The Nine Most Haunted Hotels in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is known for glitz and glamour but do you know about its darker side? Many of the city's hotels combine luxury with ghostly residents. If you love the paranormal or are just curious about the spooky, these LA haunted hotels will give you chills. From cold spots to full-bodied apparitions, these historic buildings have intrigued and perplexed skeptics and paranormal enthusiasts for many years.
Get The Free Spooky Travel Journal!
Start documenting your adventures to strange and mysterious places today with this 30 page downloadable pdf!
Millennium Biltmore
The Millennium Biltmore (aka Los Angeles Biltmore) is known for its luxurious interior design, but did you also know that it is considered one of the most haunted hotels in Los Angeles? This grand hotel has the notorious reputation of being the last known sighting of the Black Dahlia before her gruesome death. Guests have reported sharing the elevator with possibly the most famous cold case victim in US history! But she isn't the only specter you may run into during your stay.
Hollywood Knickerbocker Hotel
The Knickerbocker Hotel in Hollywood has hosted the silver screen's brightest stars, but once the hotel's star began to fade the ghosts came out to play. This haunted gem has a history filled with Hollywood lore and ghostly legends. A séance was hosted on the rooftop in 1936 by Bess Houdini to contact her world-famous husband Harry Houdini. Several unusual and tragic deaths also took place at the hotel fueling more haunting tales and sightings.
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
The Roosevelt Hotel remains Hollywood's Golden Age sweetheart due to its location and sightings of dearly departed celebrities in the afterlife. Perhaps the most famous haunted hotel in LA, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel has hosted many celebrities over the years, some of whom are said to have never left. Marilyn Monroe still haunts her old suite, while actor Montgomery Clift can still be heard practicing the trumpet. The Cinegrill Theater ups the spooky vibes with a secret entrance and glamorous shows.
Barclay Hotel
The Barclay Hotel has been compared to the Cecil Hotel due to its storied past filled with murder, suicides, and unusual deaths. This lesser-known hotel has had just as many tragedies and serial killer guests as her infamous twin. She might be shorter and have fewer rooms but she can still strike just as much fear into the hearts of guests. Ghostly figures wander the halls and mysterious random fires seem to start without any fuel or cause.
Hotel Normandie
The Hotel Normandie has a charm that's both inviting and eerie. Strange noises can be heard throughout the halls, and disembodied humming and whispers can be heard. The entire building is supposed to be haunted and numerous reports of ghost sightings. If you are looking for a guaranteed haunted hotel stay, the Normandie will not disappoint!
Georgian Hotel
Overlooking the Santa Monica coastline, The Georgian Hotel is as famous for its Art Deco elegance as it is for the ghosts. The hotel bar served as a speakeasy during Prohibition and was a popular getaway for celebrities and studio heads seeking privacy. Guests have reported full-body apparitions and disembodied voices in the bar area. Today you can enjoy a sophisticated dinner in the newly renovated speakeasy.
Figueroa Hotel
Hotel Figueroa originally intended as a women's hostel has become a boutique hotel with a haunted history. Some former guests have taken up permanent residence and are spotted throughout the building. The coffin-shaped pool adds additional spooky vibes as well as several tragic suicides. Some visitors have reported an ominous feeling which could be attributed to a serial killer's short stay at the hotel.
Chateau Marmont
A favorite hideout of Hollywood’s elite, Chateau Marmont is also rumored to be haunted. Known for the untimely death of comedian John Belushi, the hotel has a reputation for discretion and privacy. Guests have reported feeling a ghostly presence in the bungalow where Belushi died, as well as seeing shadowy figures and hearing unexplained sounds throughout the hotel. There may be many more tragic deaths than what has been documented due to the air of secrecy surrounding the hotel.
Alexandria Hotel
Photo by Los Angeles / CC 3.0
Would you stay at a hotel with an abandoned blocked-off wing that no one has been in for 30 years? What if your room shared a wall with that creepy wing? What's on the other side? The Alexandria Hotel has a very big mystery just waiting to be unraveled. Floors three through six, known as the “Ghost Wing,” have been sealed off for years due to property squabbles. Guests and staff have reported hearing disembodied voices, footsteps, and even full-body apparitions dressed in early 20th-century attire.
The haunted hotels in Los Angeles offer more than just luxurious stays; they provide a peek into the city's eerie and supernatural side. Whether you’re seeking a thrill or just love a good ghost story, visiting these hotels is sure to be an unforgettable experience. If you’re brave enough, book a room and perhaps you’ll encounter some of LA’s most famous spectral residents.
Have you visited any of these haunted hotels 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 keep up to date on the latest dark adventure. And always stay weird, Spooky friend!
