Massachusetts is a state filled with wonderful places to visit. It is also the home to some tremendously dark history. Some of that history translates into paranormal activity and ghostly sightings.

There are a number of destinations people can visit where they can conduct their own paranormal investigations. The following are just a few of the haunted hotels in Massachusetts that countless people visit annually. Many visit in hopes of ghostly encounters.

Check out this list of haunted places to stay around Massachusetts.

7 - Omni Parker House, BostonStay Here

Omni Parker House, Boston

People have been guests at the Omni Parker House since 1855. Along with staying at one of the best hotels in Boston, guests might encounter Harvey Parker, or rather his ghost.

Parker, the hotels original owner, was notorious for being a perfectionist. He continues to wander around his hotel ensuring everything is perfect for today’s guests. People have seen him in, or near, room 1078.

Most people state that Parker spends the bulk of his time on the 10th floor. The 3rd floor is home to a few ghosts who like to hang out in room 303.

Along with the different ghosts people see, the elevators in the hotel will stop randomly. They have been checked for mechanical issues but the only explanation is one of the spirits haunting the hotel are playing games with the buttons.

6 - Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast, Fall River

An image of the lizzie borden house museum in fall river massachusetts
Lizzir Borden House, 230 2nd St, Fall River, MA 02721

Anyone traveling to Fall River desiring a once in a lifetime stay in a building dating back to the 1800s cannot miss the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast. Most people are aware of the famous murders that took place in the building.

Lizzie allegedly murdered her father Andrew and stepmother, Abby Borden. People who come to this bed and breakfast hope to encounter the spirits of Andrew and Abby. They are said to occupy the residence.

Along with having less than a restful night’s sleep, some guests have heard a woman weeping. Other people have seen a woman in Victorian clothing cleaning up around the house.

Additional activity people, experience includes windows slamming shut unassisted, doors closing and opening at will.

5 - Hawthorne Hotel, SalemBook Now

Hawthorne Hotel, Salem

The Hawthorne Hotel in Salem is without question one of the most haunted hotels in Massachusetts. It has been ranked as one of the top 10 haunted hotels in the USA as well as being investigated by the professional paranormal investigators, Ghost Hunters.

Related: Haunted Hotels in Salem Massachusetts

The hotel, which opened in 1925, has numerous ghosts. There are people who have heard what sounds like a child crying incessantly when there are no children around.

Guests in room 325 have felt the sensation of someone’s hand touching theirs but no one is there. The ghostly figure of a woman wanders around the sixth-floor hallway. Other people claim to have seen the woman enter different rooms.

There is a restless presence that appears to pace the room according to guests who have stayed in Suite 612 of the hotel.

Another guest claims he thought someone had managed to get into his room when he heard the sink running and the toilet flush in his bathroom. After being shown there was no way anyone could get into his bathroom the man was resigned to the notion it was a ghost, and he was ok with that notion.

More info on the haunted Hawthorne Hotel in Salem MA

4 - The Colonial Inn, ConcordSpend the Night

The Colonial Inn in Concord, Massachusetts
The Colonial Inn in Concord, Massachusetts

Concord’s Colonial Inn is one of the oldest and most haunted inns in Massachusetts. Originally built back in 1716, former guests of the inn find it particularly difficult to leave.

Although guests and staff have experienced unusual sounds and sightings around the inn there is one room that is a hotbed of paranormal activity and ghostly apparitions.

People that have stayed in room 24 have the potential to see one of many different ghosts. There are claims of seeing soldiers covered in blood from long ago battles in room 24.

The room has served as the residence and office of Dr. Timothy Minot. He tended to injured soldiers who took part in the battles of Concord and Lexington.

Along with being a makeshift hospital the inn also served as a morgue, which might explain unusual occurrences and ghostly sightings.

Other ghosts include a man that some believe to be Dr. Minot. Others believe it is possible the ghostly figure is Henry David Thoreau or Ralph Waldo Emerson, both writers spent time at the hotel.

Another ghost in room 24 is that of a woman. Some believe the ghost is a Native American while others believe her to be a murder victim. 

3 - Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, Sudbury

Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, Sudbury

In Sudbury, Massachusetts is the Longfellow’s Wayside Inn. The inn has the great distinction of being the oldest American inn still in operation.

Dating back to 1707, the inn was once a small 2-room home. It has flourished over the years and is now a historic landmark and a wonderful place to stay. It is also the home to the ghost of the original innkeeper’s sister.

Jerusha Howe lived in rooms 9 and 10 of the inn and according to countless reports remains in those rooms. Male guests that stay in those rooms alone have the most interaction with Jerusha. Some have felt her warm breath on their face as they slept.

Imagine their surprise when they opened their eyes to see hers looking back!

Male guests claim she enjoys cuddling up to them in bed when they book the room alone.  Those who have seen her ghost report her being a beautiful woman.

2 - The Beechwood Inn, Cape CodCheck Availability

The Beechwood Inn, Cape Cod

In Cape Cod, Massachusetts guests looking for a place to stay might want to select the Beechwood Inn. This charming bed and breakfast have been around since 1853.

The inn offers guests a lovely place to stay as well as the opportunity to encounter the resident ghost. The ghost is a woman that used to live across the street at the original Barnstable House, which burned down in a fire.

Based on reports the spirit of the woman enjoys pulling pranks on guests staying in the Rose and Lilac rooms.

It is not uncommon for her to lock people out of their room or pull other pranks on them.

The woman has also been spotted in several other areas of the Beechwood Inn. 

1 - The Salem Inn, SalemBook a Room

The Salem Inn, Salem

The Salem Inn located in Salem, Massachusetts is a collection of different homes turned into a beautiful bed and breakfast. The main house dates back to 1834 and is the West House.

It was the former residence of Captain Nathaniel West. Although the current owners claim they have not experienced any paranormal activity or ghostly sightings guests and staff members have numerous stories.

One of the main ghosts in one of the most haunted inns in Massachusetts is located in the parlor of the West House. The ghost in the parlor is that of a cat. Although there are no cats allowed on the premises, guests with cat allergies claim to experience common allergic reactions to cats when entering the parlor. Other guests have claimed to have spotted the cat in their rooms.

Another ghost that haunts the Salem Inn is that of a young child. The child appears to have a lot of fun around the property. He runs up and down the stairs close to the front desk regularly. Staff members have also heard the child laughing.

On other occasions, it sounds like the child is dropping small rocks onto the front desk. Katherine is the name given to another ghost that haunts the inn. She is often sensed when running past someone causing a cold burst of air to give the individual a chill.

The inn also has a number of unexplained sounds heard by guests and staff.