Haunted Hotels: A Room With a Boo

Are you an aspiring ghost chaser? Have you ever wanted to visit a real haunted hotel? It turns out that you actually can. Throughout the country there are various locations with spooky backgrounds that you can visit and tour or the brave even spend the night, in hopes of catching a glimpse of a ghost or spirit. Here are a few of the most well-known haunted hotels, along with a little of the history that makes each place a ghost chaser’s dream.

• 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa: Covered on the Sci Fy Channel, Ghost Hunters as well as the Biography Channel, this hotel located in Eureka Springs, AR, is said by many to be the most haunted hotel in the U.S. (others feel it is the Stanley Hotel in Colorado.) The property was a hotel in the late 1800’s, then a school, a cancer hospital and eventually back to a hotel. Guests have reported things being moved around in their room while they were sleeping; feeling someone stroking their hair; voices in the hallways; a woman in a white gown in the luxury suites and even mysterious text messages appearing on their cell phones. The hotel is said to be haunted by several ghosts: The Lady in the Garden which was a cancer hospital nurse; Michael, a worker who fell to his death during construction of the hotel; Miss Theodora, a victim of Dr. Norman Baker, who did experimental treatments causing the death of over 300 people under his care, and Lulu, who was murdered by the evil doctor on Christmas. What brings chills to my spine is the fact that there used to be a morgue where autopsies were performed – also many bodies were said to be buried around the grounds to conceal how many people were dying at the facility. There are daily ghost tours that include the basement and morgue, or you can book a hotel stay.
• Hotel de Coronado. Located in Southern California, this hotel’s resident ghost goes by the name of Kate Morgan. Miss Morgan’s sad story begins on November 24, 1982, when she checked into room 304 (now room 3327). She may have been meeting her doctor husband, who was supposed to be bringing her medicine for her stomach cancer, or she may have been a pregnant gold digger who checked in under an assumed name. She may not actually have been Kate Morgan at all, according to one source. No one seems to be sure. What is certain is that she committed suicide three days after checking in, by shooting herself on the steps leading to the beach. Since then, strange occurrences have been noted in room 3327, and some hotel staff claim to have actually seen Kate’s ghost first hand at the beach and in the hotel.
• St. James Hotel. This hotel, located in Cimarron, New Mexico, was once known as the Lambert Inn, and under that name, it had quite the colorful history. Famous guests of the old Lambert included Wyatt Earp, Jesse James, Black Jack Tom Ketchum, General Sheridan, Kit Carson, Doc Holliday, and Billy the Kid, just to name a few. Unsurprisingly, the old hotel also sustained a lot of bullet holes, and 22 of them still exist today, in the ceiling of the dining room. The St. James is apparently host to a number of ghosts. One in particular, T.J. Wright, is said to be so ill-tempered that he must have a room all to himself. Consequently, room 18 is kept locked and is no longer ever rented. Before the decision was made to keep it locked up, visitors to the room are said to have been physically attacked by Wright’s ghost.
• Provincial Hotel. This New Orleans hotel was once a hospital for Confederate soldiers injured during the Civil War. Guests have witnessed the ghosts of both doctors and confederate soldiers here. The soldier ghosts are described as being in obvious pain, crying and moaning, and covered in blood. Some have described witnessing pools of blood that quickly vanish. Doctor ghosts have been witnessed treating wounded soldiers and imploring guests for help.
• Queen Mary Hotel:  Located in Long Beach California, this used to be a luxury cruise ship back in the 1930’s.  During World War I, the ship was commissioned as a hospital and troop transport.  Many stories surround the Queen Mary.  The first was when the Queen Mary accidentally hit an escort ship with around 300 men on board.  Because it was during the war, they could not turn to assist the men, which all drowned.  People have reported hearing men screaming and the sound of metal crushing from the front of the ship.  It is said there are as many as 55 spirits including that of a young girl named Jackie Korin who drowned in the second class pool, but haunts the first class pool room on board the ship.  So much paranormal activity has been detected around that pool, that they keep a full-time ghost camera on.

These are just a few of America’s haunted hotels. If you’re in the mood for a spine tingling destination this Halloween, consider checking in at one of these or other known haunts!

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