Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest historic hotels in the United States, offers travellers spectacular experiences and stories to take home with them, including the folklore of where they stayed the night. For some hotels, the past is not only present in their historic architecture and authentic character but also—according to legends—in the souls attached to them.
The historic hotels highlighted in the 2023 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America Most Haunted Hotels List are places where generations of staff and guests pass on tales of spectral Revolutionary War soldiers, smoky silhouettes of U.S. Presidents, the melancholy spirits of tragic would-be brides, unexplained footsteps, as well as friendly phantom bellhops and engineers. For believers and sceptics alike, these hotels offer legends of guests who never want to leave and staff who never stop helping. Some historic hotels celebrate the spooky season with “A Room With A Boo” packages, pumpkin carving contests, ghost story readings, haunted history tours, and speciality cocktails. Adventure seekers and heritage travellers interested in a local legend need to look no further than the grand hotels, legendary luxury resorts, and iconic inns found across the United States in Historic Hotels of America.
Concord’s Colonial Inn (1716) Concord, Massachusetts
Due to the hotel’s age and role during the American Revolutionary War, Concord’s Colonial Inn in Concord, Massachusetts, is rumoured to have a few resident ghosts. During the war, part of the historic inn was privately owned by Dr. Timothy Minot; it was where he operated a small medical practice. When Continental soldiers were injured at the Battles of Lexington and Concord at the North Bridge, they were brought to his home for medical attention. Dr. Minot used what is now the Liberty Room as a hospital and Room 24 as an operating room. Many guests who have spent the night in the infamously haunted room have reported some strange activity. Thrill seekers travel great distances to stay at the inn’s infamous Room 24, hoping to catch a glimpse of some supernatural activity. But the inn's resident spirits do not just confine themselves to Room 24; they like to wander the halls of the Concord’s Colonial Inn just as much as guests do. Both an older woman and a tall, slim gentleman with a top hat have been spotted in the sitting room–thought perhaps to be former residents Henry David Thoreau himself or his aunt entertaining company. A young girl wearing a bonnet has been seen walking around by the front desk of the hotel. Both guests and employees have spotted apparitions in 18th-century attire sitting in an otherwise empty Liberty Room. Books and décor fall from shelves without worldly cause, and items go missing without explanation for weeks, only to turn up in odd places. Both guests and employees have heard voices coming from right behind them–only to see nothing when they turn around.
Being widely known for its more than 250 years of grand hospitality and as a favourite vacation spot for European royalty and former U.S. Presidents and their families, it should come as no surprise that a guest or two of The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia, might decide to stay forever. One of the resort’s most legendary spirits involves the spirit of a jilted bride who stalks along the 14th floor. Legend has it that this young woman was set to be wed at The Homestead during the early 20th century, but her groom-to-be had become plagued by second thoughts. On the day of their wedding, the groom instructed the young woman to wait in her hotel room while he ran out for a quick errand. Unfortunately, for the bride, her beloved was never to return. Distraught, she took her own life. Guests and staff have since reported sightings of a ghostly apparition, whose outline resembles that of a woman in a wedding gown. Many believe that she is still waiting in the hotel for her long-lost lover. Some lucky few have reportedly heard the spirit speak before disappearing in a flash. In addition to this legend, overnight staff tell stories of sightings while being on late-night duty in the Great Hall. There, some believe they have seen well-dressed couples descending the stairs, but when they look up to greet them, no one is there. Similarly, there is a man in a dark suit who stands at a balcony overlooking the opposite end of the Great Hall. Again, staff say they approach to greet him only to find no one there. The Omni Homestead Resort was established in 1766 and has been a Charter Member of Historic Hotels of America since 1989.
Historic Inns of Annapolis (1772) Annapolis, Maryland
The Maryland Inn, one of the Historic Inns of Annapolis in Annapolis, Maryland, is reportedly haunted by a variety of specters since it was established in the 1770s. Supposed sightings by employees and guests include glimpses of shadowy figures dressed in Revolutionary War-era uniforms and 19th-century clothing. Unexplained noises, scents, and missing objects–experienced by some employees–are thought by some believers to have supernatural explanations. Local legend suggests that at least two of the ghosts are that of Navy Captain Charles Campbell and his intended bride, known only as The Bride. According to the tale, Captain Campbell and The Bride were separated while he was at sea, during which time The Bride waited for him at the Maryland Inn. Campbell was killed by a horse carriage as he was returning to be reunited with his love and she took her own life minutes later, both dying right outside the historic inn. Both The Bride and Captain Campbell are rumoured to haunt the Maryland Inn to this day. According to authors Mike Carter and Julia Dray in Haunted Annapolis, The Bride paces around the fourth floor and Captain Campbell has been seen in his naval uniform in the basement taproom. For guests, experiencing the ghosts in residence is uncommon but not unheard of. Some guests in the fourth-floor rooms have felt a cold presence.
