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Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Dare to spend the night? Here are the most haunted hotels in the U.S. for thrill seekers
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more As someone who grew up watching 'Ghost Adventures' and 'Ghost Hunters,' the idea of spending the night at a spooky location is both exciting and nerve-racking to me. Will I hear a door creak? Will I see a mysterious orb floating around? Will I spy a shadow lurking in the corner of my eye? If you're just like me and are either a believer in the supernatural or a skeptic looking to challenge the concept, the idea of staying at a haunted hotel might appeal to you. For one, unlike the creepy houses and asylums visited by ghost hunters, at least you'll have a comfy place to sleep — and maybe room service too. Below, find the best haunted hotels in the United States, with a brief explanation on why they're a great place to stay — and what makes them so haunted. Best Haunted Hotels in the U.S. 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa: Arkansas This gorgeous Victorian hotel is more than just its spa and antique, vintage furnishings from a different age. It's one of the most haunted hotels in America, with hundreds of paranormal incidents reported over the years. The building once functioned as an experimental hospital with many passing away on the premises. It seems their spirits still roam the corridors, with room 218 being the most haunted — this is where an Irish stonemason named Michael fell to his death. Guests have reported eerie sounds, ghostly figures, and even a specter that seems to organize your clothes and loose change. The hotel also organizes ghost tours for both adults and children alike, which you can choose to add on to your trip when you visit. Nevertheless, the outdoor pool, luxurious spa, and comfy beds will make it worth the stay. $200+/night Shop Omni Parker House Hotel: Boston This luxury hotel was the birthplace of the original Boston Cream Pie and the original Parker House Rolls — which you can order at the Parker restaurant. It's beautifully made, with modern luxurious rooms, marble floors, and grand chandeliers throughout. There's more to this property though, with guests reporting mysterious orbs floating down hallways, and the faint scent of cigar smoke — often attributed to Charles Dickens, who had a lengthy stay at the hotel in the late 1800s. Ask the hotel's staff for their own experiences, and you bet they have stories to tell. $300+ Shop Hawthorne Hotel:Masacheustets Located in Salem (the infamous spot for the Salem witch trials) it's not a surprise that this hotel is haunted. Named after the author Nathaniel Hawthorne, this hotel has various paranormal incidents, including guests feeling cold spots, seeing a figure of a ghostly woman running down the corridor, and even noticing lights turn on and off by themselves. The most haunted room is reportedly Room 325. Most of the hauntings are related to the hotel's history — it was even the location for a séance for Harry Houdini (unfortunately he did not show up). The hotel itself is equipped with modern furnishings and large, comfy beds filled to the brim with pillows. There are two restaurants on site, including the Tavern, which has a cozy fireplace, and dark oak furnishings to spend the evening away on. $315/night Shop Lord Baltimore Hotel: Maryland Once upon a time during the Great Depression, this hotel was the tallest in the city — and this led to a chilling situation. More than 20 people reportedly jumped off this building to their deaths, and it seems their spirits have lingered behind. The hotel is mainly haunted by a young girl named Molly, whose parents flung themselves to death at the hotel. It's said they took her with them. Her apparition can sometimes be seen on the 19th floor. The hotel also hosts ghost tours for the supernaturally curious. The rooms are tastefully furnished and vibrant, and oil paintings adorn the walls of this storied hotel. You can even head to the Skybar, located on the infamous 19th floor, where you can get a cocktail and enjoy the city's views. $125+/night Shop The Emily Morgan Hotel: Texas This is allegedly one of the most haunted hotels not just in the U.S. — but in the world. This building once functioned as a hospital, and had its own morgue, crematorium, and psychiatric ward — so it's safe to say the property was no stranger to death. Doors opening, lights flashing, the smell of a hospital, are just some of the occurrences reported. Hotel staff also say the seventh, ninth, and fourteenth floors are the most active, so