Charleston-based Luxury Simplified Retreats expands short-term-rental empire

They started their careers as an engineer and an accountant in London. 

After making the move to Charleston more than a decade ago, this couple has assembled a short-term rental real estate empire in the Lowcountry.  

Before coming to the United States, Chris and Sebrina Leigh-Jones had previously restored old homes in France and England. In the Lowcountry, they saw an opportunity to continue that passion. Sebrina Leigh-Jones said there was a lot in common between the historic homes the couple was renovating abroad and the ones in downtown Charleston, considering their historic easements. 

In 2014, Chris and Sebrina Leigh-Jones fell in love with Folly Beach, the site of the first real estate investment for their firm, Luxury Simplified Retreats. As they began to expand their short-term rental properties, people were just starting to adjust to the idea of staying in other people’s homes on vacation. 

“For me, it was this idea that we could expand this service offering not only of managing these luxury homes, but delivering this unparalleled concierge service,” Sebrina Leigh-Jones said. “Whatever it was you wanted to experience, whether it was movies in the backyard or bikes or carts or spa services, all of that we could do. I thought, if we could just take this model and then grow it in the regions where we know that our consumers are, such as Kiawah and Isle of Palms, then that really just completes this brand idea.”

To take their brand to a more unique level, the pair turned their company into an experiential short-term-rental service. Beyond simply renting out the properties, the team organizes an experience for the customers as well. 

“What we saw in Palmetto Bluff as more people were coming, especially as they got on the other side of COVID, is they wanted this full service, end-to-end experience where everything was planned out for them right down to restaurants,” Sebrina Leigh-Jones said. “They just wanted to arrive, drop their bags and start enjoying their holiday, and that became more of a standard.” 

A recent acquisition and merger has only amplified the company’s success. 

As of April 2025, the company manages a portfolio of over 140 luxury homes spanning Charleston, Folly Beach, Isle of Palms, Kiawah and Palmetto Bluff following a merger with Stay in Palmetto Bluff and the acquisition of Charleston Island Rentals — marking a 40% growth in the past year. 

With headquarters in Charleston and Palmetto Bluff, Luxury Simplified Retreats has about 30 people managing the locations between the two.

After a stay is booked, the company sends out a form roughly a month in advance with questions ranging from their reason for the visit and if they are celebrating, to what they are planning to do during the visit. Judging from the response, the Luxury Simplified Retreats concierge service will begin setting up the experience, Sebrina Leigh-Jones said.  

“Our team that we have at Luxury Simplified is second to none,” Sebrina Leigh-Jones said. “Having those staff members who have been with me for years helping create this level of stability and operation that continues to scale was instrumental in helping us achieve our growth goals.” 

Luxury Simplified Retreats properties are listed on short-term rental websites like Vrbo and Airbnb, though Sebrina Leigh-Jones said most of their bookings are direct. In Palmetto Bluff, the company has 73% of the bookings directly through the website. 

The company held a spot on AirDNA’s list of The Best Airbnb Property Management Companies in the U.S. in 2020 followed by being placed in 2025 as Vrbo’s Vacation Rental of the Year for its management of the Folly Beach home Deep Water Days. Sebrina Leigh-Jones said the awards underscored their strong brand reputation. 

“I love this idea of growing into new markets that fit our brand, but I also love building a company that provides opportunities for the team who have been with us for so long, because as a company grows, so do its people,” Sebrina Leigh-Jones said.  

As they built the business, Chris and Sebrina Leigh-Jones trained their oldest daughter, Sophie, how to run a company like Luxury Simplified Retreats. Today, Sebrina Leigh-Jones said Sophie Leigh-Jones now owns her own, similar rental company in England called The Butler Collection. 

The next goal for the Luxury Simplified Retreats portfolio is an expansion to Old Town in Bluffton and Hilton Head Island, said Sebrina Leigh-Jones.