With its rich landscape and rainy weather, the Evergreen State sets the perfect mood for exploring its spookiest locations. That’s why this list of the 12 most haunted hotels in Washington will not only help you choose your next stay but may also hold the location of your next great adventure!
After all, a land as old and as rich as Washington is bound to have some ghostly history to uncover – the most sensational of which, we figure just has to be in the state’s oldest hotels. These places are filled with hair-raising stories and some even look the part of an eerie accommodation, so if you are looking for a thrill during your next trip, sit tight and read on.
1. Manresa Castle, Port Townsend
Built in 1892 as the home of a bold entrepreneur named Charles Eisenbeis, the castle was designed to be reminiscent of castles in Prussia, Eisenbeis’ native country. Today it is a hotel – stuccoed, renovated and restored to meet modern standards. The Castle has turrets, high ceilings, and meticulous woodwork, yet still manages to retain its rustic charm. While the 19th-century decor and original ornate furnishings set the stage for a haunting, there is almost always more to that creepy feeling than just the way a place looks.
Legend has it that there are two spirits that remain tethered to the old building – a woman named Kate and a Jesuit priest. Kate is said to have jumped out of the window in room 306 upon hearing that her beloved had died at sea, and the priest is believed to have hung himself in the attic above room 302.
Although neither of these stories have been confirmed by the management, there have been numerous spooky accounts made by previous guests – everything from hearing footsteps in the attic to sheets getting pulled off the bed during the night. So many claims of encounters were made that a logbook was kept in room 306 for guests to record their experiences, but was eventually removed because of too many room change requests. Manresa Castle gained even more popularity when it was featured on the popular TV series, “Ghost Adventures” (Season 2, Episode 10).
If getting your socks scared off interests you in the slightest, Manresa Castle should be on the top of your list of haunted hotels to visit. It definitely is on ours!
Where to find it: 651 Cleveland St, Port Townsend. Website here. Get booking information and rates here.
2. Paradise Inn, Ashford
For the adventurous traveler, look no further than Paradise Inn. The hotel is located on the south slope of the magnificent Mount Rainier and often serves as a respite for mountain hikers. The historic lodge was built in 1916 and is designated as one of the “Great Lodges of the West”.
The building is slightly imposing with its enormous, grey sloped roof and tall buttresses. Even so, the interiors are comfy, warm, and full of tales of spirits.
The legend is that the inn is home to the ghosts of those whose lives were lost on Mount Rainier. There have been multiple reports of guests feeling like they are being watched and furniture moving of its own accord. Even the staff admits that the occurrences at the hotel seem unexplainable.
Another well-known manifestation is the whispers that are often heard throughout the night, along with rattling window panes. Sure you could say it’s just the wind, but where is the fun in that? Besides, how would that explain the guest who saw a woman standing in the corner of his room? Whether you believe in ghosts or not, this place will give you the shivers – if not only because of the frigid temperatures outside. Bundle up and give this cozy inn a visit.
Where to find it: Paradise Inn, 52807 Paradise Rd E, Ashford. Website here.
3. The Palace Hotel, Port Townsend
This hotel, set in the Capt. Henry L. Tibbals Building on Water Street, is famous for two things – its elegant turn of the century architecture and its history. It was originally constructed by Captain Tibbals in 1889 and was used as a saloon with furnished rooms to rent. As the years went on, the building took on different roles and has housed a theatre, grocery store, liquor store, florist shop, several restaurants, and a brothel.
Today, after being restored and renovated to its former glory, along with the requisite modernizations, the building stands three stories tall with The Palace Hotel occupying the upper two floors. The soaring windows, high ceilings, and rooms adorned with carefully preserved, antique memorabilia give the feeling of traveling through time. And, you might even be lucky enough to bump into some friendly resident guests.
The Palace Hotel is said to be haunted by several spirits including: The Blue Lady, whose portrait hangs at the top of the stairs; Adam, a friendly young boy; and a monk who pines away after a prostitute who is said to have lived there when it was still a brothel.
Where to find it: 1004 Water Street Port Townsend. Website here.
4. Lake Quinault Lodge, Quinault
This stately lakeside lodge, set within the Olympic National Park, was built in 1926 and has been impressively preserved. It has a sprawling, open plan that provides magnificent views of the scenery.
The Lodge is the perfect place to disconnect from the modern world – just you, nature, and Beverly for company. Wait, who is Beverly? Oh, she’s the resident ghost,. Beverly is believed to have died when the attic caught fire years ago. She now haunts the lodge, opening and closing windows as well as throwing glasses and cutlery whenever she pleases.
Some guests claim they have felt someone pulling them out of their beds at night by their feet, only to wake up and find all their belongings displaced around the room. The staff says that Beverly’s presence is most strongly felt in the restored attic.
Where to find it: 345 S Shore Rd, Quinault. Website here. Get booking information and rates here.
5. Rosario Resort & Spa, Orcas Island
Located near Moran State Park on Orcas Island, Rosario is an elegant mansion with a charming white facade and beautiful views of the San Juans. Rosario Resort is said to be haunted by Alice Rheem, the eccentric wife of the original owner, who still seems to consider the hotel her home.
While she was alive, Alice was known as a nonconformist. Her motorcycle riding and late-night drinking bordered on scandalous in the 1930s. Rumors are that today her ghost appears wearing a red dress and can be heard clomping through the halls in high heels or riding through them on her prized motorcycle.
Where to find it: 1400 Rosario Rd, Eastsound. Website here
6. Thornewood Castle Inn, Lakewood
This towering Gothic Tudor manor was completed in 1910 by its original owner, Chester Thornewood for his wife Anna Thornewood. Chester had the castle painstakingly moved from England, brick by brick to where it currently stands and that’s why today, it boasts of being a real-life castle.
