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Writer's pictureKendra DeKay

Our Story: The Story of Aiken Vacation Rentals

"Preparing for guests with care is an act of love I learned growing up. My parents had a way of making me feel right at home as soon as I walked in the door."


When my husband Jeremy and I began hosting guests in 2021, my vision of hospitality was to recreate that feeling. I wanted guests to walk in and KNOW that someone had prepared for them with care. I wanted them to relax and feel “at home” so they could focus on whatever brings them to Aiken — a job, a horse show, a family vacation, an event, or a relocation. This was how the story of Aiken Vacation Rentals began.


All of our properties are beloved HOMES to us – not “just” rentals – and we maintain and improve them with pride. We love having guests return again and again because our homes feel like home to them, too.


Blue Door Cottage was the very first house I owned. I bought it in 2009, one year after I moved to Aiken, and lived there for 10 years. I celebrated my 40th birthday with a 10 mile run through our neighborhood from downtown to Odell Weeks, through the horse district and across my favorite bridge on Union (now closed). Jeremy hung cheerleading signs for me on the white picket fence for me to see when I got back to Blue Door Cottage!


The Lancaster Townhouse was our darling dream house before we even knew it was for sale! It was the first house Jeremy and I purchased together. To us, it represented faith in a more stable future in the midst of the pandemic when everything seemed uncertain. One year later, Jeremy proposed to me there.


When we began cohosting for other local Aiken homeowners, I wanted to keep things personal. Our clients are friends as well as business partners, and we are very selective about the people and properties we choose to work with. As we've grown and taken on more properties, we've improved our systems to care for each home and treat each cohosting client and guest with the highest standard of excellence. Our team has expanded to include other small businesses and helpers that share our values and dedication to service.


So that’s what I mean when I say Aiken Vacation Rentals is a local family business and a labor of love! Our community is beloved to us, each home is special, every guest is welcomed, and each home owner a treasured partner.



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