The Haunted Alexandria Hotel Ghost Wing
Have you heard of LA's haunted Alexandria Hotel ghost wing? How would you feel if your bedroom shared a wall with an entire hotel wing that was sealed off in 1938? Join me as we chip away at the unusual history of this Los Angeles landmark and meet its ghostly residents.
Photo by Los Angeles / CC 3.0
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A Brief History of the Hotel
The Alexandria Hotel was built in 1906 as an 8-story Beaux-Arts hotel in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. It cost $2 million at the time of construction and was the most luxurious hotel in the city. The lobby had marble columns, a gold leaf ceiling, and ornate chandeliers. Neighbor William Chick took advantage of the new hotel and constructed a connecting wing of rooms but forgot a crucial detail we will get to in a minute.
The Alexandria was so popular by 1911 that the hotel's capacity was doubled when a 12-story addition was added. From 1912 to 1922 the hotel thrived during the silent film era. The Palm Court ballroom was the hotel's showpiece and hosted Presidents William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, and Theodore Roosevelt.
Photo by Ron's log / CC 3.0
The silent film studios kept offices here and so many business deals were struck here every day that the lobby rug was nicknamed the “million dollar rug.” The founding of United Artists was announced in the Palm Court in 1919 by cofounders Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, D.W. Griffith, and Douglas Fairbanks.
Actor Charlie Chaplin got in a fistfight with Louis B Mayer on that million-dollar rug because Mayer signed Charlie's wife to a 6 year contract with MGM Studios and stole her from United Artists.
The hotel's decline began when the Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel was built in 1923 and the more modern and luxurious hotel lured away the movers and shakers. Over the next decade, the hotel changed hands several times for various reasons including one owner's death due to the sinking of the Lusitania. In 1934 all the luxurious furnishings and fixtures including the gold leaf ceiling and marble columns were sold to pay off debts when the hotel went bankrupt. Film producer Phil Goldstone purchased the hotel in 1937 and renovated it. It wasn't until Goldstone and Chick started butting heads over renters that William Chick finally realized his mistake and what he had forgotten.
Photo by Steven Fader Architects
Ghost Wing of the Haunted Alexandria Hotel
William Chick never incorporated any stairs or elevators in his section. Goldstone was fed up with Chick poaching renters with lower rates and bricked up the connecting hallways that allowed access to the 7 floors. Since 1938 the middle floors three to six are inaccessible to this day and are known as the ghost wing or annex.
Photo by Mae Ryan / KPCC
The basement can be accessed from the ground floor level shops. The second floor can be accessed by climbing onto the ground-floor roof and climbing into a second-story window. The seventh floor can be accessed from a hatch on the roof. Only a handful of photos like the one above exist of the ghost wing's interior. It has been vacant since 1938. Who or what do you think resides in the ghost wing? As of 2018, there are plans to renovate the ghost wing by Steven Fader Architects into rentals with the addition of stairs and an elevator.
The Hotel's Cultural Impact and Notable Guests
Silent film stars Rudolph Valentino, Mary Miles Minter, Mabel Normand, and Fatty Arbuckle worked, socialized, and lived at the hotel. Since the studio offices were located at the Alexandria, it became the epicenter of Hollywood and the silent film industry. Valentino taught dance lessons under the Tiffany-stained glass skylights before his big break.
The Rudolph Valentino Suite
Suite 1202 is called the Rudolph Valentino suite, but he never stayed in this room. He had a small room in the basement because he could not afford the fancier upper-floor rooms early in his career.
During World War II the beautiful Tiffany skylights were painted black so light could not be seen from above due to the fear of air raids. The mezzanine level was renovated to house soldiers on leave to stay for free and enjoy the hotel.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Palm Court and a second ballroom were turned into a boxing training camp, because the hotel was hurting for money and guests. Boxing rings were constructed in both ballrooms and the public paid admission to watch. At its height, crowds of up to 800 spectators watched the training.
The Alexandria (like the Chateau Marmont and the Hollywood Roosevelt) appeared in the Green Book as a safe space for black travelers to rent rooms and dine. It was already known as an inclusive place for nonwhite creatives and entertainers. Muhammad Ali stayed at the hotel in the '70s while training for some of his biggest fights like the Thrilla in Manilla in 1975.
The Ghosts of the Haunted Alexandria Hotel
The Palm Court: Female spectral dancers are seen twirling around the beautiful ballroom. Heartthrob Valentino has also been spotted silently gliding across the hardwoods here. Could he be reliving his early years in Hollywood?
The First Floor Women's Restroom: Knob-style faucets are known to turn on and off by themselves. People also swear they have seen a reflection in the mirror of someone or thing out of the corner of their eye. WHY ARE BATHROOMS SO CREEPY?
The Valentino Suite – Room 1202: The bathroom door slams but when tested it can't swing freely because it gets hung up on the bath tiles. That's a strong ghost!
Hallways: A woman in black Edwardian clothes has been seen walking the halls.
Penthouse Suite: A Dapper fellow in 1920s attire has been seen sitting at a table reading the newspaper.
Movies and TV shows
The Alexandria is a very popular filming location for movies and music videos due to the building's elegance. Below are just a small number of productions that took place at the hotel.
Visiting the Hotel
The Alexandria Hotel was converted into luxury condos and event venues in 2005, but you can walk into the lobby area. Visit The Wolves cocktail lounge at 519 S Spring St. Absolutely stunning decor. Not to be missed! Try a Mango Highball or a Mary Pickford cocktail.
Alexandria Hotel is located at 501 S. Spring St. The ghost wing is located at 218 W 5th Street around the corner from the hotel's main entrance.
Touring the Hotel
The LA Conservancy offers walking, virtual, and self-guided tours that feature the Alexandria Hotel and its sordid past. This nonprofit organization has been working to preserve Los Angeles' cultural and architectural icons for decades. Something that is sorely lacking in LA.
LA Mag offers an online audio haunted history tour of downtown LA featuring the Alexandria Hotel.
What do you think of the haunted Alexandria Hotel ghost wing? Would you want to stay in an adjoining apartment to the wing? Or in the wing? The spirits have over 70 years to live in peace in that space without human interference. Do you think they would be angry to be bothered by construction and new residents?
Have you visited the Alexandria Hotel or another haunted Hollywood location? I would love to hear your story. Drop me a message! And don't forget to subscribe to the Spooky Traveling newsletter to stay up to date on the latest dark adventure. And always stay weird, Spooky friend!
