The Most Haunted Hotels in the US
Staying at a haunted hotel can be either a nightmare or a dream come true, depending on how you feel about sharing space with a few ghosts and spirits. While some may shudder at the very thought of it, those who enjoy learning about the paranormal will often jump at the chance to stay in a haunted room in the hopes of having a real encounter with a ghost.
If this sounds like something you would enjoy, we have a list of the most haunted hotels in the United States that come highly recommended from other horror enthusiasts.
What Is the Most Haunted Hotel in the United States?
It’s hard to pinpoint which hotel in the United States is the most haunted. Some believe it is the Le Pavillon in the mysterious City of New Orleans, where, employees claim, more than 100 ghosts haunt the halls. Others say it is the historic and eclectic Hotel Chelsea in New York City, where several famous people have checked in but never got the opportunity to leave.
Here are five of our top suggestions for the most haunted hotels in the country for you to consider.
The Marshall House in Savannah, GA
The Marshall House - Located at 123 E. Broughton Street, Savannah, GA 31401
If you perform a quick online search for the most haunted hotels in Savannah, you will probably find that The Marshall House ranks at the top of your search results. With a history of being a makeshift hospital during the Civil War as well as during multiple outbreaks of Yellow Fever, it is no surprise that this elegant Southern hotel is haunted by many dark entities.
The History of The Marshall House Hotel
The Marshall House has been a landmark in this Georgia town since it first opened its doors in 1851 in the premier shopping district on Broughton Street. The original owner of the hotel, Mary Marshall, was a prominent figure throughout Savannah’s history.
She was born during the last year of the Revolution and died in the final days of the Reconstruction of the South. Her father, Gabriel Leaver, was a cabinetmaker who acquired several high-end pieces of property before he died in 1795, leaving his estate to Mary.
Mary was a smart businesswoman. She invested her inheritance in properties and then developed them into successful businesses like The Marshall House, which made her a permanent fixture within Savannah’s wealthy social circles.
Hauntings at The Marshall House
Many of the hauntings that occur at The Marshall House are your typical ghostly encounters, such as hearing the sound of children laughing and playing in the halls or the lights flickering mysteriously. But there is one recurring phenomenon at this location that many guests find deeply unsettling.
Guests have reported a very strange and unpleasant odor coming from rooms 414 and 420, the two most haunted guest rooms in the hotel. It has been said that the scent is very similar to the odor that comes from decaying bodies.
Because the hotel was used to house soldiers who suffered injuries during the Civil War, as well as patients during several outbreaks of Yellow Fever in Savannah, the source of the odor could very well be something sinister left behind by those who lost their lives in those very same rooms.
There are several other rooms at the hotel said to be haunted. Along with 414 and 420, spirits have been spotted in rooms 214, 313, and 314. Apparently, some of these ghosts like the number 14.
Make sure to join a haunted Savannah ghost tour for the inside scoop on Savannah’s most haunted hotel!
The Union Station Hotel in Nashville, TN
Union Station Hotel – Located at 1001 Broadway, Nashville, TN. 37203
The Union Station Hotel has a beautiful architectural design and is filled with many historical features and artifacts. However, there is also a darkness that lurks in the shadows, which has led to this hotel being named one of the most haunted in the country, which is why it’s usually featured on local Nashville ghost tours.
The History of the Union Station Hotel
The hotel’s building was constructed in 1900 and originally used as a train depot for the L&N Railroad. After the depot closed down, the building sat abandoned for years until it was transformed into a lovely boutique hotel in the 1980s.
Hauntings at Union Station
The spooky side of the Union Station Hotel is widely known by ghost-hunting enthusiasts. One story that keeps them coming back is the tale of a woman named Abigail.
During WWII, when the Union Station was still a train depot, there were millions of servicemen coming in and out of the building as they were boarding the trains. Abigail was a young woman in her twenties who came to the station to say goodbye to her beloved before he left the U.S. to serve in the war in France.
When the war had ended, Abigail returned to the station to wait in the same spot for his return. Unfortunately, that is when she learned that the love of her life wasn’t coming home.
