Travelers across the U.S. are increasingly exploring hotels with dark, intriguing pasts—many of which once served as prisons, military posts, or even cult hideouts.
As the desire for unique experiences grows, these hotels, which celebrate their eerie and haunted histories, are also popular venues for weddings and wellness retreats.
Attractions like paranormal tours and spaces created from recycled materials draw in a diverse crowd, from ghost hunters to history enthusiasts. Whether it’s a haunt in downtown Boston or a destination dubbed the most haunted hotel in America, these locations offer a peek into the more sinister aspects of American history.
A visitor recently described a “ghost town” filled with eerie, deserted hotels as “a time capsule.”
1. Algonquin Hotel — New York
Located in Times Square, the Algonquin once hosted the celebrated Round Table meetings, where humorists and critics of the Jazz Age gathered. Visitors often report lingering sounds of laughter and footsteps, along with flickering lights. A journalist spent a night there in 2015 and claimed eight ghosts, potentially including renowned writer Dorothy Parker, responded to her ghost-hunting efforts. Room rates start at approximately $177.
2. McMenamins Edgefield — Oregon
This site, just outside Portland, originally opened in 1917 as a detention center for women accused of spreading STDs during wartime. Today, McMenamins Edgefield functions as a resort featuring a winery, brewery, spa, and golf course. After closing in 1923, it transformed into various functions including a poor farm and military academy, eventually reopening to guests after extensive renovations in 1990. Private room rates range from $130 to $300.
3. The Crescent Hotel and Spa — Arkansas
Dubbed “America’s Most Haunted Hotel,” this location has numerous ghostly tales, including that of a mason who died during its construction and a patient from the 1930s when it was a sham cancer hospital run by fraudster Norman Baker. The current hotel offers ghost tours alongside its Victorian architecture, with room prices varying from $150 to $600.
4. Pfister Hotel — Wisconsin
Built in 1893, Milwaukee’s Pfister Hotel has garnered a reputation for its unexplained phenomena, such as flickering lights and unsettling noises. Locals say that founder Charles Pfister still roams the premises, and even visiting baseball players share spooky stories. Celebrity ghost hunts have become a thing here, with room rates starting at $149 and reaching $899.
5. The Richardson — New York
This hotel, situated on the historic Richardson Olmsted campus, was once Buffalo’s State Asylum. Given its notorious history and controversial treatments, visitors frequently report paranormal events in the building. The facility now hosts events and is devoted to maintaining its historic significance. Rooms begin at $169 a night.
6. Kimpton Armory Hotel — Montana
Originally an armory built in 1941, this Bozeman hotel retains much of its historical architecture but also offers modern amenities. The establishment reopened in 2020 and features a rooftop pool and fitness center, with rates ranging from $250 to $977.
7. Liberty Hotel — Massachusetts
Formerly the infamous Charles Street Jail, the Liberty Hotel in Boston has housed many notable inmates throughout its history, including political figures and notorious criminals. After a $150 million renovation, it opened as a luxury hotel in 2007, keeping many historical elements intact. Room prices start at $590.
8. The Lodge at Marconi — California
This Marin County property, which once hosted a radio station, was later taken over by Synanon, a controversial rehabilitation program that evolved into a cult. Acquired by the state in 1984, it underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation and reopened in 2023 as a boutique lodge, with room rates starting at $323.
