Haunted hotel guide · Key West, Florida
The Haunted Old Town Manor (Eaton Lodge), Key West
A doctor saw patients on this Eaton Street porch for decades, and his wife grew one of the finest gardens on the island. Guests say neither has left.
Half a block off Duval Street, behind a screen of palms, Old Town Manor is a white three-story Victorian with two tiers of porches. For most of the 20th century it was the home and surgery of Dr. William Warren, and later it became the Eaton Lodge. Today it is a 14-room bed and breakfast with a tropical garden courtyard and an organic breakfast.
It is also a regular stop on Key West ghost tours. The stories here are gentle: a doctor who still seems to be on call, and his wife, Genevieve, who is seen near the cistern and fish pond in the garden she created. Ghost writers describe the couple as protective rather than frightening.
Old Town Manor at a glance
Haunted Rooms Score
- Address 511 Eaton Street, Key West, FL 33040, half a block from Duval Street
- Built 1886; home of Dr. William Warren from 1913
- Most haunted spots The front porch and front rooms, the garden cistern and fish pond
- Best-known ghosts Dr. William Warren and his wife, Genevieve “Miss Gen” Warren
- Booking the haunted room No room is named in the stories. Ask for a room in the original front of the house.
- Good to know 14 rooms, complimentary breakfast, pet-friendly and Florida Green Lodging certified. Phone 305-292-2170.
The ghosts of Old Town Manor
Dr. William Warren
Dr. Warren was born in Key West, trained at the University of Pennsylvania and practiced general medicine from this house. His patients waited on the front porch, and the front rooms served as his examination and operating rooms.
The strangest stories are about dreams. Guests sleeping in the house say they have dreamed of medical scenes and of meeting a doctor who matches Dr. Warren’s description. Older accounts add the sound of typing on an old typewriter somewhere on the property, which people link to the doctor’s paperwork.
Genevieve "Miss Gen" Warren
Genevieve Allen married Dr. Warren in 1911, and after his death she stayed in the house until she died in 1971. Known as Miss Gen, she was famous for her orchid garden and her crawfish bisque, and parts of her garden survive today.
Her ghost is usually seen near the old cistern and the fish pond. Guests describe a woman in the garden who is gone when they look again.
Footsteps, lights and tucked-in blankets
Other reports include footsteps when nobody is about and lights that flicker. One often-told story comes from a woman who stayed for a few nights with her husband: she kept waking because someone was tucking her blankets back over her as she slept, and it was not her husband. Many people take it as Miss Gen looking after her guests.
The most haunted rooms and places to look
- The front rooms: Once Dr. Warren’s examination and operating rooms, and where the doctor dreams are most often reported.
- The front porch: His waiting room for decades. A good place to sit in the evening and watch Eaton Street.
- The garden cistern and fish pond: Miss Gen’s corner of the property and where her figure is seen.
- The rear carriage house: An older shop building moved to the back of the lot in the early 1900s and later used as a carriage house.
History of Old Town Manor
The house was built in 1886 by Samuel Otis Johnson. A shop building that stood beside it was moved to the rear of the property in the early 1900s and used as a carriage house.
In 1913 Dr. William Warren and his wife, Genevieve, bought 511 Eaton Street. He saw patients here for decades, using the porch as a waiting room and the front rooms for examinations and surgery. In 1937 architect Jack Long remodeled the house extensively while keeping its historic character.
After Dr. Warren’s death, Miss Gen stayed on, tending the orchid garden that became one of the best known in Key West. She died in 1971, and the house later opened to guests as the Eaton Lodge.
Today it is Old Town Manor, a 14-room bed and breakfast inside the Key West Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2007 it was among the first properties in the Keys certified under Florida’s Green Lodging Program.
Tips for a haunted stay
- Ask for the front of the house. The original front rooms are where Dr. Warren worked and where the dream stories come from.
- Spend time in the garden after dark. It is quiet, lit and the place to look for Miss Gen.
- Join a ghost tour. Key West ghost walks pass the house, and it is a short walk from Duval Street.
- Bring the dog. The inn describes itself as pet-friendly; confirm the details when you book.
- Browse our haunted hotels in Key West for more stays within walking distance.
More haunted hotels nearby
- Marrero's Guest Mansion, Key West: Enriquetta’s vow and Key West’s best-known haunted inn
- The Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables: Miami’s most haunted hotel, on the way to or from the Keys
- Haunted places in Miami: for a night on the mainland
- Haunted hotels in Florida
- Haunted hotels in Key West
Stayed in one of these hotels? Tell us what happened
We collect first-hand accounts from guests and add the best ones to our guides, with your first name and the date of your stay. We read every story before it’s published.
Frequently asked questions
Is Old Town Manor in Key West haunted?
It is a regular stop on Key West ghost tours. Guests report dreams of a doctor who resembles Dr. William Warren, a woman near the garden pond, footsteps and flickering lights. These are guest stories and local lore.
Who haunts Old Town Manor?
Dr. William Warren, who practiced medicine from the house, and his wife, Genevieve, known as Miss Gen, who created its garden and lived there until 1971.
Is Old Town Manor the same as the Eaton Lodge?
Yes. Old Town Manor at 511 Eaton Street was formerly the Eaton Lodge.
When was Old Town Manor built?
In 1886. Dr. and Mrs. Warren bought it in 1913, and it was remodeled in 1937 by architect Jack Long.
Is Old Town Manor pet-friendly?
The inn describes itself as offering pet-friendly accommodations. Check the policy when you book.
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the hotel’s own website, historic records and news coverage. Ghost stories are reported as guests, staff and local historians tell them. Read how we rate haunted hotels.
- Wikipedia: Old Town Manor
- Old Town Manor
- Haunted Key West: The six most haunted hotels in Key West
- Haunted Key West: Hotels
Get new haunted hotel guides by email
New guides, haunted hotel picks and ghost hunt dates near you. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
About the authors
The Haunted Rooms Team runs public ghost hunts and overnight investigations at historic venues across the United States. We research every hotel in our guides using hotel histories, local archives, news coverage and the accounts of guests and staff, and we review each guide regularly so you are not booking a hotel that has closed or changed its name. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.
Booking links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.