Embark on a journey through the most haunted hotels in America, as we explore the eeriest accommodations from coast to coast. Uncover chilling legends and enigmatic histories that have left an indelible mark on these hotels, making them truly unforgettable.
From whispers of ghostly guests to tragic events that linger, these hotels offer a unique blend of history and mystery. Whether you’re a ghost hunter or a curious traveler, this collection promises to intrigue and captivate. See which haunted rooms we recommend, then get ready to check-in.
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St. James Hotel - Selma, Alabama
Most Haunted Rooms: 214, 314, 315
One of the oldest buildings in Alabama, built in 1837, the St. James Hotel in Selma, was used as the headquarters for Union troops during the Civil War, surviving the burning of city buildings after the Battle of Selma. It’s reportedly home to 3 known specters: Jesse James, Jesse James’ girlfriend Lucinda, and a dog.
The apparition of a man (believed to be James) wearing Cowboy attire from the 1880s has been witnessed by many guests and staff alike, walking out of rooms 214, 314 315 – the places in which he stayed during his many visits here. He’s also been seen sitting in the bar at his favorite corner table!
The spirit of his lover, Lucinda, has been witnessed walking down the hotel hallways, often preceded by the smell of lavender, which was known to be her favorite aroma. A dog (James’ pet) is also known to haunt the hotel, running down corridors and barking in the hotel’s courtyard!
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Historic Anchorage Hotel - Anchorage, Alaska
It was a difficult choice between the Alaskan Hotel in Juneau and the Anchorage Hotel, but the Anchorage just about edges it. Built in 1916 as a central meeting point for people from all over Alaska, the Historic Anchorage Hotel is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The sheer number of reports emanating from this hotel over the years is staggering. One of the most well-known hauntings of the hotel relates to the very first Chief of Police of Anchorage, who was shot in the back outside the hotel by a bullet from his gun!
Other reports include a woman in white who’s been seen wandering throughout the hotel, the apparitions of little children, and the sighting of a young girl ghost on the second floor.
Nobody knows who these children might be, but activity seems to center around Rooms 215 and 217, with guests, often reporting various paranormal activity.
Copper Queen Hotel - Bisbee, Arizona
The oldest continually operating hotel in the Grand Canyon State, the Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee, was originally built in 1902. It’s not known just how many spirits haunt the property.
However, the most well-known is Julia Lowell’s ghost, a prostitute who worked in the hotel during the early 1920s and 30s. It’s widely believed that Julia, having been shunned by one of her clients, took her own life in the bathtub of room 315.
Another spirit that haunts this infamously haunted hotel is that of a little boy whose mother worked at the hotel. It’s believed he drowned whilst swimming in the nearby San Pedro River.
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1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa - Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Considered by many paranormal experts to be not only one of the most haunted places in the state of Arkansas but one of the most place haunted places in the US. The self-proclaimed most haunted hotel in America has a harrowing history surrounding the paranormal goings-on.
A former hospital set up by Norman Baker promised to cure cancer when, in reality, Baker was nothing but a snake oil salesman with no license to practice medicine. Under his care, many of his patients ended up dying in the hotel. There was even a morgue in the hotel’s basement (now the spa).
As well as many of Baker’s unfortunate patients roaming the halls, there’s also the ghost of a construction worker who died during the hotel’s initial construction as a girls’ school in 1886. He’s said to haunt room 218.
Room 419 is believed to be haunted by Theodora’s ghost, one of the nurses who once worked under Baker. Guests and staff alike also regularly report nurses walking the halls, pushing wheelchairs!
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The Queen Mary - Long Beach, California
Regarded by many as one of the most haunted hotels in the United States, the Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach, CA, certainly promises a lot. There are so many haunted areas on this ship that investigators and paranormal experts don’t know where to start discussing them.
One of the most infamously haunted locations on the ship is the old First Class swimming pool. It’s believed two women died here mysteriously in the 1930s and the 1960s. Psychics have also reported a dark entity that likes to hang around the old changing room area!
Cabin B340, closed for years due to the sheer amount of activity guests were reporting, has now been reopened as Stateroom B340 for any of those brave enough to spend the night.
Reports include such things as faucets turning on and off, bedsheets being pulled off in the dead of night, and waking up to a dark figure standing at the end of the bed!
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Stanley Hotel - Estes Park, Colorado
Who doesn’t love to be scared by Stephen King? He knew just where to look when coming up with a real-life haunted hotel, and it was The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO.
In case you missed it, his movie The Shining was based on this eerie place. The Stanley offers several ghost tours, and guests can even visit the dark, underground tunnels beneath the hotel.
F.O. Stanley, the hotel’s original owner, is known to haunt the hotel, accompanied by his wife. They are always dressed in formal attire and appear on the main staircase and other public areas.
If you happen to be sitting near the piano and it plays by itself, well, just another day at The Stanley Hotel.
