Johann Hunt
Forget the mint on your pillow—how about a ghostly encounter instead? Haunted hotels have long been a part of America’s eerie charm, with many guests reporting sights, sounds, and strange happenings that no one can explain. If you’re looking to test your nerves, these 15 haunted hotels across the U.S. could provide the paranormal thrill you’ve been seeking.
The Stanley Hotel (Estes Park, Colorado)
Stanley Hotel has a hidden underground theater where the greatest magicians in the world come to perform. Famous for inspiring the Stephen King’s novel “The Shining,” this rocky mountainside hotel is said to be haunted by the ghosts of its previous guests. Visitors often report eerie sounds, ghostly sightings, and moving objects.
The Queen Mary (Long Beach, California)
Known as “The Haunted Ship Hotel,” the Queen Mary was once an ocean liner but now serves as a hotel. Several haunted encounters were reported, especially that of guests haunted by the spirits of sailors and passengers. The most famous ghost is that of a young girl named Jackie, often spotted near the ship’s pool.
The Crescent Hotel (Eureka Springs, Arkansas)
The Crescent Hotel prides itself on offering visitors rooms where they get to share spaces with guests who checked out but never left. Once a hospital run by a fraudulent doctor claiming to cure cancer, the Crescent Hotel is said to be haunted by former patients. Interestingly, the hotel offers guests a ghost tour for a fee during their stay.
The Omni Parker House (Boston, Massachusetts)
Founded in 1855, The Omni Parker House is a historic hotel located in Boston. Over the years, guests and staff have reported seeing the ghost of the hotel’s founder, Harvey Parker, still overseeing his beloved establishment. Its 10th-floor room is particularly known for its paranormal activity, and past guests have reported seeing shadows and hearing whispers.
Hotel del Coronado (San Diego, California)
The beautiful weather and spooky happenings around Hotel del Coronado make it stand out as one of America’s premier hotels. In 1892, Kate Morgan checked into the hotel and was later found dead on the beach. Her ghost is said to roam the hotel, and guests have reported flickering lights and moving objects in her room to this day.
The Drake Hotel (Chicago, Illinois)
This hotel affords guests easy access to the city’s most exclusive shopping, nightlife, and dining. Legend has it that a woman wearing a red dress jumped to her death from the hotel’s rooftop after discovering her fiancé with another woman. There have been reports of her ghost roaming the ballroom and on the 10th floor.
The Pfister Hotel (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Located in downtown Milwaukee, this luxury hotel has mysterious secrets. It is said to be haunted by its original owner, Charles Pfister. Many professional athletes who have stayed there have reported strange happenings, like electronics malfunctioning and apparitions appearing in their rooms.
The Roosevelt Hotel (Los Angeles, California)
The Spirit of Marilyn Monroe is reported to be a mysterious secret held at The Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles. Marilyn Monroe stayed at the Roosevelt Hotel during her early career, and her ghost is said to linger there still. Guests claim to see her reflection in mirrors or feel her presence in her old suite.
The Marshall House (Savannah, Georgia)
In 1864, The Marshall House was used to house Union Troops and to treat patients of war and those of yellow fever epidemics. Guests report ghostly figures of soldiers, mysterious bloodstains, and eerie sounds, especially those of children in the hallways. Many visitors believe the hotel’s connection to the Civil War is to blame for the mysterious happenings.
The Menger Hotel (San Antonio, Texas)
Theodore Roosevelt first visited the Menger Hotel’s bar in 1892, which became a regular spot for recruiting Rough Riders. His ghost is said to still visit, along with the spirits of a chambermaid and numerous other figures from the hotel’s past. Despite the haunted house stories associated with this hotel, it’s still a highly visited hotel by travelers.
The Mizpah Hotel (Tonopah, Nevada)
Back in the day, this place accommodated miners and wealthy investors from different parts of the country. The ghost of a prostitute in a red dress, reportedly murdered in the hotel’s elevator, is said to haunt the hotel. Guests claim to feel cold spots and see her apparition on the fifth floor.
The Battery Carriage House Inn (Charleston, South Carolina)
Known for two famous ghosts—one, a headless torso said to haunt Room 8, and the other, a gentlemanly spirit in Room 10—this hotel is a must-visit for paranormal enthusiasts. Its visitors can book haunted rooms to experience firsthand the mysterious tales about one of America’s haunted hotels.
The Emily Morgan Hotel (San Antonio, Texas)
An iconic 1920s hotel located in the heart of San Antonio, it was once a hospital and psychiatric ward. This Gothic-style hotel has numerous ghost sightings as guests have reported eerie noises, flickering lights, and apparitions, particularly on the 7th and 9th floors, where the operating rooms used to be.
The Algonquin Hotel (New York City, New York)
The Algonquin is one of the finest hotels in the heart of New York City. Famous for its Round Table of writers, it is said to be haunted by the spirits of literary giants like Dorothy Parker. Some people have reported typewriters clacking and ghostly figures in the lobby. It’s definitely one of the most terrifying hotels to visit.
The Hotel Monteleone (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Built in 1886, this hotel has a reputation for paranormal activity, especially on the 14th floor. People have said they could see children’s ghosts and hear eerie sounds in the hallways. Located in New Orleans, this hotel is home to frightening ghost tours and is one of America’s oldest hotels with mysterious secrets.