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These are 10 of the most haunted hotels in the world — and you can actually sleep in them
19.09.2024 - 21:51 / thepointsguy.com / Theodore Roosevelt / Harry Houdini
Looking to celebrate Halloween in a truly spooky fashion? Why not try and brave a night at one of the most haunted hotels in the world?
From glamorous Hollywood high-rises to Dublin's stately "Grand Dame," there's no shortage of haunted hotels you can book — in some cases, with points — to get into the All Hallows' Eve spirit.
We've selected our favorites — a mix of urban towers, historic mansions and more — that are rumored to have some supernatural guests. Here are 10 of the best, most haunted hotels in the world.
The Stanley Hotel is the iconic, sinister property that inspired Stephen King's "The Shining."
Located in Estes Park, Colorado (which is an hour and 30 minutes northwest of Denver), the hotel opened in 1909 and was intended to be a posh getaway for America's upper crust that could rival the grand hotels found on the East Coast — and it reigned supreme in Colorado for quite a few decades. However, by the 1970s, The Stanley Hotel had fallen into a state of disrepair. It might have even been demolished had King not stumbled in during a winter storm in 1974.
There's a grand total of 140 rooms at The Stanley Hotel, though rooms 217 and 413 — as well as the entire fourth floor — are considered the most haunted. And the Stanley isn't home to just one ghost, but several. There's Elizabeth Wilson, the head chambermaid who survived a large gas explosion at the hotel and would work at the property until the '50s. An unknown child can sometimes be spotted playing with guests' hair, while the ghost of a pastry chef is said to walk the staff tunnels beneath the hotel, filling the space with the scent of freshly baked treats wherever he goes. The property is also believed to be haunted by Freelan Oscar Stanley himself, as well as his wife Flora, who can sometimes be heard tinkling the keys of the lobby piano.
The Stanley's public areas often see the most paranormal action — especially the concert hall, where Harry Houdini once performed. The ghost of Mrs. Smith, another former housekeeper, is more of a friendly apparition — she tidies up rooms and organizes guests' suitcases. However, ladies should beware of the spirit of the schmoozing businessman Lord Dunraven, who allegedly steals jewelry, hides it in the closet and likes to breathe down the back of guests' necks.
Related: 6 things I saw during my stay at the 'haunted' Stanley Hotel
The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa dates back to 1769, and over the years, it has welcomed a variety of high-wattage guests such as former presidents William Howard Taft, Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore Roosevelt. It also has more than a few phantoms in residence, including a celebrity phantom. The ghost of Abraham Lincoln's melancholy wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, has been spotted
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These are the 50 best hotels in the world
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