America’s Scariest Sleepovers: Haunted Hotels in the US

With the recent premiere of the highly anticipated fifth season of American Horror Story: Hotel, there’s been a lot of interest in allegedly haunted hotels. All across the country, there are eerie establishments which offer lodging to the brave and non-superstitious. Today we want to share with you some of these infamous hotels to get you in the mood for Halloween.

Cecil Hotel

You may have already heard that this Los Angeles hotel is the inspiration for this season’s American Horror Story. Built in 1924, this hotel has a very sordid history of suicides, murders, and mysterious deaths. Aside from having provided hospitality to two convicted serial killers, Hotel Cecil became the subject of headlines when a Canadian tourist who stayed at the hotel went missing and was later found dead in the hotel’s water tanks located on the roof of the building. Hotel employees could not figure out how she got in there, but a strange surveillance video was released which shows her riding an empty elevator and making wild hand gestures just before her disappearance. Nowadays, the hotel is now called Stay on Main and offers low-budget rooms to tourists. However, its bizarre history will haunt this hotel forever.

The Stanley Hotel

We’ve mentioned The Stanley before in our post about haunted places in America (here), however since our topic is about haunted hotels, there’s no way we could leave this place off the list. Having famously inspired the classic Stephen King thriller, The Shining, The Stanley Hotel holds up as one of America’s most haunted places. Guests at The Stanley have reported lots of paranormal activity from children’s laughter in empty halls to the sound of music playing in an empty ballroom. However, instead of closing its doors forever, The Stanley revels in its reputation as a haunted hotel. The Hotel offers ghost tours year-round, plays The Shining nonstop on its television sets, and even hosts a grand Halloween party every year.

Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast

Ever wish you could see the home of an ax murderer? Well lucky for you, (you strange and twisted person), you can actually stay in one! In Massachusetts lies the home of one of America’s most notorious unsolved crimes – the murder of the Borden family. August 4, 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were found hacked to death in their home. When questioned by the police, she had contradicting alibis and a demeanor which appeared to be too calm to be distressed by the dreadful event. Though she was never convicted, she still remains the prime suspect to this very day. Nowadays, the home has transformed into a museum and bed and breakfast for curious people. The owners have restored the old Victorian home to historical accuracy with furniture placed throughout the home to recreate the original crime scene. Guests have reported supernatural occurrences such as spotting mysterious figures in mirrors, doors slamming on their own, and objects falling for unexplained reasons.

Bourbon Orleans Hotel

This highly rated New Orleans hotel was built in 1817 as the Orleans Ballroom which hosted magnificent parties for affluent members of society. The Orleans Theater was later built to accompany the Ballroom and was a popular venue for French Opera. The establishment lost popularity during the Civil War and was later purchased and transformed into a convent and school. A yellow fever epidemic devastated the convent with casualties, however, the school remained open until it was sold and transformed to the present day Bourbon Orleans Hotel. Nowadays, the hotel not only accommodates travelers from around the world, it also houses a few permanent residents including apparitions of a dancer, a child, and a Civil War soldier.

The Queen Mary

Built in the early 30s, this old ship has sailed across the world as both a luxury cruise liner as well as a Navy boat during World War II. Nowadays, the ship sits at a port in Long Beach, California as a floating hotel room for curious guests. This Southern California favorite is a popular attraction for both locals and out-of-towners. There’s plenty to do on the ship including ghost tours. With its reputation as a hotbed for paranormal activity, their ghost tours are extremely popular and available year-round. The ship also has its “regular guests” including the “lady in white” and a child who died in the ship’s swimming pool. During Halloween, they even have their own attraction called Dark Harbor where character actors dressed as ghosts and goblins scare the daylights out of you as you try to escape terrifying mazes.

Congress Plaza Hotel

This Chicago hotel was once called the “Home of the Presidents” having hosted many US Presidents including Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Calvin Coolidge to name a few. In fact, during World War II, the government purchased the hotel and transformed it into the headquarters for Army officers. Unlike the other hotels on the list, this establishment does not advertise its haunted history. However guests have left reviews on travel sites recounting their experiences with the unknown.  Some of these encounters include the sounds of whistling in an empty room or weird sounds underneath their bed.

 

So, who’s ready to plan a trip?