477. How Taylor Gates Scaled from Golf Cart Tours to Redefining Vacation Rentals

This week on Thanks for Visiting, we’re joined by hospitality entrepreneur Taylor Gates, whose journey from renting out rooms in Charleston to founding multiple thriving hospitality ventures is anything but ordinary. What started as a side hustle quickly grew into Stay Duvet, a premier property management company focused on elevating the guest experience through hotel-quality standards and operations. Taylor also founded Fluffy, a commercial laundry and housekeeping service that supports his mission to raise the bar in short-term rentals.

In this episode, Taylor walks us through:

• How he went from giving golf cart tours to managing 200+ properties
• The surprising ROI of clean bedding and intentional linens
• What he looks for when hiring housekeeping teams
• Why every host should be staying in their own property
• The systems and values that keep his team aligned and guests coming back

Whether you’re managing one unit or scaling your business, this episode is packed with insight, transparency, and practical tips from someone who truly lives and breathes hospitality.

Stay Duvet – Taylor’s luxury short-term rental management company

Fluffy – Commercial laundry and housekeeping service built for STRs

Minoan – A platform for hosts to source and showcase shoppable furnishings for their STRs

Mentioned in this episode:

Minoan | Visit MinoanExperience.com and tell them TFV sent you!