October is here! Some may love this month for the cooler weather and changing leaves. But honestly, I love October for the haunting thrills and chills of Halloween. Halloween is by far my favorite holiday. I love both the creepy and the comical decorations prevalent in the month of October. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, there is not much that is more fun than a roaring campfire, s’mores, and ghost stories. This year, why not immerse yourself into the story by spending a night in one of the many haunted hotels across America?
“Any big hotels have got scandals… …people come and go. Sometimes one of ‘em will pop off in his room, heart attack or stroke or something like that. Hotels are superstitious places.” -Stephen King, The Shining (1977)
Don’t Believe in Haunted Hotels?
Don’t believe in ghosts? No problem. I don’t believe in a lot of things, but I still leave cookies for Santa, enjoy a good egg hunt, and think every child should receive money for placing a lost tooth under their pillow. While I don’t believe boys can fly, I still love watching Peter Pan and Harry Potter. And while I don’t believe in love at first sight – I still enjoy a good RomCom. So, whether you believe in ghosts or not, you can still get into the spirit of things at a one of these great haunted hotels!
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13. Place d’Armes Hotel – New Orleans, LA
The Place d’Armes Hotel sits in the heart of the historic French Quarter. This former military station (hence the name) later became the site of the first school in Louisiana. The school burned to the ground during the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788. Therefore, ghost watchers claim that the spirits of the many students and teachers killed in the fire still roam the halls.
Guests report hearing footsteps and laughter coming from unoccupied rooms. These rooms are also reportedly the hub of other activity including unexplained furniture movements and music. Hotel guests report seeing a little girl and an old man who quickly vanish. Guests have also reported seeing a bearded man in 1800s clothing who nods at them and then vanishes.
Stay at Place d’Armes Hotel – New Orleans, LA
12. The Don CeSar – St. Pete Beach, FL
So many great ghost stories start with eternal love. While studying abroad in England, Thomas Rowe lost his heart to a raven-haired Spanish opera singer named Lucinda. They met in secret by a secluded fountain and referred to each other as Maritana and Don CeSar. Lucinda’s parents got wise and quickly sent her home to Spain. Thomas returned to America heart-broken, but he did not give up. He wrote countless love letters that were always returned. Eventually, he received a letter addressed to “My beloved Don CeSar.” Unfortunately, this missive was accompanied by a clipping announcing her death.
Thomas moved to Florida where he built the Don CeSar as a monument to his great love. The hotel boasts a beautiful lobby courtyard and fountain that replicates the one where he and Lucinda secretly met. Guests to The Don CeSar report seeing a gentleman wearing a white summer suit and Panama hat greeting guests. But, when they approach, he disappears. The staff also report strange encounters such as mysterious knocking and doors swinging open on their own volition.
There are also reports of a young couple wearing a white suit and Spanish dress strolling the grounds. Perhaps true love does last an eternity.
Stay at The Don CeSar – St Pete Beach, FL
11. Hawthorne Hotel – Salem, MA
There are not many more authentic places to spend Halloween than Salem, Massachusetts. Home of the infamous witch trials, Salem has a creepy and sordid history. Nathanial Hawthorne, author of The House of the Seven Gables and The Scarlet Letter hailed from Salem and the Hawthorne Hotel is named for him.
The Hawthorne Hotel opened in July 1925 but the history of the site dates back much further. Bridget Bishop, the first woman executed for the practice of witchcraft, supposedly owned an apple orchard on the site. Many guests claim they have encountered her spirit within the hotel. Guests also report unexplained noises, ghostly women walking the halls, unseen children weeping, and footsteps on the ceiling. Other guests talk about feeling a presence in their room along with lights and water faucets going on and off.
Stay at The Hawthorne Hotel – Salem, MA
10. The Stanley Hotel – Estes Park, CO
In 1903, American inventor and entrepreneur Freelan Oscar Stanley was diagnosed with tuberculosis and given 6 months to live. Stanley and his wife moved to the Rocky Mountains seeking fresh, dry air and sunlight. It didn’t take long for Stanley to fall in love with the area and within a couple of months his health totally improved. In 1907, Stanley began to build Estes Park into a resort town with electricity and telephone service. Therefore, the Stanley Hotel was born!
In the 1974, a young Stephen King checked in. By this time, the hotel was old, remote, huge, and rather creepy. King’s imagination took flight and The Shining was inspired! Today, the Stanley is known as the home of numerous ghosts and paranormal activity. This is a clear case of how a great movie can spark the imagination.
The hotel has hosted countless paranormal investigations and even lets the guests get in on the action. Flickering lights, laughter, moving objects, and shadowy figures have been reported from almost every room. And watch out when a vacuum cleaner starts. Legend has it that vacuum cleaners go crazy, shut-off, and the plug may even bolt from the wall. How do they get the floors clean?
