It’s October, which means when you’re booking a hotel room you didn’t really want to sleep anyway. With these nine options, you’ll be visited by the ghosts of USA past and feel the spirits of the stories of Yelpers present. Don’t get sleep — get scared.
The Menger Hotel – San Antonio, CA
One of the oldest hotels in Texas is also the home to, allegedly, the ghost of Teddy Roosevelt. It was at this hotel that Teddy Roosevelt would invite cowboys to the bar for free drinks before tricking them to sign up to fight in the Spanish American War. Apparently Teddy’s still hanging out at that bar. Will you get bamboozled into joining the army?
Yelper Diana L. didn’t take up ranks, but she did feel a haunting. “I sat at the end corner of the bed, watching TV and talking to my hubby on the phone when suddenly the bed JOLTED underneath me!”
The Hollywood Roosevelt – Los Angeles, CA
You’ve seen it in Catch Me If You Can, the 90210 reboot, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, and more, but have you seen the ghosts there. Legend has it that some of the hotel’s most famous visitors are memorialized in its halls — with more than just a plaque. Marilyn Monroe (who once lived there) is said to be haunting her suite.
Cap P. knows why. “Lots of haunted tales about the place, like the mirror from Marilyn’s room that people say they see her in. Try to spot it!”
The Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum – Fall River, MA
If you’re looking for a place where haunting meets some solid history, look no further than the Lizzie Borden House. Is there anything creepier than staying the night in the room of a woman who allegedly murdered her father and stepmother with an axe? We’ll axe you after you stay there.
Yelper Darren S. had his say on the haunting night: “While I didn’t get a good night’s sleep, I was hoping I wouldn’t.”
Queen Anne Hotel – San Francisco, CA
What goes with a bear claw footed tub and Victorian luxury? Ghosts of course. This late 1800’s young ladies etiquette school is said to be haunted by Miss Mary Lake, the school’s headmistress.
Yelper Lacey P. experienced Miss Mary Lake first hand: “I woke up in the middle of the night and someone had tucked me in all the way around, which kind of freaked me out, but it was cool. I knew it couldn’t have been my boyfriend because he took a sleeping pill and passed out!”
The Marshall House – Savannah, GA
This three-time historic hospital is said to have the ghosts of Union soldiers and yellow fever patients. The fourth floor has a reputation for being especially phantasmal.
Yelper Whitney W. particularly felt it in room 402. “I was asleep next to my husband. Had one hand under my face and the other up over my head. Around 4 am my covers got pulled DOWN about 6 inches. I opened my eyes in fright and my husband didn’t move and was snoring. I woke him up to hold me.”
Bullock Hotel – Deadwood, SD
Deadwood, South Dakota was instead preserved its buildings and streets — and perhaps its spirits as well. This hotel once belonged to sheriff Seth Bullock who is rumored to have never left!
Yelper Peter B. had a chance midnight encounter. “He appeared at the foot of my bed. Thick handlebar mustache and wearing a five-gallon hat, there he sat. A silver star pinned upon his chest. He stared into my eyes and even deeper into my soul. ‘Welcome to Deadwood,’ he intoned.”
Copper Queen Hotel – Bisbee, AZ
Old mining towns are notorious for their histories of innovations in the arts, floral decorations, and promises of a puppy for every citizen. Well, not exactly. What was once one of the most modern hotels in the West is now the haunting grounds for a collection of spirits from the days of yore. Horror writer J.A. Jance wrote many of her terrifying tales here and some of them even took place within the hotel’s hallowed halls!
Yelper Alana J. felt something by room 315: “There was this very negative, bad energy that my body wouldn’t let me pass. It was not welcoming at all. We found out later that it was Julia Lowell’s room, one of the spirits said to haunt the hotel.”
The Burlington Hotel – Port Costa, CA
This old-time bordello is now a hotel that often provides rooms for patrons of the nearby bar who aren’t quite ready to drive themselves home. Is that why there are so many spooky stories?
Bruce A. tells of some shy spirits. “We heard noises coming from the emergency exit… We heard footsteps and keys rattling, but when we opened the door there was nobody there… When we opened the bedroom door to inspect the noises, all of a sudden the noises stopped. When we closed the door and went back to bed, the noises would continue after a few minutes.”