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Captain Grant's 1754 - Preston, Connecticut
Built in 1754 by Captain William Grant for him and his wife, Mercy Adelaide Avery, and their children, the family resided here until Mercy’s death in 1861. During the Revolutionary War, the inn was used by Continental Army soldiers, and escaped slaves were hidden here during the Civil War.
The vast amount of paranormal activity started to occur here during renovations back in 1994 and continued when it reopened in 1995. Often guests would hear banging on their doors, the feeling of having their faces touched, apparitions of children, and the sighting of strange shapes in pictures and with their own eyes.
The inn’s most haunted area is named the Adelaide Room, as it’s here where Mercy is often seen. She’s known to appear to guests in the dead of night, wearing Colonial garb and sometimes holding hands with two children.
Guests staying in the Adelaide Room also experience the TV turning on and off, and the shower curtain will detach from the rod as if pulled by unseen hands!
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Addy Sea - Bethany Beach, Delaware
Situated in the small coastal town of Bethany Beach, the Addy Sea Bed and Breakfast boasts Victorian charm and mesmerizing ocean views. However, this inviting haven holds spine-chilling secrets. Known as one of Delaware’s most haunted hotels, the Addy Sea leaves guests intrigued and slightly uneasy, especially with its famous copper bathtub that inexplicably vibrates!
Rumors of paranormal activity surround Rooms 1, 6, and 11. In Room 1, guests experience the unsettling sensation of a violently shaking bathtub. Room 6 harbors its own mysteries, as visitors report the haunting sound of organ music, despite the absence of any such instrument. Room 11 is said to be haunted by Paul Delaney, a former Addy Sea employee whose spirit lingers.
As night falls, the hotel’s eerie atmosphere intensifies. Guests recount the sensation of a ghostly presence sprinting through the hallways, accompanied by the scent of phantom perfume. The enigmatic melody of an unseen instrument drifts through the corridors, adding to the chilling ambiance. On the roof, the ghostly footsteps of Kurty Addy, who tragically fell to his demise years ago, can be heard echoing in the darkness.
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The Biltmore Hotel - Miami, Florida
The Biltmore Hotel at Coral Gables in Miami was built in 1926, a hotspot for traveling royalty and the most famous and glamorous celebs.
During the Second World War, the hotel was temporarily repurposed as a military hospital. After the war, it served as a hospital for VAs and the first University of Miami until the hospital closed in 1968.
Left as a shell up until it was restored and reopened in 1987, it was now considerably more haunted than when it first opened in the ’20s. Ever since the grand reopening, there have been numerous paranormal reports on an almost weekly basis. Lights are known to turn on and off by themselves, and doors open and close by unseen hands.
A woman in white is regularly reported walking the halls and appearing in guest rooms, and Fatty Walsh, the notorious mobster, is apparently haunting the building as well. He was shot dead at the hotel back in the late 1920s after a card game went sour.
Guests and staff alike have witnessed his apparition several times, hanging out in the hotel lobby.
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Marshall House Hotel - Savannah, Georgia
Originally built in 1851 in Savannah’s historic downtown (regarded as the most haunted city in America btw), the Marshall House is the oldest hotel in the city. During the Civil War, the inn was occupied by troops led by General William Tecumseh Sherman, and it was here where wounded soldiers had limbs amputated.
A terrifying ordeal on its own, but these soldiers endured these torturous procedures without the use of anesthetic, their blood-curdling screams heard throughout the area.
The bones from the amputated limbs were found under the floorboards of the Marshall House during renovations! The Marshall House was again utilized as a hospital during the Yellow fever Epidemic of the mid-1800s.
You can only imagine just how many poor souls met their end here. It’s believed that the spirits of those that passed are still hanging around the hotel, and guests and staff have heard the voices and the screams of those that tragically died all those years ago.
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Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa - Big Island, Hawaii
According to reports from locals, the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay has been haunted for many years. Although the name and owner of the hotel have changed numerous times over the years, the stories of the hauntings remain.
It’s widely believed to be the home to the spirits of two little girls, who regularly make noise running up and down the hallways at night, and when guests open the doors to ask them to be quiet, nobody is there, and the running continues.
Guards are so used to this now they simply tell guests there’s nothing they can do since it’s the two girl ghosts making the noise!
If you’re walking around the hotel grounds, you may come across an apparition standing on the edge of the cliffs at the front of the hotel, and if you blink or look away for a second, the apparition disappears! It’s believed the hauntings around this hotel point back to the ancient battleground where the hotel’s foundations now rest.
Gooding University Inn and Resort - Gooding, Idaho
In 1917, the building served as a dormitory for students studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree at Gooding College. The school operated until 1938, at which point the Methodist Church took over the building’s ownership as the college ran into financial difficulty.
In 1941 the Methodist Church gifted the building to the state of Idaho for use as tuberculosis. However, due to the shortage of skilled personnel and medical equipment, it didn’t begin its life as a tuberculosis facility until 1947. The TB hospital was one of the most advanced in the country and was in operation until 1976.
