The Most Haunted Hotels and Houses With Guests From Beyond the Grave

A fantastic fall retreat is something we wouldn’t often say no to. Usually, it would entail sipping a margarita while kicking back and relaxing in the sun, but perhaps this year, you’re looking for something a little more adventurous to lift your “spirits.” Whether you’re a budding paranormal explorer or you simply enjoy a spooky atmosphere, there’s no better way to get away from it all (maybe even the land of the living) than by staying at one of the world’s most haunted hotels.

This Arkansas hotel is billed as one of the most haunted in the United States and has had plenty of opportunities to draw spectral visitors since it first opened in 1886. It has functioned as a resort, a school for young women, and a 1930s “cancer hospital” for a crazy “doctor” called Norman Baker.

Although the existing construction of the Santa Fe hotel dates back to 1922, records show that the location once housed the city’s first inn, which dates back to the early 1600s. 

General David Bradford built the Myrtles Plantation located in St. Francisville, Louisiana, in 1796. It now stands today as a historic antebellum mansion. When Bradford fled to Pennsylvania at the time of the Whiskey Rebellion, he founded the hotel.

If you’re tired of small-time spirits or the depressing remnants of suicidal brides and want to see a celebrity ghost with real star power, the Hotel Sorrento in Seattle is the place to be. Alice B. Toklas, Gertrude Stein’s lover, is said to walk the fourth-floor corridors.

The Stanley Hotel is widely regarded as one of America’s most haunted hotels, even inspiring Steven King’s horrific novel “The Shining.” In 1974, the author and his wife were its sole guests, having booked a room so close to its closing season.

The Hotel Roosevelt is located in the heart of Hollywood, California. It stands 12 stories tall, has 300 guest rooms and 63 suites, and hosted the first Academy Awards ceremony. So it’s no surprise that celebrities are attracted to its opulent accommodations—Marilyn Monroe was one of the hotel’s regular guests, despite having died almost 60 years ago.

The opulent Hotel del Coronado, located just off the coast of San Diego, is famous not only for its breathtaking views of the ocean but also for the presence of a resident woman ghost named Kate Morgan. 

Now permanently docked in Long Beach, the Queen Mary once famously housed royal dignitaries and Hollywood stars. It is also widely known as a haunted spot, as ghost tour companies regularly offer visits through its halls. Since spirits have no preference for the open sea, the ship appears to be haunted today.

The Hay-Adams hotel is said to be buzzing with otherworldly energy, as several reports of paranormal activity have been made there. The hotel is located on the grounds of the home once held by both John Hay and Henry Adams, descendants of both Adams presidents.

The Emily Morgan Hotel, also known as the Alamo’s official hotel, was built to provide tourists with a pleasant and comfortable stay. The neo-Gothic structure used to be a medical center fitted with a mortuary and a psychiatric wing. 

In 1960, New Orleans was full of ghost stories, many of which were linked to hotels. People still claim that spirits from various eras can be seen in the halls or lobbies of these places. Here and there, a lonely dancer spends her evenings swaying under a ballroom’s crystal chandelier while a confederate soldier marches on around the hotel’s third and sixth levels.

Since 1886, the Driskill Hotel has attracted European travelers and wedding groups with its stately Romanesque look, its distinctive brick front, and modern rooms. It’s a well-known Austin landmark—and, according to some, a ghostly hotspot.

The Sagamore Resort hotel on Lake George was built in 1883. Since then, guests have been known to stay at the hotel long after they’ve checked out. 

Villisca is a small town in Iowa with a total of 1,252 people rounding out its population. It’s not known to offer much for visitors, except for one thing. If you’re passing through, stop by the Ax Murder House for a spooky night! They even have a sign, so you can’t miss it.

So here’s how the tale goes: In 1952, for the petty crime of thievery, a man named James “Yankee Jim” Robinson was hanged by the neck until his final breath. A few years later, a couple, Thomas and Anna Whaley, constructed a house on the exact same spot where Robinson was killed.

Others are reported to have appeared from beyond the grave in the Whaley House. These include Mr. and Mrs. Whaley themselves, their little girl, and even the family’s pet dog. According to Time, the Whaley House is so haunted that the US Commerce Department officially categorized it as such in the 1960s.

The Hotel Chelsea in New York City was built in the 19th century and has long served as a sanctuary for artists. Andy Warhol, Mark Twain, and Ethan Hawke are said to have found inspiration in this hotel. The hotel has experienced its share of high-profile crises, too, thanks to its draw of celebrity guests.

According to legend, the rambling Victorian mansion on a bustling street in San Jose, California, is said to be haunted by the souls of everyone killed by a Winchester rifle. With so many victims of the weapon, there must be plenty of spirits roaming around the place.

