The 13 Most Haunted Hotels in Colorado

Amidst the stunning landscape of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado’s most haunted hotels hold spine-chilling secrets waiting to be discovered. These eerie establishments blur the line between the living and the dead, offering an unforgettable experience for the brave-hearted.

In this thrilling journey, we’ll explore the most haunted hotels in Colorado, each with its own ghostly stories to share. From historic grandeur to intimate charm, these haunted hideaways offer a chilling twist to Colorado’s hospitality.

Are you ready to check in and uncover the mysteries that lie within?

First on our journey through Colorado’s haunted hotels, is the infamous Stanley Hotel.

Not only is the Stanley Hotel one of the most haunted places in Colorado, but it is quite possibly one of the most infamous hotels in the entire world. Why? To put it simply, this is the inspiration for the Overlook Hotel in Stephen King’s creepy novel The Shining!

The most commonly reported spirits at the hotel are former owner F.O. Stanley and his wife Flora. Flora is often seen or heard playing the piano in the ballroom, which was a gift from her husband.

Lights turn on and off, phantom footsteps, and disembodied voices are all common occurrences. There are also many child ghosts said to be haunting the hotel. Rooms 407 and 418 are particular hotspots.

The Oxford Hotel in Denver was built in 1891 at the height of the silver boom. It was designed by the same man responsible for The Brown Palace Hotel, which we will look at later.

One of the ghosts said to haunt the hotel is a male postal worker who often drops in and orders a drink.

There is also a tragic haunting linked to room number 320, where a young woman was allegedly murdered by her husband after he caught her there with her lover.

She is believed to have been captured in photographs in that particular room.

One of many historic mining towns in Colorado, Victor, is among the towns with the highest elevation. It’s that high the city struggled to bury their dead between October and June as the ground was completely frozen solid.

As a solution, the town used several buildings to house the dead, and one of the largest ones was the Victor Hotel. Bodies were stored on the hotel’s fourth floor until the ground had thawed enough.

The spirits of these long-dead Victor residents haunt the Victor Hotel today. Guests and staff members have witnessed full-bodied apparitions on the fourth floor, wandering throughout the hallway and rooms.

More reports include sightings of both doctors and patients, sometimes appearing disfigured or missing limbs. On one occasion, a headless spirit was seen standing at the end of the hallway.

In other areas of the hotel, people may experience disembodied footsteps accompanied by unexplainable rushes of cold air.

Over the years, many reports of paranormal activity at the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs have been reported. Most of the strange occurrences happen between 2 am, and 4 am.

The elevators have a habit of moving between floors by themselves, and there is often a strong cigar smoke smell with no explanation for why it is there!

The Devereaux Dining Room is where many people have smelled perfume and heard the sound of dishes being moved around.

Many guests and employees have reported seeing a young girl in Victorian-style clothing playing with a ball.

Finally, and perhaps most chilling, guests often report disembodied screaming, attributed to a chambermaid who was murdered in the hotel while involved in a love triangle.

Overall, it seems to be the third floor that serves as a focal point for paranormal activity.

Some locals refer to Aspen’s Hotel Jerome by another name entirely – the ‘Bad Luck Hotel.’ This is because of the unusually high volume of deaths and other tragedies that seem to have occurred at this hotel.

Many guests throughout the hotel’s history have checked in and never managed to check out.

There have been drownings, accidental deaths, and murders in the hotel, and as a result, many spirits are still roaming the halls – even pitching in with some of the chores!

One drowned spirit can even be seen in the pool on occasion!

The Brown Palace Hotel is the second oldest operational hotel in Denver, so it is no great surprise that it is also famous for being haunted!

Since the hotel opened its doors for the first time back in 1892, it has never been closed even a single day.

Until 1985, several people took up permanent residence in the apartments on the upper floor, and one of those residents has become the hotel’s most famous ghost story.

The lady named Louise Crawford Hill was an influential part of Denver’s society, and she spent 15 years living in the Brown Palace Hotel.

However, her life also knew great sadness. Shortly after the historic tours began at the hotel, some of her stories were told, and it is believed her spirit became upset and started to cause strange disturbances.

The front desk began receiving calls from her room despite no telephone line present.

Guests also report strange noises and disembodied voices! Other ghosts said to haunt the hotel include those involved with one of Denver’s most high-profile murders, which took place in 1911.

Frank Henwood murdered Tony Von Phul and an innocent bystander, George Copeland, over their love of one Isabel Springer, a local politician’s wife!

If you are searching for haunted accommodation in Colorado, you cannot go wrong with the Hand Hotel Bed & Breakfast in Fairplay. The hotel has 11 rooms, and each one of them has its own ghost story to tell!

This is a regular spot for paranormal investigators, and apparently, the activity level is off the charts!

There is a mix of benevolent and malevolent spirits in this particular property, with the stories ranging from a pair of mischievous twin girls hanging out in the kitchens to a demonic dog terrorizing the basement!

One of the most common sightings is Grandma Hand, who haunts the room named for her. Guests know that Grandma is home when her chair starts to rock back and forth all by itself!

Hotel Teatro occupies what was once the old Denver Tramway Building built back in 1911. In 1997, the old building was transformed into a luxurious boutique hotel.

