Top 10 Most Haunted Hotels in the USA

Baltimore, Maryland
We kick off our list referencing another prestigious ranking, when Maryland's Lord Baltimore Hotel was named one of 2019's most haunted establishments by Historic Hotels of America. The Lord Baltimore possesses a history dating back to 1928 and today's staff embraces the building's mysterious reputation, which includes rumors of dancing ballroom ghosts and elevators that operate on their own. Management even offers haunted tours of the hotel, regaling guests with tales of Depression-era suicides and a creepy girl named Molly who's reportedly been seen at night bouncing a red ball down the hall.

Honolulu, Hawaii
A murder mystery stands at the center of our next hotel, also known as a part of the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, in Honolulu. Jane Stanford, who co-founded the university that bears her name, died from strychnine poisoning while recovering in this Hawaiian hotel. Recovering from what, you may ask? Well, would you believe being poisoned again? Although Stanford was able to overcome the first attempt on her life while in her native San Francisco, her days at the Moana would prove to be her last. Today, the beautiful views of the Moana is tempered by reports from guests who claim to have seen Stanford wandering the halls late at night, trying to find her way back to the room where she died.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Marty and Elise Roenigk knew what they were getting into when they purchased the Crescent Hotel and Spa back in 1997. Or, at least that's what this hotel's website claims, as they fully cop to their haunted reputation. The Crescent embraces the fact that the Roenigks hired a pair of mediums to read the building, and that these paranormal professionals seemed to sense a "portal to hell" on hotel grounds. The reasons behind this could be the fact that the Crescent Hotel and Spa used to operate as a hospital by its former owner, Norman G. Baker, a radio personality who pushed false cancer cures at the expense of the public. Guests say that ghosts who died at Baker's hospital still haunt the Crescent Hotel to this day.

Salem, Massachusetts
Sure, it isn't as if Salem, Massachusetts particularly needs a haunted hotel to enhance its spooky reputation, but you know… it doesn't hurt! The Hawthorne Hotel has actually seen its fair share of encounters with the media, as the show "Ghost Hunters" once investigated its grounds, and an episode of "Bewitched" used its elevator back in the '70s. But why is the Hawthorne Hotel haunted? Well, most locals and experts point to the area's major fishing industry as one reason, claiming that the ghosts of sailors and captains still live within the walls. Guests have reported hearing unexplained noises and seeing things move around on their own over the years, so anything's possible!

Santa Fe, New Mexico
There are many reasons why a building might be haunted, with one of them being the presence of men and women who died violently during their lifetime. La Fonda on the Plaza is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, an area that saw its fair share of gunfights, suicides and murders back in the days of the Wild West. This otherwise beautiful hotel is said to harbor the ghosts of men like Judge John Slough, who was shot after an argument in the lobby, men who still walk with boots of lead and make mysterious noises in the night and wake up guests. This hasn't stopped people from coming, however, making La Fonda on the Plaza a destination for tourists and ghost hunters alike.

Estes Park, Colorado
If a hotel creeps Stephen King out, then it just HAS to be the real deal, right? The Stanley Hotel was reportedly one such establishment, an Estes Park, Colorado building that was in a state of disrepair when King and his family stayed there for the night. The story goes that King was inspired to write "The Shining" after one particularly troubling nightmare during his stay at the Stanley, one where his son chased down a hotel hallway by a fire-hose. King had also noticed how there was basically no one running the hotel during his family's stay as the only guests, a crumbling ghost house with only the essential caretakers on grounds to overlook the grounds.

New York, New York
Hotel Chelsea — often referred to as The Chelsea Hotel — may still be experiencing renovation delays, but this building's reputation precedes itself, having housed countless musicians and celebrities over the years. Sadly, this Manhattan landmark has also seen its fair share of infamy, as well, most notably being the place where the Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious and girlfriend Nancy Spungen were resident before the latter was stabbed to death. Yup, Hotel Chelsea was sometimes a rough place, and not all of these ghosts seem content to rest in peace either, as guests and residents over the years have reported a woman's scream, flickering lights and heavy footsteps disturbing their sleep and dreams.

Fall River, Massachusetts
The next entry on our list may be one of the best known haunted spots in America, a place where guests can relive one of the most mysterious murder cases in history. The Lizzie Borden House is a museum, tourist attraction and working bed & breakfast, where guests can stay the night. Only the bravest dare to book the actual room where Lizzie Borden reportedly murdered her stepmother Abby, where strange noises and mysterious occurrences have been reported by many guests over the years. Sure, one could argue that perhaps anyone who stays here is basically hoping to be scared, but isn't that a part of the fun, after all?

Los Angeles, California
Hotels are the ultimate party palaces, and what better place to party than a hotel frequented by the Hollywood A-list? The Roosevelt Hotel was one such place, one that slid from Golden Era glamour during the days of Marilyn Monroe to skid row sleaze during its declining years in the 1970s and '80s. One employee of the Roosevelt even claimed to have even seen Marilyn's face in a mirror when tidying up the place, although most guests seem to find paranormal traces when using cameras and cell phones, usually capturing strange images that seem to defy explanation. Thankfully, the Hollywood Roosevelt was saved from demolition and continues to operate in L.A. today, standing as a testament to creepy, kooky all-together ooky Hollywood ghost stories.

Before we name our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions.

The Seelbach Hilton, Louisville, Kentucky
Bride and Groom Wedding Suicide?

Bourbon Orleans Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana
Nun and Kid Ghosts? No, Thanks

Congress Plaza Hotel, Chicago, Illinois
Do Gangster Ghosts Live Here?

Admiral Fell Inn, Baltimore, Maryland
A Final Farewell for Dead Sailors

The Sagamore Resort, Lake George, New York
The Polka Dot Ghost

Los Angeles, California
Okay, even though the Hollywood Roosevelt was known for bad behavior during its lean years, it had nothing on the Cecil Hotel, now known, in very different form, as Stay on Main. This dilapidated flop house was infamous for being a crossroads of sorts, a place where both locals and out-of-towners would pass like ships in the night, keeping secrets and business to themselves. Unfortunately a lot of BAD business also took place at the Cecil, from very weird deaths to drug overdoses and suicides. The hotel, which inspired a season of “American Horror Story,” was also notorious for serial killer residents, including Jack Unterweger, and allegedly, Richard Ramirez. It’s actually no mystery why this hotel takes the spooky, haunted crown.