Now, the current reincarnation of the building is a unique inn with dorm-style accommodation. However, the patients of the former TB patients are still believed to walk the halls at night, and given there are many unmarked graves right next to the building, it’s little surprise that these poor souls can’t find peace!
Original Springs Hotel - Okawville, Illinois
Opening in 1885, taking advantage of the healing waters hidden under the town, the Original Springs Hotel in Okawville, Illinois, has long been regarded as one of Illinois’ most haunted locations! Thousands of visitors flocked to the hotel over the years, many of which have left a tangible part of them behind.
Reports of hauntings have been ever-present at the hotel for generations, with the sighting of a woman in white, disembodied whispers coming from the rooms, and sinister feelings of being watched.
Several documented suicides, stories of gangsters, deaths, and the water’s mysterious healing properties make this historic hotel one of the most interesting haunted properties in the country!
Learn more about the Original Springs Hotel Ghosts
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Roads Hotel - Atlanta, Indiana
[PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Saint Booth, Haunting Captures]
It is believed that Abraham Kauffman built Roads Hotel back in 1893 when it was a layover stop for the railroad.
Over the years, the hotel has certainly made its mark with a history that includes a hotel, brothel, speakeasy, and boarding house.
Many notable people have stayed here over the years, including John Dillinger and Al Capone, who have passed through this hotel’s doors, but not all of them have left. Those that did not leave are still there to entertain those people looking for a night of paranormal activity.
It is one of Indiana’s most haunted locations, with multiple ghosts calling it home. Some of the sightings from guests include men, women, and children.
It isn’t unusual for people to hear disembodied voices and phantom footsteps. There are also reports of lights turning on and off and also of doors opening or closing by themselves.
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Mason House Inn - Bentonsport, Iowa
Most Haunted Rooms: 5, 7, 8
Why not take part in a real paranormal investigation at the Mason House? We regularly run ghost hunts at Iowa’s most haunted inn that includes tour, ghost hunt, hotel room, and breakfast!
More Info: Mason House Ghost Hunts
Built in 1846 as a steamboat inn, the Mason House has welcomed guests for generations. Some of which have never left! The whole property has reports of some kind of activity, with the owners saying there are at least five spirits that they know of.
Room 5 is believed to be the home of a young boy who likes to poke people and pull at guests’ clothing. His apparition likes to make an appearance on the landing! Room 7 is the home of a spirit named Knapp, who was reportedly murdered there many years ago.
One of the most frightening reports from the Mason House Inn is the manifestation of a head floating across Room 8! There’s also the spirit of an elderly woman known to walk the empty rooms on the third floor.
Eldridge Hotel - Lawrence, Kansas
Originally known as the Free State Hotel, when it was first built in 1855, the Eldridge has suffered not just one disastrous fire, but two! After many years in operation, the hotel closed and converted to apartments in 1970, and in 1980 it was restored to its original splendor as a hotel.
As well as playing host to many famous and illustrious guests over the years, the hotel claims to play host to many ghosts. Many believe that the hotel’s fifth floor is actually a portal, with most of the activity happening on this floor, especially centered around room 506.
Guests and staff often report sudden unexplainable cold spots and the feeling of somebody being in the room with them throughout the fifth floor.
Jailer's Inn Bed and Breakfast - Bardstown, Kentucky
Originally built back in 1797, the Old County Jail, as it was known then, was in operation until 1987. It served Nelson County and surrounding areas for 100 years, making it the oldest continuously operated jail in Kentucky, and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
In 1988, it was purchased by the McCoy family and renovated into a family-run Bed and Breakfast.
Since opening as a B&B, guests and staff alike have reported many strange goings-on in the old jail complex. One of the most common occurrences is the sound of phantom footsteps echoing around the rooms and hallways.
Some other strange happenings include the sounds of crying, piano music, and disembodied voices!
Myrtles Plantation - St. Francisville, Louisiana
Located in the Baton Rouge area of Louisiana, The Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville was built in 1796 and was originally called Laurel Grove. For many years, the plantation was run by General David Bradford, living there alone, away from his family.
It wasn’t until 1800 that his family was able to join him after President John Adams pardoned him for the key role he played during the whiskey rebellion in 1799. The plantation remained in the family until 1851 and exchanged hands several times until it became a bed and breakfast.
It’s now regarded by many to be among the most haunted hotels in the South. Appearing in books, national publications, and many TV shows, the Myrtles Plantation is considered one of the finest hotels in America and one of the most haunted plantations in Louisiana for a spot of ghost hunting!
Captain Fairfield Inn - Kennebunkport, Maine
Built as far back as 1813 by Captain James Fairfield, the home now known as the Captain Fairfield Inn was a private residence up until 1991 when it became the bed and breakfast it is today. A typical looking cozy New England home to onlookers, the Captain Fairfield Inn has a darker side.