book a room on those floors (if you can) to really spook yourself. Rooms are spacious with flat screen TVs, a coffee machine, and elegant furnishings included — it's a Hilton, so you know it comes from a reputable brand. $100+/night Shop The Marshall House: Georgia This gorgeous inn was built in 1851 and features classic furnishings, with wooden bed frames, thick, embroidered carpet, and old-school fans which double as lights. It has a rich history too: the hotel was used as a hospital during the Civil War and during the yellow fever epidemic. While it's of course since been renovated, guests can still hear long-lost souls roaming the hallways of this inn. Phantom children reportedly run the length of the hall, faucets turn on and off as they please, and apparitions are also visible. The spirits seem to be particularly active at night, and if you peer hard enough, you might just see a little child from decades past. $250+/night Shop
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Haunting 'final countdown' of Annabelle doll handler before sudden death during 'demonically possessed' toy tour
A veteran ghost hunter who suddenly died while touring the US with the haunted Annabelle doll made a chilling 'final countdown' social media post just days before his passing. Dan Rivera, 54, was in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for his Devils on the Run tour - a cross-country event featuring the infamous doll - when he was found unresponsive at his hotel Sunday night. He had built a loyal fanbase through his ghost-hunting work and viral content reviving the eerie legends of Annabelle and other cursed relics. His final stop - in Gettysburg, a Civil War town long said to be haunted - was completely sold out. Just days before the event kicked off, Rivera posted an eerie video of the Annabelle doll promoting the 'final countdown' of the tour. 'On the road this week. GET READY GETTYSBURG. It's the final countdown,' Rivera captioned that video that played along with the band Europe's hit song 'The Final Countdown.' 'GET READY GETTYSBURG! ON THE ROAD THIS WEEK. ITS THE FINAL COUNTDOWN,' the caption continued. The video montage included chilling shots of the 'possessed' doll along with photos of Rivera and his colleagues from the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR). Rivera served as a senior lead investigator with the organization and was the one who had been bringing the creepy children's toy across the country. Harrison Jones, a journalist for the local newspaper the Evening Sun, told People he had attended the tour's event at the Soldiers Orphanage Homestead on Saturday - the night before Rivera passed. 'It was quickly clear that Mr. Rivera was a people person as he spoke with the group,' Jones said. 'He was very charismatic and quick-witted. He seemed intent on making sure the group was comfortable and could enjoy themselves.' The journalist described how during the event Rivera explained to guests how he built Annabelle's case himself. 'Mr. Rivera, along with another of NESPR's investigators, Wade Kirby, spoke to the group about Annabelle's history and their experiences working with the doll,' Jones said. 'Among those discussions, Mr. Rivera spoke about how he had built the case that Annabelle was in himself, and that he had designed many aspects from the perspective of his faith.' Rivera had been with colleagues on Sunday morning but was not feeling well and went back to his room, Abrams County Coroner Francis Dutrow confirmed to People. On Wednesday morning, authorities revealed that he died from 'natural causes' and that there was 'nothing unusual or suspicious observed at the scene,' according to Pennsylvania State Police. NESPR announced in a Tuesday evening press release that they will resume the tours previously scheduled events, believing it's what the veteran ghost hunter 'would have wanted.' 'We believe with all our hearts that Dan would have wanted the work to continue - bringing people together, sharing knowledge, and honoring the memory of Ed & Lorraine Warren,' the statement said, referring to the legendary paranormal investigators who kept Annabelle their private occult museum. 'We will carry his spirit in us in everything we do.' The Annabelle doll was made famous back in the 1970s when paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren looked into alleged attacks made by the infamous toy. While they put her in a specially built glass case and warned that she should never be moved, Annabelle is now currently touring the US alongside other items from the Warrens Occult Museum collection as part of the exhibition called Devils on the Run.
