America’s Most Haunted Hotels
It starts with a creak. Then maybe a breeze fluttering the blinds, followed by the ever-so-soft sound of footsteps outside. Suddenly there’s a chill down your spine, a soft whisper in the air, and maybe, just maybe, if you’re lucky, you see it — a ghostly apparition standing right there in your hotel room. And it’s exactly as cool as you always dreamed it would be.
Staying in a haunted hotel isn’t for everyone. You have to be comfortable with the idea that you could see something otherworldly, or at the very least spend a night thinking every little thing that goes bump in the night is a ghost. If that, however, is exactly what you’re after, you’re in for a treat. Here are five hotels allegedly home to spirits that like to greet guests every now and then.
Concord’s Colonial Inn
Massachusetts
Concord’s Colonial Inn’s exterior is as charming as they come. This quaint accommodation, housed in a building constructed in 1716, maintains much of its original details, including a delightful colonial-era exterior, covered porch, and, oh yeah, the souls of a few departed soldiers. During the American Revolution, some of the hotel’s rooms were converted into a makeshift hospital, including room 24, which was used as an operating room for wounded soldiers. Many who’ve slept in the room report seeing figures looking over them in the middle of the night.
1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa
Arkansas
The 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa in charming Eureka Springs is famous for a few reasons: Its world-renowned huckleberry muffins, its stunning grounds, and, oh yeah, the fact it may be a portal to another dimension. Marty and Elise Roenigk, who purchased the dilapidated hotel in 1997, had heard many tales about ghosts roaming the hotel, so they hired certified mediums to conduct a reading of the building. To their surprise, the mediums said the building may be a portal “to the other side,” or as the hotel explains on its website, a “dimension that holds the spirits of the dead.” They honor this unique trait by offering ghost tours to guests who think they can handle it.
The Pfister Hotel
Wisconsin
The Pfister Hotel, built in 1896, comes with 307 luxuriously appointed suites. It’s so chic that it quickly became a favorite to star athletes, specifically the major league baseball teams coming to face off against the Milwaukee Brewers. Over the years, however, dozens of athletes have shared tales of ghostly sightings, likely because the hotel was allegedly built on top of an old graveyard without properly moving the remains. Some guests even say they’ve seen the ghost of Charles Pfister, the hotel’s founder, still watching over his hotel.
The Hollywood Roosevelt
California
Looking for an A-list ghost sighting? Make your way to The Hollywood Roosevelt, the most haunted hotel in Los Angeles. The hotel has long been a favorite for the rich and famous, including Marilyn Monroe, who is said to still haunt her old favorite room (room 1200, for those who would like to book it just to see if it’s true). Many claim to see Monroe reflected back at them in the mirror in the room, so brush your teeth with caution.
The Marshall House
Georgia
As far as haunted places in America go, nothing can really top Savannah, Georgia. The southern city is absolutely jam packed with ghosts, including a few residing in The Marshall House, a hotel created in 1851 by local businesswoman Mary Marshall. The hotel acted as a hospital during the Civil War (note: maybe just don’t stay at a hotel that was once a hospital if you don’t want to see ghosts), and to this day, guests say they can still see the ghosts of soldiers hanging out in the hallways, particularly on the hotel’s fourth floor.