If you’re in the basement, you may come face to face with the apparition of Fairfield himself. He’s known to appear throughout the inn and has been seen numerous times, though one thing is common amongst those that have witnessed him, they all state that they don’t feel he has sinister intentions. In fact, it’s the complete opposite.
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The Maryland Inn - Annapolis, Maryland
Built in 1772, the Maryland Inn in Annapolis, Maryland is home to countless spirits, some believed to be from the inn’s beginnings.
Staff and guests have reported several unexplainable occurrences, including disembodied footsteps, sudden cold spots, and strange scents as if someone not part of the living was passing by.
Other more terrifying reports are a full-bodied apparition of a former sea captain, who’s believed to have been killed outside the inn after being hit by a bolting carriage. People have also reported the appearance of a woman in black on the staircase, thought to be the spirit of a woman who fell to her death.
In the inns’ basement, you may come across some merry spirits walking up to what was the old taproom, hoping for a touch of ale and some companionship.
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The Lizzie Borden House - Fall River, Massachusetts
Located 53 miles south of Boston, The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River should definitely be on any person’s visit to the area. If you’ve ever heard the children’s rhyme, “Lizzie Borden took an ax, gave her mother 40 whacks, when she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41,” then you’re familiar with what makes this house so infamous.
The double homicide which took place on that fateful morning in 1892 is known to many Americans, but what they may not know is the house is now one of the most haunted inns in the United States.
Many avid ghost hunters travel across the country to have the chance to make contact with Lizzie’s father, Andrew Borden, and stepmother Abby Borden.
It’s unknown whether it’s the couple behind some of the activity that includes doors slamming shut, disembodied voices, and crying. Still, there has been the sighting of a woman in Victorian clothing cleaning around the house.
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Read MoreTerrace Inn - Petoskey, Michigan
The Terrace Inn in Petoskey, Michigan, was built on an old boarding house in 1910. The inn is reportedly haunted by at least three spirits, all of whom can manifest themselves. In fact, there have been numerous reports of apparitions appearing in front of both guests and staff alike over the years.
There’s apparently the apparition of a gentleman often seen on the inn’s balcony, always wearing a tweed suit; a woman in white who likes to explore the whole hotel, appearing in rooms and walking hallways; and also a child who often appears in the inn’s basement.
MORE HAUNTED HOTELS IN MICHIGAN
Historic Calumet Inn - Pipestone, Minnesota
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Room 308
Built in 1888 as a railroad stopover, the Historic Calumet Hotel in Pipestone, Minnesota, is one of Missouri’s most historical and most certainly haunted hotels.
Located at the corner of Main Street and Hiawatha Avenue, the building is not the first to grace this address, and it perhaps explains why there may be more cause for ghostly activity.
The original three-story wood-framed building was destroyed by fire in 1886, claiming Rev. Alfred Stoddard Orcutt’s life. Another fire was to engulf the hotel on Valentine’s Day 1944, claiming the life of a guest named Chris E. Herschberger.
Paranormal goings-on at the hotel are rife, but there is a particular concentration on Room 308, the room where Herschberger died that fateful night in 1944.
VIEW MORE HAUNTED HOTELS IN MINNESOTA
Duff Green Mansion - Vicksburg, Mississippi
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Dixie Room is believed to be the most active spot for the one-legged Confederate soldier.
Built in 1856 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, by local cotton entrepreneur Duff Green, the Duff Green Mansion is believed to be the residence of at least 10 spirits. Due to its age and its variety of uses including a private residence, Civil War field hospital, and orphanage, it’s little wonder there are so many ghosts.
Green’s wife, Mary, is believed to be the most active of all the spirits here, her apparition seen on countless occasions walking down hallways and through rooms before fading away before your eyes.
Another of the Green family haunts the house with Mary’s daughter Annie also spotted roaming the halls. Annie is reported to have died aged five after succumbing to yellow fever.
As well as Annie and Mary, there’s also the apparition of a Confederate soldier with one leg, as well as many more accounts of hauntings that investigators, guests, and staff have all witnessed!
VIEW MORE HAUNTED HOTELS IN MISSISSIPPI
The Lemp Mansion Inn - St. Louis, Missouri
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
The William Lemp Suite | Lavendar Lady Suite | Elsa Lemp Suite
Regularly featured in the top haunted hotel lists is the Lemp Mansion Inn & Restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri. Built in the early 1860s, the mansion was the home of William J. Lemp and his family – he and his family saw incredible success from his local brewing company, but perhaps more fitting to this story is the family also suffered from struggles too.
Plagued by death, the family saw 5 of its members die by suicide, and the heir to the Lemp Mansion fortune (Frederick Lemp) died from mysterious circumstances in 1901. His father, William Lemp, was unable to deal with his son’s tragic loss, and three years later, he killed himself with a gunshot to the head in one of the mansion’s bedrooms.
