Discover 10 of America’s Most Haunted Hotels

From ghostly whispers to sightings of guests in Victorian attire, numerous hotels across the U.S. boast legendary hauntings. Patrons have reported strange fragrances, like the faint aroma of cigars or vintage perfumes lingering in hallways, sudden chills accompanied by drops in temperature, and spectral figures that rouse them from sleep at night. It’s little surprise—countless guests who check into these establishments (cue eerie music) have mysteriously never checked out.

Some of the nation’s most famous haunted hotels have been featured in films, such as the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, which gained fame from Stanley Kubrick’s classic The Shining (1980). Others include Los Angeles’s Chateau Marmont, renowned for its celebrity specters that have become part of pop culture lore. For thrill-seekers, October is a prime time to explore these haunted hotels, offering a glimpse into history through the eyes of their ghostly inhabitants, especially during Halloween, when the boundary between the living and the dead is said to be thinnest.

Whether it’s a chilling hot springs retreat in Missouri or New York’s notorious bohemian hideaways, Dinogo’s latest Hotels We Love list highlights 10 of the most haunted hotels in the U.S. to immerse you in the spooky spirit.

Biltmore Hotel

Opened in 1926 and designed by architects Schultze and Weaver, the Biltmore Hotel quickly established itself as a luxurious hotspot for the elite, welcoming celebrities, socialites, and even presidents. Its impressive 315-foot tower is reminiscent of the Giralda in Seville, Spain, and the hotel’s sprawling grounds once featured the largest swimming pool in the world. Recognized for its historical and architectural significance, the Biltmore became a National Historic Landmark in 1973, sparking restoration efforts. After years of meticulous renovations, it reopened as a luxury hotel in 1987, yet the ghost stories surrounding it remain unshaken by fresh coats of paint.

During Prohibition, the Biltmore operated a speakeasy and became a magnet for gangsters, including the notorious mobster Thomas “Fatty” Walsh, who was fatally shot on the hotel’s 13th floor in 1929 over a gambling dispute. Legends suggest that Walsh’s spirit still haunts the hotel, with guests reporting mysterious sounds, flickering lights, and sightings near the location of his demise.

Furthermore, during World War II, the hotel served as a military hospital and later a Veterans Administration hospital, leading many to believe that the spirits of former patients linger in its corridors. Some visitors have even claimed to see men in military uniforms wandering the halls. Explore Dinogo’s complete list of the top hotels in Miami.

Bourbon Orleans Hotel

New Orleans has long been recognized as one of the most haunted cities in the United States, making it unsurprising that many of its hotels welcome otherworldly guests.

The site that now hosts the Bourbon Orleans Hotel originally served as a theater and ballroom, built in the early 1800s but tragically destroyed by fire in 1816. Entrepreneur John Davis acquired the ruins and enlisted British architect Henry Latrobe, known for designing the U.S. State Capitol, to reconstruct both the theater and ballroom. The new 1,300-seat theater helped establish New Orleans as a cultural hub in the nation, serving as the venue for countless Creole gatherings, plays, and operas.

In 1881, the property was acquired by the Sisters of the Holy Family, the first Black American religious order in the United States. During their stewardship, the ballroom (the theater was destroyed in another fire in 1886) served various purposes as a school, orphanage, and temporary hospital for children afflicted with yellow fever. In 1964, the property was sold to Bourbon Kings Hotel Corporation, which has been hosting overnight guests ever since.

Guests at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel have reported encounters with a variety of spirits. Some have heard the ghostly giggles of children, seen nuns vanishing into walls, or discovered their belongings mysteriously misplaced. Others have spotted a solitary dancer waltzing beneath the chandelier in the ballroom. One of the most notable apparitions at the Bourbon Orleans is that of a Confederate soldier, who is occasionally seen marching solemnly in his gray uniform.

