomplish two things: Prove them wrong. Pay the mortgage.
And that is how Beverly Serral Signature Rentals was born—although I certainly did not know it at the time. I simply had a mortgage payment to make.
But how would I rent a house in Greenwood Forest with no private pool? Sea Pines was filled with larger homes, newer homes, and homes closer to the beach. But I had seen a lot of vacation homes, and I knew that none were nicer, cleaner, or more comfortable than mine.
So I decided the house itself would be the draw. It would be impeccably clean. It would be beautifully outfitted and thoughtfully equipped. And to ensure that my guests enjoyed even more than simply the accommodations, I would make the entire experience—from inquiry and reservation to arrival and departure—as smooth, stress- free, and easy as pie. I thought about every moldy, icky, ill-equipped beach house I had ever seen or stayed in, on Hilton Head Island or anywhere else. I thought about the less-than-helpful reservationists I had encountered along the way. I had also been fortunate enough to stay in some very fine hotels around the world and to experience beautiful oceanfront and mountaintop homes throughout the United States. And I had always wondered why a regular sixth- or seventh-row Forest Beach, Sea Pines, or Palmetto Dunes home—or even a little Greenwood Forest bungalow—could not be as welcoming, as clean, or as thoughtfully outfitted as the finest guest accommodations.
Why could it not be offered with the same consistency, amenities, and ease of service one might expect from a Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, or better? The answer, of course, is that it can. It just usually… isn’t. But when it is—ah, then the guest can focus on making memories. They can search for sand dollars, prepare a special only-at-the-beach dinner, or settle in with a good book instead of calling about a broken toaster or re-washing the cookware before they can use it.
In 2010, we coined the term BESTNEST. In 2019, we received a United States trademark and re-branded our Signature Rentals as BESTNESTs. What has never changed are the two words that summarize our niche, our philosophy, our commitment, and the promise we have delivered since 2006: complete comfort.
As of 2026, we have a carefully curated portfolio of more than 55 properties, each reflecting the BESTNEST approach to aesthetics, comfort, outfitting, and equipment.
We've also added BESTNEST Luxe, an elevated, distinctive selection of properties, which is grounded in the consistency and care our guests know and love, while offering an even more elevated experience.
Our staff and housekeepers regularly receive the highest possible praise. Our homes and service have earned the highest average Vrbo guest rating among all vacation rental companies on Hilton Head Island. Many of our guests eventually become BESTNEST owners. We help them purchase properties, oversee their renovations, and handle the design, furnishing, and outfitting. Later, we may help them sell and move into something larger, smaller, or simply different.
And then the cycle begins again.
I wish I could say I planned it all, but no good story begins with, “I had a plan, and it worked out perfectly.”
