Looking to put a little spookiness into your next hotel stay? As we enter spooky season, the allure of the paranormal becomes irresistible with various Halloween festivities and traditions.
So, if you’re a lover of haunted hotel stories why not add a paranormal hotel stay at one of the most haunted hotels in America to the Halloween agenda? For thrill-seekers, a haunted hotel exploration is an activity that is guaranteed to stimulate the senses. Each of these places has its own unique story and they’re all worthy of a visit.
With Halloween around the corner, you might consider one of these haunted hotels – where YOU can check out anytime you’d like, but the ghosts never leave!
Our 13 Most Haunted Hotels in America
Check out our unlucky list of most haunted hotels in the US – from New York down to Louisiana and across the nation to California.
- Hotel Provincial (New Orleans, Louisiana)
- Stanley Hotel (Estes Park, Colorado)
- Crescent Hotel (Eureka Springs, Arkansas)
- Hotel Chelsea (New York City, New York)
- Carolina Inn (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)
- RMS Queen Mary Hotel (Long Beach, California)
- The Heathman Hotel (Portland, Oregon)
- Sagamore Hotel (Bolton Landing, New York)
- Ramada Plaza Hotel (Fond du Lac, Wisconsin)
- Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (Hollywood, California)
- Hotel Del Coronado (Coronado, California)
- Logan Inn (New Hope, Pennsylvania)
- Hotel La Fonda (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
If you’re a big fan of spooktacular things you may even decide to jet off to experience a stay in one of the most haunted hotels. Wherever you’re traveling to, don’t forget to plan ahead and pre book your airport parking.
13. Hotel La Fonda: A Spooky Stay in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Looking for a spine-chilling experience in New Mexico? Look no further than Santa Fe’s Hotel La Fonda. This historic hotel, steeped in the Old West’s lawless past, is rumored to be haunted by the ghosts of gunfighters, gamblers, and other unfortunate souls.
Legend has it that the spirit of a salesman who lost his fortune gambling still wanders the halls, often seen jumping into the floor of the dining room. And the spirits of gunfighters are said to linger in the old hitching post, where they once settled their scores.
If you’re seeking a haunted hotel with a rich history and a touch of the supernatural, Hotel La Fonda is the perfect destination.
12. Logan Inn: A Haunted Stay in New Hope, Pennsylvania
Built in 1722 as a tavern the Logan Inn, now plays host to numerous spirits – including the mother of the former owner, Emily, who plays tricks on guests by rearranging their luggage and playing with the room’s heater.
The general manager says “Emily is what they call the spirit that roams the halls. When she was living she used to live in the Inn.”
“The things that still remain that belong to Emily is the bed that people sleep in and the portrait on the wall… She passed away in this bed.”
Another ghostly resident is a little girl who is often seen wandering the halls. If you’re seeking a haunted hotel with a rich history and a touch of the supernatural, Logan Inn is the perfect destination.
How would you fare in a Logan Inn haunted room?
11. Hotel Del Coronado: A Gothic Californian Wedding Venue
Known as one of the best places for a destination wedding in the United States (according to the Travel Channel), Hotel Del Coronado is also home to many love-struck spirits. This iconic Victorian-style hotel is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Kate Morgan, who checked in to the hotel in 1892 to meet her estranged husband. He never showed and she was found dead on the beach from a gunshot wound days later.
Even President Ford, who stayed in Kate Morgan’s haunted room 3502, reported hearing strange noises. If you’re seeking a haunted hotel with a romantic and gothic atmosphere, Hotel Del Coronado is the perfect choice for your destination wedding.
10. Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel: A Hollywood Starlet Spooks
A Tinseltown landmark, the haunted Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is said to be haunted by Marilyn Monroe.
Marilyn Monroe is said to haunt the hotel’s exclusive nightclub, Tropicana, which is reserved for hotel guests and celebrities. Her reflection has also been reported in a full-length mirror near the lobby’s mezzanine-level gift shop, a mirror that was once in her favorite suite.
If you’re seeking a haunted hotel with a touch of Hollywood glamour, Hollywood Roosevelt is the perfect destination.
9. Hotel Retlaw: A Former Owner Still Resides
One of the most haunted hotels in Wisconsin based in Fond du Lac, the basement of Hotel Retlaw (formerly the Ramada Plaza Hotel) is said to be the exit point of underground tunnels once used by gangsters to evade authorities. And the spirit of Walter Schoreder, the former owner who was murdered on the premises, is said to haunt the hotel, turning on faucets, banging on walls, and even screaming.
Staff members have also reported yelling on room #717 on the 7th floor with the door vibrating as if something was shaking it from the inside. When staff enter the room, they find no one inside.
If you’re seeking a haunted hotel with a dark and mysterious past, Ramada Plaza Hotel is the perfect destination.
8. Sagamore Hotel: The Golf Course Ghouls of New York
Located in the Adirondack Mountains, the Sagamore Hotel is a popular location for golfers – both dead and alive.
Golfers have reported a little ghost boy stealing their balls and then throwing them at them from behind a tree. He’s also been heard laughing.
And if that’s not enough, a mysterious lady in white is said to roam the hotel, entering rooms and awakening sleeping guests with her ghostly presence. The Sagamore haunted hotel awaits for those who dare.