According to the story, Abigail was so heartbroken that she threw herself upon the tracks in front of a speeding train.
Encounters With Abigail’s Ghost
The spirit of Abigail has been seen numerous times all throughout the Union Station Hotel, but she makes her presence known most often inside Room 711. In fact, there have been so many sightings of Abigail in this particular room that the hotel has dedicated it to her, decorating it as a homage to her with artifacts and décor from the WWII era.
Guests who have stayed in the room have reported different types of ghostly encounters. Some have heard strange noises inside the room as well as from above.
One man mentioned hearing the sound of furniture being dragged overhead. The strange thing about that is Room 711 is on the top floor of the hotel. Other strange occurrences, such as flickering lights, cold spots, and mysterious figures showing up in photographs, have all happened over the years in this haunted room.
It is definitely an interesting room to stay in if you love all things horror-related. But if you scare easily, you may want to book a different room while staying at this downtown Nashville location.
The Battery Carriage House in Charleston, SC
The Battery Carriage House – Located at 20 S. Battery Street, Charleston, SC. 29401
Also known as 20 South Battery, the magnificent Battery Carriage House Bed and Breakfast Inn is an elegant five-story antebellum mansion that was frequently visited by wealthy 19th-century merchants of Charleston and surrounding areas.
Today, the main mansion is a private residence owned by the descendants of the original 1874 owners. However, there are eleven guest rooms inside the mansion’s Carriage House as well as guest rooms in the raised basement where visitors can stay. Many guests quickly realize during their stay that they are not entirely alone in their rooms.
The History of 20 South Battery
The Battery Carriage House was built in 1843 as a residential home for a wealthy cotton merchant. When the Civil War broke out, Charleston endured four years of battles with Union forces. Many mansions, like the Battery Carriage House, were abandoned because they were so close to the dangerous battlegrounds.
After the war, the mansion was bought and sold to several owners. Time wasn’t kind to the property, and those who lived there throughout the 20th century failed to keep up the repairs it desperately needed. The building fell into disrepair following the devastation of Hurricane Hugo, but was later rescued by current owners Drayton and Kat Hastie, who renovated it and later opened the bed and breakfast.
Hauntings at 20 South Battery
Like many of the cities that were once the first colonies of America, Charleston has a dark past that causes spirits, both good and bad, to cling to the area. As far back as the 18th century, when pirates would make port there, they would stay and wreak havoc in town until the authorities would capture them and hang them from trees located near the mansion.
The brutal deaths in Charleston didn’t stop there. After four years of battles during the Civil War and the devastating outbreaks of Yellow Fever that spread throughout the land, the property was used during the 1920s and 30s as a place where wild parties and all types of immoral acts took place.
Some believe that in 1989, Hurricane Hugo stirred up some spirits in the area and caused them to become more active. It seemed that there was also more ghostly activity happening at the mansion after the current owners purchased the property and started on repairs.
There are several spirits of pirates and soldiers who roam about the halls or stay in specific rooms. One spirit likes to pester the men who stay in Room 8, playing pranks on them but never causing any harm.
One man staying at the hotel in Room 8 was stirred awake to see the apparition of someone by his bed, dressed in layers of clothing, including a lavish cape made of material the man had never seen before. When the man reached out to touch the material of the cape, the apparition made a horrific growling noise. The man sat up, now wide awake, but the ghost had disappeared.
The Hotel Chelsea in New York, New York
The Hotel Chelsea – Located at 222 West Twenty-Third Street, New York, NY. 10011
This 100-year-old hotel is well known within New York and beyond because of its gothic architecture and history of housing many famous artists, authors, musicians, and actors. It has been said that many of those who stayed there over the years have refused to check out of this popular NYC location, even after their mortal life has ended.
The History of the Hotel Chelsea
Stepping inside the Hotel Chelsea is like walking into a time capsule thanks to its retro décor and gothic furnishings. The impressive 11-story hotel was built between 1883 and 1884. It was the tallest building in New York City at the time, and as of 2022, it is still considered a luxury hotel.
