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 2023 list of the most haunted hotels in the country from our friends at Historic Hotels of America.

Photo By: Stanley Zimny

Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods

In 1902, railroad tycoon Joseph Stickney built The Mount Washington Hotel. Known affectionately by resort staff members as “The Princess,” Carolyn Foster Stickney, Joseph’s wife, was a long-time inhabitant of the hotel—and perhaps still is. Many guests report visions of an elegant woman in Victorian dress in the hallways of the hotel and light taps on the doors, even though no one appears to be on the other side.
Photo By: Boston Public Library

Concord's Colonial Inn

One of the oldest hotels in America (the original part of the building was constructed in 1716), the Inn served as a hospital during the Revolutionary War. Guests seeking a spooky adventure reserve Room 24, which served as the operating room for Dr. Timothy Minot. Many visitors report seeing flickering lights, feeling eerie sensations, and hearing closing doors.
Photo By: Fletcher

Hawthorne Hotel

The beautifully restored, stately Federal-style hotel is named for author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Guests have reported sightings of a ghostly woman, unexplained noises, and moving furniture. The hotel hosts an annual Halloween costume ball; advanced planning is advised if you want to stay during this popular party.
Photo By: Jasperado

Hotel Saranac

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.
Photo By: Judd Hall

Omni Grove Park Inn

A stunning example of the Arts and Crafts movement, the Omni Grove Park Inn has been delighting guests since 1913. Its understated elegance and Southern charm will make you never want to leave, much like its permanent guest known affectionately as “The Pink Lady.” She is usually seen in the form of a pink mist, but some report a specter of a young lady wearing a pink ball gown. She is known for playing small pranks like turning on electrical devices, tickling feet of sleeping guests, and rearranging items in rooms.
Photo By: Evangelio Gonzalez

Jekyll Island Club Resort

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.
Photo By: Kumar Appaiah

The Emily Morgan Hotel

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.
Photo By: Kent Kanouse

La Fonda on the Plaza

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.
Photo By: Acroterion

The Wort Hotel

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.
Photo By: Linux Foundation

Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa

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.
Photo By: Historic Hotels of America

Tubac Golf Resort and Spa

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.