Have you ever checked into a hotel room and felt like, although you were alone, you weren’t really alone? Considering many of today’s hotels were once something else entirely, they often share a rich history of ghouls, goblins, and ghosts!
With that in mind, we thought it would be fun to put together a top 10 list of the most haunted hotels out there!
1) Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel – Banff, Canada
Sam the bellman is said to have never stopped working at this property, despite retiring in 1967. After passing away, several guests have reported seeing a ghost bellman appear whenever they have trouble entering their assigned rooms.
2) Le Pavilion Hotel – New Orleans, LA
Le Pavilion is said to have many ghosts, but the most rumored is Adda. A story says Adda was hit by a runaway carriage in the 1840s. Today, guests report to seeing a young lady pacing the lobby and if you accidentally bump into her, she apologizes. It’s at this moment, guests report – she vanishes into thin air!
3) Crescent Hotel – Eureka Spring, AR
Another hotel that is said to have several ghosts living within the rooms, the most famous tale is that in 1885 Michael was working on building the hotel when he fell to his death. Rumor has it that in Room 218, right near his supposed fall, Michael is still playing tricks on the guests by pounding on doors, walls, and headboards. Tough to get a good night of sleep while Michael is around.
4) Omni Mt. Washington – Mt. Washington, New Hampshire
Carolyn Stickney, AKA ‘The Princess’, was the widowed bride of the Mount Washington Hotel’s owner. After her death in 1936, caretakers of the property over the winter months reportedly still saw Carolyn walking the stairs and turning on lights. To this day, third-floor guests report to seeing Carolyn sitting on the edge of the bed, combing her hair.
5) Hollywood Roosevelt – Hollywood, CA
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, now a Thompson Hotel, has some famous celebrity ghosts who are often sighted – including Marilyn Monroe! It is reported that Marilyn likes to visit the nightclubs or walk the halls at night. Montgomery Clift, who filmed “From Here to Eternity” at the hotel in 1953, is often heard playing the trombone in Room 928.
Scared Yet? Here are Five More Haunted Hotels for You
6) Castle Hotel Burg Reichenstein – Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
It is said the castle owner, Rudolf von Habsburg, killed a famous highway robber and all nine of his sons. Rudolf had a reputation for being a powerful ruler in the 11th century who stopped a crime spree by Deitrich von Hohenfels. Rudolf supposedly decapitated Deitrich, leaving Castle Hotel Burg Reichenstein with a headless ghost who haunts the hallways.
7) First Hotel – Bangkok, Thailand
A fire engulfed parts of the hotel in the 1980s. At the time, a famed Singaporean singer by the name of Shi Ni was found charred beyond recognition in the hotel’s nightclub. It is said his presence is still felt throughout the hotel, including reports of flickering TVs and electricity.
8) Chelsea Hotel – Manhattan, NY
The Chelsea Hotel was once known for the artist crowd it drew in, including Thomas Wolfe, Dylan Thomas, and Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen of Sex Pistols fame. It is said that some of these artists have refused to check out and can be heard pounding on the floor and screaming in the hallways. In this way, the Chelsea Hotel has remained a place for artists to stay.
9) Jumby Bay – Saint Johns, Antigua
Jumby Bay’s name is even derived from the word “jumbie,” which is an Antiguan colloquialism for “playful spirit.” As this Rosewood Resort is located on a small island, it is said that the jumbies from the nearby gravesites are the ones who are stuck in limbo and haunt the island and this resort.
10) La Posada de Santa Fe – Santa Fe, NM
In 1882, a merchant named Abraham Staab built a portion of this property as a mansion for his family. When Staab’s wife, Julia, died in 1896 at the age of 52, her presence continued to live on in the property. Today, the Staab House contains the bar and Suite 100 at La Posada de Santa Fe. Suite 100 was once Julia’s bedroom and staff claim she never left. To honor her, the hotel staff continues to invite her to the hotel’s parties and greet her when they enter her bedroom.
These are just ten of the most haunted hotels in the world, but people experience weird occurrences in so many more of them. Have you ever stayed anywhere that you were sure was haunted?