Sarah actually did a lot more than add a single room for ghosts. She extended the building into a labyrinth with dead ends, cut-off staircases, a rabbit warren of chambers, and slanting floors. “2,000 doors, 10,000 windows, 47 fireplaces, 40 stairs, 13 baths, and nine kitchens,” according to ABC News.

It’s no wonder that this location is haunted, as it was the scene of the historic Witch Trials. This entire New England community has seen its fair share of strange happenings, but this hotel, in particular, has been the site of numerous reports.

Greenwich Village, New York, is home to some of the world’s most coveted real estate, one of those being Brownstone on 10th Street West, which is particularly one-of-a-kind. The home, dubbed “The House of Death,” is said to be haunted by 22 spirits of people who lived or died within its frightening walls.

This New York City mansion, on the other hand, has the mark of the celebrity written all over it. Back in 1900, author Mark Twain used to pay visits to this house while writing his legendary works of literature.

If you like ghost stories, you’ve probably heard about the famed Lady in Blue. In 1936, she died while staying at the Seelbach Hilton. Patricia Wilson was supposed to meet her former husband at the hotel to straighten things out.

This enormous Victorian home dubbed the “most haunted house in Ohio” appears to be haunted. It was built in the 1800s and owned by Hannes Tiedemann, who was well-known in Cleveland for his cruel and aggressive behavior. Those rumors were given more credence when Tiedemann’s family members died at the residence in a string of strange deaths.

Because of liver failure, Tiedemann’s wife passed away. Despite this, several rumors persisted that Tiedemann was the one who murdered her and other members of his family, including his niece, a probable illegitimate child, and his reputed mistress. After his wife died, Tiedemann fled the estate.

Haunted house films aren’t necessarily made up; art often imitates life, and people across the ages (maybe even you, dear reader) have had otherworldly experiences. During her stay at the hotel, Ellen Brill, the director of American Horror Story, claimed to hear phantom footsteps and the slamming of a door.

This holiday residence was built by George Washington Vanderbilt II in the 1800s. Since then, the house has developed a reputation as one of the most haunted in the state, if not the country. 

Visitors claim to have heard a woman’s voice, likely Edith Vanderbilt’s, calling their name. Others claim to have seen figures emerge out of thin air. The house has a number of hidden doors and tunnels, which add to the eerie atmosphere.

Here’s another hotel with “guests” who check in and never check out. The Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago is regarded as one of the city’s most prominent addresses. It draws crowds from all over, including crowds from the afterlife, as it gained a reputation as Chicago’s most haunted location.

You’ve probably heard this ghost story if you’re a horror fan: Andrew and Abby Borden were killed by an ax-wielding psychopath in 1982, and their bodies were discovered in their home. Andrew’s daughter Lizzie was the major suspect.

People claim to hear her giggle from the top of the steps. The house has since been converted into a museum and a bed and breakfast where visitors can spend the night catching the ghost of Lizzie or the echoes of the family’s maid screaming after discovering their bodies. 

In the early 1800s, John Bell purchased a piece of land near Tennessee’s Red River. Bell and his family prospered on the farm until odd things began to occur. They began to see strange-looking animals on the site. And by “strange,” we mean “creepy.”

They were attacked physically, heard unexplained sounds, and even talked with an “entity” who described herself as Kate Batts, the Bells’ old neighbor. She was seeking vengeance from the other side of the grave.

This institution is proud of its reputation as Charleston’s most haunted inn and most pleasing bed and breakfast. If you enjoy contrast on your vacation, this is the place for you. It might not deliver the most romantic experience if you happen to be going with your significant other, though.

It seems that supernatural entities can touch anyone, including presidents. Many spirits are reported to reside within the halls of the White House. President Ronald Reagan is said to have told dinner party attendees stories about his dog barking at ghosts and his daughter, Maureen, who caught sight of an eerie figure peering out the Lincoln Bedroom window.

In the White House, Lincoln and Mary Todd, his wife, staged séances to speak with their son, Willie, who had died of Typhoid in the building. They never reached out to their son but claimed to have encountered the spirit of President Andrew Jackson, who was rummaging through the drawers of his former sleeping quarters.

The Admiral Fell Inn is a fantastic location to stay, with a warm, European-style aesthetic. It boasts of luxurious rooms, facilities, and, of course, ghost tours. The hotel cleverly capitalized on its eerie reputation by entertaining guests with frightful tales surrounding the historic property.

If you’re hooked on ghost stories, you’ve undoubtedly heard of this renowned haunted mansion. According to tradition, owing to the family’s scary experiences, this Kansas property is known as the dark lair. Even creepier, the monster that resides there takes on the appearance of a little girl.

The spirit responsible for these happenings appears to be a little girl named Sallie. Former renters Bobby and Colleen Humbard reported that their daughter heard and saw Sallie when she was growing up but dismissed the encounter as a childhood game involving an imaginary friend.