Excellence Luxury Villas · Charleston
Luxury Villa Rentals in Charleston
Pool villas on the sea islands of the Lowcountry, from Johns Island and Kiawah to Folly Beach
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Church spires, shady piazzas and miles of Lowcountry shore
Charleston was founded in 1670 and named after Charles II, and few American cities have aged as gracefully. On the old peninsula you will find cobbled lanes, a skyline of church spires and pastel houses with long side verandas, which locals call piazzas, set to catch the breeze off the harbour. Many people would also call it the best city in the South for dinner.
Our Charleston collection runs to 80+ villas. Most are out on the sea islands south of the city: golf villas on Johns Island, beach houses near Kiawah and Seabrook, and family houses at Folly Beach. Many have private pools, and a few have their own tennis courts.
Nearly all of them are within an easy drive of King Street, so you can spend the morning on a quiet beach and still have dinner in town. Below we cover the islands, the city and the months worth planning around.
Charleston at a glance
- Villas
- 80+ in and around Charleston, with up to 8 bedrooms
- Guide prices
- Typically £5,500 to £12,500 a week, from around £3,700
- Best areas
- Johns Island, Kiawah and Seabrook, Folly Beach and the historic peninsula
- Best time
- March to May and October to November; summers are hot and humid
- Getting there
- Charleston International Airport, usually via a US hub; Kiawah is around 45 minutes by road
Browse all 80+ villas in Charleston
Villa numbers and guide prices are updated daily from our live collection.
Villa Palmetto Charleston: Luxury 6-Bedroom Villa with Pool & Seaview – Charleston6 bedrooms
House Angel Oak Johns Island: Luxury 7-Bedroom House with Beachfront Views – Johns Island7 bedrooms
Manor Palmetto Johns Island: Luxury Villa with Seaview & Pool & 1 Bedroom – Johns Island1 bedrooms
Villa Safira Wragg Charleston: Luxury 8-Bedroom Villa with Private Pool & Sea Views – Charleston8 bedroomsWhere to stay in Charleston
Johns Island for golf, marshland and the Angel Oak, Kiawah and Seabrook for long, quiet beaches, Folly Beach for surf and an easy-going feel, and the historic peninsula for restaurants and architecture.
Marsh grass, live oaks and a ten-mile beach
Johns Island is the rural side of Charleston, with tidal creeks, farm stands and long avenues of live oaks hung with Spanish moss. Its best-known resident is the Angel Oak, a vast and very old tree whose branches spread so wide they rest on the ground. Freshfields Village, by the Kiawah gate, covers the everyday shopping, and Bohicket Marina is where fishing and dolphin-watching trips set off.
Kiawah has around ten miles of quiet beach, plus the Ocean Course, which hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup and the 2021 PGA Championship. Seabrook, next door, is quieter still and very popular with families.
Browse villas on Johns Island
Rainbow Row, the Battery and a ferry to Fort Sumter
The peninsula is best seen on foot. Take in the painted houses of Rainbow Row on East Bay Street, the grand mansions facing the harbour along the Battery, and King Street for shops and restaurants. The Gibbes Museum of Art is small but rewarding, and the ferry to Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began, makes a fine half day.
Charleston's history includes slavery, and the city's best sites address it directly. McLeod Plantation on James Island is especially good. Gullah Geechee sweetgrass baskets, a craft brought from West Africa, are still woven and sold in and around the city.
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Surfboards, a lighthouse and a road trip south
Folly Beach is the easy-going cousin of the gated islands, with surf shops, fish tacos and a long pier. From the north end of the island you can see the Morris Island Lighthouse standing in the sea, cut off by decades of erosion, and it is at its best at sunset.
For a longer stay, Hilton Head lies a couple of hours south down the coast and pairs well with Charleston on a Lowcountry tour, with more golf, bike trails and broad, firm beaches.
Explore villas in Hilton Head
Shrimp and grits, oyster roasts and a spring festival
Lowcountry cooking takes rice, shrimp, crab and long Gullah traditions very seriously. Try shrimp and grits, she-crab soup and a Lowcountry boil of shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes tipped out onto newspaper. In the cooler months, oyster roasts are the social event of the weekend.
