Nevada, a state steeped in history and legends, is home to a variety of haunted accommodations. From luxurious establishments to cozy inns, these paranormal hotspots have attracted ghost hunters and thrill-seekers looking to experience a chilling encounter with the supernatural.
In this article, we’ll take you on a journey through Nevada’s 11 most haunted hotels. Discover spine-tingling tales of ghostly apparitions and eerie occurrences that have left guests questioning their own senses. Are you brave enough to spend the night?
1. Boulder Dam Hotel, Boulder City
Staff will insist that the hotel is not haunted, but previous guests and even some former employees beg to differ!
Several people have reported cold spots and unexplained whispering. There are also tales of a ‘lady in red’ who was apparently murdered in the hotel. [BOOK A ROOM]
2. Overland Hotel & Saloon, Pioche
In the living ghost town of Pioche, Nevada, the Overland Hotel & Saloon at 662 Main Street is said to be haunted, particularly room number 10. Built in the late 1800s, the hotel has a rich history of paranormal activity, with many employees and guests reporting eerie encounters.
Stephanie Haluzak, a maid and bartender at the hotel, has experienced visits from spirits, hearing footsteps and voices, and even witnessing a ghostly mist shaped like a body floating across a room.
Doug Hendershot, another hotel employee, recounted how a man once fled room 10, claiming someone tried to smother him in the middle of the night. Hendershot has also seen figures in the hallway that vanish upon closer inspection.
The town of Pioche itself is believed to be haunted, with some residents sharing stories of spirits wandering the streets. The town’s violent past during the Wild West era may contribute to the paranormal activity.
The Overland Hotel & Saloon has attracted ghost hunters, including the Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures” and the Las Vegas Paranormal Task Force.
3. Sugarloaf Mountain Motel
Despite its quaint atmosphere, the motel has a reputation for paranormal activity. Guests have reported encounters with ghosts dressed in 19th-century attire, as well as mysterious sounds of footsteps, heavy breathing, and laughter.
Unexplained phenomena, such as malfunctioning digital alarm clocks and doors opening and closing by themselves, add to the eerie ambiance.
The Sugarloaf Mountain Motel offers a unique experience for both paranormal enthusiasts and skeptics alike, allowing guests to immerse themselves in living Nevada history. Just be prepared to potentially sleep with one eye open during your stay at this intriguing, haunted motel! [BOOK A ROOM]
4. Santa Fe Inn, Winnemucca
Room 136 is considered a hotspot for eerie occurrences. One guest recounted strange television interference followed by loud, unexplained knocking at his door. Upon investigating, he found no one outside. Later, he witnessed a shadowy figure traversing the room, prompting him to leave in the middle of the night.
This spine-chilling account is just one of many from guests who have experienced the unexplained at the Santa Fe Inn. Though the inn may be more modest than the luxurious hotels of Las Vegas, it offers an undeniably intriguing and hair-raising experience for visitors seeking a brush with the paranormal. [BOOK A ROOM]
5. Gold Hill Hotel & Saloon
The Gold Hill Hotel, situated in historic Virginia City, Nevada, is known as one of the state’s oldest hotels and most haunted hotels. Brimming with nostalgic charm, the hotel offers a unique blend of history and the supernatural, ensuring an unforgettable experience for guests.
In the 1860s, Gold Hill was a bustling mining town during the Gold Rush. The devastating Yellow Jacket Mine fire in 1869, which occurred beneath the hotel, claimed the lives of dozens of miners. It is said that their restless spirits still haunt the hotel to this day.
Paranormal hotspots include “Rosie’s Room” and “William’s Room,” where guests have witnessed moving items, slamming doors, and even apparitions. The Great Room is another area believed to be frequented by both living and deceased patrons.
For those who wish to experience the Gold Hill Hotel’s haunted reputation firsthand, consider staying the night or participating in one of their monthly ghost tours, which regale guests with spine-chilling tales from the hotel’s history.
6. Silver Queen Hotel, Virginia City
The Silver Queen Hotel, nestled in the historic heart of Virginia City, has earned a reputation as one of Nevada’s most haunted locations.
The spirit most often associated with this establishment is that of Rosie, a former lady of the night believed to have taken her own life in Room 11 during the 1800s.