There’s a wide array of activity reported at the inn, but it doesn’t seem centered around any particular area. Claims are often heard of disembodied voices, bangs on doors, phantom footsteps, full-bodied apparitions, poltergeist activity, and more!
More Haunted Hotels in Missouri
READ MOREThe Grand Union Hotel - Benton, Montana
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Room 202
Built in 1882, the Grand Union Hotel is located in Fort Benton, the oldest Montana settlement. The historic hotel itself, being the longest operating hotel in the Big Sky Country, is, as you’d expect, full of paranormal activity.
Although most of the reports here are tame, it doesn’t take anything away from it being one of the most haunted hotels in the country. The sounds of stomping hooves are heard, likely due to a drunk cowboy that was shot to death on his horse whilst trying to ride on horseback up the staircase.
If you’re awoken in the middle of the night to the sounds of running up and down the halls, don’t complain; it’s just the spirits of children having fun. One of the strangest occurrences here happens in room 202, where mysterious blue lights are said to flash across the room without explanation.
There’s also the apparition of a man in a long dark cloak that’s been witnessed wandering around the hotel.
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Arrow Hotel - Broken Bow, Nebraska
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Room 205
Although the Arrow Hotel is relatively young compared to other haunted hotels on this list, having been built in 1928, it has many known spirits hanging around. One of the former owners is said to have died in the hotel, and his apparition is often seen going up and down the stairs leading to the kitchens.
There are more reports of other apparitions that wander the hotel, one is described as an old and gaunt gentleman with gray hair, and another is a woman with long red hair. Many locals believe this is a witch called Ivy, buried in the nearby Madison Square cemetery.
She’s known to appear all around town, with people describing her presence as friendly at first, but she quickly turns evil and is known to physically harm people before disappearing in front of their eyes.
Staff and previous guests say that room 205 is particularly active and that the basement also has a lot of activity.
VIEW ALL HAUNTED HOTELS IN NEBRASKA
Mizpah Hotel - Tonopah, Nevada
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
- Room 502 (The Lady In Red Suite)
- Room 503
- Room 504
Opening in 1907, the Mizpah Hotel was one of the leading luxury hotels of its time. The historic hotel was in operation up until 1999 and was later restored and re-opened in 2011, with the spirits of many of its former guests still lingering.
Nevada’s most haunted hotel is now home to multiple spirits, one of whom goes by the name of Rose (aka the Lady in Red), a prostitute killed on the 5th floor of the hotel by one of her clients. She’s known to visit several guest rooms and will often leave behind a single pearl. Room 502 is the room she was murdered in and is the most active of all.
As well as Rose, there are believed to be the spirits of children that play in the hallways, a phantom figure who likes to taunt guests, and guests have even reported things moving around their rooms by unseen hands!
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Mount Washington Resort - Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Room 314 (The Carolyn Stickney Suite)
Our look at the most haunted hotels in America brings us to this immense hotel located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and it’s, of course, home to some eerie goings-on.
A woman named Carolyn Stickney, who died in 1939, haunts the Mount Washington Resort. She goes around tapping on doors, and if she comes into your room (whether you invited her in or not), she will borrow your clothes.
Being a proper Victorian lady, she will always return those items she takes. For the best chance of seeing the Princess, as Carolyn is known, book a stay in Room 314. There you will find her four-poster bed, and Carolyn may even be sitting on it in the middle of the night.
More Haunted Hotels in New Hampshire
READ MOREThe Southern Mansion - Cape May, New Jersey
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Room 14
Built in 1863 as a private country estate for the Allen family, the mansion remained in the family’s hands until 1946, when the last living relative of the Allen family, Ester Mercur, died. Numerous spirits from the Allen family haunt the mansion, but Ester makes her presence felt the most, often accompanied by the smell of strong perfume.
If you’re staying in room 14, you may hear the disembodied conversation of a man and a woman. In the ballroom and kitchen, a chef has reported seeing the apparition of a man in military uniform.
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St. James Hotel - Cimarron, New Mexico
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Room 18
Constructed in 1872 on the historic Santa Fe trail, the St. James Hotel in Cimarron, NM, drew in quite the array of visitors to the Old West, including Jess James, Buffalo Bill, Wyatt Earp, and Annie Oakley, Billy the Kid, and Thomas James Wright.
It’s believed that at least a few of these colorful characters remain tied to the hotel they frequented during their lives.
The hotel was one of the wildest spots in the Wild West, with reportedly over 26 known deaths that occurred here, with many more unreported. The majority of them are gun-related. You can even see gun holes in the walls throughout the hotel.
Guests have reported countless unnerving experiences when staying here, with a common report of people feeling like they’re being watched or followed. A man named Thomas J. Wright is apparently the most prominent ghost at the hotel.
He was murdered in 1881 with a bullet to the back after he won the deeds to the hotel in a game of poker. His ghost haunts room 18, which remains unbooked to keep his ill-temper at bay.
