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 2025 list of the most haunted hotels in the country from our friends at Historic Hotels of America.

  1. Sign of the Hotel Saranac

    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.

  2. A white colonial style building with four columns each flanked by different flags. The upper part of the portico is sectioned off by a low white fence.

    Photo By: Historic Hotels of America

    Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn (Rhinebeck, New York)

    Ghostly footsteps, cold breezes, and unexplained whispers are among the sensations that guests and staff alike have reported experiencing at the Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn. The most consistent account is the sighting of a dark figure that emerges from the wine cellar and sometimes moves through the kitchen. Drawn to these tales, paranormal investigators have documented numerous eerie encounters throughout the inn, which has been in operation since 1766.

  3. A brick building against a dark blue sky. The lights in the windows cast an orange glow.

    Photo By: Historic Hotels of America

    Historic Inns of Annapolis (Annapolis, Maryland)

    Hair-raising stories from The Maryland Inn describe ghostly figures in historical attire, unexplained sounds, strange scents, and missing items. Local legend attributes the haunting to a Naval captain and his fiancée: The two lovers were about to reunite after a long separation but died tragically at the inn before they could. The legend claims they still roam the premises, where first-hand accounts describe sightings of a figure in uniform in the historic Drummer's Lot Pub.

  4. Exterior shot of The Jekyll Island Club in Jekyll Island, Georgia

    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.

  5. Image looks up towards a multi-story stone building with a broad portico flanked by columns. The photograph is taken to be spooky with a glimmer of light against a cloudy sky casting a blue pall over the image.

    Photo By: Historic Hotels of America

    1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa (Eureka Springs, Arkansas)

    Embracing its reputation as one of "America's most haunted hotels," the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa hotel offers a variety of ghost tours for adults and all ages. The hotel is believed by some to be haunted by several spirits, including Theodora, a former patient of a fraudulent cancer hospital operated in the hotel building by "Dr." Norman Baker in the 1930s. Theodora is said to tidy guests’ rooms, while Baker himself has reportedly been seen in the lobby.

  6. A historic image of the Brown Palace hotel, a brown brick structure where the entrance is on the corner. The image is of dusk where lights are all a glow but are hazy in nature.

    Photo By: Historic Hotels of America

    The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa, Autograph Collection (Denver, Colorado)

    This grand Denver hotel is known for its rich history, spa, and afternoon tea, but it also has a reputation for paranormal activity. Its unique triangular design and deep artesian well are believed by some to act as a spiritual portal. Paranormal activity has been reported throughout the hotel, especially in the Brown Palace Club. Floors eight and nine are also notorious, and one account claims that the deceased resident of Suite 904 placed phone calls to the switchboard long after her passing. The hotel celebrates its haunted legacy in October with ghost tours, Halloween teas, and a masquerade ball.

  7. Interior of La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico

    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.

  8. Wort Hotel in Jackson, Wyoming

    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.

  9. Exterior shot of Fairmont Sonoma

    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.

  10. Aerial view of a many sided hotel building, Hotel del Coronado, with the pool surrounded by palm trees and beyond that the beach and ocean.

    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.

  11. Bird's eye view of the grounds at Tubac Golf Resort and Spa

    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.

11 Haunted Historic Hotels of America

12 Places
  1. 1
    Sign of the Hotel Saranac
    Sign of the Hotel Saranac

    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.
  2. 2
    A white colonial style building with four columns each flanked by different flags. The upper part of the portico is sectioned off by a low white fence.
    A white colonial style building with four columns each flanked by different flags. The upper part of the portico is sectioned off by a low white fence.

    Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn (Rhinebeck, New York)

    Ghostly footsteps, cold breezes, and unexplained whispers are among the sensations that guests and staff alike have reported experiencing at the Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn. The most consistent account is the sighting of a dark figure that emerges from the wine cellar and sometimes moves through the kitchen. Drawn to these tales, paranormal investigators have documented numerous eerie encounters throughout the inn, which has been in operation since 1766.
  3. 3
    A brick building against a dark blue sky. The lights in the windows cast an orange glow.
    A brick building against a dark blue sky. The lights in the windows cast an orange glow.

    Historic Inns of Annapolis (Annapolis, Maryland)

    Hair-raising stories from The Maryland Inn describe ghostly figures in historical attire, unexplained sounds, strange scents, and missing items. Local legend attributes the haunting to a Naval captain and his fiancée: The two lovers were about to reunite after a long separation but died tragically at the inn before they could. The legend claims they still roam the premises, where first-hand accounts describe sightings of a figure in uniform in the historic Drummer's Lot Pub.
  4. 4
    Exterior shot of The Jekyll Island Club in Jekyll Island, Georgia
    Exterior shot of The Jekyll Island Club in Jekyll Island, Georgia

    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. 5
    Image looks up towards a multi-story stone building with a broad portico flanked by columns. The photograph is taken to be spooky with a glimmer of light against a cloudy sky casting a blue pall over the image.
    Image looks up towards a multi-story stone building with a broad portico flanked by columns. The photograph is taken to be spooky with a glimmer of light against a cloudy sky casting a blue pall over the image.

    1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa (Eureka Springs, Arkansas)

    Embracing its reputation as one of "America's most haunted hotels," the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa hotel offers a variety of ghost tours for adults and all ages. The hotel is believed by some to be haunted by several spirits, including Theodora, a former patient of a fraudulent cancer hospital operated in the hotel building by "Dr." Norman Baker in the 1930s. Theodora is said to tidy guests’ rooms, while Baker himself has reportedly been seen in the lobby.
  6. 6
    A historic image of the Brown Palace hotel, a brown brick structure where the entrance is on the corner. The image is of dusk where lights are all a glow but are hazy in nature.
    A historic image of the Brown Palace hotel, a brown brick structure where the entrance is on the corner. The image is of dusk where lights are all a glow but are hazy in nature.

