By Marti Mayne
Hysterical or historical, ghostly spirits make themselves as comfortable in America’s bed and breakfasts as living guests do, and not just in the dead of night. No one’s sure if it’s the great breakfasts, the warm hospitality, or the atmosphere of these historic homes, but the friendly spirits simply don’t want to leave. According to statistics from the September 2009 survey of B&B innkeepers and inn travelers conducted by BedandBreakfast.com, nearly 20 percent (an estimated 3600) of the inns in the United States are haunted. This leaves ample opportunity to sleep with a ghost for those who seek experiences with the world beyond. Almost 64% of guests either preferred to stay at inns where ghosts have been seen or admitted it didn’t matter if it was haunted or not. Nearly all respondents’ answers indicated they believed in ghosts!
For the eighth time since 2002, BedandBreakfast.com, the largest online B&B directory and reservation network worldwide, has compiled the most comprehensive list of B&Bs and inns where ghost seekers will enjoy spirited gatherings, bed-and-breakfast style. Although innkeepers are often afraid to share stories about hosting ghosts for fear of scaring guests, more than 100 B&Bs dare to reveal their ghostly happenings and haunted hospitality in the annual round up of tales from the B&B crypts.
Here is the complete list of great places to sleep with a ghost, organized alphabetically by region and state.
WEST & SOUTHWEST
Red Garter B&B, Williams, AZ: Owner-innkeeper John Holst describes himself as a “hardcore skeptic” when it comes to ghostly apparitions. But he has come to terms with his B&B’s resident ghost, named Eve. This two-story 1897 Victorian Romanesque-style bed and breakfast, once considered the rowdiest abode on Williams’ Saloon Row, operated as a bar and bordello until the 1940s. A steep flight of steps known as the “Cowboy’s Endurance Test” led to the girls upstairs. Holst is pretty sure that one of the women of the night never left. While most guests have a good night’s sleep, a few have said they felt the bed shake, heard someone going up and down the stairs or felt something touching their arms, according to Holst. Come experience it for yourself with nightly ‘Walking Ghost Tours’ until Halloween and ‘Ghost Tales of the Grand Canyon Area’ through the winter.
Brannan Cottage Inn, Calistoga, CA: Built in 1860, this inn offers two haunted rooms available for the brave and curious. Visit in October to enjoy plenty of lights and creepy Halloween fashion.
The Groveland Hotel, Groveland, CA: An old gold-miner named Lyle was found dead with a box of dynamite under his bed here yet still prefers to hang around. Spirited storyteller and innkeeper Peggy Mosley has a collection of Lyle stories compiled from employees and guests that she loves to tell. Although a recluse in life, Lyle’s spirit tends to the playful. He particularly dislikes women’s cosmetics on ‘his’ dresser and has been known to move such items to a nearby sink. One Groveland Hotel guest watched as her new makeup ‘hopped’ over the back of the dresser and landed on the floor. Lyle is a great tease who likes to tinker with lights and water, and enjoys moving items around desktops.
Strawberry Creek Inn B&B, Idyllwild, CA: According to a local clairvoyant, at least six spirits haunt this house, which has been through many incarnations as a dentist office, restaurant, and a home for troubled boys. On several occasions, guests complained that their rooms were freezing cold, yet when the innkeepers checked, the rooms actually seemed warm. The clairvoyant explained that is the ghostly way of showing displeasure with a person. One persnickety spirit is believed to be a housewife who is quite protective of the house. Pictures have actually flown from walls in the private cottage here too, and sometimes doors are held shut. One guest saw the spirit of a little girl who asked, “Are you my mommy?”
Gate House Inn, Jackson, CA: According to the innkeepers of this historic Queen Anne mansion, a “Garden Ghost” appeared soon after the unruly overgrowth around the mansion was cleared away for new gardens. An innkeeper actually reported a “tap” on his shoulder while working outside. Although no paranormal activity has been reported within the inn, the surrounding land has a ghostly presence.
MacCallum House Inn, Mendocino, CA: According to town lore, Donald MacCallum – born in 1880 as the only son of Daisy and Alexander MacCallum – never truly left the second floor. Many guests over the years have testified to strange and unexplained happenings in room 4, where Donald slept from the time he was an infant.
The Napa Inn B&B, Napa, CA: Emma Krasov, writing for RealTravelAdventures.com reveals that with the building’s many transformations from a home for delinquent boys to the city’s Police Station, it’s no surprise that spirits are hanging on. Emma writes “Some friendly ghosts from the old photographs on the wall next to a piano were watching the ever changing carnival of strangers, now inhabiting their former family rooms.” Guests are assured that all ghosts are friendly and welcoming.
Albert Shafsky House B&B Inn, Placerville, CA: Albert Shafsky built his home in 1902 – and according to the innkeepers here, he’s still hanging around. Shafsky sometimes locks guests out of their rooms and leaves pennies in strange places. An apparition fitting his description has even been seen standing at the foot of one guest’s bed.