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Annabelle tour will CONTINUE as planned after 'evil doll' expert Dan Rivera died of 'natural causes' at age 54
Upcoming events featuring the 'possessed' Anabelle doll will go on as planned, despite the sudden death of one of the tours leaders in Pennsylvania. Dan Rivera, 54, was in Gettysburg for the Devils on the Run Tour - a chilling cross-country event featuring the infamous doll - when he was found unresponsive at his hotel Sunday night. On Wednesday morning, authorities revealed that he died from 'natural causes' and that there was 'nothing unusual or suspicious observed at the scene,' according to Pennsylvania State Police. The New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), where Rivera served as a senior lead investigator, announced in a Tuesday evening press release that they will resume the tours previously scheduled events, believing it's what the veteran ghost hunter 'would have wanted.' 'We believe with all our hearts that Dan would have wanted the work to continue - bringing people together, sharing knowledge, and honoring the memory of Ed & Lorraine Warren,' the statement said, referring to the legendary paranormal investigators who kept Annabelle their private occult museum. 'We will carry his spirit in us in everything we do.' Rivera had built a loyal fanbase through his ghost-hunting work and viral content featuring the eerie legends of Annabelle and other cursed relics. His final stop - in Gettysburg, a Civil War town long said to be haunted - was completely sold out. On Sunday night, Rivera was alone in his hotel room by coworkers. The coroner was called to the scene shortly after first responders and later confirmed that Rivera's death was not considered suspicious. Results from the routine autopsy could take between 30 and 60 days to complete. Since news of his death spread, the internet has erupted into an international firestorm of speculation - with many pointing to the Annabelle doll, which Rivera frequently handled, as the cause of his sudden and unexplained passing. NESPR responded to the wave of controversy in their statement. 'We understand that Dan's work inspired fascination and curiosity for many,' it read. 'But above all, he was a father, devoted husband and loyal friend, someone who meant the world to those closest to him. Out of respect for his family, we kindly ask for privacy as they mourn this tremendous loss.' Jason Hawes, star of SyFy's 'Ghost Hunters,' also spoke out in a Facebook post, condemning those who placed blame on the Annabelle doll. 'What's even harder to see right now are the posts blaming his death on things like the Annabelle doll and attacking places like Ghostly Images of Gettysburg Tours and other locations for having events,' Hawes wrote. 'That needs to stop.' 'Let's focus on remembering Dan for who he was, not turning his death into some made up bulls*** story to get clicks or attention,' he added. 'Honor the man. Forget the garbage.' The Raggedy Anne Doll's paranormal legend dates back to the 1970s, when it was apparently given as a gift to nurse in Hartford, Connecticut, before beginning to exhibit disturbing behavior. Annabelle was thought to be possessed by the spirit of a dead child and was said to move on its own, leave terrifying handwritten notes and even allegedly attacked someone. Due to the popularity of the story and subsequent film franchise, the real Annabelle doll was removed from its secure case and included in the Devils on the Run tour, which began in May. Three more events are scheduled for the remainder of the year - one featuring Annabelle in September in Maine, another promising to 'redefine the paranormal experience' in October in Illinois, and a 'ScareFest Weekend' also in October in Kentucky.
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Ghost hunter dies suddenly during sinister haunted dolls tour
A seasoned paranormal investigator died suddenly while on a spooky haunted doll tour in one of America's most notoriously haunted towns. Dan Rivera, 54, was in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, over the weekend for his 'Devils on the Run' tour - a chilling cross-country event featuring the infamous Annabelle doll, said to be possessed by a demonic spirit. Rivera, a lead investigator for the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), was found unresponsive at his hotel Sunday night. Emergency dispatch logs from Adams County show a CPR-in-progress call for a man matching Rivera's age. His death was later confirmed by NESPR, though his official cause of death has not been released. The paranormal community has been left reeling by the unexpected loss. Rivera was widely respected for his ghost-hunting expertise and had gained a devoted following online for his work reviving the legends surrounding Annabelle and other cursed relics. He was mid-tour at the time of his death, making a sold-out weekend stop in Gettysburg - a historic Civil War battlefield town long rumored to be crawling with restless spirits. The event, held at the famously eerie Soldiers National Orphanage and hosted by Ghostly Images of Gettysburg Tours, was packed all three nights.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I'm not built for whatever I heard in Phasmophobia's Chronicle update, which adds terrifying new sounds you can't afford to run from
