For any traveler interested in getting a taste of the supernatural, the Mount Washington Hotel in New Hampshire should be high on their bucket list. Operating for over a century, this New Hampshire hotel is notorious for being haunted. Countless people have claimed paranormal experiences or sightings while visiting the historic hotel. While it may be a luxurious hotel, it’s also just as spooky.
But even for visitors who are not lured by its cursed reputation, it is worth paying a visit for its historicism alone. The Mount Washington Hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and was designated a National Historic Landmark a decade later.
Here’s what all potential guests need to know about the Mount Washington Hotel and its plagued reputation before booking a stay.
The Mount Washington Hotel has a long and spooky history
The Mount Washington Hotel was built in 1902 by businessman Joseph Sitckney, who made his fortune in the Pennsylvania coal mine and railroad. He spared no expense in building the hotel, and it soon became one of the most luxurious places to stay in all of New Hampshire.
Unfortunately, shortly after the hotel was built in 1903, Joseph died of a heart attack, leaving his widow Carolyn. She later married Prince Lucinge of France but always retained ownership of the hotel. Although she moved to France with her new husband, Carolyn often visited the hotel during the summer. After the prince’s death, she spent her last days at the hotel, enjoying its luxuries and amenities.
Despite its haunted reputation, the Mount Washington Hotel has hosted many celebrities and important events. In addition to the inventor Thomas Edison and the Vanderbilt family, three American presidents stayed at the hotel. In 1944, the hotel was the site of the Bretton Wood International Monetary Conference, which brought together representatives from 44 countries to found the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The organizations were launched in the hotel’s famous Gold Room.
There have been many paranormal sightings at the hotel
One of the most frequented rooms in the Mount Washington Hotel is probably room 314. Known as the Princess Suite, this was formerly Joseph and Carolyn’s private suite. Guests who stayed in the room have reported waking up to see a ghostly figure of the widow sitting at the end of the bed brushing her hair.
But this isn’t the only part of the hotel said to be haunted. Guests have commented that the lights in the tower suites turn on and off randomly; bathtubs are known to fill themselves, inexplicable knocking noises on doors, and some people report a faint smell of floral perfume wafting in and out of the rooms. Some hotel employees have reported seeing a female figure floating through the third floor corridors.
In a review for the hotel, Julie Tremaine for insert magazine explains, “I’ve been to Mount Washington many times, and every time I’m there I ask staff and guests if they’ve seen or felt anything paranormal. They unerringly say yes every time – but no one ever says they were scared.”
She continued, “They just report seeing or feeling things that they can’t explain. There’s just something about the energy of the place. It’s hard to be scared here.”
There is also photographic evidence of the paranormal. A picture taken in 2015 showing the hotel’s staff shows a woman in Victorian costume in a window just below the infamous room 314; Many people are convinced that it is a silhouette of Princess Carolyn.
The hotel was previously featured in Ghost Hunters
The Mount Washington Hotel is said to be haunted like this ghostbusters dared to do it. The show filmed an episode at the hotel in 2008. Investigators paid special attention to room 314 and discovered an electronic speech phenomenon (EVP) of a woman they believed to be Carolyn responding to their questions.
That’s not the only time the Mount Washington Hotel has featured prominently in pop culture. It is widely believed that the hotel was the inspiration for Stephen Kings the shinning, although he said his stay at the Stanley Hotel in Colorado was more influential. The hotels have both been compared for their similar architecture and supernatural sightings.
What visitors can expect from the Mount Washington Hotel
The Mount Washington Hotel has been in operation for over 100 years and is still active today. It was purchased in 1991 by a group of New Hampshire businessmen who continued to develop the hotel. It now includes features like a ski area and golf courses, making it an attractive hotel for guests not interested in the supernatural.
Some of the features include:
- Wireless Internet access
- tennis courts
- gym
- indoor/outdoor pools
- A full service salon and spa
- The largest ski area in New Hampshire
- 2 four-diamond dining rooms
- One of the longest zip lines in New England
- Two golf courses (including an 18-hole course designed by David Ross)
The hotel features 200 luxurious guest rooms and suites and over 30,000 square feet of meeting space. There are many nearby attractions including Echo Lake Beach, the Mount Washington Cog Railway and Storyland. For nature lovers, there are also a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking trails.
For guests looking for a paranormal experience or just a luxurious stay, the Mount Washington Hotel in New Hampshire is a must.