7. The Heathman Hotel: 03 is the Haunted Number in Portland, Oregon
Beware if you’re assigned to a room that ends in 03 at The Heathman Hotel – one of the most haunted hotels in Oregon. A lot of odd events occur in the threes, including moving objects, strange tapping sounds, and cold spots. Ghost photos of the rooms have also showed dark clouds over the entire space, and distorted faces. Room 703 is the most spirited and guests have reported furniture out of place, glasses of water placed on tables, and used towels… when nobody took a shower.
A psychic, who witnessed a ghost in room 803, said that someone had jumped from the balcony and is now haunting all the rooms he passed on his way down to his death. For haunted hotels in Oregan, the Heathman Hotel takes the crown.
6. RMS Queen Mary Hotel: Long Beach, California’s Spine-Chilling Ship
A massive ocean liner, RMS Queen Mary Hotel crossed the Atlantic thousands of times, but it has been permanently docked in Long Beach since 1967…where paranormal activity has become the norm.
Strange tapping noises can be heard onboard, ghostly apparitions are often seen walking the halls, and stairs have been sighted on the side of the docked ship. Some guests have reported feeling cold spots, hearing unexplained sounds, or even witnessing disembodied voices.
If you’re seeking a haunted hotel with a unique and eerie atmosphere, RMS Queen Mary is the perfect destination.
5. Carolina Inn: Paranormal Pranksters Await Chapel Hill Visitors
A variety of paranormal phenomena have been documented by guests and ghost hunters in the haunted rooms of this Chapel Hill landmark. At Carolina Inn, one ghost follows guests around, but disappears when they turn to face him; Another, a heavy-set man, wanders the halls checking for unlocked doors; And the ghost of Dr. William Jacocks, who lived at the inn for more than 20 years in room 256, often locks guests out of their rooms.
The staff insists the Carolina inn ghosts are not a threat to anyone. Jacocks was a good and kind man in life and in death, enjoys playing pranks on guests.
4. Hotel Chelsea: Famous Deaths and Despair Lingers for New Yorkers
Built in 1884, Hotel Chelsea has been an inspiration for artists including Mark Twain and Andy Warhol.
However, it’s also where many have met their demise: Dylan Thomas drank himself to death here; and Sid Vicious supposedly stabbed his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, to death in room 100, and now rides the elevator with guests.
Actress Sarah Bernhardt also reportedly slept in a coffin while living at the haunted hotel.
One of the most famous Hotel Chelsea ghost stories is that of a Titanic survivor named Mary. Mary haunts the western end of the hotel down the hallways after ending her own life on the fifth floor following the loss husband in the Titanic disaster.
3. Crescent Hotel: A Deathly Doctor Resides in Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Guests don’t even need to venture into a room to find paranormal activity at Crescent Hotel. The ghost of Dr. Norman Baker can often be seen outside of the recreation room.
Dr. Baker operated a controversial hospital and health resort in the building in the 30s, and believed that the spring water underneath the hotel had the ability to heal all kinds of aliments, including cancer. The dining room is another gathering place for ghosts, where they’ve been seen sitting at tables.
If the Crescent haunted hotel sparks your interest, be sure to also book your tickets for the Crescent Hotel Ghost Tour.
2. Stanley Hotel: Ghost Stories Inspiring Stephen King’s ‘The Shining’
Stanley Hotel is so ghostly, it was the inspiration for Stephen King’s ‘The Shining.’ He wrote half the book in room 217, but room 418 is where the most ghoulish sightings occur. One of the most well-known spirits of the hotel is the former owner’s wife, Flora Stanley, who likes to play the piano late at night.
The former groundskeeper, Paul, is said to have attributed to some of the Stanley hotel hauntings with his ghost playing pranks of the staff and guests. Some have reported the sounds of footsteps and murmurings.
Eager to explore the hotel’s mysteries? Get on the Stanley Hotel ghost tour: the Spirited Night Tour, for a spine-tingling experience. Ghost enthusiasts can traverse the dimly lit corridors and the historically significant spaces while learning of the Stanley Hotel haunted history.
1. Hotel Provincial: New Orleans, Louisiana’s Ghostly Soldiers and Surgeons Stalk Guests
Are we surprised a New Orleans, Louisiana hotel is number one on our list? The Big Easy is infamous for being inhabited by spirits, and the Hotel Provincial in the historic French Quarter is no exception. One of the most haunted hotels in New Orleans, many guests have reported encounters in the dimly lit hallways of the Hotel Provincial, stalked by the lingering spirits of its storied past.
Once a confederate hospital, the ghosts of soldiers and doctors roam freely, opening and closing doors, whispering in the halls, and some guests have even reported seeing bloody soldiers in their rooms.
The Hotel Provincial ghost stories have long been a topic of discussion among both staff and guests, adding an extra layer of allure. Building No. 5 is believed to be the ghostliest, so stay and sleep…if you dare.
What are your haunted hotel stories?
Spooked by the tales of apparitions and unexplained phenomena that haunt these hotels? As you plan your next get-a-way, think about which of these hotels could be the subject of your own haunted hotel stories this Halloween.
How about indulging in a halloween parade while you stay at your spooky hotel. Wherever you’re traveling to, don’t forget to plan ahead and pre book your airport parking so you can save money and splash out on an extra night – if you can bear it!
And don’t forget to add your hotel ghost stories to the comments section below…
Photos by:
Fern M. Lomibao – Unsplash | Nikolas Kuhn – Unsplash | Daniel Sinoca – Unsplash