Queen Anne Hotel, San Francisco, CA: Built as a girls’ finishing school following the Gold Rush, the headmistress apparently hasn’t given up her role of tending to the needs of the building’s occupants. Dozens of accounts speak of “Miss Mary Lake” appearing briefly in a mirror or being noticed as a hot or cold spot in a room. There’s even an odd report of Mary tucking in a napping traveler with the blanket snugly tucked all the way around the bed. The occurrences all happen in what’s referred to as “Miss Mary Lake Suite” or “the haunted room” (No. 410). No wonder this is the hotel’s most popular room among those seeking a chance at the third dimension. Celebrity psychic Nancy Bradley and Paranormals “Gold Rush Ghosts” have verified that the building is haunted and confirm the ghosts are friendly. It’s the first stop on the Pacific Heights Ghost Trek.
Santa Paula Inn, Santa Paula, CA: Built in 1912 as the town’s mortuary, this building was destroyed when the St. Francis Dam broke and 900 buildings were washed away. More than 200 bodies were stacked up here for loved ones to identify. Most have moved on, but a few continue to hang around, reminding guests to “wash away” cares at this peaceful inn.
Ghost Rails Inn, Alberton, MT: A century ago, the old Milwaukee Railroad paused here to take on water and change crews; the inn was built to house the railroad workers. When the Milwaukee Road abandoned services and pulled up the tracks in the 1970s, the town of Alberton nearly disappeared. It’s coming back to life today as a bedroom community for nearby Missoula, just 30 minutes away. The railroading days live on in the form of a phantom brakeman, still awaiting his call upstairs in the old hotel, according to the tales of those who’ve seen him.
Bottger Mansion of Old Town, Albuquerque, NM: Resident ghosts sigh, pace, and sometimes even dance. There are three confirmed, and more likely six contented spirits here, documented by investigators of the paranormal. Stay over Halloween or any other time of year, and you just might experience them.
Will you go to bed alone and wake up with company at the haunted Texas White House? Photo courtesy Marti Mayne
Texas White House, Fort Worth, TX: The ghost here is believed to be the husband of the only family who ever lived in the house. He died here and now haunts his old bedroom (now the Lone Star Room). Interestingly, the ghost sightings occur when a single woman is staying in the room. One woman awoke in the middle of the night, feeling that someone was lying on the bed beside her, back to back. She said that for several minutes she lay perfectly still, then she felt the “person” start to move off of the bed. At that point, she turned over very quickly to see who it was, and no one was there. The overhead light then came on, even though no one had turned it on. Another woman awoke feeling someone getting into bed with her. She turned over immediately to see who it was, but no one was there. Immediately afterwards, her cell phone, which was plugged in several feet away, began to beep and wouldn’t stop for several seconds. She said that her phone had never done that before. A third woman reported that she felt a presence in the corner. Later that night she felt the same presence again on the other side of the bed. Thus far, all of the presences have been “friendly.”
Prince Solms Inn Bed & Breakfast, New Braunfels, TX: In the early 1900s, a young woman clad in a lacy wedding dress waited for her husband to arrive for their wedding at this inn. He did not appear, and despite a thorough search, he was deemed to have disappeared. The woman vowed to reside at the inn until he came and stayed on the staff for the next 20 years until her death in the late 1920s, still awaiting her true love. In 1930, a man arrived by horseback in search of a woman, and when he climbed the stairs to find her, innkeepers reported seeing the woman waiting in her wedding dress. The couple embraced then slowly disappeared. No one ever came to claim his horse, tied to the hitching post. Since then, there have been numerous sightings of a woman in her wedding dress.
Thornewood Castle, Lakewood, WA: So ghostly is this B&B, it served as a set for Stephen King’s miniseries Rose Red in 2002. In real life, while no scary hauntings have occurred, guests have reported their share of chills. Invisible presences, the sound of footsteps, and stories of apparitions have been told. The ghost of Chester Thorne has been seen on the grounds and passing through his bedroom. According to lore, if you stay in Thorne’s old room and ask for his help with financial matters, he will give you a hand. Thorne’s daughter Anna, is often seen sitting at her bedroom windows, looking out. The property has Native American lore — the house is said to sit atop a fairy mound — and fairies are often reported in the gardens.
Haunted Savannah: The Official Guidebook to Savannah Haunted History TourFrom the back cover: Savannah has been named the "Most Haunted City" by investigators from the Travel, History, and Discovery Channels. Her history is... Read More >
Queen - Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 &2Queen brought a whole new meaning to the phrase over the top. While rock & roll flamboyance stretched back at least as far as Little Richard, Freddie ... Read More >
2 Halloween Skeleton Yard Flamingos Lawn DecorThis pair of skelamingos are molded black plastic with painted on bones. You will get One Long neck measuring 30 Inches tall and One short Neck measur... Read More >
Asheville Travel GuideThis Offbeat Guide has everything you need to have a great trip, including how to get there, get around, fun sights, great restaurants, landmarks and ... Read More >
Related posts:
- UK paranormal author Malcolm Robinson exposes shocking ghostly tales from the British Isles
- British authorities release secret UFO evidence
- Ghost Radar tempts paranormal investigators with intriguing evidence
- Farah Yurdozu talks about her new book, ‘Love In An Alien Purgatory’
- Scottish castle tourist snaps tantalizing ghost photo
Recent Comments