READ MOREMore Haunted Hotels in New Mexico
The Shanley Hotel - Napanoch, New York
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
All rooms have significant activity
Regarding many paranormal enthusiasts as the most haunted hotel on the east coast, the Shanley Hotel in Napanoch, New York, certainly has a haunted reputation. Judging from the sheer number of haunted happenings reported here, it promises a lot!
The first record of a hotel on the site was in 1845 when Ritch’s Hotel was built. It changed hands and names a few times until 1895 when a fire took hold of several buildings around town. The Shanley Hotel was one of those destroyed. Not to be deterred, the Shanley Hotel was rebuilt in November of the same year, standing the same today as it was back then.
Disembodied voices, full-bodied apparitions, and unseen bodies getting into bed with you, it’s all part of a routine night at the Shanley Hotel!
Learn more about the haunted Shanley Hotel
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The Biltmore Hotel - Greensboro, North Carolina
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Room 302 / Room 223
Built in 1903 for use as an office building for the Denim company of the Cone Brothers, the building served many uses until today, including as a post office, apartment units, and even a brothel. According to many, at least 2 ghosts here, and judging by the activity witnessed here, it’s likely a lot more.
Perhaps the most well-known ghost here is Philip, an accountant employed by the Cone Brothers. He apparently discovered discrepancies in the company books and was subsequently murdered in the alley down the side of the Biltmore.
His ghost is believed to hang around room 302 and has, on occasion, appeared to guests standing at the foot of their beds.
Another spirit at the hotel is Lydia, one of the working girls during its operation as a brothel. An ill-tempered client is believed to have thrown Lydia down the staircase to her death. Her old room 223 is where she likes to return, often appearing as a full-bodied apparition walking across the room, her full head of red hair on display.
READ MOREMore Haunted Hotels in North Carolina | Haunted Places in Greensboro, NC
Rough Riders Hotel - Medora, North Dakota
North Dakota’s oldest and most haunted hotel, the Rough Riders Hotel in Medora, ND, has been welcoming guests since 1884. Named after a Cavalry unit led by Theodore Roosevelt, the hotel once played host to the famous U.S. President.
According to reports, guests and staff alike have witnessed the ghost of a little boy on the hotel’s top floor. His spirit likes to play with guests tapping on walls and banging on doors, and he can be heard laughing by guests.
There’s not much more detail surrounding who else or what else may be haunting the hotel, but people have witnessed furniture moving and strange sounds and occurrences that can’t be explained.
VIEW MORE HAUNTED HOTELS IN NORTH DAKOTA
Historic Buxton Inn - Granville, Ohio
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Rooms 7 and 9
With over 200 years of history, it’s little wonder that the Buxton Inn is one of the most haunted hotels in America! Many of the inn’s previous owners, inhabitants, and innkeepers stick around the hotel to this day.
The apparition of Granger himself and Major Horton Buxton (after whom the inn was named), have been witnessed throughout the inn. Known as ‘the Blue Lady,’ Bonnie Bounell, a former innkeeper, favors room 9.
Inside room 7, there’s the presence of a much darker entity, with guests often reporting the feeling of severe discomfort in that room. This feeling has also been reported by many staff and owners in the basement of the inn.
Also, there have been sightings of a ghost cat, phantom footsteps, and disembodied voices calling people’s names.
READ MOREThe Skirvin Hilton - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Rooms on the 10th and 11th Floors.
The story of the hauntings at the Skirvin Hotel in OKC centers around a hotel maid named Effie, and the original owner, Bill Skirvin.
After becoming pregnant and subsequently giving birth to Skirvin’s child, Effie was locked in a room on the 10th floor. One fateful evening, Effie and her child fell to their death from one of the windows on the 10th floor.
It’s not known whether she was trying to escape, she committed suicide, or she was pushed.
There are several paranormal goings-on at the hotel, but Effie’s ghost is believed to be behind most of it. Guests have reported hearing a woman’s voice when alone in their rooms. They’ve also heard a woman’s disembodied screams and the crying of a baby from empty rooms.
Also, guests and staff have reported the sighting of a female apparition, witnessed objects moving on their own, and a string of bizarre occurrences that lead many to believe the Skirvin Hilton is one of the most haunted places to stay in America.
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The Historic Wolf Creek Inn - Wolf Creek, Oregon
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
All rooms have activity, though the Clark Gable Suite has numerous reports of a female entity manifesting.
Established in 1883, the Historic Wolf Creek Inn in Wolf Creek, Oregon, is the oldest continuously operating inn in the Pacific Northwest. Aside from being a beautiful old inn in an idyllic setting, the Wolf Creek Inn is also home to several interesting hauntings.
Perhaps the most famous of the supposed several entities at the Wolf Creek Inn is American novelist Jack London. London was said to have loved the inn and regularly made the trip, finishing the novel Valley of the Moon there one summer. His ghost is known to haunt the room he used to stay in, with guests often reporting his apparition and hearing his voice.
