5 Most Haunted Hotels in America
Halloween has become a big travel holiday. In addition to dressing up and trick-or-treating, many people travel to visit haunted sites and seek out fright nights and other horror attractions across the United States.
Here are my top five haunted hotels, some where travelers can even spend the night and hunt down their own ghost stories:
The Hollywood Roosevelt - Los Angeles CA
The Roosevelt has been transformed and is now a hip, Hollywood hangout with a trendy bar and pool scene. The hotel has welcomed movie stars since the 1920s. Today, there are reported sightings of ghosts of famous former guests including starlet Marilyn Monroe who lived there at one time.
A mirror originally from her room once stood in a hallway. People reported they saw her smiling image in it. Others who've passed by the ballroom claim her image danced there. In 1953, Montgomery Clift was a guest at the hotel while portraying an Army bugler in "From Here to Eternity". Guests have complained of spooky midnight bugle calls in the hallways.
Hollywood Roosevelt
7000 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028
thompsonhotels.com
The Chelsea - New York City
Over a century old, The Chelsea in Manhattan has had a long history as the mid-20th Century haunt of novelists, playwrights, poets and musicians. Among its guests were Eugene O'Neill, Thomas Wolfe and Dylan Thomas. According to rumors, the ghost of Thomas has been seen stumbling along hotel hallways at midnight. That's where he died in 1953 after a drinking binge. Another famous ghost haunts the hotel elevator. Rocker Sid Vicious died in 1979, a year after girlfriend Nancy Spungeon was found stabbed to death in their room.
The Chelsea is located at 222 West 23rd Street, New York City. As of August, 2011, it was in the process of being converted into an apartment building, and also being used for film shoots.
The Queen Mary - Long Beach CA
The Queen Mary is a haunted ocean liner. The Queen Mary, launched in 1936, is at a permanent berth in Long Beach CA. During it's 30-year history on the high seas, Queen Mary carried a total of a million passengers. They included kings, princes, prime ministers, and thousands of GIs on sailing to and from World War II.
For the past 45 years, the Queen Mary has been a popular tourist hotel. Visitors and crew members frequently report strange sights and sounds coming from areas of the ship. Ghostly figures are said to haunt passageways and the ship's main ballroom. New excitement is coming to this stately old ship, as new management will soon be taking over, the same company that manages the hip Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego.
The Queen Mary
1126 Queens Highway
Long Beach CA
queenmary.com
Hotel del Coronado - San Diego CA
In addition to Marilyn haunting the Hollywood Roosevelt, her image has been seen at the luxurious beachside Hotel del Coronado. Hotel visitors and employees have reported seeing late night images of all three stars of the 1959 movie, "Some Like It Hot". The hotel was the movie's setting, and in addition to Marilyn, it starred Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. The plot included the three as 1920s band members on the lam from gangsters. In addition to sightings, people report hearing jazz music in their rooms and hallways.
Aside from possible ghost sightings, the hotel is a beachfront paradise, a true grand hotel, right on the beach in San Diego.
Hotel del Coronado
1500 Orange Ave.
Coronado, CA 92118
hoteldel.com
The Stanley Hotel - Estes Park CO
This haunted hotel in the Rockies has been a mecca for ghost hunters since Steven King's novel, "The Shining" became a 1980 movie. King was a guest and fashioned his story to fit with the hotel's spooky legends. Built by the inventor of the Stanley Steamer (an early steam-powered automobile), guests report they hear and see the dim figure of Mrs. Stanley playing the piano in the ballroom. In hallways, there are reports of noise and laughter of ghost children running during late night.
Book early, as room 217, the Steven King suite, is reserved long in advance, as is room 401, the Ghost Hunters favorite room. The hotel is open year-round now and is within an hour of Denver.
The Stanley Hotel
333 E. Wonderview Ave
Estes Park, CO 80517
stanleyhotel.com
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Here are my top five haunted hotels, some where travelers can even spend the night and hunt down their own ghost stories:
The Hollywood Roosevelt - Los Angeles CA
The Roosevelt has been transformed and is now a hip, Hollywood hangout with a trendy bar and pool scene. The hotel has welcomed movie stars since the 1920s. Today, there are reported sightings of ghosts of famous former guests including starlet Marilyn Monroe who lived there at one time.