Other odd disturbances involve a ghost who clearly dislikes couples. These couples may feel a cold force between them or even wake up to find the man’s bags are packed. Mr. and Mrs. Stanley have been seen presiding over things from the grand staircase. Also, Flora Stanley has been heard playing the piano well into the night. Oh, and let us not forget the old Pet Cemetery. Enough said!
These and many other paranormal activities have been reported making this one of the most haunted hotels in the U.S.
Stay at The Stanley Hotel – Estes Park, CO
9. Concord’s Colonial Inn – Concord, MA
Concord’s Colonial Inn was built in 1716, well before the start of the Revolutionary War. It is just a half mile from the famous North Bridge where the “shot heard around the world” was eventually fired. A lot of history was made in Concord and history is just the right ingredient for a good ghost story.
It is said that merely walking the hallways of the inn will send a chill up your spine. The inn was actually a private residence owned by a physician in the 1770s. Many soldiers were operated on in what is now room 24 while room 27 served as the morgue. Oddly enough, the ghosts of soldiers are not the one raising hairs on the back of guest’s necks. Staff and guests of the inn report televisions that turn on automatically, flickering lights, and hearing haunted voices. Some report an older woman walking the halls of this 15-room inn.
Stay at Concord’s Colonial Inn – Concord, MA
8. The Emily Morgan – San Antonio, TX
While the 13 storied Gothic Revival Emily Morgan is one of the most luxurious hotels in San Antonio, TX, the terra cotta gargoyles crawling up the sides of the structure surely give pause to any visitor. And these aren’t just any gargoyles! These gargoyles were styled to depict various medical conditions. From toothache to belly pain, these gargoyles are just plain sick. While perhaps thematic for what was a 1920s Medical Arts Building, they are creepy all the same.
Originally, the lower floors were used as offices for doctors, with the upper floors used as a hospital and surgery. They opened the windows on the upper floors to (supposedly) keep the stench from lingering. The basement was utilized as the morgue and crematorium. Lovely, right?
The Hotel Era
Claiming the name of the legendary heroine of the Texas Revolution, Emily Morgan, the building underwent a massive overhaul before opening as a hotel in 1984. Several sightings and happenings have been reported at The Emily Morgan Hotel. Guests report the sensation of something cool brushing up against them and an overwhelming scent of medicine (go figure).
Guests on the 14th floor get powerful whiffs of “hospital” along with visions. Those of 12th report experiencing bathroom doors that open and close randomly, as well as faucets that appear to be turned on but aren’t. They also report visions of nurses pushing gurneys down the hall. Let’s not forget the ghost bride of the 7th floor. Her shrieks reportedly wake even the hardest sleepers. Even worse, the elevators often take guests down to the closed off basement level with disembodied voices, glowing orbs, and the stench of burning flesh.
So, are you ready to make a reservation? I am thinking a weekend trip to San Antonio might be in order to see for myself why this is one of the most haunted hotels in America!
Stay at The Emily Morgan – San Antonio, TX
7. Hotel Roosevelt – Los Angeles, CA
The Roosevelt Hotel became the second home to many Hollywood regulars immediately upon opening in 1927. The hotel hosted the very first Oscar Awards and quickly became the site for many movie premiere after-parties. The stars simply loved it (and reportedly still do)!
It is said that Marilyn Monroe still haunts her old room (1200). Guests reportedly see her in the mirror. They also report seeing Carol Lombard floating around and Montgomery Clift is said to watch the guests in Room 928. He apparently also likes to practice his trumpet and brush up against the guests. Some even report him preventing them from getting out of bed. Ewwww!
Other guests report being locked out of their rooms, and hear ghosts playing the piano and making a ruckus in the hallways. One little girl named Caroline is in search of her mother. How very sad.
Stay at the Hotel Roosevelt – Los Angeles, CA
6. Jekyll Island Resort – Jekyll Island, GA
In its heyday as an exclusive hunting club, the Jekyll Island Resort hosted many of America’s leading families including the Rockefellers and the Astors. Opening in 1887, it has had plenty of time to witness much history and scandal. Most of the scandal has been swept under the rug, but the history remains.
The resort’s first president, General Lloyd Aspinwall, died unexpectedly more than a year before the club opened. He was seen walking along the riverfront veranda with his arms clasped in a military manner on the night he died. Be sure to visit the sunroom which was built in that area of the veranda. It is aptly named after him.
Guests staying in the former room of Samuel Spencer, President of the Southern Railroad Company, have repeatedly reported issues with someone drinking their morning coffee and reading their paper. Until his tragic death in a train accident, Spencer’s morning ritual was to scan the Wall Street Journal while sipping his coffee.
