Most everyone has stayed in a hotel at some time. Have you ever stopped to think about all the things that could have happened in the hotel you stayed in? A hotel room is not the same as your bedroom at home. People from many different walks of life have slept there. Did all of them leave the room alive?
Just think, the last occupant of your room could have been a thief, a bank robber, a kidnapper, or a murderer. Possibly a smuggler, a bootlegger, or a gangster used this room as a hideout. Maybe several people who have inhabited this room had evil spirits residing in them, and some of these spirits could have stayed behind. How safe are you in this strange room?
Before you settle into the bed at night, before you snuggle underneath the covers, you might want to have a look around for mysterious bloodstains or strange items that have been left behind. Here is a list of some of the haunted hotels in the United States. Stephen King was inspired while staying in the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. Perhaps you will find some inspiration in one of them too.
I share a bit about some of the hotels, but not all of them. Why not see what you can discover about each of these places? The strange things that have happened at each of these hotels could be inspiration for many spine-tingling stories.
Alabama
The Victoria Inn in Anniston
The Rawls Hotel in Enterprise
Alaska
Silverbow Inn in Juneau
Golden North Hotel in Skagway
Arizona
Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee is haunted by a prostitute who committed suicide.
The Jerome Grand Hotel in Jerome was built as a hospital in 1926, so you can imagine how many ghosts would be haunting its hallways.
Arkansas
Basin Park Hotel in Eureka Springs
The Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs could be America’s most haunted hotel.
California
Hotel de Coronado in San Diego
The Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach
Colorado
Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colorado
Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado is where Stephen King wrote part of The Shining. If you happen to be one of his fans, you can request room 217, the room he stayed in. The ghosts in the hotel are not supposed to be as evil as the ones in his book though.
Connecticut
The Lighthouse Inn Resort in New London, Connecticut is haunted by two Victorian women.
Homespun Farm B & B in Griswold
Delaware
The Addy Sea Inn in Bethany Beach
David Finney Inn in New Castle
Florida
Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables
Casablanca Inn in St. Augustine
Georgia
The 17Hundred90 Inn in Savannah is that city’s oldest and most haunted inn.
The Marshall House in Savannah
Hawaii
Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel in Honolulu
The Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort in Oahu is supposed to be haunted by Pele, the volcano goddess.
Idaho
Owyhee Plaza Hotel in Boise
The Bates Motel in Couer d’Alene is not the one from the movie Psycho, but there has been a bit of ghostly activity.
Illinois
The Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago is the largest and most haunted hotel in the city.
Mineral Springs Hotel in Alton
Indiana
The Story Inn in Nashville
Baums Bridge Inn in Kouts, Indiana is haunted by an elderly man who hates it when people invade his space.
Iowa
The Mason House Inn in Bentonsport
Blackhawk Hotel in Davenport
Kansas
The Beaumont Hotel in Beaumont is haunted by a cowboy named Zeke.
The Midland Railroad Hotel in Wilson
Kentucky
The Old Talbott Bed & Breakfast in Bardstown
The Seelbach Hilton in Louisville
Louisiana
Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans
Provincial Hotel in New Orleans
Maine
Carriage House Inn in Searsport is supposed to be haunted by two ghosts, each of whom met an untimely death.
Tides Inn By-the-Sea in Kennebunkport – This inn’s resident ghost is Emma Foss, the lady who had the inn designed.
Maryland
The Lord Baltimore Hotel in Baltimore
Admiral Fell Inn in Fells Point
Massachusetts
The Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast in Fall River is the house where the Lizzie Borden’s parents were supposedly murdered by their daughter. It is now an inn, and guests are given a breakfast almost exactly like the soon-to-be-murdered couple ate on the morning of their infamous deaths.
Hawthorne Hotel in Salem
Michigan
The Holly Hotel in Holly has plenty of ghosts, but there are three that are seen and heard the most. One of them is a little girl who died there. She likes to stay in the kitchen and play with the meat cleaver. When she isn’t in the kitchen, she can be heard running up and down the hallways.
The Landmark Inn in Marquette
Minnesota
Thayer’s Historic B & B in Annandale
Palmer House Hotel in Sauk Centre
Mississippi
Monmouth Plantation in Natchez
Stained Glass Manor in Vicksburg
Missouri
The Wall Street Inn in Springfield
The Lemp Mansion Inn in St. Louis – Mysterious sounds are heard, doors will lock and unlock on their own, and glasses will lift off the bar and fly through the air. There is a piano in the bar that will even play on its own.
