The History of LA's Hotel Normandie Hauntings
The history of LA's Hotel Normandie hauntings is still coming to light as more people stay at the hotel and share their experiences. Hotel Normandie was never the flashiest or seediest of LA's hotels and has always flown under the radar of haunted hotel infamy. But don't let this discourage you from visiting this newly renovated historical gem of a haunted hotel.
photo by Jayanormandie / CC 4.0
Hotel Normandie History
The Hotel Normandie was built in 1926 as a residential hotel at 605 S Normandie Avenue in the Wilshire District of LA. The exterior of the building was designed in the Renaissance Revival style with a Spanish Revival interior. In 1931 it became the official alumni hotel for Stanford University, the University of Southern California, and UCLA. The hotel was popular with many organizations as a meeting place and conference center.
The most notable guest to stay at the Normandie was Malcolm Lowry, an Englishman, who fled Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital to avoid deportation and try screenwriting in Hollywood. He wrote parts of Under the Volcano during his stay. The novel would later be voted no. 11 in the Modern Library 100 Best Novels list.
Between 1955 and 1970s the area became run down and drug use and other illegal activity became prevalent as a result the hotel was full of vacant trash-filled rooms while others were used for nefarious reasons. In the late 1970s, the hotel became the Normandie Wilshire Retirement Hotel.
photo by Jayanormandie / CC 4.0
In 2011 a new owner purchased the Hotel Normandie and completed $5 million in renovations to return the hotel to its original Roaring 20s decor. The stucco exterior was removed to reveal the original bricks. The old carpet was ripped up to reveal the original terrazzo tiles in the lobby. Even the terracotta tiled mansard roof has been recreated. I love a good mansard roof!
Hotel Normandie Hauntings
Eyewitness accounts at the Normandie are not tied to a specific room or ghost but happen throughout the hotel. Many of the incidents are similar but occur at different times of the day and night. They appear to be random.
Most Commonly Reported Incidents
These hauntings seem residual and not intelligent (trying to communicate with the living). The incidents just keep repeating moments from the past and are not trying to interact with living guests at the hotel. Would you stay in a hotel full of residual spirit energy?
Staying at the Hotel Normandie
Today the Hotel Normandie has become a top-rated boutique hotel to stay at while visiting LA. It's comfortable, clean, and affordable while offering onsite restaurants. There is a complimentary wine reception in the lobby each evening. Make sure you book your stay well in advance for big events.
The legendary hamburger joint Cassell's moved to the Hotel Normandie in 2012. Or if you are feeling fancy you can try the Michelin Star food counter Le Comptoir. They also have a speakeasy-style bar called the Normandie Club where you can try old-timey drinks like a gimlet.
Around Koreatown
The hotel's Koreatown (Ktown) location offers so many great restaurants! You won't be disappointed. The area is very walkable and safe with common sense. Since Ktown is one of the most densely populated areas of Los Angeles parking can be a beast so Uber or Lyft is recommended. A couple of great places to try are Road to Seoul and The Prince for dinner and drinks in Ktown.
If a dive bar is more your speed, the HMS Bounty bar is a 2-minute walk away. It's an old Hollywood dive bar in the Gaylord Apartments building across Wilshire Blvd from the site of the infamous Ambassador Hotel (now demolished) where Robert F Kennedy was assassinated in 1968. Today the location is a performing arts school.
photo by Downtowngal / by CC 4.0
Tours in the Area
The nonprofit LA Conservancy offers tours of LA including a free self-guided tour of Ktown points of interest like the Korean Pavilion.
DTLA Alliance offers some cool tours including the Central Downtown LA tour that focuses on different types of architecture.
The Hotel Normandie may not be the most famous or most notable of LA's old haunted hotels, but it is definitely among the most haunted. The activity is very regular and consistent. I think the incidents are only noticeable if people are looking for them and subtle enough that those who are unaware of the hauntings or who don't want to believe they exist can ignore them. So if you like the idea of spending the night in a haunted hotel but when you actually get in the room and you start to question your sanity, you can always pop some earplugs in and ignore the noises. Lol!
Have you visited the Hotel Normandie or another haunted LA 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!
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