Across the United States, certain hotels and historic homes are known for both their architectural value and the stories that surround them. These places allow visitors to stay overnight in settings where history and rumor often meet. Each place maintains its character through original furnishings, preserved details, and decades of recorded accounts. Many still operate as welcoming inns that respect their past while providing modern comfort. The following locations combine verifiable history with unexplained reports, offering travelers a direct and tangible opportunity to experience America’s haunted heritage.
1. The Stanley Hotel – Estes Park, Colorado
Opened in 1909 by inventor F.O. Stanley, this grand resort overlooks Rocky Mountain National Park and later inspired Stephen King’s The Shining. Guests report soft piano music from the empty ballroom and lights that dim along the fourth-floor hallway. The hotel hosts nightly ghost tours explaining documented staff sightings and early photographs of misty figures. Rooms maintain their original woodwork and high ceilings, while modern heating and bedding ensure comfort year-round. Even without paranormal activity, the building’s craftsmanship and preserved furnishings make it a living museum of Colorado history. Staying here combines folklore, architecture, and mountain quiet in one memorable experience.
2. Eastern State Penitentiary – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Built in 1829, Eastern State Penitentiary introduced solitary confinement as a new approach to rehabilitation, a method that later drew controversy for its psychological toll. The prison’s massive stone corridors remain intact, and visitors now join guided night tours that describe life behind its 30-foot walls. Although traditional overnight stays are not offered year-round, private research programs occasionally permit monitored sleepovers for documentation purposes. Guards once reported voices echoing through sealed cell blocks, and guests today mention the same experience during quiet hours.
3. Hawthorne Hotel – Salem, Massachusetts
Opened in 1925, the Hawthorne Hotel anchors downtown Salem within walking distance of the Witch Museum and historic cemetery. Reports include cold drafts in closed rooms and chandeliers swaying slightly during calm weather. Staff maintain logs of unusual calls from empty suites, and paranormal groups often request Room 325 for overnight monitoring. Despite its haunted status, the hotel operates as a polished New England property with an award-winning restaurant and attentive service. Its annual October programs include local historians discussing colonial folklore and maritime legends.
4. The Red Lion Inn – Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Dating to the 1770s, the Red Lion Inn served stagecoach travelers before becoming one of the Berkshires’ best-known hotels. Guests have long reported hearing soft footsteps on the upper floors and seeing the shadow of an elderly woman near Room 301. The inn preserves original wood beams, antique furniture, and an inviting front porch lined with rocking chairs. Staff acknowledge its legends but emphasize comfort through fireside lounges and New England cuisine that draws locals nightly.
5. Ohio State Reformatory – Mansfield, Ohio
Famous for its appearance in The Shawshank Redemption, the Ohio State Reformatory combines Gothic architecture with a long record of inmate hardship. Paranormal investigators regard it as one of the most active prisons in the Midwest. Visitors can stay overnight during organized ghost hunts that grant access to multiple cellblocks, the chapel, and the warden’s quarters. The building’s size, steel walkways, and echoing halls intensify even ordinary sounds. Staff focus on preservation, using tour revenue for structural restoration. Historical interpretation remains central to each program, ensuring the experience highlights authentic prison conditions rather than staged horror.
6. The Myrtles Plantation – St. Francisville, Louisiana
Often called one of America’s most haunted homes, The Myrtles Plantation dates to 1796 and still welcomes overnight guests in its preserved suites. Reports of ghostly children, handprints on mirrors, and a figure believed to be a former enslaved woman named Chloe have circulated for more than a century. Visitors can stay in antique-furnished rooms inside the main house or in nearby cottages overlooking moss-covered oaks. Guided evening tours focus on historical events and verified family records rather than myths, offering a balanced look at Southern life before the Civil War. The property’s calm setting and strong storytelling make it one of Louisiana’s most memorable historic stays.
7. Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast – Fall River, Massachusetts
The 1892 double murder of Andrew and Abby Borden remains one of the nation’s most debated crimes, and guests at the Lizzie Borden House can now stay in the very rooms where the mystery unfolded. Original furnishings and crime-scene photos line the walls, while staff-led tours recount testimony from the infamous trial. Guests can book the upstairs suite once occupied by Lizzie herself or the parlor bedroom associated with the investigation. Though the décor reflects Victorian authenticity, the house functions as a working inn with modern amenities. Its quiet neighborhood and detailed interpretation of evidence make it a historical stay rather than a gimmick.
8. Belle Grove Plantation – King George, Virginia
Built in 1791, Belle Grove Plantation overlooks the Rappahannock River and has long been tied to stories of soldiers, servants, and family members who never truly left. Guests have reported music boxes playing alone or lights switching on in unoccupied rooms. The owners encourage curiosity while maintaining focus on preservation, offering historical lectures and tours of its period architecture. Overnight visitors stay in restored chambers with canopy beds, fireplaces, and river views. Its tranquil rural location, just off the Washington–Richmond route, appeals to travelers who want a balance of comfort and documented local history. Belle Grove’s reputation rests on its authenticity rather than theatrics.
9. Concord’s Colonial Inn – Concord, Massachusetts
Established in 1716, this inn served as a makeshift hospital during the Revolutionary War, and many guests now claim unexplained movement in Room 24, believed to have been the operating area. The hotel maintains original beams, narrow staircases, and antique furniture, creating a clear connection to colonial New England. Staff receive regular requests from history enthusiasts eager to stay where early American soldiers once recovered. The attached tavern and restaurant provide traditional fare, and tours highlight its documented wartime role.
10. The Mills House – Charleston, South Carolina
Built in 1853 and rebuilt after the Civil War, The Mills House remains a symbol of Charleston’s resilience and refinement. Guests sometimes describe faint piano notes in empty halls or reflections passing quickly in old mirrors. The hotel survived the 1886 earthquake and has been restored several times, preserving its wrought-iron balconies and pink stucco façade. Rooms mix nineteenth-century design with modern service standards, and staff share verified accounts of past visitors who reported unusual experiences.
11. Villisca Ax Murder House – Villisca, Iowa
In June 1912, eight people were killed inside this small white house, and the crime was never solved. The Villisca Ax Murder House now operates as both a museum and an overnight rental, preserving its early 1900s interior down to the wallpaper and kerosene lamps. Guests can book guided investigations using basic audio equipment or simply stay overnight to experience the property in silence. Locals manage the site with respect, focusing on accurate historical accounts and police evidence rather than horror effects. Visitors describe creaking footsteps, children’s laughter, or a sudden drop in temperature near the bedrooms.
12. Winchester Mystery House – San Jose, California
Constructed continuously from 1884 until 1922 by Sarah Winchester, heiress to the firearm fortune, this sprawling mansion contains stairways that end in ceilings, doors that open to walls, and more than 160 rooms. Legends claim Sarah built endlessly to confuse the spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles. Today, visitors can take evening flashlight tours or stay for after-hours events in designated suites within the complex. Restoration teams maintain structural safety while preserving its labyrinthine layout.
13. The Sayre Mansion – Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Built in 1858 for industrialist Robert Sayre, this Gothic Revival home now operates as a boutique hotel known for refined service and subtle paranormal reports. Guests have described piano music drifting from an empty parlor and the sound of footsteps on upper floors late at night. Rooms retain original stained glass, carved woodwork, and antique furnishings that reflect Bethlehem’s prosperous steel era. Staff share local legends during seasonal events but maintain the inn’s focus on comfort and hospitality.