Montana
The Bonanza Inn in Virginia City
The Belton Chalet in West Glacier
Nebraska
Old Main Street Inn in Chadron
Argo Hotel in Crofton
Nevada
Goldfield Hotel in Goldfield is home to several ghosts. One is a malevolent spirit known as “The Stabber”. Why? Even though no one has been harmed by him, he randomly attacks people with a large kitchen knife then immediately disappears.
Mizpah Hotel in Tonapah
New Hampshire
Beal House Inn in Littleton
The Mount Washington Hotel in Mount Washington
New Jersey
Hotel Macomber in Cape May – Most of the paranormal activity here takes place in room #10. Why this room? There is a legend, but is it true? If you stay in this room, objects move around, doors open and close, clocks will start and stop, and you may have the feeling someone is in the room with you.
The Flanders Hotel in Ocean City
New Mexico
St. James Hotel in Cimarron
The Val Verde Hotel in Socorro
New York
Holiday Inn Grand Island in located in Buffalo/Niagara. The resident ghost is a little girl who was burned to death at a house that once stood in the same location.
Sagamore Hotel in Bolton Landing
North Carolina
Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill
Grove Park Inn Resort in Asheville is haunted by the Pink Lady.
Green Park Inn Hotel in Blowing Rock
North Dakota
Sage Hill Bed & Breakfast in Anamoose
Old Luger Hotel in Fort Yates
Ohio
Hilton Netherland Plaza in Cincinnati
The Golden Lamb Inn in St. Lebanon is frequented by two ghosts. One of them is the ghost of a young girl who likes to knock pictures off the wall and stomp her feet. The other is the ghost of an Ohio Supreme Court Justice who died at the inn.
Oklahoma
Stone Lion Inn in Guthrie
The Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City
Oregon
The Hecta Head Lighthouse B & B in Yachats
Heathman Hotel in Portland
Pennsylvania
Hotel Bethlehem in Bethlehem
Farnsworth House Inn in Gettysburg is located on the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. Over a hundred bullet holes were left in the building. The inn is filled with ghosts, many of whom are thought to be Civil War soldiers who died during the intense battle. Spirits of young children and a mid-wife also make their home here.
Rhode Island
The Biltmore Hotel in Providence
Brookside Manor B & B in Wakefield
South Carolina
The 1837 Bed and Breakfast in Charleston
Battery Carriage House Inn in Charleston
South Dakota
Bullock Hotel in Deadwood
The Villa Theresa Guest Bed & Breakfast House in Hot Springs – Some of this hotel’s guests were so reluctant to leave that they didn’t. Even though they have been long dead, they can still be seen wandering around. Besides these dead guests, the ghosts of a man and a woman struggling can be seen on the staircase. The struggle usually only last a few seconds before both vanish.
Texas
Hotel Galvez in Galveston
Menger Hotel in San Antonio
Utah
Ben Lomond Hotel in Logdon
The Armstrong Mansion in Salt Lake City
Vermont
The Equinox Hotel in Manchester
The Brass Lantern Inn in Stowe
Virginia
The Linden House Bed & Breakfast Plantation in Champlain
The Wayside Inn in Middletown served as a hospital during the Civil War for soldiers on both sides. For those interested in the Civil War, this would be an awesome place to stay. So far, the ghosts have always been friendly.
Washington
Thornewood Castle Inn and Gardens Bed & Breakfast in Lakewood
Davenport Hotel in Spokane
Washington, D.C.
The Hay-Adams Hotel
The Renaissance Mayflower Hotel
West Virginia
Hilltop House in Harpers Ferry
The Blennerhassett Hotel in Parkersburg – The builder of this fine hotel, Mr. William M. Chancellor, becomes very upset when his portrait is taken down. The ghosts of several children have also been reported.
Wisconsin
Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee
Ramada Plaza Hotel in Fond du Lac
Wyoming
The Ivy House Inn in Casper
The Plains Hotel in Cheyenne has three ghosts – a husband and wife (Rosie) on their honeymoon, and the other woman. The wife sees her new husband with another woman, follows them back to this woman’s room, and kills both of them. Then Rosie returns to her own room and commits suicide. All three ghosts have been seen by the staff and guests. If you know of any haunted inns or hotels that I haven’t mentioned, please leave a comment about them.
Writing Prompt
Take the information I have provided about the hauntings at some of the hotels. Pick one or more instances and write a story that includes a haunting based on what you think happened there.
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The queen Mary is in long beach ca which is several hours from San Diego…
Thank you for letting me know I messed up. 🙂 The mistake has been corrected.