Most of the spirits that haunt the inn are well-intentioned, though there is a much darker entity that hangs around the property and haunts the inn’s grounds. Referred to as a “vampire-like creature,” it has been seen numerous times terrifying guests and staff alike for years.
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Historic Hotel Bethlehem - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS
Room 932
For those keen to book a room with a boo, the Hotel Bethlehem in Bethlehem, PA, advertise their rooms as such. Built in 1922, there’s a history of a building on this site as far back as 1741 when the famous “First House of Bethlehem” was located here.
Proud of its reputation as one of the most haunted hotels in the country, the Hotel Bethlehem doesn’t lack a good ghost story or two. The hotel’s most haunted area is believed to be room 932, where several strange occurrences have been reported. One particular experience would terrify anybody, whereupon returning to their rooms, guests would come face to face with the apparition of a man, demanding why they’re in his room only to turn on the lights and see him vanish.
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The Graduate Providence - Providence, Rhode Island
Perhaps better known by paranormal enthusiasts as the Providence Biltmore, the Graduate Providence is a luxurious early 1900s hotel with one of the most haunted reputations of any hotel in the states. It was named the most haunted hotel in the United States in 2000 by the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
Most of the hauntings at the Graduate Providence are said to stem from the many murders that took place here during the prohibition era.
However, legend has it that the hotel financer and known Satanist, Johan Leisse Weisskopf, carried out numerous Satanic rituals in the building. In fact, he had a chicken coop installed on the roof of the hotel so he would have a steady supply of sacrifices to make for his weekly rituals.
During the stock market crash of 1929, Weisskopf stayed in one of the rooms on the 14th floor when he heard the news. He supposedly jumped to his death shortly after.
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The Battery Carriage House Inn - Charleston, South Carolina
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Room 3 / 8 / 10
Located in the Battery district of the oldest city in South Carolina, Charleston’s Battery Carriage House is a step back in time to a bygone era. Set amongst cobblestone streets and pastel antebellum houses, the Battery Carriage House Inn is idyllic, yes, but it’s also one of the most haunted hotels in America.
The most active room in the inn is room 8, with numerous reports emanating from there, including the manifestation of a gray mass, the apparition of a headless torso, and the general feeling of someone in the room with you. Room 10 is another hotspot with the wispy gray figure of a man making himself known to guests walking through the door into the room.
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The Historic Fairmont Hotel - Deadwood, South Dakota
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
The third floor is particularly active.
Though not offering guests a bed anymore, the Fairmont does have a restaurant and runs regular ghost tours of the upper floors.
Established in 1895 and a former bordello and saloon, the Fairmont Hotel in Deadwood, South Dakota, has seen its fair share of seedy and troubled clientele. One particular story tells of a woman named Margaret Broadwater, who used to work at the bordello. She is reported to have committed suicide by jumping out of the third-floor window after finding out she was pregnant. Her ghost is known to lurk around the hotel in the shadows.
At least three other ghosts are known to haunt the hotel. Two of them died on the same night, with one murdering the other in a fit of jealous rage seeing his girlfriend “entertaining” this client. The murderer then accidentally shot himself after trying to escape, bleeding to death on the sidewalk in front of the hotel. Both these spirits have been witnessed around the hotel, with guests often seeing their full-bodied apparitions.
There’s also believed to be the ghost of a little boy who has made himself known to guests in pictures.
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Thomas House Hotel - Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Room 17, 35, 37
Built in 1890 as a place of relaxation for the rich and famous, the Thomas House Hotel in Red Boiling Springs, TN, isn’t just luxury and refinement. It’s recently been listed as one of the most haunted places in America.
Moving beds, unexplainable cold spots, shadow figures, and disembodied voices are just some of the reports emanating from this extremely haunted building.
The hotel has seen its fair share of disaster and tragedy over the years, with three fires, numerous deaths, murders, and accidents. There are also stories of this property once being the home of a cult!
Sitting on limestone, an underground spring, as well as on the path of an ancient Indian Trail, and an intersection of two creeks, it’s little wonder there is so much paranormal activity going on here.
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Miss Molly's Hotel - Fort Worth, Texas
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
All 8 rooms have activity here.
On the surface, Miss Molly’s looks just like you would expect of an adorable western-themed bed and breakfast; however, under the surface lies a darker side.
Established in 1910 as a boarding house known as Palace Rooms, it changed hands several times over the years, and the nature of its business changed too, including use as a speakeasy and then later as a bordello. It was during the time as bordello that many ladies of the night met their fateful end.
The hotel is host to many full-bodied apparitions. They usually appear as pale, floating figures walking the rooms and hallway.
As well as the spirits of prostitutes, one of the most prominent ghosts is that of a young girl, maybe eight or nine years old, sometimes seen in the former owner’s rooms. Often believed to be former tenants of the hotel, not much is known about their origins.
Join a ghost hunt at Miss Molly’s Hotel
Holiday Inn Express - Salt Lake City, Utah
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
If you’re booking a night here, request any room on the 13th floor and pay a visit to the pool area and games room.
