As I'm sure you know by now, I love to travel, but I would pass up my all expenses paid dream trip in a heartbeat if my hotel was haunted. I guess, to be fair, if it were really my dream trip, I would get to pick my dream hotel too, but let's pretend.
While I have no problem visiting a haunted hotel every for a meal or a drink, the thought of sleeping while a ghost watches me is a bit too much. I know I'm giving myself too much credit, and I'm actually way too boring for a ghost to even care about. Still, I feel deep in my soul that evey single ghost in the hotel would converge in my room to play a game of haunted poker as I'm trying to sleep peacefully. Some of the haunted places I immediately think of in the States are:
Hotel Monteleone
I didn't realize this hotel was haunted the first, and only, time I visited it. I wanted to go to the famous Carousel Bar I heard so much about. While it didn't scream haunted to me, there sure were a lot of people there....maybe one of them was really a ghost.
The Belvedere Hotel
This one is more personal. The Belvedere Hotel, recently made famous by an episode of Unsolved Mysteries, was an old hotel that is now condos in Baltimore's Mount Vernon neighborhood. I will always remember the day I went to lunch with my former boss in the restaurant. Before leaving, I went to the bathroom. I was the only one in the bathroom, and all the other stalls were open and available, when I heard a knock on my stall. I was shocked because I knew all the other stalls were empty, and I didn't hear the door open, but being the person I am, I screamed "just a minute" and headed out to wash my hands. You can imagine my amazement when I saw there was no one there. As soon as we left, I googled the hotel to find a ghost who famously haunted the restaurant. I haven't been back since.
The Stanley Hotel
While you may not recognize this hotel by name, you should when you hear it's the inspiration for the book, and movie, The Shinning. Yeah, that book....REDRUM!! While I will likely NEVER find any ounce of desire to visit this hotel, I know others who flock there to get a chance at being posessed at the bar, break down a door with an axe, or see twin ghosts in the hallway. And if so, more power to you, but I'll sit that one out.
Looking for some international haunts? Check out the Conde Nast list of the most haunted cities around the world.
Some of the countries on the list include:
Prague, Czech Republic
Changi Beach, Singapore
Sighisoara, Romania
Baguio, Philippines
and Poveglia Island, Venice, Italy
Of course, New Orleans is also on the list, and I hope you can join Girls Vacation Club to check out the haunts, or avoid them, in the fall of 2022.
I know I'm not alone, I have spoken to others who also google all their hotels before arriving, but I also know people who love staying in haunted places. I'd love to hear more about which haunted traveler you are in the comments.