With its striking medieval style, rich history, and sprawling lawns, it’s no wonder that Chester never wanted to leave. The most famous story about his ghostly presence is of him throwing fits during the restoration project of the castle a few years ago. During the evening times, he would break light fixtures and glassware, then stop once they were switched out for something different. Maybe it was a way of choosing something more to his liking!
Guests have claimed to see strange floating orbs and on occasion, a woman in period clothing sitting in the window of the bridal suite. Many believe this to be Anna since this room formerly belonged to her. The paranormal activity in the castle has attracted famous eyes over the years. Most notably, Stephen King used Thornewood Castle as the set for his film, “Rose Red”.
Where to find it: 8601 N Thorne Lane SW. Website here
7. Davenport Hotel, Spokane
Built in 1914 and brilliantly reinvented for the present-day, the Davenport Hotel offers refined taste in downtown Spokane. It is noteworthy for its glamorous appeal, celebrity guests, and famous ghosts.
From sightings of the ghost of the hotel founder, Louis D., to tales of vanishing bellhops, this hotel is teeming with spooky stories.
One of the most famous ghost stories is about the ghost of Ellen McNamara, the details of which the staff is quite candid. Ellen was a guest in 1920 and fell to her death through a skylight on the third floor. There have been sightings of her apparition throughout the hotel, so it seems she’s never left.
Other supernatural occurrences at the Davenport include items moving across the room and doors opening and closing on their own.
Where to find it: 10 S Post Street, Spokane. Website here. Get booking information and rates here.
8. Tokeland Hotel, Tokeland
Just a mile off Willapa Harbor, the Tokeland Hotel is the oldest hotel in Washington State (it opened in 1889). This former Victorian-era farmhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
The rustic, period details and country-style furnishings evoke feelings of wistful nostalgia. And if you’re lucky, you might encounter a few supernatural beings.
The most famous spirit is Charlie, the ghost of a Chinese immigrant who died in the hotel in the 1930s as a result of a smoke inhalation accident. According to the staff, a murder occurred in Room 7 and it is believed to be the most haunted spot in the hotel.
Where to find it: 2964 Kindred Ave, Tokeland. Website here
9. Hotel Andra, Seattle
This hotel is located in downtown Seattle and is a worthy consideration for a getaway while still staying in the city. With its chic Scandinavian design, it’s all too easy to forget how old this building is.
Built in 1925, it was originally the Claremont Hotel. Over the years, many owners have acquired and reinvented it. But this hasn’t stopped the hotel’s 9th-floor ghostly occupants from partying the night away with a 1930s flair. Guests have reported hearing a ruckus with no apparent source.
There have also been sightings of an apparition of a woman who is thought to have fallen to her death from the upper floors of the hotel in the 1960s. Guests have reported other strange occurrences like misplaced items turning up out of the blue and floating paperweights crashing down.
Where to find it: 2000 4th Ave, Seattle. Website here. Get booking information and rates here.
10. Roche Harbor Resort, Roche Harbor
This historic resort overlooks the harbor among the lush landscape of San Juan island. John S. McMillin built Hotel De Haro in 1886, then sold to Reuben J. Tarte almost a century later. Tarte and his family are responsible for evolving the property into the luxurious Roche Harbor Resort.
While making changes to the hotel, the new family found an old urn and moved it to the family crypt. The urn, filled with the ashes of the governess of the former owner, had been sitting atop a mantlepiece in for years. Legend has it that the removal of her ashes disturbed her spirit, and she now pulls pranks around the hotel.
Reports of these pranks include lights, fans, and other electrical gadgets turning off and on by themselves, and sometimes extinguished candles have reignited seemingly out of nowhere.
Where to find it: 248 Reuben Memorial Drive, Friday Harbor. Website here. Get booking information and rates here.
11. Lighthouse Oceanfront Resort, Long Beach
For those looking for a no-fuss, beachside getaway, this one’s for you! With enough accommodation options and amenities to give you the vacation that makes you want to never leave, it’s really no wonder why some guests supposedly haven’t.
The older cabins on the ridge are rumored to be the most haunted on the property. There have been reports of furniture being rearranged without the staff’s involvement, rocking chairs rocking themselves, TVs that flicker on and off at 3 am and late-night ghostly door knocking.
Some of the rooms like 101 and 105 even have log books filled with spooky experiences that past guests have encountered. We suspect those alone would be enough to give you a good fright while you lay reading them, tucked in bed late at night. Who knows? Maybe by the end of your stay you will have something to add to it, yourself!
Where to find it: 12417 Pacific Way, Long Beach. Website here. Booking information and rates here.
12. Mayflower Park Hotel, Seattle
Another downtown Seattle location, the Mayflower Park Hotel was built in 1927. Its past lives include a boxing stadium, an indoor swimming pool, a KKK meeting place, and a church. Many believe that this history explains the hotel’s connection with the spirit world.
Numerous ghosts are suspected to haunt the property, from swimmers who drowned in the pool to former KKK members in robes and all. During one of the remodels, a construction worker reportedly heard splashing sounds from inside the walls and saw wet footprints appear before his eyes.
There have also been accounts of a ghost of an elderly man in room 1120. One guest staying in the room went so far as to say, “I feel as if someone is in there with me.”
Where to find it : 405 Olive Way, Seattle. Website here. Get rates and booking information here.
Stay in a Haunted Hotel in Washington State
Spine-chilling ghost stories aside, all the haunted hotels featured on this list offer loads of history and splendid architecture to explore. That’s why we hope you visit them for a good time and with an open mind. From what we have learned from scary movies, you’re more likely to bump into a ghost when you least expect it, right?
Save these to your favorite Pinterest boards and start planning your next haunted hotel stay.
