12 Most Haunted Hotels in America You Can Actually Stay In

Reports of mysterious noises and ghost sightings might frighten some travelers, but intrepid ghost hunters know there's nothing more exciting than staying in an allegedly haunted hotel. Across the United States, historic hotels have welcomed guests for decades or even centuries, but not every visitor has checked out.

The 12 most haunted hotels in America offer more than a comfortable bed and room service — spotting the spirits that wander these halls should be on every thrill-seeking tourist's bucket list. And with many of these hotels open in time for the spooky season, you could even plan a Halloween getaway to a supposedly haunted destination near you — that is, if you're brave enough.

1. The Stanley Hotel, Colorado

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, earned its place on nearly every list of the most haunted hotels in America, partially thanks to horror author Stephen King. It served as inspiration for the Overlook Hotel in "The Shining," and while you might not find a set of terrifying twin girls here, the property reportedly hosts a few spirits of its own.

Freelan Oscar Stanley opened the now-historic hotel in 1909; he and his wife, Flora, are said to roam its halls to this day, among other ghostly spirits who checked in but never left. You can even book a stay in one of the "spirited" rooms, which allegedly have high levels of paranormal activity.

2. The Hollywood Roosevelt, California

This iconic Los Angeles hotel opened in 1927, hosting countless stars throughout the Golden Age of Hollywood, including Shirley Temple, Montgomery Clift, Charlie Chaplin, and many more. A few of the Hollywood Roosevelt's most famous guests might have returned in the afterlife — Marilyn Monroe lived in room 1200 for two years at the beginning of her career, and some report seeing her ghostly reflection in the room's mirror.

3. Omni Parker House, Massachusetts

One of the longest continuously operating hotels in the United States, Boston's Omni Parker House has seen its fair share of history. It's rumored that the ghost of the hotel's founder, Harvey Parker, still roams the halls, checking to make sure guests are enjoying their stay. (Talk about hospitality that goes above and beyond.) Others report that the spirit of Charles Dickens, who briefly lived in the hotel, may still linger on the third floor where he once stayed.

4. 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, Arkansas

Originally built in 1886, the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, was taken over by criminal and entrepreneur Norman Baker in 1937, who turned the property into a hospital and health resort while claiming to have a cure for cancer. (He was later jailed for mail fraud, though that was hardly his worst offense.) Many people allegedly died under his untrained supervision, and some paranormal experts say the hotel's sordid past caused the spirits of several patients to stick around. The hotel is now a beautiful, expansive retreat — it offers ghost tours and even features images of ghosts spotted at the resort on its website.

5. The Don CeSar, Florida

Since 1928, the stunning "Pink Palace" has welcomed guests to St. Pete Beach on the Gulf Coast of Florida, but its eternal guests have a surprisingly heartwarming story. Thomas Rowe fell madly in love with Spanish opera singer Lucinda while in London, but her parents forbade their relationship, leaving the lovebirds heartbroken. Thomas returned to America and built The Don CeSar as a tribute to his lost love, and some say that since his passing, they have seen the couple — reunited in death — roaming around the resort. Book a stay, and you may spot Thomas and Lucinda wandering the hotel, hand in hand.

6. Jekyll Island Club Resort, Georgia

Once a playground for America's wealthiest families, including the Morgans, Vanderbilts, and Rockefellers, this historic Georgia resort opened in 1888 as a recreational club. Some say you can still feel the presence of wealthy visitors and hotel workers today. In fact, if you pass by the Sans Souci Cottage, you might catch a whiff of cigar smoke as the ghost of financier J.P. Morgan enjoys a few puffs outside his former residence.

7. The Equinox, Vermont

This Manchester, Vermont, resort has welcomed guests since 1769, and it has a couple of lingering spirits. President Lincoln's family vacationed at the Equinox, and it's said that the ghost of his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, is still spotted around the property.

8. The Pfister Hotel, Wisconsin

The Pfister Hotel opened in Milwaukee in 1893 with elegant interiors and advanced technology for the times, including electricity, individual thermostat controls, and fireproofing, making it one of the most sought-after accommodations in the city. The hotel is supposedly home to a number of spooky sightings — in fact, several MLB players have reported their own personal ghost experiences in the hotel, and some are even too scared to stay there.

9. Emily Morgan Hotel, Texas

The beautiful Emily Morgan Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, wasn't always a hotel. The 1924 building first housed a hospital and doctors offices; before that, it was near the site of the deadly Battle of the Alamo. It's believed that this history is the reason for the mysterious occurrences that happen throughout the hotel — some guests have even reported seeing a woman in white wander the halls.

10. La Fonda on the Plaza, New Mexico

This beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico, hotel has an incredibly rich history. Since 1607, a number of inns have been located on this very site, but a handful of events may be the cause of continued hauntings. According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the ghosts of a judge shot in the lobby, a businessman who gambled everything away at the hotel before jumping down a well, and a bride killed on her wedding night are just a few of the spirits that you may come across during your stay here.

11. The Marshall House, Georgia

Savannah, Georgia, is known for being a hotbed of paranormal activity, and the Marshall House is just the place to stay if you want a fully immersive spooky experience in the city. Since 1851, the property was used once as a wartime hospital and twice as a hospital during the yellow fever epidemics. Any hotel with such a history is bound to have a few residual spirits hanging around, and guests have reported seeing ghosts and hearing children running down the halls late at night.

12. Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C.

The luxurious Omni Shoreham Hotel is one of D.C.'s most historic hotels, and arguably one of the most haunted. A young girl and a maid both died of mysterious causes in one suite during the early 1900s, and some guests have reported bizarre noises with no explanation on the floor where they passed away.