Spring is the loveliest season. Charleston Wine + Food fills the city in early March, and Spoleto Festival USA brings opera, theatre and music from late May into June. Summers are hot and humid, and hurricane season runs from June to November, so October and November are a gentler second choice. Our concierge can book tables, tee times, boat trips and transfers.
Ask our conciergeFeatured villas in Charleston
Villa Fohn Bohicket Johns Island: Luxury 5-Bedroom House with Pool & Seaview – Johns Island5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £13,881 a week
Villa Vermeil Bohicket Johns Island: Spacious 6-Bedroom House with Seaview – Johns Island6 bedrooms · sleeps 14From £13,818 a week
Villa Levante Wagener Charleston: Luxury 6-Bedroom Villa with Seaview & Pool – Charleston6 bedrooms · sleeps 14From £13,797 a week
Villa Gloaming Bohicket Johns Island: Spacious 5-Bedroom Villa with Pool & Seaview – Johns Island5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £13,587 a week
Villa Maestrale Toomer Johns Island: Luxury 4-Bedroom Villa with Pool & Golf Access – Johns Island4 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £13,321 a week
Villa Helm Chrysos Seaside Charleston: Luxury 6-Bedroom Villa with Pool & Tennis Court – Charleston6 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £12,796 a week
Villa Suao Bohicket Johns Island: Luxury 5-Bedroom Villa with Pool & Hot Tub – Johns Island5 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £12,481 a week
Villa Levante Folly Charleston: Luxury 5-Bedroom Villa with Seaviews & Beach Access – Charleston5 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £12,292 a weekWhy book your Charleston villa with Excellence Luxury Villas
The right house, not the nearest one
Charleston's villas are spread across several sea islands with very different characters, and we know which are a short walk from the beach, which sit on the golf course and which are closest to town for dinner. With 80+ properties in Charleston, we can usually find the house that suits you rather than the one that happens to be free. Search by size, pool, location and price, or tell us what you have in mind and we will put together a shortlist.
Book direct
You book with us directly, with no booking fees. Questions about access, parking, pool heating or how far it really is to the nearest beach go to people who can find out the answer.
A concierge who knows the territory
Restaurant reservations in Charleston, tee times on Kiawah, fishing and dolphin-watching trips from Bohicket Marina, Fort Sumter tickets, car hire and airport transfers. Our concierge team arranges all of it, leaving you free to decide which terrace to sit on.
A house for every kind of party
Couples, families with small children, three generations together or a crowd of friends celebrating a birthday: we match the house to the group, down to the number of bathrooms and whether the pool is fenced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place to stay near Charleston?
Johns Island suits golfers and anyone after space and quiet. Kiawah and Seabrook are best for long, calm beaches, and Folly Beach for surf and a relaxed atmosphere. All are within an easy drive of the historic city centre.
When is the best time to visit Charleston?
March to May is the most pleasant season, with azaleas in bloom, Charleston Wine + Food in early March and Spoleto Festival USA from late May. October and November are also very good. July and August are hot and humid.
Can you visit Fort Sumter from Charleston?
Yes. Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired in April 1861, is run by the National Park Service. You reach it by ferry from downtown Charleston or from Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant.
Can you arrange a private chef at a villa in Charleston?
Yes. Our concierge can arrange a private chef for a single dinner or your whole stay, along with cookery lessons, guided visits, transfers and restaurant reservations.
How much does a luxury villa in Charleston cost?
Across our 80+ villas in Charleston, weekly rates typically range from £5,500 to £12,500, with the most affordable from around £3,700 a week and the largest estates well above. Prices depend on the size of the property, its location and the season, with July and August the most expensive. These are guide prices based on current listings; each property page shows its own rates for your dates.
How do I get to Charleston from the UK?
Fly into Charleston International Airport, normally changing at a US hub such as Charlotte, Atlanta or New York. From the airport, Kiawah Island is around 45 minutes by road. Our concierge can arrange transfers and car hire.
Are there villas in Charleston for large groups?
Yes. Our Charleston collection includes properties with up to 8 bedrooms. Tell us the size of your party and the occasion, and we will send a shortlist that suits it.
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Find your villa in Charleston
80+ villas around Charleston, from Johns Island to Folly Beach, booked direct with our concierge on hand