Haunted hotels aren’t mere places to stay. In fact, some of them turn into temporary thrill zones during spooky season, with ghost hunts in morgues & ballroom parties in old concert halls. Here are ten haunted hotels that turn into pop-up attractions worth visiting. What’s the scariest one in your opinion?
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Queen Mary, Long Beach
Each fall, the Queen Mary becomes Dark Harbor, with mazes going through decks & costumed hosts haunting the docks. There are also bars and roaming monsters. The event runs night by night, usually starting in late September and going through early November. You may want to buy your tickets online in advance so you don’t miss your slot.
The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park
At The Stanley, the Shining Ball takes over the concert hall, and there are costume contests & spooky decor everywhere. Don’t forget about the dancing. In 2024, they added “Overnightmare,” an immersive film-themed weekend across their rooms, and it’s well worth a visit.
Hawthorne Hotel, Salem
The Hawthorne Hotel turns into a haunted mansion-sized party every October. Each floor has something different going on, like bands on one, DJs on another, while costumed crowds fill every hallway. The themes change yearly & the décor always matches the story. You never know what you’re going to get.
Hotel del Coronado, San Diego
At Hotel del Coronado, the story of Kate Morgan still echoes through the halls, according to staff. Their Haunted Happenings Tours walk guests through the real history & the ghostly rumors tied to her mysterious 1892 death. In October, they also run themed dinners and ghost walks after dark. Real ghostly experiences not guaranteed.
1886 Crescent Hotel, Eureka Springs
The Crescent Hotel wears its nickname of “America’s Most Haunted Hotel” with pride. The hotel runs nightly ghost tours that actually end inside the old morgue used when the building was a cancer hospital. On select weekends, you can join a Midnight Investigation. This is where guests use ghost-hunting gear with guides until sunrise.
Lemp Mansion & Brewery, St. Louis
Those who want their hauntings with a side of beer history should visit the Lemp complex. The family mansion has candlelit ghost tours & murder-mystery dinners, while below ground, the old brewery caves turn into the Lemp Brewery Haunted House every fall. The tunnels themselves are supposedly still home to the Lemp family’s spirits.
Hotel Congress, Tucson
Why stop at being haunted? Hotel Congress has a block party during Halloween, and they mix the site’s dark history with a sense of spookiness. There are Haunted Hotel Tours for the ghost stories, as well as giant Halloween events like Nightmare on Congress Street. You’ll see far too many people dancing in spooky makeup till closing time.
The Myrtles Plantation, Louisiana
At the Myrtles Plantation, it’s all about the slow Southern creep. Guests can join Evening Mystery Tours under the oak trees and hear stories of Chloe, the enslaved woman whose ghost is said to roam the property. During October, you can stay overnight in one of the original rooms. You might even catch a flickering light or unexplained footsteps in the halls.
Hotel Sorrento, Seattle
October at the Sorrento isn’t quiet, as the old Fireside Room fills up for the Witches’ Tea. This is where guests have themed drinks & snack on pastries. Best of all, they can dress up however they want, and some show up in full witch gear, while others just come for the atmosphere. Later in the month, they host a murder-mystery dinner event called “Till Death Do Us Part.”
Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods
The Mount Washington Resort goes all in when Halloween hits. Downstairs, “The Cave” lounge turns into a late-night costume party with a live DJ & dance floor that keeps going past midnight. Upstairs, they have weekend-long ghost retreats like “Phantom Peaks,” where paranormal speakers lead talks & small tours.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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