From Psycho to The Shining, hotels have traditionally been a common setting in horror media. However, these 10 hotels may very well actually be haunted.
The Stanley Hotel, Colorado
THE SHINING's Overlook Hotel (AKA The Stanley Hotel) to open a horror museum https://t.co/AgB53KJSQZ pic.twitter.com/gGXXzJp3Se
— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) October 22, 2015
The Stanley Hotel is famously known as the inspiration behind Stephen King’s novel The Shining. Many guests have reported encounters with ghosts, unexplained noises, and objects moving on their own, particularly in Room 217, which was where King stayed when he came up with the idea for the novel.
King described having a dream while staying at the hotel, which ultimately led to his writing The Shining: [The hotel] seemed the perfect—maybe the archetypal—setting for a ghost story. That night I dreamed of my three-year-old son running through the corridors, looking back over his shoulder, eyes wide, screaming.
“He was being chased by a fire-hose. I woke up with a tremendous jerk, sweating all over, within an inch of falling out of bed.”
The Myrtles Plantation, Louisiana
The spirit of Chloe lives on @The_Myrtles #themyrtlesplantation #haunted #chloe pic.twitter.com/U91Zk5xS47
— Myrtles Plantation (@The_Myrtles) July 11, 2014
The Myrtles Plantation is an antebellum mansion turned hotel that is said to be one of the most haunted places in the United States. One of its most famous ghost stories involves Chloe, a former slave who allegedly poisoned the plantation owner’s daughters.
According to some guests, she has been seen wandering the grounds. Other common reports from those staying at the Myrtles Plantation are unexplained footsteps, and even the sensation of being touched by invisible hands.
(Despite what legends say, it should be noted that there is no historical record of a slave named Chloe living on the plantation. Records also indicate that the plantation owner’s daughters lived well into old age.)
The Queen Mary, California
The Queen Mary: The Most Haunted Hotel in America https://t.co/wAQm9TRRVa
— Travel + Leisure (@TravelLeisure) October 23, 2021
The Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner that is now a hotel and tourist attraction located in Long Beach, California. It is said to be one of the most haunted places in the world, with reports of ghosts and paranormal activity going back decades. Guests have reported seeing apparitions in the hallways, hearing unexplained noises, and feeling strangely cold while traversing the ship.
The owners of the ship have certainly capitalized on the alleged ghost sightings, offering ghost tours to those hoping to catch a glimpse of the paranormal. “Not only does the Queen Mary offer a transatlantic history, but it is known as one of the most haunted destinations in America,” says Chris Wilmoth, the Queen Mary’s director of marketing.
“The unique history of the ship allows us to offer one-of-a-kind and authentic experiences that delve into the paranormal, from evening tours and ghost investigations to overnight stays in our most haunted Stateroom, B340.”
Hotel Del Coronado, California
The Hotel Del Coronado is a historic beachfront hotel that is said to be haunted by the ghost of Kate Morgan, who checked into the hotel in 1892 and was found passed away on the beach five days later. While her fatal injury was purported to be self-inflicted, the bullet found within her skull did not match that of the gun in her hand, leading many to believe that foul play was involved.
Guests have reported seeing Morgan’s ghost, as well as strange occurrences like flickering lights and doors opening and closing on their own.
The Congress Plaza Hotel, Illinois
The Congress Plaza Hotel is a historic hotel in downtown Chicago that is said to be haunted by multiple ghosts. Some of the most famous include that of legendary criminal Al Capone, as well as that of a hobo nicknamed “Peg Leg Johnny,” who has a tendency to turn lights on and off.
The Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Louisiana
Long hallways in hotels certainly have a spooky vibe.
— Ghost City Tours (@GhostCityTours) September 23, 2020
It's even spookier when the hotel is known to be haunted. The Bourbon Orleans Hotel is home to a cast of ghosts, each with their own story to tell.
Would you stay the night at this haunted hotel?https://t.co/eV6r5K2h9R pic.twitter.com/8SuNRpVFMP
The Bourbon Orleans Hotel is a historic hotel in the French Quarter of New Orleans that is said to be haunted by multiple ghosts, including a soldier, a dancer, and several children, whose presence can likely be dated to the brief period in which the hotel was a convent girls’ school.
The Driskill Hotel, Texas
The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas is said to be haunted by multiple ghosts. Some of the most famous include a bride who died on her wedding day and now haunts the hotel’s ballroom, as well as the ghost of a senator’s daughter, who died on a Driskill Hotel staircase and now can be heard bouncing her ball on the hotel steps.
The Pfister Hotel, Wisconsin
The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee is said to be haunted by the ghost of the founder’s son named Charles Pfister. Pfister was a huge baseball fan, and multiple baseball players staying at the Pfister Hotel have claimed to see his ghost. Perhaps he’s just trying to cheer them on?
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, California
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is a historic hotel in, as you probably guessed, Hollywood that is supposedly haunted by the ghosts of celebrities, including that of Marilyn Monroe—who is said to haunt Room 1200—as well as Montgomery Clift, four-time Academy Award nominee, who is said to haunt Room 928.
The Omni Parker House, Massachusetts
The Omni Parker House is a historic hotel in Boston that is said to be haunted by the ghost of Harvey Parker, the hotel’s founder. Guests have reported seeing Parker’s ghost, as well as strange occurrences like unexplained noises and objects moving on their own.