    The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa, Autograph Collection (Denver, Colorado)

    This grand Denver hotel is known for its rich history, spa, and afternoon tea, but it also has a reputation for paranormal activity. Its unique triangular design and deep artesian well are believed by some to act as a spiritual portal. Paranormal activity has been reported throughout the hotel, especially in the Brown Palace Club. Floors eight and nine are also notorious, and one account claims that the deceased resident of Suite 904 placed phone calls to the switchboard long after her passing. The hotel celebrates its haunted legacy in October with ghost tours, Halloween teas, and a masquerade ball.
  7. 7
    Interior of La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico
    Interior of La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico

    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. 8
    Wort Hotel in Jackson, Wyoming
    Wort Hotel in Jackson, Wyoming

    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. 9
    Exterior shot of Fairmont Sonoma
    Exterior shot of Fairmont Sonoma

    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. 10
    Aerial view of a many sided hotel building, Hotel del Coronado, with the pool surrounded by palm trees and beyond that the beach and ocean.
    Aerial view of a many sided hotel building, Hotel del Coronado, with the pool surrounded by palm trees and beyond that the beach and ocean.

    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. 11
    Bird's eye view of the grounds at Tubac Golf Resort and Spa
    Bird's eye view of the grounds at Tubac Golf Resort and Spa

    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.
  1. 1
    Sign of the Hotel Saranac
    Sign of the Hotel Saranac

    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.
  2. 2
    A white colonial style building with four columns each flanked by different flags. The upper part of the portico is sectioned off by a low white fence.
    A white colonial style building with four columns each flanked by different flags. The upper part of the portico is sectioned off by a low white fence.

    Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn (Rhinebeck, New York)

    Ghostly footsteps, cold breezes, and unexplained whispers are among the sensations that guests and staff alike have reported experiencing at the Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn. The most consistent account is the sighting of a dark figure that emerges from the wine cellar and sometimes moves through the kitchen. Drawn to these tales, paranormal investigators have documented numerous eerie encounters throughout the inn, which has been in operation since 1766.
  3. 3
    A brick building against a dark blue sky. The lights in the windows cast an orange glow.
    A brick building against a dark blue sky. The lights in the windows cast an orange glow.

    Historic Inns of Annapolis (Annapolis, Maryland)

    Hair-raising stories from The Maryland Inn describe ghostly figures in historical attire, unexplained sounds, strange scents, and missing items. Local legend attributes the haunting to a Naval captain and his fiancée: The two lovers were about to reunite after a long separation but died tragically at the inn before they could. The legend claims they still roam the premises, where first-hand accounts describe sightings of a figure in uniform in the historic Drummer's Lot Pub.
  4. 4
    Exterior shot of The Jekyll Island Club in Jekyll Island, Georgia
    Exterior shot of The Jekyll Island Club in Jekyll Island, Georgia

    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. 5
    Image looks up towards a multi-story stone building with a broad portico flanked by columns. The photograph is taken to be spooky with a glimmer of light against a cloudy sky casting a blue pall over the image.
    Image looks up towards a multi-story stone building with a broad portico flanked by columns. The photograph is taken to be spooky with a glimmer of light against a cloudy sky casting a blue pall over the image.

    1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa (Eureka Springs, Arkansas)

    Embracing its reputation as one of "America's most haunted hotels," the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa hotel offers a variety of ghost tours for adults and all ages. The hotel is believed by some to be haunted by several spirits, including Theodora, a former patient of a fraudulent cancer hospital operated in the hotel building by "Dr." Norman Baker in the 1930s. Theodora is said to tidy guests’ rooms, while Baker himself has reportedly been seen in the lobby.
  6. 6
    A historic image of the Brown Palace hotel, a brown brick structure where the entrance is on the corner. The image is of dusk where lights are all a glow but are hazy in nature.
    A historic image of the Brown Palace hotel, a brown brick structure where the entrance is on the corner. The image is of dusk where lights are all a glow but are hazy in nature.

    The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa, Autograph Collection (Denver, Colorado)

    This grand Denver hotel is known for its rich history, spa, and afternoon tea, but it also has a reputation for paranormal activity. Its unique triangular design and deep artesian well are believed by some to act as a spiritual portal. Paranormal activity has been reported throughout the hotel, especially in the Brown Palace Club. Floors eight and nine are also notorious, and one account claims that the deceased resident of Suite 904 placed phone calls to the switchboard long after her passing. The hotel celebrates its haunted legacy in October with ghost tours, Halloween teas, and a masquerade ball.
  7. 7
    Interior of La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico
    Interior of La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico

    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. 8
    Wort Hotel in Jackson, Wyoming
    Wort Hotel in Jackson, Wyoming

    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. 9
    Exterior shot of Fairmont Sonoma
    Exterior shot of Fairmont Sonoma

    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. 10
    Aerial view of a many sided hotel building, Hotel del Coronado, with the pool surrounded by palm trees and beyond that the beach and ocean.
    Aerial view of a many sided hotel building, Hotel del Coronado, with the pool surrounded by palm trees and beyond that the beach and ocean.

    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. 11
    Bird's eye view of the grounds at Tubac Golf Resort and Spa
    Bird's eye view of the grounds at Tubac Golf Resort and Spa

    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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