Strange artifacts, mysterious apparitions and things that go bump in the night; guests might not get their recommended six to eight hours of sleep at these ghostly hotels. Whether it was an unexpected experience or calculated paranormal tourism, many guests have reported bizarre happenings at the following hotels that are bookable on VAX.
Omni Parker House, Boston, Massachusetts
Founded in 1855, the Omni Parker House sits in the heart of downtown Boston along the Freedom Trail. The hotel’s convenient location makes it a popular choice for travelers, but many visitors leave feeling more confused than well-rested.
Hotel staff and visitors have reported sights of a bearded gentleman dressed in colonial-era garb who is speculated to be Omni Parker House founder Harvey Parker. Aside from hallway encounters, this mysterious entity was also seen by a guest in room 1012 when they were woken by the spirit staring at them with a concerned look at the end of their bed. The 10th floor is also famous for orbs that hover in the hallway and mysteriously vanish.
But the upper levels don’t get to have all the fun; guests on the third floor have reported strange shadows, faucets turning on and off on their own and elevator antics as the elevator regularly stops on the third floor without pushing the button and when no one is around. Also, fun fact, Stephen King’s “1408” was inspired by the strange activity occurring in room 303.
The Emily Morgan San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
Dubbed the third most haunted hotel in the world by USA Today, The Emily Morgan lives up to San Antonio’s bloody history. The Emily Morgan was built in 1926 and acted as the city’s first Medical Arts Facility. The building was unique for its time with a terra-cotta finish and notable features, arguably the most of which are the gothic gargoyles depicting various medical ailments who stare down at visitors below. After almost 50 years in operation, the medical facility was converted to an office building in 1976 and ten years later it became The Emily Morgan Hotel. The Hilton family took ownership of the building in 2012 and did their best to avoid any bad luck by forgoing a 13th floor (as many hotel owners do) during the hotel’s multi-million dollar renovation. However, despite their best efforts, otherworldly phenomena is still a common occurrence at The Emily Morgan and every floor of the building is rumored to be haunted.
Guests have reported the sensation of something brushing up against them, the lingering scent of medicine and even ghostly images of hospital scenes playing before their eyes. On the twelfth floor, bathroom doors open and shut on their own, faucets flow freely without being turned on and apparitions of nurses roam the hallways. The elevator has a mind of its own, often travelling up and down without a single rider on it. When people do dare to take the elevator, it will take them almost anywhere but their requested floor, including down to the off-limits basement which was once home to the morgue. Speaking of the morgue, only hotel employees are allowed to enter this part of the building, but most of them avoid it like it’s the plague. Orbs are seen dancing in the air, disembodied voices whisper in their ears and worst of all is the smell of burning flesh.
And, as if all this isn’t fearsome enough, The Emily Morgan’s swimming pool is rumored to be constructed of the stainless steel from the medical center’s operating tables.
King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, Kona, Hawaii
Built on the grounds where King Kamehameha’s castle once stood, the Kona Beach Hotel is said to be seriously haunted. King Kamehameha, the ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii, died in 1819 and is said to be buried somewhere on the grounds where the hotel now stands. Local legend claims that the top floor of the Kona Beach Hotel is where King Kamehameha lived out the end of his life and is the most haunted spot in the building. Visitors have reported hearing the distant sounds of battle and seeing apparitions of warriors roaming the hotel grounds after dark. In addition to strange sights and battle cries, a gallery painting of Queen Liliuokalani located on the first floor appears to breathe in and out while glaring at guests as they pass by.
Luxor Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
Maybe it’s the haunted artifacts or maybe it’s the cursed land, but something seriously strange is happening at the Luxor Hotel. Modeled after the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Luxor is unlike anything else on the Las Vegas strip. Thirty stories of obsidian, a full-scale reproduction of King Tut’s tomb and a massive sphinx are just a few of the many unique sights this destination has to offer. However, despite being built with the goal of becoming a family-friendly hotel in the middle of Sin City, the Luxor has a dark history.
Construction on the hotel began in 1993 and things were immediately off to a bad start. Some rooms weren’t entirely finished on the hotel’s opening day, the elevator system was acting wonky and the building was literally sinking into a soft spot on the hard desert floor. Many believe these issues were due to a rushed job to fit a tight deadline and at least two construction workers reportedly died trying to finish the job (however, some local sources suggest this number might be higher than reported). Add this to a series of accidents and suicides on hotel grounds and it becomes easy to ponder if the property might really be cursed. Over the years the hotel imported various reproductions of Egyptian artifacts from Egypt for its King Tut display. The Luxor also lacks important details when it comes to Egyptian beliefs as it only has on sphinx, but two sphinxes are essential to properly protect a pyramid. In addition, the shape of the pyramid is believed to house mysterious properties that are known to attract dark energy. According to Egyptian lore, the only way to combat this is to place an eye at the top of the pyramid or the hotel will remain cursed forever.
Some argue that the Luxor’s ill fortune has nothing to do with its theme at all as the land was once a popular burial ground for mobsters’ victims due to its remote location.
Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, Louisiana
You may have heard of the Hotel Monteleone’s famous carousel bar, but this historic hotel is home to more than the French Quarter’s only rotating tavern. For generations, guests have experienced unexplainable things at the Hotel Monteleone causing even skeptics to ponder. Common strange occurrences include a locked restaurant door that opens and closes on its own almost every evening, an elevator that stops on the wrong floor and chilly hallways packed with ghostly apparitions.
The activity at the Hotel Monteleone has caught the attention of paranormal researchers around the world, including the International Society of Paranormal Research who spent several days at the hotel in 2003. During their stay the team claims to have made contact with over a dozen entities including a former employee named William “Red” Wildemere who died in the hotel of natural causes and the spirit of a young boy named Maurice Begere who died in the hotel many years ago. Guests still report seeing Maurice in the room where he died.
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