Chateau Marmont

Chateau Marmont has long been known as the go-to spot in Los Angeles for stars looking to misbehave. During Hollywood’s Golden Age (1930–1945), Columbia cofounder Harry Cohn famously advised two of his top leading men, William Holden and Glenn Ford, saying, “If you must get into trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont.” More recently, the hotel has witnessed its fair share of celebrity antics: Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham famously rode a Harley Davidson through the lobby in the '60s; Britney Spears faced a temporary ban for smearing food on her face in the dining area during her (tragically and unfairly) public mental health struggles in 2007; and Lindsay Lohan was permanently banned in 2012 after amassing a hefty $46,350.04 bill. With its castle-like design, the hotel’s staff is known to guard the secrets of its high-profile guests like a fortress.

Yet, the hotel has also been marked by tragedy. On February 28, 1982, actor and comedian John Belushi checked into a bungalow on the property and was found unresponsive the next day by his personal trainer, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. EMTs declared him dead at the scene—he had suffered a heroin overdose. Later, in 2004, fashion photographer Helmut Newton lost control of his vehicle on Sunset Boulevard and fatally crashed into the Chateau Marmont.

Guests have reported encountering apparitions throughout the property—some claim to have heard the soft click of a ghostly camera. Notably, Al Franken recounted seeing Belushi’s ghost appear to him in his room just a week after the comedian’s passing. Others have described hearing the sounds of a lively party and the clinking of glasses, only to find an empty room upon investigation.

Crescent Hotel and Spa

Built in 1886 by the Eureka Springs Improvement Company in collaboration with the Frisco Railroad, the Crescent Hotel and Spa quickly became renowned as a lavish hotel, attracting visitors from across the nation eager to enjoy the town’s 60 hot springs. It earned the moniker ‘the Grand Old Lady of the Ozarks’ and was promoted as ‘the finest hotel west of the Mississippi.’ Unfortunately, the original owners struggled to turn a profit, leading to the building’s conversion into a girls’ school in 1901.

In 1937, the property was sold to radio personality and soon-to-be-exposed fraudster Norman G. Baker, who claimed he had discovered a cancer cure that did not involve surgery or radiation. The hotel was transformed into the Baker Hospital, with Baker distributing flyers nationwide promoting it as a place ‘where sick folks get well.’ His treatment consisted of a concoction of chemicals, including carbolic acid, ground watermelon seeds, corn silk, and alcohol, administered to patients up to seven times daily. During the 20 months the Baker Hospital operated, 44 patients lost their lives there. After orchestrating various fraudulent schemes, Baker eventually served time in prison and, ironically, died of liver cancer in 1958.

Following this period, the building changed hands multiple times, with new owners investing in renovations, only to lose momentum and sell it again. In 1997, it was acquired by the current owners, Marty and Elise Roenigk, who meticulously restored and revitalized the Crescent as a hotel once more.

Since its reopening, guests have reported encountering several eerie phenomena. Some claim to have seen a sorrowful young girl wandering the hallways, believed to be the spirit of a former student who tragically took her life after discovering she was pregnant out of wedlock. Others have glimpsed a ghostly nurse pushing a gurney down the hall, only to see her vanish into thin air. One of the hotel’s most famous apparitions is a young woman named Theodora, who resides in Room 419; she introduces herself as a patient of Dr. Baker before mysteriously disappearing from sight.

The Elms Hotel & Spa

Located in Excelsior Springs, about a half-hour northeast of Kansas City, the Elms Hotel and Spa is situated in a town renowned for its ferro-manganese mineral water hot springs, particularly Siloam Spring, the only one of its kind in the nation. In the late 1800s, Excelsior Springs emerged as a wellness retreat, attracting visitors eager to soak in its healing waters, believed to possess curative properties and even the ability to heal tuberculosis.

The original Elms Hotel and Spa was constructed in 1888, just a short distance from its current site, to host travelers, including President Harry S. Truman, visiting Excelsior Springs. The first hotel was lost to a fire in 1898 but was rebuilt at its present location in 1909. Ironically, the Elms suffered another fire in 1910 but was restored just three months later using salvaged limestone and materials from the second hotel. The latest version, which underwent a $20 million renovation in 2012, is the one that stands today and was acquired by Hyatt Hotels & Resorts in 2019.