A mirror originally from her room once stood in a hallway. People reported they saw her smiling image in it. Others who've passed by the ballroom claim her image danced there. In 1953, Montgomery Clift was a guest at the hotel while portraying an Army bugler in "From Here to Eternity". Guests have complained of spooky midnight bugle calls in the hallways.
Hollywood Roosevelt
7000 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028
thompsonhotels.com
The Chelsea - New York City
Over a century old, The Chelsea in Manhattan has had a long history as the mid-20th Century haunt of novelists, playwrights, poets and musicians. Among its guests were Eugene O'Neill, Thomas Wolfe and Dylan Thomas. According to rumors, the ghost of Thomas has been seen stumbling along hotel hallways at midnight. That's where he died in 1953 after a drinking binge. Another famous ghost haunts the hotel elevator. Rocker Sid Vicious died in 1979, a year after girlfriend Nancy Spungeon was found stabbed to death in their room.
The Chelsea is located at 222 West 23rd Street, New York City. As of August, 2011, it was in the process of being converted into an apartment building, and also being used for film shoots.
The Queen Mary - Long Beach CA
The Queen Mary is a haunted ocean liner. The Queen Mary, launched in 1936, is at a permanent berth in Long Beach CA. During it's 30-year history on the high seas, Queen Mary carried a total of a million passengers. They included kings, princes, prime ministers, and thousands of GIs on sailing to and from World War II.
For the past 45 years, the Queen Mary has been a popular tourist hotel. Visitors and crew members frequently report strange sights and sounds coming from areas of the ship. Ghostly figures are said to haunt passageways and the ship's main ballroom. New excitement is coming to this stately old ship, as new management will soon be taking over, the same company that manages the hip Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego.
The Queen Mary
1126 Queens Highway
Long Beach CA
queenmary.com
Hotel del Coronado - San Diego CA
In addition to Marilyn haunting the Hollywood Roosevelt, her image has been seen at the luxurious beachside Hotel del Coronado. Hotel visitors and employees have reported seeing late night images of all three stars of the 1959 movie, "Some Like It Hot". The hotel was the movie's setting, and in addition to Marilyn, it starred Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. The plot included the three as 1920s band members on the lam from gangsters. In addition to sightings, people report hearing jazz music in their rooms and hallways.
Aside from possible ghost sightings, the hotel is a beachfront paradise, a true grand hotel, right on the beach in San Diego.
Hotel del Coronado
1500 Orange Ave.
Coronado, CA 92118
hoteldel.com
The Stanley Hotel - Estes Park CO
This haunted hotel in the Rockies has been a mecca for ghost hunters since Steven King's novel, "The Shining" became a 1980 movie. King was a guest and fashioned his story to fit with the hotel's spooky legends. Built by the inventor of the Stanley Steamer (an early steam-powered automobile), guests report they hear and see the dim figure of Mrs. Stanley playing the piano in the ballroom. In hallways, there are reports of noise and laughter of ghost children running during late night.
Book early, as room 217, the Steven King suite, is reserved long in advance, as is room 401, the Ghost Hunters favorite room. The hotel is open year-round now and is within an hour of Denver.
The Stanley Hotel
333 E. Wonderview Ave
Estes Park, CO 80517
stanleyhotel.com
Follow travel writer Ted Sherman on twitter, @travel4seniors and check out his blog, travel4seniors.com
More from this contributor:Four Incredible Dream Hotel Suites Around the World
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Published by Ted Sherman - Featured Contributor in Travel
Navy service WWII and Korea, BFA, MA. Retired, experience: exec. speechwriter, advertising, sales promotion, PR, graphic art, photography, travel and humor writing. Follow me: @travel4seniors, Editor of tra... View profile
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2 Comments
Post a CommentI would love to visit a haunted location someday, although I would probably be scared half to death!
Great read. Always enjoy a good ghost story or haunting.