Established in the 1970s, when known as the Shilo Inn, the Holiday Inn Express in Salt Lake City is a well-known city landmark, and perhaps not for the right reasons. Known for years as the Shilo Inn with its red neon vegas-style lights, it was regarded by many as the ugliest building in Salt Lake City.
During the 1970s, a mother committed suicide by jumping out over one of the hotel balconies. If this wasn’t tragic enough, her two daughters were thrown to their deaths too. The eldest daughter threw the youngest, and the mother then threw the eldest daughter over the balcony.
As with many tragic deaths, it can leave a negative imprint on a building. The two daughters are still said to roam the corridors and the grounds. Disembodied laughter is often heard near the indoor pool, and gaming machines are said to turn on and start playing by themselves. On one occasion, a maintenance man reported all the lightbulbs he replaced were unscrewed all on their own!
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The Old Stage Coach Inn - Waterbury, Vermont
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS
Room 2
Next on our list of the most haunted places to stay in America is the Historic Old Stagecoach Inn in Waterbury, Vermont.
Regarded by many people as one of the most haunted places in Vermont, this 1826 inn is believed to be haunted by at least two spirits. One of which is the ghost of Margaret Annette Henry Spencer, who goes by the name of Nettie. She died at the age of 99 and is buried in the cemetery located next to the inn.
Some of the reports emanating from this inn include furniture moving and bedsheets being stripped off freshly made beds. There have also been numerous sightings of apparitions around the inn too.
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Edgewood Plantation - Charles City, Virginia
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Lizzie’s Room
Next on our list of the most haunted hotels in the US, is the Edgewood Plantation. On the grounds of this home rests a critical piece of American history.
Not only was it the location where the first Thanksgiving took place, but it was also the birthplace of two U.S. Presidents, William Henry Harrison, and Benjamin Harrison, and it played a key role during the Civil War.
Many ghost stories and legends are surrounding the inn, but perhaps the most fascinating is the story of the couple who sat up the whole night talking to a Civil War soldier named Aaron Young III.
You may also come face to face with the apparition of Elizabeth Lizzie Rowland, the fiancée of a Civil War soldier. She died of a broken heart after her fiancée never returned from the war. Her spirit is said to sit in the window, waiting for him to return.
As well as the main house, there’s also a lot of activity in the old slave buildings.
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Hotel Sorrento - Seattle, Washington
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Most activity occurs on the fourth floor, particularly around room 408…
Built in 1909, the Hotel Sorrento in Seattle, Washington, has always had an eerie aura. You only have to look at the design of it to get the feeling something quite spooky may be going on inside.
The hotel is the home to Alice Toklas’s spirit, who was the partner of writer Gertrude Stein. Reports from staff and guests alike have alluded to her presence mainly on the fourth floor, where her apparition has been seen gliding down the dimly lit hallways, often wearing white and sometimes in black.
If you’re feeling courageous, opt to stay in room 408 if you can. Or, if you’re feeling a little thirsty, head to the Dunbar Room, where she’s been known to move people’s drinks around.
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The Blennerhassett Hotel - Parkersburg, West Virginia
The Blennerhassett Hotel in the historic town of Parkersburg, West Virginia, is the perfect choice for anybody looking for a haunted hotel in a historical setting. Opening in 1889, the hotel was a leading example of hotels that later became known as the gaslight era.
The hotel is believed to be haunted by the ghost of the hotel’s original builder, William Chancellor. His apparition has been seen in the library wearing a gray three-piece suit and smoking his trademark cigar.
The hotel is apparently haunted by the ghosts of children too. They apparently like to run up and down the hallway of the second floor.
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The Pfister Hotel - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Built for a $1.5 million cost (around $40 million today), the Pfister Hotel has been a luxurious Milwaukee landmark since 1893. It’s supposedly haunted by Charles Pfister’s ghost, the son of the original owner who died before its completion. He wanted to ensure that his attention to detail lived on even after his death.
The hotel has gained notoriety in the past as a place to avoid if you want a good night’s sleep. The kind that MLB players need before a big game. In fact, Carlos Gomez, the legendary outfielder, said that he and his teammates were scared to go there and that everything about the hotel is scary.
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Irma Hotel - Cody, Wyoming
MOST HAUNTED ROOMS:
Room 16 (Irma’s old room) and Room 35
Affectionately known as the Grand Old Lady of Cody, the Irma Hotel was built in 1902 by none other than the famous Buffalo Bill (William F Cody) himself. It’s actually named after his daughter Irma Cody, but he would often stay here in between touring with his Wild West Shows.
Guests and staff alike have reported the sighting of a man in Confederate uniform throughout the hotel and many strange occurrences. If you stay in room 35, you’re in for a treat, as this is believed to be the most active.
Irma Cody’s old room, which is now room 16, is also said to be extremely active, with many strange reports including a rocking chair moving by itself!
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