The hotel is an essential part of New York lore, where art history, literature, and rock and roll once came together. It is where Andy Warhol filmed what would later become the Chelsea Girls movie, where Thomas Wolfe wrote You Can’t Go Home Again, and where Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick came together to write 2001: A Space Odyssey.
But it wasn’t all glitz and glamour at the Hotel Chelsea. This location is also where Dylan Thomas drank himself to death and where Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols allegedly stabbed and killed Nancy Spungen.
There were a lot of crazy and explicit activities going on there, especially in the late 70s, and it was considered a dodgy place by the locals well into the early 90s.
Hauntings at Hotel Chelsea
While the rich and famous who stayed at the Hotel Chelsea have come and gone, the legends of the spirits frequently seen by guests have remained constant over the decades.
One popular tale dates back to 1912, when Mary, one of the survivors of the Titanic, stayed on the eighth floor of the hotel after surviving the tragic event. She lost her husband when the ship sank, and was so distraught when she arrived at the hotel that she ended up taking her own life. Her ghost has been seen on multiple floors on the mid-level of the building, and she has been known to show up in mirrors inside guest rooms.
One of the most chilling rooms in the hotel is the infamous suite where Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen stayed. Their murder story is a tale of heartbreak, and it’s been said that the ghosts of both Sid and Nancy haunt the room where she died.
Another haunting occurence at the hotel is the sound of disembodied voices echoing through the halls. Countless photos have been taken by guests showing mysterious auras, which pair well with the eerie lighting and eclectic artwork throughout the building.
Le Pavillon Hotel in New Orleans, LA
Located at 833 Poydras Street, New Orleans, LA 70112
The historic Le Pavillon Hotel in New Orleans is believed to be the most haunted hotel in the state and perhaps even in the entire country. According to New Orleans Ghosts, this location is haunted by as many as one hundred spirits. And, while they may be generally well-mannered, they do love pulling pranks on unsuspecting guests.
The History of the Le Pavillion Hotel
The land where the hotel sits was originally part of the land granted to the founders of the New Orleans Colony, the Jesuits. When the Jesuits were expelled from New Orleans years later, the land became home to an indigo plantation and sugar cane fields.
Around the 18th century, a complex legal battle arose between the shop owner and the city over the ownership of the property. After the legal battle was over, Werlein Hall mysteriously burned down.
In 1899, the property was purchased by La Baronne Realty Company, and construction started in 1905 on what would one day be the La Pavillion. Two years later, the hotel was finally completed.
It was initially named New Hotel Denechuad and later took on the name of the DeSoto Hotel, which operated an underground escape tunnel during the years of Prohibition. New owners purchased the building in the 1970s and relaunched it as the Le Pavillon New Orleans, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel.
Hauntings at Le Pavillion
A paranormal investigation group staying at the hotel once came in contact with four ghosts who seemed to be quite intelligent. They recorded voices on EVPs that clearly stated the phrases “Please, get out” and “Hold on, I see you now.”
Several guests have reported hearing sounds of chuckling in the early morning hours. Others have stated they’ve encountered playful ghosts who like to tease them by pulling on their bedsheets.
Former guests and staff members at the hotel agree that if you don’t want to encounter any spooky spirits, you should avoid staying in room 301 at all costs. The hotel staff claims that the spirit of a young girl who endured a tragic death resides there. The girl was killed when a runaway horse trampled her outside the hotel in the 1800s.
Staff members have also reported seeing a well-dressed, yet mischievous young man dressed in 19th-century attire playing pranks on guests and disappearing when they try to catch him in the act. There have also been reports of a Peeping Tom entity who has appeared at the hotel since the 1960s. He’s been known to levitate up to hotel room windows and peek inside.
Honorable Mention—Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Canada
Located at 405 Spray Avenue, Banff, Alberta T1L1J4, Canada
While it may not be within the United States, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, located in Banff, Canada, near the majestic Rocky Mountains, earns an honorable mention for being one of the most haunted hotels to exist. It is said that Sam the bellman has never stopped working at the hotel even though he retired in 1967. After he passed away several years later, guests reported seeing a ghostly bellman show up whenever they had difficulty entering their rooms.
