1. The Stanley Hotel, Colorado
If this one feels familiar, you might be thinking of The Shining, and for good reason—Stephen King stayed here before writing his famous novel. Nestled in Estes Park, The Stanley Hotel is more than just eerie inspiration, it’s allegedly home to some real paranormal activity. Guests have reported strange sounds, objects moving on their own, and most disturbingly, people vanishing from security footage like they were never there. In several cases, staff have claimed to see guests walk down hallways on camera, only for them to disappear mid-frame shares HuffPost.
Room 217 gets most of the attention, but the hotel’s entire fourth floor is where the oddest things tend to happen. One former night manager said he once saw a guest check in on the cameras, head to the elevator, and never appear again—yet the room still looked slept in the next morning. Whether it’s a glitch or something supernatural, no one really knows. But let’s just say, if you’re looking for a peaceful night’s sleep, you might want to keep the lights on here adds PEOPLE.
2. Crescent Hotel, Arkansas
This grand old building in Eureka Springs has been called “America’s Most Haunted Hotel,” and once you hear the stories, it’s hard to disagree. Built in 1886, the Crescent Hotel has served as everything from a luxury resort to a hospital run by a fake doctor with a sinister past. Over the years, people have vanished from rooms that were never officially occupied and ghost hunters have captured footage of people who don’t appear to exist says KATV.
Security staff once reviewed footage showing a woman in a long dress pacing the hallway—except no one had checked into that wing. Even creepier, several guests have reportedly walked out of elevators and simply vanished from the video mid-stride. There’s also the infamous “Michael,” a stonemason who fell to his death during construction and is believed to haunt room 218. If you ask the front desk, they’ll usually give you a grin and a ghost story, depending on how brave you look adds AOL.
3. Hotel Cecil, California
Downtown Los Angeles is full of strange energy, but few places match the Hotel Cecil when it comes to disturbing mysteries. With a dark history of crime, suicide, and disappearances, this hotel became infamous after the bizarre death of Elisa Lam in 2013. Her final moments, caught on an elevator security camera, showed her acting erratically, as if interacting with something invisible. She vanished from view and was later found dead in the water tank.
That footage sparked a global frenzy, but her case wasn’t the only strange incident there. Staff have mentioned seeing figures in hallways that never turn up on review or logs. People have reportedly checked in, been seen on camera, then never again—no checkout, no trace. Despite a rebranding effort and name change, the Cecil still carries its heavy, haunted reputation.
4. Queen Mary, California
Docked permanently in Long Beach, the Queen Mary isn’t just a retired ocean liner, it’s also a hotel with a haunted reputation that rivals any land-based lodging. Several former crew members and guests have been spotted on security cameras wandering through locked areas, only to vanish into thin air. Room B340 is so notorious that it was closed off for decades.
Guests staying onboard have shared footage of their own, capturing people walking by their cabin doors, even when no one else was booked nearby. One longtime employee said they once chased what looked like a man in 1940s attire through the boiler room, but the figure disappeared on camera—and in person. Maintenance staff are so used to the odd occurrences, they keep logs of “unexplained activity” rather than trying to rationalize it anymore. It’s hard to explain away someone being caught on camera, then never turning up at all.
5. The Driskill Hotel, Texas
This stately hotel in Austin blends luxury with old-school Southern charm, but it also has a spooky side locals know well. Founded in 1886, The Driskill has been the site of ghost sightings, strange lights, and even a few incidents where guests appear on security footage, only to never show up again in person. The most famous ghost, Colonel Jesse Driskill himself, is said to walk the halls at night.
One former employee said she watched a woman walk into a stairwell on camera, yet no one came out—and when security checked, the stairwell was empty. There are stories of brides vanishing on their wedding night and a little girl chasing a ball through the lobby, caught on footage but never seen in real life. The elevator also tends to move between floors on its own, stopping for invisible passengers. It’s the kind of place where every hallway feels just a little colder than it should.
6. The Congress Plaza Hotel, Illinois
Right in the heart of Chicago, The Congress Plaza Hotel has earned a reputation for being one of the city’s most haunted spots. Built to accommodate visitors to the 1893 World’s Fair, it’s now better known for ghosts, shadowy figures, and guests who seemingly vanish without a trace. Security staff have told stories of reviewing hallway footage that shows someone walking in one direction—only to never show up on the opposite end.
Room 441 is especially infamous, where guests report waking up to someone standing at the foot of their bed, only for no one to be found. One report involved a man who checked in, was caught on tape entering his room, but never checked out. When staff finally entered the room, it was empty, and no one could say for sure if he ever left. The Congress doesn’t shy away from its haunted reputation, but you might want to double-check who’s walking behind you.
