Mysterious Haunted Hotels– A Scary Way to Travel

Image Name: The Allure of Haunted Hotels

Every year around Halloween, countless hotels around the world tout their allegedly haunted status to guests. Why are both skeptics and believers booking these eerie accommodations? For many, it’s the blend of thrill, history, and the unknown that creates an irresistible allure.

The Allure of Haunted Hotels
Comedienne and writer Joanna Hausmann did not believe in ghosts. As an extreme skeptic, she thought there was a logical explanation for any supposedly supernatural phenomenon – until she spent the night in the Biltmore Hotel, purportedly one of the most haunted places in Miami. After a terrifying night, including hearing voices in the adjoining room of her suite and multiple televisions and a hair dryer randomly turning on, her outlook on the supernatural shifted.

Hausmann’s experience isn’t unique. Every year, around Halloween, countless hotels and attractions around the world, such as the Hotel del Coronado in California or The Clermont in London, advertise their haunted status to visitors seeking a spine-tingling way to spend the holiday. For people like Hausmann who have had a spooky encounter, the question of why anyone would want to experience a similarly frightening episode by staying at a haunted hotel is baffling. Yet, the answer lies in a blend of curiosity, thrill-seeking, and storytelling.

Types of Guests at Haunted Hotels
The Historic Hotels of America lists dozens of haunted hotels within its ranks. According to Katherine Orr, the group’s director of marketing strategy and communications, these properties attract a wide range of visitors. “I would say there’s a couple different kinds of guests at the haunted hotel. One would be a thrill-seeker, someone who gets excited about the idea of ghosts, maybe wants to have that kind of experience,” she said. “Then I think there’s another kind of guest that’s more interested in the storytelling aspect of it. Because the lore, the ghost story, they’re really part of what makes these hotels unique.”

The thrill-seekers are often drawn to the adrenaline rush of potentially encountering something otherworldly. They relish the idea of spending the night in a place where they might hear unexplained noises or see apparitions. On the other hand, storytelling enthusiasts appreciate the rich history and narratives that come with these haunted locations. For them, the ghost stories add a unique character to their stay, making their travel experiences more memorable.

Image Name: A Unique Travel Trend

Marketing the Haunted Experience
How a hotel manages its reputation for being haunted is very much a marketing decision. “Hotels have to find a good balance in telling those stories and finding the niche where they can reach the right audience,” Orr said. “Then also toning down those stories when they think that their target audience wouldn’t be interested.”

Some establishments, like the Lord Baltimore Hotel in Maryland, embrace their haunted notoriety year-round. They even employ Vince Wilson as an on-staff ghost hunter and entertainer. According to Wilson, guests have reported seeing the child ghost known as “Molly” playing with a ball in the hallways of the hotel, a lift that randomly takes itself to the 19th floor, and a ghostly couple dancing silently in the ballroom. Wilson also hosts regular ghost tours that explore the hotel’s spooky history, noting that the popularity (and the cost) of these tours increases as Halloween approaches each year.

On the other hand, hotels like the Hassayampa Inn in Prescott, Arizona, keep their hauntings mostly under wraps. Though Penny Alpin, director of sales and marketing at the inn, describes the hotel’s resident ghost as “very friendly” (she apparently likes to cuddle up with male guests and borrow the compact mirrors of female guests), these experiences are not something that she generally advertises outside of the spooky season. “Halloween is the only time I promote it,” said Alpin. “A haunting is not one of the things I want to promote… why would you want to scare people?”

The Guests’ Perspective
Lee Johnson-Lowe, director of sales and marketing at the Lord Baltimore Hotel, thinks most guests of the property are either skeptics or thrill-seekers. “[There are] two kinds of people that generally go to a haunted hotel or [haunted] venue of any type,” he said. “[Those who say], ‘I don’t believe in ghosts, I need a place to stay, and this place is a luxury hotel,’ and people that are like, ‘This place is haunted? I am definitely staying there now!'”

Interestingly, even the hotel’s resident ghost hunter is unsure whether ghosts are real. “I’ve been to some of the most haunted places in the world,” said Wilson. “And I’ve certainly had weird, spooky, even scary experiences, but I can also look back and say, ‘you know what, that could have been my imagination.'”

Whether apparitions appear or not, travelers continue to seek out haunted hotels each autumn, with Johnson-Lowe noting that bookings for the Lord Baltimore spike every year as Halloween nears.

A Unique Travel Trend
The fascination with haunted hotels taps into broader travel trends, where unique and memorable experiences are increasingly sought after. Staying in a haunted hotel combines travel activities with an element of adventure and intrigue, appealing to a diverse range of travel passions. It also aligns with current travel trends emphasizing experiential travel, where the journey is as important as the destination.

For those who love the thrill of the unknown or the rich storytelling of historic locations, haunted hotels offer an irresistible combination of both. They provide a unique travel experience that goes beyond the ordinary, adding a touch of mystery and excitement to your travel adventures.

Conclusion:
So, whether you are a skeptic looking for a unique place to stay or a thrill-seeker hoping to encounter the supernatural, haunted hotels offer an experience like no other. The curious appeal of these eerie accommodations lies in their ability to blend history, storytelling, and the thrill of the unknown, creating travel experiences that are both memorable and spine-tingling.

As you plan your next adventure, consider the haunted hotels that promise more than just a place to rest your head. Embrace the mystery, immerse yourself in the stories, and who knows – you might just leave with a tale of your own to tell.