The hotel flourished in the 1920s, earning a reputation as a notorious speakeasy during Prohibition and becoming a playground for the wealthy and famous. Gangsters like Al Capone and Bugsy Moran, along with bank robber “Pretty Boy” Floyd, were known to frequent the resort, allegedly hosting illegal gambling and gin parties on-site. There’s even a Capone Suite on the second floor, as the infamous mobster preferred to keep an eye on arrivals and have an easy escape route if needed.

With numerous reported hauntings, the Elms Hotel has garnered such a spooky reputation that it was featured on the Syfy show Ghost Hunters in 2013. Fortunately, the spirits at the property are mostly friendly. Legend has it that one ghost may have started the fires that ravaged the Elms in 1898 and 1910. Commonly sighted apparitions include a gambler dressed in Prohibition-era attire near the lap pool and a housekeeper in an old-fashioned uniform. For those interested in exploring the hotel’s haunted history, a Paranormal Tour is available, which includes an overnight stay and two tickets to the nightly ghost tour, starting at $25 per person.

The Emily Morgan Hotel

While San Antonio is renowned for the Alamo, it also boasts one of the most haunted hotels in the world: the Emily Morgan Hotel.

This Gothic revival building stands just a stone's throw from the Alamo and was originally built on the site of the fort's long barracks, where Texan defenders fought against Mexican forces for 13 days—resulting in nearly 600 deaths. Constructed in 1924 by architect Ralph Cameron, it initially housed the city’s Medical Arts Building, featuring over 100 doctors and dentists. First-time visitors are often captivated by the building's intricate facade, adorned with cast iron details, a copper roof with wooden ribs, and gargoyles depicting various medical ailments. After serving as a hospital for more than 50 years, the structure transformed into a hotel in 1984.

The Emily Morgan is said to be most haunted in the basement and on the 7th and 14th floors. The basement, which functioned as the hospital's morgue and crematorium, has reports of elevators inexplicably descending to the bottom level regardless of the selected floor. The 14th floor, which is technically the 13th, housed the surgical ward, and some visitors claim they can still detect a faint smell of disinfectant. The 7th floor, formerly the psychiatric unit, is rumored to be the hotel’s most haunted area, with tales of a jilted bride haunting the halls. Guests on this floor have reported eerie shrieks at night, misplaced items, and mysterious phone calls with no one on the line. Consider booking a room to discover if the legends hold true.

The Hawthorne Hotel

Despite being built over 230 years after Salem’s notorious witch trials, the Hawthorne Hotel, part of Historic Hotels of America, is not free from the eerie atmosphere associated with the town.

Room 325 is the most notorious space in the hotel for paranormal activity. Over the years, numerous guests have reported seeing apparitions at the foot of their beds or lurking in the corners, while others have experienced objects inexplicably shifting or disappearing, only to reappear later in a different location. Visitors often note cold drafts, sudden temperature drops, and an unsettling sensation of being watched, even when the windows are tightly shut. Another haunted spot is Room 612, where a woman's spirit has been sighted standing in the corner.

Pop culture has significantly amplified the hotel’s haunted reputation. In the 1960s, it served as a filming location for episodes of Bewitched, a series centered around a witch married to a mortal. Additionally, in 1990, the hotel hosted a séance in the Grand Ballroom in an attempt to connect with Harry Houdini on the 64th anniversary of his death, but they did not succeed. In 2007, the paranormal series Ghost Hunters featured the hotel in a Salem-themed episode, claiming that one of the women executed during the witch trials owned an apple orchard where the hotel now stands—a claim disputed by local historians.

Hotel Alex Johnson, Curio Collection by Hilton

The Hotel Alex Johnson was brought to life by Alex Carlton Johnson, an executive with the Chicago & North Western Railroad, when it opened its doors in 1928. Johnson aimed to capture the unique heritage of the Black Hills, fusing the architectural and cultural influences of the local Lakota Sioux and German settlers. This vision resulted in the hotel’s distinctive Tudor revival style, adorned with Native American art and symbolism, and it has attracted several U.S. presidents, including Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan.

