Historic Hotels of America, part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has released a list of the top 25 historic haunted hotels, and several are in the D.C. region, or close by.
The list includes places where staff and guests have passed along tales of spirits, unexplained noises and other unexplained phenomenon.
Colonial Williamsburg Resorts hosts popular ghost tours. According to one legend, guests at the Brick House Tavern have reported a man dressed in Colonial-era clothing and the smell of pipe tobacco. Some believe Thomas Jefferson’s spirit still haunts Market Square Tavern, where he stayed as a student while attending College of William & Mary.
The Maryland Inn in Annapolis, established in 1772, is reportedly haunted by a variety of specters, including shadowy figures dressed in Revolutionary War-era uniforms. Ghosts include Captain Campbell and The Bride, separated while he was away at sea. While the bride waited for him at the inn, Campbell was killed by a horse-drawn carriage as he was heading to their reunion. She took her life minutes later and both died outside the inn.
Arlie, in Warrenton, Virginia, first opened in 1889 and has an 18th Century portrait of a grand lady in a meeting room that is said to captivate the soul of anyone who gazes upon it. On stormy nights, guests have claimed her lips curl into a sly smile, and regardless of where you are, her eyes are focused on you.
Finally, the Lord Baltimore Hotel, built in 1928 in Baltimore, has had many reports of paranormal activity over the years. Once one of the tallest buildings in the city, there were at least 20 documented reports of people jumping to their death from the 19th floor roof deck. One story is of a husband and wife, attending an event at the hotel with their daughter, who jumped to their death together. The daughter, named “Molly,” is reported to be seen in the hallways in a white dress playing with a red ball.
Many hotels on the haunted list embrace their reputation with special “Room with a Boo” packages, pumpkin carving contests, ghost story readings and haunted history tours.
Historic Hotels of America’s full list of the top 25 haunted hotels is online.
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