Also, watch for the 1920s styled bellboy delivering freshly pressed suits to bridegrooms on the 2nd floor. One can’t help but wonder how many times this service may have been needed in his tenure at the hotel.
Stay at The Jekyll Island Club Resort – Jekyll Island, GA
5. 1886 Crescent – Eureka Springs, AR
The Crescent Hotel and Spa has a very sordid past and today it reportedly has the ghosts to prove it! This place was busy creating ghost stories while still under construction! Legend says that one of the stonemasons fell to his death in what is not room 218. But this is only the beginning. In 1937, Norman Baker, an inventor and radio personality, purchased the building to use as a cancer hospital.
Now, Baker was a complete charlatan and did not have any medical training whatsoever. So, his “treatments” would be more accurately termed “experiments” or “torture.” Therefore, lots of people visited the morgue on the top floor of the hospital. After numerous ghost sightings and other paranormal activity, the owners of the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa hired two mediums to investigate. It was determined that the hotel appeared to have a portal “to the other side” located in the top of the hotel (where the former morgue was located).
An archeological survey reportedly uncovered a secret “bottle grave” on the property. These bottles allegedly contained Baker’s supposed cures as well as fleshy specimens from the patients. Yuck!
Guests have reported seeing ghosts of patients, hospital personnel, and Morris, the cat. They report squeaking gurney wheels and children’s voices pleading for help. The hotel hosts nightly ghost tours for overnight guests. They have also been known to hold a Halloween Séance for those who want to go the extra mile in their ghostly quest. They really maximize their reputation as one of the most haunted hotels in America at the 1886 Crescent.
Stay at the 1886 Crescent – Eureka Springs, AR
4. The Menger Hotel – San Antonio, TX
The Menger Hotel, once known as the “Finest Hotel West of the Mississippi,” is a wonderful place to spend a ghostly weekend. From Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders recruitment, a devastating fire, bandits, and time as a civil war hospital, the Menger has seen it all since 1859. Located on the spot of the battle of the Alamo, the Menger has had a front seat to history and is said to be haunted by just about everyone.
The Menger has hosted actors, politicians, authors, royalty, and even an alligator! Famous guests include Ulysses S. Grant, General Robert E. Lee, Teddy Roosevelt, Oscar Wilde, Roy Rogers, Sarah Bernhard, Lillie Langtree, and Babe Ruth. The Menger has been the location for many murders and suicides. As a result, it is said that several restless spirits have stuck around. Apparently, the tragedies these individuals suffered in life repeatedly replay themselves at the Menger making it one of the countries most haunted hotels.
The Ghosts of the Menger
Guests have reported everything including levitating beds, rapping noises, translucent faces in the mirror, and the aroma of cigar smoke. And of course, what haunted hotel is complete without doors opening and closing of their own accord. Teddy Roosevelt is said to still hang out in the Menger bar from time to time where he occasionally tries to recruit them for the Rough Riders.
Sallie White, a much-loved chambermaid in the late 19th century was shot by her common-law husband Harry Wheeler. She died 2 days later on the 3rd floor of the original hotel. Her ghosts is often reportedly seen holding linen. She loved the Menger and apparently wanted to continue working there even after death.
Captain Richard King of King Ranch fame stayed at the Menger so frequently that they gave him his own private suite. He passed away from stomach cancer in 1985 while in that suite and his funeral was held in the lobby. If you stay in the King Ranch Suite, you will sleep in the actual bed he died in. Guests have reported his apparition watching over, heavy footfalls about the room, window shutters opening and closing by themselves, and a dancing red orb in and near his suite.
Stay at The Menger Hotel – San Antonio, TX
3. The Lizzie Borden House – Fall River, MA
“Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave her mother forty whacks; When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.” Despite this well-known rhyme, nobody actually knows who killed Lizzie Borden’s parents in 1892. She was the prime suspect but was acquitted of the murders. The case is definitely cold now, but the house where these gruesome murders occurred is open for guests. Lizzie Borden’s house, furnishings, and décor with original hardware and doors still intact serves as a bed and breakfast for ghost lovers.
The Lizzie Borden House operates as a museum by day and a bed and breakfast by night. Night-time guests have reported experiencing strange odors, voices, and objects moving on their own. Some report feeling touched at night, hearing footsteps, and seeing full-body apparitions. For this reason, despite technically being a bed and breakfast, The Lizzie Borden House is known as one of the most haunted hotels in America.
Don’t worry. While the décor and “essence” of the house is just like Lizzie left it, the beds, linen, and some other important amenities have been upgraded. You can also book various haunted tours of the house and city during your stay. Don’t forget to pick up your Lizzie Borden bobble-head, bloody axe, or other gruesome souvenir before you leave!
