Last updated: October 20, 2026
The most haunted hotels in America you can stay at include the Stanley Hotel in Colorado (Stephen King’s Room 217), the Queen Mary in Long Beach, the 1886 Crescent Hotel in Arkansas, and the Lizzie Borden House in Massachusetts.
- 1909 — the Stanley Hotel opens in Estes Park
- 1936 — the Queen Mary’s maiden voyage
- 1886 — the Crescent Hotel opens in Eureka Springs
- August 4, 1892 — the Lizzie Borden House murders, Fall River, MA
What makes a hotel ‘haunted’? Guest reports — footsteps, voices, odd lights — plus a documented dark chapter in the building’s past.
Why is the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado so haunted?
In 1974, Stephen King checked in as nearly the only off-season guest and dreamed of his son being chased through the corridors — the idea that became The Shining. His Room 217 is now the hotel’s most requested. Guests report a piano playing on its own and laughter in empty halls. On the record: a Colonial Revival landmark opened 1909, National Register since 1977, ghost tours, roughly $150–$400 a night.
What haunts the Queen Mary — and can you sleep aboard?
You sleep on the ship itself: the permanently moored Queen Mary is a floating hotel in Long Beach. Some guests report shadow figures in B-deck corridors and voices in the engine room; Stateroom B340 is the famous hotspot. Documented: construction began in 1930, maiden voyage May 27, 1936, then troopship service during World War II. After 31 years at sea she retired in 1967, when the city of Long Beach bought her for about $3.4 million. The ship offers staterooms, tours, and investigation packages — see History.com’s account of the Queen Mary.
What’s the dark history behind the 1886 Crescent Hotel?
In 1937, quack doctor Norman Baker ran a fraudulent “cancer hospital” here before his mail-fraud conviction. Guests report cigar smoke with no smoker and footsteps in the old “morgue” areas. The hotel runs nightly ghost tours; Room 218 has a stonemason legend, Room 419 was Baker’s office. The 1886 landmark sits over the Ozarks.
Why is the Myrtles Plantation called America’s most haunted home?
Volume. This St. Francisville, Louisiana B&B has collected decades of guest reports: stairway footsteps, rattling doorknobs, apparitions seen on the grounds. Built 1796; the “Chloe” legend is disputed by historians. Main-house rooms and cottages are bookable, with evening tours.
Can you really stay in the Lizzie Borden crime scene?
Yes — that’s the entire pitch. The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, Massachusetts, is a B&B and museum in the house where Andrew and Abby Borden were murdered on August 4, 1892; Lizzie was acquitted in 1893. Guests report hushed voices and stairway footsteps. A museum by day; overnight guests sleep in period-furnished rooms. See why roofs make noises at night.
Who haunts the Hotel del Coronado?
One ghost dominates: Kate Morgan, who checked in under an alias in 1892 and was found dead on the beach five days later — ruled a suicide, though lore says she never left. Guests report touch sensations, flickering lights, a woman in white; her Room 3327 is most requested. Documented: opened 1888 on Coronado Island, across the bay from San Diego, California; a National Historic Landmark (1977), inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2007, and named to its 2024 Top 25 Most Haunted Hotels list after a 2018 séance by James Van Praagh. The heritage staff run ghost tours.
What happens at the Congress Plaza Hotel?
The Congress Plaza in Chicago has a century of hallway stories. Opened in 1893 for the Columbian Exposition; it has hosted a string of presidents. Guests report the upper floors feeling colder and older, shadows at the edge of vision. The front desk has heard it all before.
How do you book the most haunted hotels in America (and the ghost tours)?
To stay at the most haunted hotels in America, book direct and name the room you want — Room 217, B340, Room 419 sell out first, especially in October. Halloween week books months out — a family planning a spooky getaway should book early; late winter is cheaper. Whether you pick famous resorts or a small historic inn, reported ghostly activity peaks when the building is emptiest — worth knowing if you’re chasing ghosts.
| Hotel | Room to request | Why it’s famous |
|---|---|---|
| The Stanley Hotel | Room 217 | Stephen King’s room |
| Queen Mary | Stateroom B340 | Top ship hotspot |
| 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa | Room 419 | Baker’s old office |
| Hotel del Coronado | Room 3327 | Kate Morgan’s room |
More stops for your haunted travel route: the most haunted places in the world.
The 7 hotels compared: claim vs. history vs. booking
| Hotel | Famous haunting claim | Documented history | Bookable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanley, CO | Self-playing piano, Room 217 | Opened 1909 | Yes — ghost tours |
| Queen Mary, CA | B-deck shadows, Stateroom B340 | 1936 maiden voyage | Yes — staterooms and tours |
| Crescent, AR | Phantom cigar smoke, morgue-area footsteps | Opened 1886 | Yes — nightly ghost tours |
| Myrtles, LA | “Chloe,” rattling doorknobs, footsteps | Built 1796; “Chloe” disputed | Yes — house rooms, cottages |
| Lizzie Borden, MA | Hushed voices, stairway footsteps | 1892 murders | Yes — rooms in the actual house |
| del Coronado, CA | Kate Morgan’s touch sensations, flickering lights | Opened 1888; National Historic Landmark | Yes — luxury resort, heritage tours |
| Congress Plaza, IL | Cold upper floors, shadows | Opened 1893 | Yes — tour stop |
People also ask
Can you actually stay overnight in these haunted hotels?
Yes — every hotel here is a working hotel, B&B, or floating hotel with normal room inventory. That separates them from abandoned asylums you can only photograph from the sidewalk. Book direct with the hotel and name the room you want.
Are haunted hotel ghost stories real?
There’s no scientific evidence proving any of these hauntings. What circulates is personal testimony, staff lore, tales of restless spirits, and local legend layered over tragedy. For most guests, that gray area between history and folklore is the entire point.
Which haunted hotel is the scariest to stay at?
It depends on what kind of thing scares you. The Lizzie Borden House wins on pure unease — you’re sleeping inside a real 1892 crime scene. The Crescent and Queen Mary win on report volume; the Stanley wins on atmosphere.
When is the best time to book a haunted hotel?
October is the classic choice, though famous rooms sell out months ahead. Late winter is cheaper and quieter — and staff say the emptiest nights bring the most reports. The Skinwalker Ranch story pairs well with a paranormal road trip.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the most haunted hotel in America?
A: The Stanley Hotel in Colorado usually tops the lists, thanks to the Stephen King connection and a huge volume of guest reports. The Crescent and Myrtles are close rivals.
Q: Can you request a specific haunted room?
A: Yes — Room 217 at the Stanley, Stateroom B340 on the Queen Mary, and Room 419 at the Crescent are the famous requests, but they sell out first, especially around Halloween.
Q: Do these hotels run official ghost tours?
A: Most of them do. The Stanley, the Crescent Hotel, the Queen Mary, and the Hotel del Coronado all run scheduled ghost tours, several sold separately from rooms.
Q: Are haunted hotel ghost stories proven?
A: No. The buildings’ histories are documented fact — opening dates, real deaths, real crimes — but the haunting claims are personal reports and folklore. Nothing here has been scientifically proven.
More Haunted stories
- Most Haunted Places in the World
- Skinwalker Ranch Explained: What Really Happened There
- Marble Rolling Sound on Roof at Night: Causes & Meaning
This article presents traditional beliefs and folklore for informational purposes only, not as proven fact. If you experience persistent distress, please consult a qualified professional.
Published by NegativeVibeFix — folklore, mysteries, and the science behind them.