205 Cherry St, St Michaels, MD 21663

The state of Maryland is a quiet, tranquil spot to book a vacation. Although there are many hotels to choose from, one that has a calm presence is Aida’s Victoriana Inn at St. Michaels. Located in the heart of the harbor in the Historic District, this hotel boasts nearly an acre of picturesque grounds and is a mere two blocks away from the main street, where there are many fun boutiques and restaurants.

However, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to this hotel. In fact, it is home to a spirit that continues to roam the halls attempting to pay off his debt to the hotel to this very day, making this spot one of the state’s most haunted hotels.

History of The Victoriana Inn

Built-in 1865, the inn was initially known as “Willow Manse” by its owner Henry Clay Dodson, a U.S. Army officer during the Civil War era. Dodson used the property as his private residence, where he lived with his wife and six children.

From there, the home was purchased by Norman M. Shannahan in 1911, and the house was redubbed as the “Shannahan House,” which remained until 1987 when the house was converted into a bed and breakfast.

Today, Aida’s Victoriana Inn takes great pride in the original architecture it has preserved over the years, from a Victorian period stairwell, original wainscoting, panel doors with transoms, millwork mantels, and more. The inn still functions as a bed and breakfast to this day, welcoming guests through their historical doors to experience the tranquility—and paranormal activity they offer for guests to experience while visiting the inn.

Hauntings of The Victoriana Inn

The Inn has seen many guests come through its doors since it became a hotel, but one guest has made Aida’s Victoriana Inn his permanent home. Believe it or not, the ghost that walks the hallways at this inn is not a ghost from the days of yore but actually came to stay at the bed and breakfast not that long ago.

A few years back, the hotel welcomed a young man as one of their guests. The man didn’t appear to have any odd traits about him, except that he was traveling alone and seemed to be somewhat depressed. Innkeeper Aida Khalil Trissell checked the young man into the hotel and asked him if there was anything he needed to make his stay comfortable, to which he replied he only needed a quiet weekend to get this thought together.

See also: Haunted Places in MD

Later that evening, the man approached Trussell in the kitchen, anxiously wanting to pay his bill. Trussell, who was slightly taken aback, assured the young man that her policy was for guests to pay upon leaving rather than upfront and encouraged him to have a nice, relaxing weekend. He then retired to his room for the night.

Very early the next morning, the man’s wife called the hotel in somewhat of a panic, asking for the staff to check on her husband as he had not been responding to her calls and text messages. Since it was so early, Trissel was reluctant to check on the man as she knew he was there to unwind, and she didn’t want to disturb his rest. After being convinced by the woman on the phone, Trissel knocked on the man’s door to see if he was alright—only to get no response. After knocking a few times to no answer, she suspected something was not right and decided to investigate. She poked her head in the room to see the man lying on the bed unresponsive. After attempting to wake him, she discovered that he was, in fact, deceased.

How the Hauntings Manifest

After discovering the young man’s body, Trissel was distraught, so she decided to gut the room and remodel it to rid the space of the bad memories. She had the room painted, got the floors re-finished, and purchased new furniture. In the middle of the remodel, she decided to take a trip for a few weeks. At the time, the room was empty, and she closed the door, knowing no one would enter the room until she got back to the inn, and went on her merry way.

Trissel walked up to the young man’s former room upon her return, thinking that no one had set foot in the building since she had left, only to discover three pennies lying on the floor. Confused, Trissel picked the pennies up and was convinced they were not there a couple of weeks ago when she last stood in the room but did not overthink it.

A few days later, the furniture arrived. As the furniture was being delivered, Trissel made another discovery—three more pennies in the exact same place. This time she was confident that no one stepped foot in the room to place the pennies in that location.

Later that evening, Trissel was in the kitchen talking to her cook. She described her confusion with the coins. She did not know where they came from or what they meant, and in that instant, three more pennies rolled off the table onto the kitchen floor exactly where the young man stood when he asked to pay for his room. The cook was convinced the deceased young man must be trying to pay the outstanding bill he was so concerned over.

Since then, Trissel has been finding pennies all around the inn, assuming it is from the ghost of the young man attempting to pay off this unsettled debt. She will gladly open up a drawer revealing the pennies she has found over the years if you ask her. All she hopes is that the pennies won’t stop appearing once his debt is paid off.

Visiting The Victoriana Inn

If you are looking to collect a little extra change, experience the paranormal, book a room at the hotel, or continue reading more of our haunted locations. Looking for a nearby ghost tour that includes Aida’s Victoriana Inn? Check out Chesapeake Ghost Walks, which is offered from April through November.