Dr. Robin Mead - Haunted Hotels in America: Your Guide to the Nations Spookiest Stays

Do you believe in ghosts? I have asked that question hundreds of times during my lectures and the results are always the same. People are almost equally divided between believers and those who think ghost stories are just that, stories.

This can create a problem for the historic hotels and inns that are believed to have one or more nonpaying residents in the form of a ghost. Do you keep quiet about it to avoid frightening nervous guests? Or do you make a feature of your phantom and tell everyone that there is great fun to be had by taking a family vacation in a haunted hotel?

For hotel owners who cant quite make up their minds, it is worth remembering that the first question many guests ask when checking into a historic property is Do you have a ghost? It is also a fact that many alleged haunted hotels and inns are booked for months, and even years, in advance.

In Haunted Hotels in America you will find a selection of places to stay that cheerfully admit to having an intangible guest or two. The stories are extraordinarily varied. Some are sad. Some are puzzling. A few are even funny. The spirit world is not without its sense of humor.

Inside youll read about ghosts whove established quite frightening reputations that span over a century. Youll also be introduced to chilling hauntings that have inspired popular documentaries and Hollywood films. If you decide to embark on your own haunting adventure, theres a checklist of all the hotels and inns featured in Haunted Hotels in America.

Happy Ghost Hunting,

Mobile, Alabama

The Malaga Inn captures the glory of the antebellum period, even though it was built after the beginning of the War between the States in 1862. Originally constructed as two neighboring houses for brothers-in-law Isaac Goldsmith and William Frohlichstein, the Italianate-style homes were a gorgeous boutique extension to keep the men and their wives, close sisters together. During the time of construction, the war was still going well for the South and the brothers-in-laws business partnership of the Brisk and Jacobson Store in downtown Mobile was booming. Guests intrigued by the family history of the inn will find that the stores four-story cast-iron facade is as beautiful as it is unique and worth a visit. There are three basic room types for accommodation all outfitted with period replica furniture. Breakfast is served daily and Wi-Fi is free. The courtyard with its garden and romantic atmosphere is a popular place to retreat all times of year. The central location gives guests easy access by car or foot to many of Mobiles nearby sites.

The Malaga Inn serves as a popular destination during Mardi Gras with colorful flags draped over the balconies and revelers overtaking the courtyards. But just as the period of prosperity for Goldsmith and Frohlichstein waned during the war and its Reconstruction period, so the Malaga fell out of the family. That doesnt mean, however, that their influence is not felt around the premises.

THE GHOST of the Malaga Inn is believed to be one of the two sisters who prefers to inhabit Room 007, dressed in white and pacing the balcony. Guests have reported chandeliers swinging of their own accord and furniture moving on its own. A feature on the Malaga on Amazon Prime finds medium Ericka Boussarhane visiting the hotel with truly chilling results and recorded paranormal activity. Some of the hauntings may well begin in a tunnel connecting the two once-divided houses. In contrast to the grand facade of the Malaga, this crude subterranean brick underpass is theorized as a hidden escape for Confederate soldiers. Whatever presences exist above and below ground, the Malaga is a picture-perfect homage to the glory of the South. The ghost in 007 may just be attempting to join in the Mardi Gras festivitieslike Scarlett OHara in her flouncy gownclinging to a glorious antebellum period that will never return.

Malaga Inn

Address: 359 Church St., Mobile, AL 36602

Website: www.malagainn.com

THE HISTORIC ANCHORAGE HOTEL

Anchorage, Alaska

Established in 1916 and now listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, the uniquely fascinating Anchorage Hotel is near the Alaska Zoo, the Anchorage Museum (with plenty of gold-rush-era history), and Denali National Park. Airy and spacious, the hotel hosts a wood-paneled bar that seems like a snapshot of its earliest years complete with stuffed elk head and moose antlers. Guests can book one of twenty-six rooms and expect free parking, easy access to many of Anchorages sites, and a complimentary breakfast buffet. The friendly front desk staff will be happy to help guests navigate the numerous festivals and activities that lure locals and visitors alike and to select the best and most family appropriate of the many day excursion and museum offerings.