There’s something irresistible about mixing elegant stays with a side of goosebumps. Each fall, more travelers trade pumpkin patches for haunted parlors, checking into hotels and historic towns where chandeliers flicker, legends linger, and the stories are just a little too detailed to be coincidence.
Whether you’re a true believer or simply love a good ghost story, these haunted hotels and ghost tours bring spooky season to life – with style.
The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado
Famous for inspiring The Shining, the Stanley delivers just enough chill to match its mountain setting. Join the guided night tour for a mix of history, storytelling, and a peek into The Shining Suite inside the restored 1909 Caretaker’s Cottage.
Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colorado
Aspen’s grand dame hides a darker legend: a young boy who drowned in the original pool supposedly still leaves puddles and tiny wet footprints through the halls. The bar staff swear by the occasional cold draft that isn’t coming from the door.
The Hollywood Roosevelt — Los Angeles, California
Old Hollywood glam with a ghostly edge. A mirror once belonging to Marilyn Monroe now hangs above the lobby bar, and guests claim her reflection still appears from time to time. Sip something sparkling and decide for yourself.
Hotel Driskill in Austin, Texas
Downtown Austin’s most storied hotel is also one of its most haunted. Expect flickering lights, phantom cigar smoke, and the whisper of boots echoing through marble corridors. Order a cocktail at the Driskill Bar and toast the resident spirits – of both kinds. You can also check out my full guide to Austin, TX.
Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California
This seaside icon has hosted presidents and movie stars… and one permanent guest. Kate Morgan checked in alone in 1892 and never checked out. Room 3327 remains her rumored haunt, where guests still feel a sudden chill or glimpse a fluttering Victorian skirt.
The Algonquin Hotel in New York City
Once home to Dorothy Parker and the famed Round Table crowd, the Algonquin buzzes with literary ghosts. Typewriter clicks in empty rooms and phantom clinking glasses remind visitors that witty banter might just echo forever.
Two Ghost Tours to Add to Your List
New Orleans Ghosts, Voodoo & Vampires Tour
Wander the French Quarter after dark with a local guide who knows every grisly legend and creaky courtyard. From the LaLaurie Mansion to candlelit courtyards, this walk blends history, mystery, and that unmistakable NOLA charm.
Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley Tour
Hop aboard the black trolley for a rolling ghost story through one of America’s oldest (and most haunted) cities. You’ll stop at cemeteries, colonial mansions, and squares where Spanish moss sways just a little too perfectly in the night breeze.
The Final Word
Whether you book a haunted suite, join a lantern-lit tour, or simply toast the season with something dark and stormy, spooky travel is proof that adventure doesn’t always mean sunshine.
So… would you check into one of these haunted hotels? Or are you happier when your spirits come from the bar? 🍸If spooky-season travel is calling your name, let’s talk destinations that give you chills (in a good way).
