6 haunted hotels in PA where you can spend the night

You might stay alongside ghostly guests when you spend the night at these supposedly haunted hotels in Pennsylvania.

Strange sounds, creepy footsteps, and unexplained occurrences often accompany a stay in a haunted hotel. In Pennsylvania, with its storied past and historic buildings, you have a number of haunted hotels from which to choose if you’d like to book a room with a “boo!”

1. Omni William Penn Hotel – Pittsburgh

The Omni William Penn Hotel, dating from 1916, stands tall in downtown Pittsburgh as it attracts guests seeking rest and luxury. But according to legend, some guests of the Omni William Penn have never left — and as such, the historic hotel is considered one of the most haunted buildings in Pittsburgh.

Guests have reported strange noises and knocks on their doors with no one on the other side, with stories of suicide and scandal stoking the flames of rumor. Stories point particularly to the top two floors of the hotel, which are unused (by living guests, at least), possibly because most people don’t consider a haunting to be an amenity.

More favorable amenities include a fitness center as well as on-site bars and restaurants, including a speakeasy built in a basement room that actually operated as a speakeasy during Prohibition. Overnight rates start at around $189.

Photo courtesy of John M/CC BY-SA 2.0.

2. Farnsworth House Inn – Gettysburg

More than 50,000 people perished in Gettysburg during the infamous three-day Battle of Gettysburg in the Civil War. Today, the ghosts of those soldiers are said to still haunt the battlefield and buildings of Gettysburg, which has now created an entire cottage industry around ghost tours, haunted houses, and other spooky experiences. A centerpiece of Gettysburg’s haunted activity is the Farnsworth House Inn. In addition to a charming bed and breakfast experience, the historic inn also provides visitors with numerous opportunities to encounter ghosts, or at least learn about them, via its numerous ghost tours.

For instance, you can take part in the inn’s haunted cellar tour and learn about the long and chilling history of the inn as well as its role in the Civil War. You may encounter ghosts of Civil War soldiers as well as civilian ghosts of women and children, especially in the Sara Black Room, which is considered one of the most haunted. The comfortable inn rooms have period details, and each morning features a home-cooked breakfast. Overnight rates start at around $161.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Crierie/CC BY 2.0.

3. Hotel Bethlehem – Bethlehem

Hotel Bethlehem is a historic hotel in the Lehigh Valley, with the first building on the site appearing as early as 1741, though the hotel began operating in 1823. With more than 200 years of history, numerous people have entered the hotel’s walls—and according to reports from both guests and hotel employees, some of their spirits decided to stay. In fact, the hotel is quite proud of its “famous friendly spirits,” as it even hosts events in their honors, such as Halloween cocktail dinners in October. One spirit, said to be the ghost of May Augusta Yohé, granddaughter of the hotel’s owner, was a well-known singer. Some guests say they can still hear ghostly sounds of a young woman’s song.

If you want to visit the Hotel Bethlehem to encounter ghosts yourself, Room 932 is said to be the most haunted—and thus the one to book. Rates start at around $209 per night.

4. The Bellevue Hotel – Philadelphia

Philadelphia’s long history provides the city with great fodder for ghost stories, and that extends to the city’s historic and stately Bellevue Hotel. Built in the French Renaissance style and opened around the turn of the twentieth century, the Bellevue is a Center City landmark that’s on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s also considered by many to be one of the most haunted hotels in Philadelphia.

Guests and staff alike have reported unexplained noises, cold spots, and strange occurrences, especially in the older parts of the hotel. The ghosts, however, are said to be friendly! Who wouldn’t be in a good mood in an opulent hotel with ballrooms and a glamorous interior? Rates start at around $340.

Photo courtesy of chrisinphilly5448 /CC BY-SA 2.0.

5. Grand Midway Hotel – Windber

The Grand Midway Hotel is a historic hotel in southwestern Pa.’s Somerset County that truly embraces its haunted reputation. The owners even built the world’s largest Ouija board—used to contact the dead—on the roof! The hotel often rents the entire building to paranormal investigators for television shows and the like, but brave individuals can also book rooms.

The Canopy Room is reported to be the most haunted—and unlike many of the ghosts in hotels on this list, the entities that may haunt the Canopy Room are not known as friendly. In fact, the hotel proprietors don’t even recommend the room, saying it’s available for overnight stays, but “8 out of 10 guests do NOT stay the entire night in the Canopy Room … It is not cozy nor comfortable in any way, it is creepy.”

Rooms are themed and named after different mythical creatures, and the staff is welcoming. Rates start at $150 for a suite—or $450 for the whole building if you happen to be part of a paranormal investigative team!

6. Hotel Conneaut – Conneaut Lake

The Hotel Conneaut in Northwestern Pa.’s Conneaut Lake is said to be the home of a ghostly bride. Built on the eponymous lake in 1902, the hotel has been a popular summertime destination for more than a century. But in 1943, tragedy struck, resulting in the death of a newlywed guest known as Elizabeth.

According to the stories, Elizabeth died in a 1943 fire that destroyed parts of the hotel — but her spirit remains. Some guests have reported seeing an apparition of a woman walking the halls, especially on the third floor, where Elizabeth stayed that tragic night. There have also been reports of disembodied voices, strange children’s laughter, and random aromas of smoke and jasmine perfume. Because of the rumors, the hotel was even featured on an episode of Ghost Nation.

You can visit the Hotel Conneaut for yourself and see if Elizabeth makes an appearance. Rates start at $169.

Photo courtesy of Tim Engleman/CC BY-SA 2.0.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.