Visitors to the Silver Queen Hotel have experienced a wide array of spine-chilling phenomena. Reports include inexplicable noises, tapping sounds, and phantom footsteps resembling boots on wooden floors, even though the hotel is fully carpeted.
The most unnerving encounters, however, involve inhuman growls and dark shadowy figures, with at least one guest claiming to have been pursued down the hall by one such apparition.
For those seeking a thrilling and historically rich stay in Virginia City, the Silver Queen Hotel promises an unforgettable experience filled with intrigue, mystery, and ghostly encounters.
7. Tahoe House, Virginia City
Virginia City, widely recognized as one of Nevada’s most haunted towns, is home to the historic Tahoe House Hotel.
Built in 1859, this captivating establishment offers 16 rooms adorned with period-style decor, complete with antique beds and furniture. The hotel’s charming ambiance sets the stage for an array of paranormal encounters.
A particular room on the second floor is known to be a hotspot for otherworldly activity. Guests staying in this room frequently report a palpable presence sharing the space with them, accompanied by the inexplicable aroma of a potent floral perfume.
The Tahoe House Hotel masterfully blends its rich history and elegant atmosphere with an enticing hint of the supernatural, making it an ideal destination for those seeking a memorable stay in Virginia City.
8. Flamingo Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
However, Siegel’s life was cut short in a brutal murder less than a year after the grand opening, leaving his restless spirit to roam the premises.
Guests at the Flamingo have reported chilling encounters, such as waking up to find a dark figure looming at the foot of their beds. Disembodied whispers and the mysterious opening and closing of doors only add to the eerie atmosphere that permeates the hotel.
The haunting doesn’t stop within the hotel’s walls. The chapel gardens, which host the Bugsy Memorial, are said to be frequented by Siegel’s apparition as he wanders among the manicured greenery.
For those seeking a thrilling stay immersed in Las Vegas’s storied history, the Flamingo Hotel and Casino offers an unforgettable experience of luxury, intrigue, and spectral encounters. [BOOK A ROOM]
Learn more about the hauntings of the Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas
9. Clown Motel, Tonopah
The Clown Motel in Tonopah, Nevada, is a destination that can send shivers down the spine of even the bravest souls. With its entirely clown-themed decor, this unique hotel is enough to unnerve many visitors.
Upon entering the office, guests are greeted by a vast collection of clown figurines and dolls, while the rooms boast an array of clown-related artwork and ornaments. Eerily, some of these clowns are rumored to move of their own accord, adding to the motel’s unsettling ambiance.
The hotel’s proximity to the historic Tonopah Cemetery only heightens its haunted reputation. Whether or not the Clown Motel is genuinely haunted, its peculiar theme and uncanny atmosphere make it an unforgettable destination for thrill-seekers and those fascinated by the mysterious and bizarre.
10. Mizpah Hotel, Tonopah
One such spirit is said to be that of Rose, a former lady of the night who entertained guests within the Mizpah Hotel’s walls. Tragically, her life was cut short when a client took her life. Today, Rose is known to make her presence felt by visiting guest rooms, occasionally leaving behind a single pearl as a reminder of her lingering spirit.
Adding to the hotel’s eerie atmosphere is a decommissioned elevator that inexplicably opens and closes on its own. Guests have reported witnessing objects moving without explanation and even catching glimpses of a phantom figure that seems to delight in teasing the living. [Book a Room]
11. El Cortez, Las Vegas
The historic El Cortez Hotel, nestled at 600 Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, has a delightfully spooky past that still sends shivers down the spines of its guests and employees.
This iconic hotel, built in 1941, was once in the clutches of mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, and later, the enigmatic Jackie Gaughan, who stashed a hair-raising secret in the hotel’s basement: the cremated remains of several bodies, some of whom were former employees and, let’s just say, not-so-friendly rivals.
The hotel’s vintage wing is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of “Fat Irish” Green, one of Siegel’s henchmen, who guarded a briefcase brimming with ill-gotten cash for the mobster, all while enjoying a lifetime of free room and board at the El Cortez.
In true ghost-story fashion, current employees have reported eerie paranormal experiences, with some even refusing to venture into certain areas of the hotel, particularly the basement.
So, if you dare to take the Haunted Nevada tour, prepare to be regaled with spine-tingling tales of early Las Vegas mobsters and the mysterious ashes concealed in the El Cortez’s basement.
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