During these renovations, the first reports of paranormal activity began to surface! The construction crews working on the new hotel started to experience various strange things, including disembodied voices.

The most commonly sighted spirit at the Hotel Teatro is a mechanic who is seen walking the halls carrying his tools – earning him the nickname ‘the tool man.’

He is believed to be one of the mechanics who worked on the railcars in the basement while the Tramway was still in operation. He died on the job in an accident and is now tied to the building in death. [Book a Room]

Located in the picturesque mining town of Victor, Colorado, the Black Monarch Hotel is a historic building that’s been around since the gold rush in the late 1800s.

The Monarch, as it was originally known, was a brothel, casino, and saloon. The place was frequented by the wealthy gentlemen in the mining industry, mostly from big corporations.

During a barfight in the late 1800s, the saloon’s barkeep was shot and killed. He’s believed to be one of many spirits still said to haunt the property.

Passers-by will often see the white figure of a woman looking at them from one of the upstairs windows, even when the place is empty. Her apparition is just one of many one-time bordello workers said to haunt the building.

Expect to hear unexplained noises and disembodied footsteps in the dead of night, too.

If you’re looking for ghosts, Victor is the perfect town to visit, with many ghost sightings all over town.

The Patterson Inn is a brownstone mansion in the heart of Capitol Hill. It was built in 1890 by Colorado Senator Thomas B. Croke, who lived there until 1893, when it was sold to another prominent politician, Thomas M. Patterson.

The house went on to be the family home of Thomas M. Patterson. His family stayed in the home for multiple decades before transferring ownership. The building, which has served as everything from a radio station to a dance studio, has a history of paranormal activity and bizarre occurrences.

The home remained in the hands of the Patterson family for multiple decades, and it’s believed Thomas Patterson himself still wanders throughout the building.

It wasn’t until the 1970s when construction work started, that paranormal activity started ramping up. During renovations, two guard dogs were left overnight at the mansion, then found dead, having jumped from a three-story window to their deaths.

Workmen would leave, having done work for the day, only to return the morning after to see it had been undone.

Phantom footsteps, bangs on walls, disembodied footsteps, and even the sounds of babies crying are all commonplace at the Patterson Inn.

One of the oldest buildings in Denver, you’ll come for the history and stay for the ghosts. [BOOK A ROOM]

In the quaint town of Nederland, nestled amidst the breathtaking Rocky Mountains, there’s an old hotel with an air of mystery that sends shivers down your spine. The Goldminer Hotel, built in 1897, seems to have held on to more than just its nostalgic charm and stunning night skies.

Some say the spirits of former guests still roam its creaky halls, unable to let go of their love for this hauntingly enchanting abode.

Imagine a woman getting ready for bed, her heart racing as she senses the unsettling gaze of a “female entity” lurking in the shadows. She’s not the only one to encounter the eerie presence that’s said to watch over the Goldminer.

A plumber, once skeptical of the supernatural, found himself facing a ghostly challenge. He’d turn off the water in the basement, only to find it mysteriously flowing upstairs again.

After the third nerve-wracking incident, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “OK, I believe now! Let me finish and get out of here!”

In the historic mining town of Leadville, the Delaware Hotel stands as a testament to the opulence of a bygone era. Built in 1886, this grand establishment once housed luxurious rooms and offices on its upper floors, while the sidewalk level bustled with thriving storefronts.

However, beneath its lavish facade lies a chilling tale that echoes through the haunted hallways.

Mary Coffey, a tragic figure from the hotel’s past, is said to wander the Delaware’s corridors. In 1899, her jealous husband shot her in the back while they were renting a room there.

Mary fought for her life for several days before ultimately succumbing to her wounds. Her restless spirit now lingers, a chilling reminder of the hotel’s sinister history.

Roger Pretti, author of “Lost Between Heaven & Leadville: Specters, Spooks, and Shades of the Departed in a Colorado Silver Camp,” affirms that the Delaware Hotel is rife with paranormal activity.

As you step into its haunted halls, you can’t help but feel a shiver of anticipation, wondering if you might catch a glimpse of Mary or the other specters that call this eerie establishment home.

Located in the Broadmoor area of Colorado Springs and sat amongst the spectacular backdrop of picturesque mountains, The Broadmoor is a luxury resort retreat with a difference. It’s haunted by the spirit of the original owner, Julie Penrose.

Accused of having an affair with the wealthy Prussian Count who owned the land and casino next door, Julie would stay in the penthouse whilst her husband Spencer was away on business.

One day Julie mysteriously went missing in the woods. She was discovered in the early morning hours, unclothed and confused as to how she got there, dying shortly thereafter. Her unexplained disappearance and subsequent death have caused her spirit to be permanently tied to the Broadmoor, roaming the halls and penthouse where she once stayed.

Julie is behind most of the hotel’s strange occurrences, with guests often reporting their lights being switched on and off, inexplicable cold spots, and personal items being moved in their rooms. Staff members and guests have witnessed a female apparition in a long dress described as floating down the hallways.

If you choose to stay in the penthouse, you will likely suffer from a deep uneasy feeling often reported by guests. If you’re one of a nervous disposition, then be warned, you may be awoken by Julie, angry that you’re in her bed! She’s known to rip off your covers and grab you by the ankle!