7. The Pfister Hotel, Wisconsin
Milwaukee’s Pfister Hotel is fancy, historic, and—if you believe the stories—very haunted. It’s popular with baseball players, many of whom claim to have experienced ghostly pranks like flickering lights, strange noises, and items moving by themselves. But some of the eeriest tales come from staff who’ve seen people walking the halls on camera, only for them to never show up in person or in guest records.
A night supervisor once recalled a man appearing on several floors in a matter of seconds, something physically impossible, before vanishing entirely from the feed. Cleaning staff have found rooms fully disturbed—beds unmade, towels used—but with no guests assigned and no check-ins recorded. One theory is that spirits from the hotel’s early days like to revisit. Another is that something darker lingers in the walls.
8. Hotel Monte Vista, Arizona
In Flagstaff, this historic hotel has been operating since the 1920s and hosts more than just tourists and movie buffs. The Monte Vista has long been rumored to be haunted by former guests, including a bank robber and a long-dead bellboy. More recently, it’s gained attention for footage that appears to show people disappearing mid-stride or entering rooms that were never occupied.
One chilling clip showed a man standing in the hallway for hours, only to vanish when security came to check. Some guests have reported hearing voices outside their doors, only to see empty hallways on their own cameras. The staff say it’s not unusual for guests to leave in the middle of the night without checking out, often visibly shaken. It’s a beautiful place—but not one for the faint of heart.
9. The Marshall House, Georgia
Savannah is already one of the most haunted cities in America, and The Marshall House fits right into that legacy. Originally used as a hospital during the Civil War, the building holds more than its fair share of ghost stories. But what’s creeped out modern guests is how often people disappear from security feeds after being clearly seen.
One couple reported watching their own hallway footage from the night before and seeing a third figure walking behind them—someone who wasn’t there in real life and didn’t show up on any other camera. The staff say it’s common to lose visual tracking of guests in certain spots, especially near the stairwells. Some believe it’s the spirits of former patients lingering on. Whatever the explanation, it’s hard to shake the feeling that you’re being watched.
10. The Mizpah Hotel, Nevada
Built in 1907 in Tonopah, this opulent hotel was once one of the tallest buildings in Nevada. Today, it’s remembered more for the ghostly “Lady in Red,” a spirit said to haunt the fifth floor. But beyond her tragic love story, there are tales of guests seen on camera entering their rooms who were never seen again.
Security once reviewed a tape showing a man talking to someone outside his door—but he was completely alone when staff checked in. The figure next to him simply disappeared from view without ever walking away. One night clerk said he often sees people standing in the lobby on camera, only to find the space empty when he looks up. With its vintage decor and creaky floors, the Mizpah feels like a step back in time—in more ways than one.
11. The Myrtles Plantation, Louisiana
This plantation-turned-bed-and-breakfast in St. Francisville is often called one of America’s most haunted homes. Ghost tours are routine here, but so are unexplained events caught on camera, like figures walking by windows when no one’s inside. One of the most talked-about clips shows a woman in old-fashioned clothing passing through a hallway, then fading out before she hits the end.
Several employees have reported guests appearing on camera entering the breakfast area early in the morning, though no one ever came down. One caretaker said he saw a woman sit in a rocking chair for hours on the feed, yet the room was empty when he walked in. Some believe the spirits are tied to the plantation’s dark history. Whatever the case, the cameras seem to pick up things the eye can’t.
12. The Emily Morgan Hotel, Texas
Located in San Antonio right next to the Alamo, the Emily Morgan has a gothic vibe and a long list of spooky encounters. Once a hospital and morgue, the building now serves as a hotel where some guests check in but never appear on checkout logs—or on footage again. Security staff say it’s common to lose people on the camera between floors or near the stairwells.
One story involved a woman seen leaving her room late at night, who never showed up again on any of the cameras, even though her belongings were still inside. The elevators are particularly odd, sometimes opening and closing on their own or taking guests to floors they never pressed. People have also recorded themselves walking down a hallway, only to find the footage skips or glitches at key moments. If you believe in spirits sticking around, this place has plenty of reasons why they might.
13. The Battery Carriage House Inn, South Carolina
Charleston’s southern charm can’t quite hide the unsettling energy of this historic inn. Built in the 1840s, the Battery Carriage House Inn is one of the city’s oldest hotels and also one of its most haunted. Guests have shared footage of shadowy figures in their rooms and faces in mirrors that vanish when the lights come on.
Security cameras have shown individuals walking the grounds who never arrive at the door or check in. One housekeeper reported cleaning a room after someone checked out—only to be told later that the room had never been assigned. There’s talk of a “gentleman ghost” who walks through walls and another who just stares at guests before disappearing. It’s beautiful and eerie in equal measure, the kind of place where time, and sometimes people, just slip away.