Stay at The Lizzie Borden House – Fall River, MA
2. The Cecil Hotel – Los Angeles, CA
Tucked away in bustling downtown LA is one of the most infamous haunted hotels in the country. The Cecil Hotel has seen more murder, suicide, and just plain frightening events than pretty much any other hotel on this list. The opulent Cecil Hotel, with its stained-glass windows and marble lobby, opened in 1927. Two years later the Great Depression hit and both the hotel and surrounding area, known as Skid Row, became home to thousands of homeless people.
At least 6 people committed suicide at the Cecil Hotel in the 1930s alone. While some ingested poison, others chose much more violent deaths. One doesn’t even have to check into the Cecil to meet their doom. In 1962, George Gianni was innocently walking by the hotel when he was hit by Pauline Otton who had jumped from her 9th floor window. They both died instantly. The most recent death by suicide occurred in 2015.
In the 1980s, the “Night Stalker,” Richard Ramirez lived at the Cecil while he committed his 13-person killing spree. After a kill, Ramirez would throw his bloody clothes in the Cecil dumpster and stroll into the hotel either naked or in his underwear. With so many junkies and other unsavory folks making the Cecil home, nobody questioned these actions. Ramirez isn’t the only serial killer to make the Cecil their home. International serial killer Jack Unterweger also used the hotel as his base and his hunting ground. The hotel is also connected to several unsolved murders including Elizabeth Short (the Black Dahlia) and Goldie Osgood.
The Truly Bizarre
But let us not forget the truly bizarre! In 1944, a 19-year-old Dorothy Purcell woke up in the middle of the night with stomach pain. Although she had no idea she was pregnant, she gave birth to a baby boy. She then threw the baby out of her bathroom window. At trial she claimed she thought the baby was dead. She was committed for psychiatric treatment.
One of the most gruesome deaths occurred in 2013 when Elisa Lam was found dead inside the rooftop water tank. She was seen inside the hotel about three weeks prior when surveillance cameras record her acting in a bizarre and erratic manner, as if hiding and and then arguing with someone (despite being alone) inside an elevator. Her 3-week-old corpse was found hotel guests complained about low pressure and funny tasting water. The death was ruled an accidental drowning but many believe otherwise.
The Cecil has been working to rebrand and shed its reputation as one of the nations most haunted hotels. The hotel reopened December 2021as the Cecil Hotel Apartments. Operated by the Skid Row Housing Trust, the apartments are reserved for low-income residents. It will be interesting to see what this new era has in store for guests.
1. RMS Queen Mary – Long Beach, CA
The RMS Queen Mary tops almost every list of haunted hotels in America. The ship was christened by Queen Mary herself in 1934 and was the ultimate luxury liner of its time. Big name guests such as Winston Churchill, Clark Gable, and Greta Garbo all sailed on the Queen Mary. During WWII, she was painted grey and ferried soldiers to the frontlines. All in all, the ship made over 1000 trans-Atlantic crossings with 49 deaths recorded during her sailings.
Today, guests can bask in the original wood paneling and luxury suites. The hotel even offers ghost tours so you are completely in the know if you meet one of their resident ghosts! The ship is reportedly home to about 150 different spirits. They say to beware of drastic temperature changes, screams, slamming doors, flickering lights, and children crying. No wonder this ship is called the one of the most haunted hotels in the country!
The Ghosts of the RMS Queen Mary
Guests report a lot of sightings in the former 1st class swimming pool area, including. a woman in a wedding gown with a young boy and girl. An employee reported seeing a transparent woman in white walk across the room and pass through the door of the former beauty salon. In 1989 three house-keepers entered the Mauritania Room to find a passenger sitting in a chair on the dance floor. When asked to move so they could clean, she vanished into thin air.
A British 3rd class passenger passed away in Stateroom B340. In 1966 a woman reported being awoken when her linens were pulled off. She saw a man at the foot of the bed but when she screamed, he vanished! Other guests have reported knocking on the door and the bathroom lights turn on without assistance. Hotel maids complained they found the water running when nobody had been in the room for days.
Watch out near Hatch Door #13. This is where one of the ship’s crew was crushed to death. Hotel guests report seeing an engineer looking for a wrench, hearing someone running behind them whistling, and finding greasy fingerprints on their faces. Yuck! Ghost or not, I don’t want anyone touching my face!
Stay at the RMS Queen Mary – Long Beach, CA
Which one of these haunted hotels do you hope to visit?
Are you willing to spend the night in one (or all) of these top 13 haunted hotels? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below! You can also contact us and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest so you never miss a post!
