Guide
11 Haunted Historic Hotels of America
The highest compliment for a hotelier is that guests never want to leave, but in these historic hotels, some guests never checked out. Be prepared for some chills and thrills when staying the night at one of these haunted hotels....if you dare.
All of these hotels are members of Historic Hotels of America. Founded in 1989 to promote heritage tourism, Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest historic hotels. For more haunted stays, check out the 2024 list of the most haunted hotels in the country from our friends at Historic Hotels of America.
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Photo By: Fletcher
Hawthorne Hotel (Salem, Massachusetts)
In a town known for witches and spooks, this hotel's guests have reported moving furniture, sightings of a ghostly woman, and unexplained noises. Room 325 is the most haunted room in the hotel, where guests have claimed to feel cold spots and smell fresh-cut flowers, and Rooms 621 and 325 have also had reports of lights and faucets turning off and on. In 1990, the hotel even held a séance in the Grand Ballroom to try to contact Harry Houdini.
Learn More
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Photo By: Jasperado
Hotel Saranac (Saranac Lake, New York)
This magnificent hotel in the Adirondacks was built in 1927 on the former grounds of a high school. There have been sightings of a man in a black suit with tails and top hat around the hotel. Rumors are he is Howard Littell, who was the superintendent of the schools for 35 years. He still roams the hallways of the hotel today, perhaps looking for stray students.
Learn More
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Photo By: Historic Hotels of America
Airlie (Warrenton, Virginia)
Is somebody watching you? A portrait of an unknown lady by the renowned 18th-century artist Sir Joshua Reynolds hangs in a historic meeting room and it is rumored to be under the influence of unseen forces. Her piercing gaze is what hints at something strange, and lore surrounding it claims that the portrait has the power to captivate the soul of whoever looks upon it.
Learn More
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Photo By: Evangelio Gonzalez
Jekyll Island Club Resort (Jekyll Island, Georgia)
Tucked away on a barrier island off the Georgia coast, this hotel opened in 1887 as a retreat for America’s wealthiest families. Ghost sightings include a bellman who delivers freshly pressed suits to grooms. There also seems to be a ghost who loves coffee and reading the newspaper; guests return to find their coffees sipped and newspapers moved.
Learn More
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Photo By: Historic Hotels of America
Hotel Monteleone (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Guests have reported hearing a child running on the French Quarter hotel's 14th floor and legend tells of a young boy—Maurice—who died from a fever while staying there in the 1890s. The story goes that the Maurice's spirit appeared to his mother, proclaiming, "Mommy, don't cry. I'm fine." Another specter is believed to be the ghost of a former maid, known to the staff as "Mrs. Clean."
Learn More
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Photo By: Kumar Appaiah
The Emily Morgan Hotel (San Antonio, Texas)
This hotel opened in 1924 as a Medical Arts building with doctor’s offices and a hospital. Its history is reflected in the array of gargoyles, each with a different medical malady, that line the Gothic Revival building. There have been numerous odd reports, including phones ringing in the middle of the night, doors closing randomly, and distinct odors of antiseptic wafting in the hallways.
Learn More
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Photo By: Kent Kanouse
La Fonda on the Plaza (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
After dark, Santa Fe, New Mexico, promises to enchant visitors with its paranormal legends and ghost stories from its 400-year history. This hotel is the earliest and best-known hotel in America’s oldest capital city, and it is no stranger to ghosts: several apparitions have reportedly been seen at the hotel, including one thought to be John P. Slough, Chief Justice of the Territorial Supreme Court.
Learn More
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Photo By: Acroterion
The Wort Hotel (Jackson, Wyoming)
The luxurious Tudor Revival hotel has been entertaining guests since 1941. It is also home to a friendly mechanical engineer, Bob, who likes to play tricks on his predecessors. He also helps them out by leaving tools where there may be a problem to fix.
Learn More
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Photo By: Linux Foundation
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (Sonoma, California)
This hotel welcomes guests past and present, believing that their ghosts haunt where they were happiest. The Inn’s tenured employees will testify that when the evenings are still and the fog rolls in from the San Francisco Bay, a beautiful woman has been seen strolling the hallways of the Inn in period dress: Victoria. One of the early European settlers of Sonoma Valley, Victoria is said to have celebrated her wedding and many anniversaries at the resort.
Learn More
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Photo By: Historic Hotels of America
Hotel del Coronado (Coronado, California)
Over a century of unexplained phenomena have occurred throughout the resort, where there have been sightings of a small Victorian girl, a man in period clothing, and a woman in white. The woman in white is believed to be Kate Morgan, a real woman who died at the hotel in 1892. Her guestroom, 3327, is rumored to be the site of unexplained phenomena and is the most requested.
