Heeeeeeeeeeeere’s Johnny!

Anyone familiar with The Shining will recognize the white facade of The Stanley Hotel.  Its classic exterior stands out amongst the surrounding mountain landscape like a beacon that draws visitors from all over the world.

But, daytrippers and tourists aren’t the only ones lured to the hotel.  The establishment also has some otherworldly guests who call it home.  You read that right – there is such a thing as ghosts!

And the best way to experience them?  On a Stanley Hotel haunted tour!

The Hotel’s History

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Stanley Hotel is 14,000 square feet of Colonial Revival charm.  Built by F.O. Stanley after a life-threatening bout with tuberculosis, he was impressed by the Rocky Mountains’ curative nature, for which he credited his full recovery.  What he wasn’t impressed with were the rustic accommodations and laid back nature of the surrounding town.

So, he and his wife, Flora, set out to make Estes Park a resort town catering to the wealthy circles he ran in on the East Coast.  And to do so, they constructed the impressive Stanley Hotel, which they completed in 1909.

Today, the hotel stands as a nod to the grandeur of a bygone era with classic cars and ornate accents everywhere you turn.

Inspiring A Modern Day Classic

For many, the Stanley Hotel is most well-known for inspiring Stephen King’s masterpiece, The Shining.  The idea came to him on October 30, 1974 after he and his wife happened upon the Stanley Hotel while driving through Estes Park.  As night approached, they decided to book a room and stay the evening (coincidentally, room 217 where the most paranormal activity has been reported).

Because they were there when the hotel was getting ready to close for the season, they were the only guests.  Consequently, they ate alone in an expansive dining hall surrounded by chairs stacked on tabletops.  The only sound besides their silverware scraping against the plates was orchestra music playing over the speakers (creeeeeeepy!)

That night, he dreamed of his 3-year-old son being chased down the hotel’s empty corridors by a fire hose.  Stephen woke with a jolt, went to the balcony, lit a cigarette, and said by the time the cigarette was done he had a rough outline for The Shining already in mind.

Though the movie was shot elsewhere (since Stanley Kubrick had a different vision for it than King), the mini-series was filmed where it all began, at the Stanley.  Today, you can see the playhouse from The Shining’s Overlook Hotel in the Stanley’s basement.  And a hedge maze like that in the movie was constructed on the front terrace a few years ago.

Haunted Hotel Guests

But, what really makes the Stanley Hotel extra creeptastic is its haunted past.

Paranormal activity has been documented at the Stanley since 1911.  Back then, a housekeeper named Elizabeth Wilson narrowly escaped death after being electrocuted in room 217 during a lightning storm.  Despite not being killed, the room has been a hot spot for ghostly happenings ever since.  It’s said she visits rooms on a regular basis and moves things, turns on lights, and unpacks belongings.  She’s also said to not appreciate when unmarried couples stay in the room, and many have reported feeling a cold presence in bed between them.

Another well-documented presence is Paul in the Concert Hall.  People have heard him saying “get out” after 11:00pm, since he enforced the curfew while working at the hotel as a jack-of-all-trades.  He’s also been known to nudge people, flicker flashlights, and move objects.  He’s occasionally joined in the Concert Hall by F.O. Stanley’s wife, Flora, who’s been known to play the piano in the basement.

In rooms on the fourth floor, people have reported hearing children running around playing as well as a cowboy sitting near the edge of their bed.  And the hotel’s main staircase landing is a thoroughfare of supernatural energy with spirits passing by regularly.

No wonder the hotel has been featured in shows like The Travel Channel’s Ghost Hunters and SyFy’s Ghost Adventures!

Stanley Hotel Haunted Tours

To get up close and personal with these ghostly guests you need to book a Stanley Hotel haunted tour.   The 75-minute experience takes you through the haunted past of the historic hotel.  Along dark passages, deserted concert halls, and hair-raising basements you’ll hear the stories of spirits that call the Stanley home.  Interactions with ghosts are not uncommon, and some are even occasionally caught on camera!

On my tour, our guide explained that there was one ghost in particular who seemed to enjoy her presence.  He would often blow her hair, touch her arm, and play jokes on her (a converted non-believer who simply came to the Stanley for employment).  She was so popular with the spirits, in fact, that one tour guest caught an image of a little girl in a white nightgown walking past as our tour guide spoke on the stair landing.  However, no little girl was present on the tour.

(insert spooky noises)

Tour guides encourage guests to snap photos in the hopes of capturing an image of a ghost.  In addition, guests are given suckers to hold upright in the palm of their hand so spirits can communicate by moving the stick.

Guides are there to educate you on the hotel’s history and how to best experience its supernatural presences.  However, they’re not there to try to scare you with an unauthentic encounter.  And because the ghosts aren’t on the payroll, the hotel can’t guarantee a sighting.  But the tour alone is enough to have you checking under your bed at night.

So put your nerves to the test and book a Stanley Hotel haunted tour on your next trip to the Colorado Rockies!  Not only will you love the experience, but the ghosts will also love your company.

Know Before You Go:

LOCATION:  The Stanley Hotel, 333 Wonderview Avenue Estes Park, CO 80517       
COST:  $28/person ($25 for hotel guests, AAA members, active military, and seniors)
DURATION:  75-minutes
AGE LIMIT:  10+ years old
BOOKING:  Tickets can be purchased online or at the hotel

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