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The big Phasmophobia Chronicle update launches tomorrow, June 24, and brings a long list of bug fixes and tool reworks with it. As part of the tool shake-up, developer Kinetic Games also overhauled the journal's media section for capturing evidence. It's great if you're tired of being limited to a photo camera. But, if you're a coward like me who usually takes pictures of salt and runs, I've got bad news. The bad news being you can't do that anymore (I tried) and holy shit the new ghost noises are scary. Instead of demanding you strictly take photos as evidence of a haunting, Phasmophobia's ghost-hunting bosses now want pictures plus recorded audio and video. Apparently, all my slightly off-centered photos of disturbed salt piles are no longer worth money. I tried to sell several over the weekend in my early hands-on with the Chronicle update, but no dice. Image 1 of 4 Image 2 of 4 Image 3 of 4 Image 4 of 4 Chronicle adds a bunch of little things, like new social elements to Phasmophobia's UI and other quality-of-life goodies, but I honed in on playing with the new Sound Recorder. Since my old cheap habits were no longer a valid means to score a perfect investigation, I had to confront ghosts and stay in the room to use the Sound Recorder when they acted up. Sure, Phas players are used to all manner of ungodly racket, but forcing you to run toward the noise for a clip is a whole other ask. Especially with so many new sounds, too. I heard the usual creaky footsteps and door-slamming, but Phasmophobia added more hellish whispering and actual phrases. It captures more of the original Spirit Box charm, prompting ghosts to respond with their own disembodied voices instead of relying on bits and pieces of radio broadcasters. It's not as funny as hearing a Microsoft Sam demon get snippy in the dark, but I like it way more than the more boring Spirit Box audio of today. 2025 games: This year's upcoming releasesBest PC games: Our all-time favoritesFree PC games: Freebie festBest FPS games: Finest gunplayBest RPGs: Grand adventuresBest co-op games: Better together It's not just voices, either. At one point, I heard what sounded like two pieces of metal slamming into each other in a bathroom, and I still don't know what it was (not that I really tried to figure it out, anyway). As soon as I heard the last of it, I was already back in the truck and mashing the control panel to leave. I did a lot of that before finally working up the nerve to truly investigate a haunting. After a solid few rounds of growing annoyed by my own cowardice, my sense of self-preservation was finally out the door, and I barreled into Camp Woodwind demanding a ghost by the name of Jim Emmett tell me how old he is. He kept his age a secret, but he did whisper, "I'm watching you," over the Parabolic. Phas says I need 13 pieces of evidence like this for a perfect game, but I think one instance of ominous murmuring is proof enough—camp's haunted. When it comes to actually recording—not hearing something over the Parabolic from the other side of the map—I struggled with the Tier 1 Sound Recorder. Upgrading to the Tier 3 device predictably made the task way easier, but I still wasn't always clear on why some recordings didn't make it into the journal as evidence. I'm assuming it's some combination of being a huge wuss and good ole Phas jank, but it was never so cumbersome that I drove off in frustration. If it's not obvious already, sometimes I'm the truck friend, but that's more acceptable now. Chronicle makes things harder in plenty of ways, but it's also kind to your easily spooked buddies by adding more options for monitoring the action from a safe distance. They can watch for the usual ghost behaviors from a much nicer video interface or participate in recording footage, assuming you set the cameras up properly. On more than one occasion, I did wind up back in the ghost room trying to move cameras around for a more accurate picture, but it's nothing players aren't used to now. Sometimes a ghost would do multiple things at once, like trigger a motion sensor and throw something, so I'd wind up with a duplicate recording trying to score something unique. Duplicates are worth less and don't count toward a perfect investigation, so it's a bummer when it happens. But I just took it as a chance to play more strategically by picking up tools I was done with or taking a little more care with the record button. It's a patch I was feeling a little on the fence about, not convinced a media rework was a big deal, but I'm happily wrong. It's impressive how careful little tweaks to the Phasmophobia formula so easily reinvigorate a ghost hunt. Add a few unfamiliar sounds and limit some of my old habits, then I'm floundering like it's day one again. It's not punitive either, I don't feel punished for limiting my old shortcuts to bonuses. Instead, the Chronicle update just forces more of that giddy terror, tempting my ghost-hunting gang with more rewards for playing with an expanded toolset.