Learn More
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Photo By: Historic Hotels of America
Tubac Golf Resort and Spa (Tubac, Arizona)
The history of the resort can be traced back over four centuries to a young man named Don Toribio de Otero. Generations of Oteros lived on the ranch for four centuries before they were forced to sell, and the core of the estate was reinvented as a luxury resort in the 1950s. Harkening back to the days of the Otero family, occupants and guests have claimed to hear, see, and experience unexplainable activity. In recent decades, resort guests have reported at least four unique ghosts including a boy, a lady in gray, a very active gentleman spirit, and a cowboy. Some of these spirits are believed to date back to the early age of the resort when it was the Otero Ranch.
Learn More
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11 Haunted Historic Hotels of America
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1
Hawthorne Hotel (Salem, Massachusetts)
In a town known for witches and spooks, this hotel's guests have reported moving furniture, sightings of a ghostly woman, and unexplained noises. Room 325 is the most haunted room in the hotel, where guests have claimed to feel cold spots and smell fresh-cut flowers, and Rooms 621 and 325 have also had reports of lights and faucets turning off and on. In 1990, the hotel even held a séance in the Grand Ballroom to try to contact Harry Houdini. -
2
Hotel Saranac (Saranac Lake, New York)
This magnificent hotel in the Adirondacks was built in 1927 on the former grounds of a high school. There have been sightings of a man in a black suit with tails and top hat around the hotel. Rumors are he is Howard Littell, who was the superintendent of the schools for 35 years. He still roams the hallways of the hotel today, perhaps looking for stray students. -
3
Airlie (Warrenton, Virginia)
Is somebody watching you? A portrait of an unknown lady by the renowned 18th-century artist Sir Joshua Reynolds hangs in a historic meeting room and it is rumored to be under the influence of unseen forces. Her piercing gaze is what hints at something strange, and lore surrounding it claims that the portrait has the power to captivate the soul of whoever looks upon it. -
4
Jekyll Island Club Resort (Jekyll Island, Georgia)
Tucked away on a barrier island off the Georgia coast, this hotel opened in 1887 as a retreat for America’s wealthiest families. Ghost sightings include a bellman who delivers freshly pressed suits to grooms. There also seems to be a ghost who loves coffee and reading the newspaper; guests return to find their coffees sipped and newspapers moved. -
5
Hotel Monteleone (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Guests have reported hearing a child running on the French Quarter hotel's 14th floor and legend tells of a young boy—Maurice—who died from a fever while staying there in the 1890s. The story goes that the Maurice's spirit appeared to his mother, proclaiming, "Mommy, don't cry. I'm fine." Another specter is believed to be the ghost of a former maid, known to the staff as "Mrs. Clean." -
6
The Emily Morgan Hotel (San Antonio, Texas)
This hotel opened in 1924 as a Medical Arts building with doctor’s offices and a hospital. Its history is reflected in the array of gargoyles, each with a different medical malady, that line the Gothic Revival building. There have been numerous odd reports, including phones ringing in the middle of the night, doors closing randomly, and distinct odors of antiseptic wafting in the hallways. -
7
La Fonda on the Plaza (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
After dark, Santa Fe, New Mexico, promises to enchant visitors with its paranormal legends and ghost stories from its 400-year history. This hotel is the earliest and best-known hotel in America’s oldest capital city, and it is no stranger to ghosts: several apparitions have reportedly been seen at the hotel, including one thought to be John P. Slough, Chief Justice of the Territorial Supreme Court. -
8
The Wort Hotel (Jackson, Wyoming)
The luxurious Tudor Revival hotel has been entertaining guests since 1941. It is also home to a friendly mechanical engineer, Bob, who likes to play tricks on his predecessors. He also helps them out by leaving tools where there may be a problem to fix. -
9
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (Sonoma, California)
This hotel welcomes guests past and present, believing that their ghosts haunt where they were happiest. The Inn’s tenured employees will testify that when the evenings are still and the fog rolls in from the San Francisco Bay, a beautiful woman has been seen strolling the hallways of the Inn in period dress: Victoria. One of the early European settlers of Sonoma Valley, Victoria is said to have celebrated her wedding and many anniversaries at the resort. -
10
Hotel del Coronado (Coronado, California)
Over a century of unexplained phenomena have occurred throughout the resort, where there have been sightings of a small Victorian girl, a man in period clothing, and a woman in white. The woman in white is believed to be Kate Morgan, a real woman who died at the hotel in 1892. Her guestroom, 3327, is rumored to be the site of unexplained phenomena and is the most requested. -
11
Tubac Golf Resort and Spa (Tubac, Arizona)
The history of the resort can be traced back over four centuries to a young man named Don Toribio de Otero. Generations of Oteros lived on the ranch for four centuries before they were forced to sell, and the core of the estate was reinvented as a luxury resort in the 1950s. Harkening back to the days of the Otero family, occupants and guests have claimed to hear, see, and experience unexplainable activity. In recent decades, resort guests have reported at least four unique ghosts including a boy, a lady in gray, a very active gentleman spirit, and a cowboy. Some of these spirits are believed to date back to the early age of the resort when it was the Otero Ranch.
