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Reported phenomena, as catalogued
+ 2 further entries on record
1898 Hotel in Downtown Aiken, Operating as Hotel Aiken Today
235 Richland Ave W, Aiken, SC 29801
Research updated May 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Standard hotel rates
Access
Wheelchair OK
Downtown hotel interior
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1898 · 1898 downtown Aiken hotel · Held by the Holley family for over 70 years · Listed on South Carolina Historic Properties Record
Hotel Aiken was built in 1898 by Henry Hahn at the corner of Richland Avenue and Laurens Street in downtown Aiken, South Carolina. Originally named the Commercial Hotel, the building has been known by several names over its long history, including Holley House, Holley Inn, The Polo Tavern, and "The Holley." In 1929 Leonard R. Holley bought the property and remodeled and enlarged it to include 50 bedrooms with private baths. The Holley family owned and operated the hotel for more than 70 years until 2001, when Kishan Shah purchased it and renamed it Hotel Aiken. The 68-room hotel continues to operate in Aiken's historic downtown and has not undergone major renovations since 2001.
Sources
Throughout its long operating history the Holley House / Hotel Aiken has accumulated a substantial body of staff and guest folklore. Housekeepers have reported hearing whispers when a floor is otherwise empty, finding housekeeping carts repositioned to the opposite end of the hall after returning from a room, toilets flushing in unoccupied rooms, and doors opening and closing without explanation. Guests report a woman's voice heard crying and occasionally screaming. Room 225 is repeatedly cited for a television found powered on when the room is unoccupied, and basement lights are sometimes found switched on after they have been turned off. The South Coast Paranormal Society has documented a formal case file on the hotel. The folklore is sustained primarily by staff and guest reports rather than a single anchoring historical event.
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