Johnson was deeply committed to his work—so much so that many believe he never truly left the hotel, even after his passing in 1938. Legend has it that his spirit remains, ensuring everything runs smoothly.

This is just one of many supernatural tales reported by guests and staff over the years. Another well-known legend involves the “Lady in White,” thought to be a bride who tragically fell from the window of room 812 in the 1970s. Some believe she jumped, while others claim she was pushed, and if the latter is true, she may be seeking retribution. Additionally, there are reports of a young girl’s ghost, who is said to knock on guest room doors and giggle as she races down the hallway.

The hotel embraces its haunted reputation with a Ghost Adventure package that includes a stay in one of the spooky rooms and a K2 meter for ghost hunting. For those who encounter something eerie, the hotel offers a form on its website for guests to report their paranormal experiences.

Hotel Chelsea

Located in Manhattan, the Hotel Chelsea is steeped in American literary and pop culture history—and it also boasts a haunted reputation. Built in the late 1800s as one of the city’s first private cooperative apartments, it transitioned to a hotel in 1905 that welcomed long-term tenants, many of whom were cultural icons. After his divorce from Marilyn Monroe, Arthur Miller took up residence there. Bob Dylan famously penned “Sara” in Room 211, while Jack Kerouac had a brief encounter with Gore Vidal on the premises. It’s also the place where Janis Joplin and Leonard Cohen found romance, and where Arthur Clarke wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey. Tragically, groupie Nancy Spungen met her end here, stabbed in the bathroom of her room by her boyfriend, Sid Vicious, who died of a heroin overdose before facing trial for her murder.

Additionally, several prominent figures are said to have taken their lives at the hotel, leaving behind restless spirits. One frequently reported apparition is a young woman named Mary, a survivor of the Titanic. After losing her husband in the tragedy, she succumbed to despair and took her own life at the Chelsea. The Sopranos actor Michael Imperioli claimed to have encountered Mary during his stay in 1996. Another ghost, a troubled artist known only as Nadia, also died by suicide at the hotel (she had first severed her hand in a fit of creative frustration). The hotel is also linked to Charles R. Jackson, author of The Lost Weekend, who met a similar fate. Guests at the Chelsea Hotel have reported a variety of supernatural experiences, including ghostly whispers, chills, and an overwhelming sense of unease. Read Dinogo’s full review of the Hotel Chelsea, and listen to our Unpacked podcast episode about the hotel.

The Stanley Hotel

The renownedly haunted Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, opened in 1909 and was founded by inventor Freelan Stanley. He fell in love with the region after visiting Colorado in search of dry mountain air to alleviate his tuberculosis symptoms. The hotel quickly gained a reputation as a luxurious wilderness escape, attracting guests like socialite Molly Brown (famous for surviving the Titanic disaster), President Theodore Roosevelt, and the Emperor and Empress of Japan.

Recognized as a Historic Hotel of America, the Stanley is perhaps most famous for its pivotal role in what many critics deem one of the greatest American horror classics: The Shining, based on King’s bestselling novel. After just one night at the Stanley, King found his experience so unsettling that it inspired him to write what would become his third major work, which was later adapted into a film by director Stanley Kubrick, who famously made some changes to the original story.

Numerous spirits are said to haunt the Stanley, including the ghost of its original owner, his wife, and the spirit of an enigmatic child. Room 217, where King stayed, is one of the hotel’s most requested accommodations. It’s rumored to be haunted by the spirit of a maid named Mrs. Wilson. While attempting to light a lantern, she was caught in a gas explosion that hurled her out of the room, resulting in broken ankles when she landed in the MacGregor Dining Room below. Legend has it that Mrs. Wilson disapproves of unwed couples sharing the room, often pushing them apart during the night with a chilling presence. Notably, Jim Carrey stayed in Room 217 while filming Dumb and Dumber (1994) and found the hotel so unsettling that he left in the middle of the night. If you're planning to book Room 217 during Halloween, be prepared for a lengthy wait—it's fully booked for spooky season years in advance.

This article was first published in October 2015, featuring insights from Jen Murphy, and was refreshed on October 17, 2024, to incorporate the latest updates.