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1
Hawthorne Hotel (Salem, Massachusetts)
In a town known for witches and spooks, this hotel's guests have reported moving furniture, sightings of a ghostly woman, and unexplained noises. Room 325 is the most haunted room in the hotel, where guests have claimed to feel cold spots and smell fresh-cut flowers, and Rooms 621 and 325 have also had reports of lights and faucets turning off and on. In 1990, the hotel even held a séance in the Grand Ballroom to try to contact Harry Houdini. -
2
Hotel Saranac (Saranac Lake, New York)
This magnificent hotel in the Adirondacks was built in 1927 on the former grounds of a high school. There have been sightings of a man in a black suit with tails and top hat around the hotel. Rumors are he is Howard Littell, who was the superintendent of the schools for 35 years. He still roams the hallways of the hotel today, perhaps looking for stray students. -
3
Airlie (Warrenton, Virginia)
Is somebody watching you? A portrait of an unknown lady by the renowned 18th-century artist Sir Joshua Reynolds hangs in a historic meeting room and it is rumored to be under the influence of unseen forces. Her piercing gaze is what hints at something strange, and lore surrounding it claims that the portrait has the power to captivate the soul of whoever looks upon it. -
4
Jekyll Island Club Resort (Jekyll Island, Georgia)
Tucked away on a barrier island off the Georgia coast, this hotel opened in 1887 as a retreat for America’s wealthiest families. Ghost sightings include a bellman who delivers freshly pressed suits to grooms. There also seems to be a ghost who loves coffee and reading the newspaper; guests return to find their coffees sipped and newspapers moved. -
5
Hotel Monteleone (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Guests have reported hearing a child running on the French Quarter hotel's 14th floor and legend tells of a young boy—Maurice—who died from a fever while staying there in the 1890s. The story goes that the Maurice's spirit appeared to his mother, proclaiming, "Mommy, don't cry. I'm fine." Another specter is believed to be the ghost of a former maid, known to the staff as "Mrs. Clean." -
6
The Emily Morgan Hotel (San Antonio, Texas)
This hotel opened in 1924 as a Medical Arts building with doctor’s offices and a hospital. Its history is reflected in the array of gargoyles, each with a different medical malady, that line the Gothic Revival building. There have been numerous odd reports, including phones ringing in the middle of the night, doors closing randomly, and distinct odors of antiseptic wafting in the hallways. -
7
La Fonda on the Plaza (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
After dark, Santa Fe, New Mexico, promises to enchant visitors with its paranormal legends and ghost stories from its 400-year history. This hotel is the earliest and best-known hotel in America’s oldest capital city, and it is no stranger to ghosts: several apparitions have reportedly been seen at the hotel, including one thought to be John P. Slough, Chief Justice of the Territorial Supreme Court. -
8
The Wort Hotel (Jackson, Wyoming)
The luxurious Tudor Revival hotel has been entertaining guests since 1941. It is also home to a friendly mechanical engineer, Bob, who likes to play tricks on his predecessors. He also helps them out by leaving tools where there may be a problem to fix. -
9
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (Sonoma, California)
This hotel welcomes guests past and present, believing that their ghosts haunt where they were happiest. The Inn’s tenured employees will testify that when the evenings are still and the fog rolls in from the San Francisco Bay, a beautiful woman has been seen strolling the hallways of the Inn in period dress: Victoria. One of the early European settlers of Sonoma Valley, Victoria is said to have celebrated her wedding and many anniversaries at the resort. -
10
Hotel del Coronado (Coronado, California)
Over a century of unexplained phenomena have occurred throughout the resort, where there have been sightings of a small Victorian girl, a man in period clothing, and a woman in white. The woman in white is believed to be Kate Morgan, a real woman who died at the hotel in 1892. Her guestroom, 3327, is rumored to be the site of unexplained phenomena and is the most requested. -
11
Tubac Golf Resort and Spa (Tubac, Arizona)
The history of the resort can be traced back over four centuries to a young man named Don Toribio de Otero. Generations of Oteros lived on the ranch for four centuries before they were forced to sell, and the core of the estate was reinvented as a luxury resort in the 1950s. Harkening back to the days of the Otero family, occupants and guests have claimed to hear, see, and experience unexplainable activity. In recent decades, resort guests have reported at least four unique ghosts including a boy, a lady in gray, a very active gentleman spirit, and a cowboy. Some of these spirits are believed to date back to the early age of the resort when it was the Otero Ranch.