Haunted Hotels in California: Chilling Haunted Rooms & Stays
California is home to some of the most actively haunted hotels in the country, where guests often report paranormal encounters—from ghostly apparitions to weird noises and objects that just don't stay put. The Golden State's most haunted hotels include icons like the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and the Queen Mary in Long Beach, each with a long, sometimes unsettling, history of supernatural activity.
I’ve dug into the stories behind California’s most infamous haunted hotel stays, from Gold Rush-era inns where old miners supposedly linger to Hollywood landmarks said to be haunted by celebrities who just can’t let go. These places aren’t just urban legends—witness accounts from guests and staff pop up all the time.
Here, I’ll get into the specific hotel rooms with the wildest reputations, some practical booking tips, and a few of the ghost stories that give each hotel its own strange personality. Whether you’re up for a little adventure or just curious about California’s haunted side, these hotels are a real trip into the unknown.
Haunted Hotels in California: Chilling Haunted Rooms & Stays
Most Famous Haunted Hotels and Paranormal Hotel Rooms in California
California’s most notorious haunted hotels are usually old spots where tragic deaths and strange events have left a permanent mark. The Queen Mary’s Room B340, Hotel del Coronado’s Kate Morgan story, Hollywood Roosevelt’s celebrity ghosts, and Glen Tavern Inn’s Old West history are probably the best-known haunted accommodations in the state.
Queen Mary: Ghosts and Room B340
The Queen Mary in Long Beach is probably the most famous haunted hotel in California. This old ocean liner turned floating hotel has been collecting ghost stories since its days as a troop ship and luxury cruiser.
Room B340 is the ship’s most infamous room. Guests talk about sudden chills, knocking sounds, and stuff moving on its own. The hotel even stopped renting it out for a while because things got so intense.
The engine rooms and what used to be the first-class pool are also hotspots. Staff sometimes see shadowy figures in old-fashioned clothes just wandering around. Some say former passengers and crew who died onboard never really left.
The Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach draws ghost hunters from all over. With so many different spirits from various eras, the hauntings overlap in weird, unpredictable ways.
Hotel del Coronado and the Legend of Kate Morgan
Hotel del Coronado in San Diego is probably California’s most historic haunted hotel. The whole legend revolves around Kate Morgan, a young woman found dead on the beach in 1892.
Kate checked in alone, supposedly waiting for a man who never showed. Officially, her death was ruled a suicide, but plenty of folks think there’s more to the story. Her ghost is said to wander the halls and especially the third-floor rooms.
Guests have mentioned faucets turning on by themselves, cold drafts, and the uncomfortable feeling that someone’s watching. There are stories of antique furniture moving and the sudden smell of vintage perfume in empty spaces.
The Hotel del Coronado's haunted reputation is a big draw in San Diego. They lean into it, too, with ghost tours and the option to book the rooms with the most activity.
The Hollywood Roosevelt: Celebrity Spirits and Haunted Suites
The Hollywood Roosevelt is famous for its celebrity ghosts. Marilyn Monroe’s spirit is said to appear in a lobby mirror from her favorite suite, Suite 1200. Montgomery Clift’s ghost reportedly hangs around Room 928, and guests swear they hear him rehearsing lines.
It’s not just the famous faces, either. There’s a little girl named Caroline who drowned in the pool decades ago—she’s been known to play tricks on guests and staff.
Suite 1200 is a favorite for ghost hunters. While Marilyn doesn’t haunt the room itself, her presence is felt in that old mirror. People have caught odd reflections and shadows in it.
Montgomery Clift’s old room is another spot with cold spots, weird noises, and that uneasy feeling of being watched. The Hollywood Roosevelt's celebrity hauntings make it a unique place for anyone into the paranormal.
Glen Tavern Inn: Old West Hauntings
Glen Tavern Inn in Santa Paula was once a brothel and gambling hall, and its violent past during Prohibition left a lot of baggage. Some say that’s why the hauntings here are so intense.
Room 307 is the one people talk about most. The ghosts of Calvin and a murdered prostitute (whose headless body was supposedly found in the closet) are said to haunt it. Guests have reported objects being thrown, unexplained scratches, and a heavy sense of dread.
There are also stories of child spirits on the second floor—laughter and running footsteps in the middle of the night. Sometimes they’re playful, sometimes just plain disruptive.
The inn’s Old West paranormal reputation comes from a string of documented murders and violent deaths. Cold spots, shadowy figures, and voices with no source are pretty common here.
Experiencing Haunted Stays: Tips, Tours, and Notable Ghost Stories
Many haunted hotels let you book their most active rooms, and some even offer ghost tours along with your stay. From San Diego’s coast to remote Death Valley, California’s haunted hotels each have their own stories and odd happenings. There’s a lot to choose from if you’re in the mood for something spooky.
Booking Haunted Rooms: What to Expect
Most haunted hotels will let you request their most notorious rooms. Hotel del Coronado offers special rates for haunted room stays and has regular ghost-themed events.
If you’re serious, I suggest calling hotels directly to ask about which rooms get the most activity. For example, the Queen Anne Hotel in San Francisco is known for room 410.
Common Room Features:
- Cold spots and temperature swings
- Weird noises and voices
- Electronics acting up
- Furniture or objects moving
Some places hand out ghost-hunting gadgets or work with local paranormal groups. The Historic Cary House Hotel even got featured on Portals to Hell because of all the weird stuff that happens there.
Staff usually have their own stories and aren’t shy about sharing them at check-in. Honestly, it seems like working at these places isn’t for the faint of heart—a lot of turnover thanks to all the ghostly goings-on.
Ghost Story Highlights and Famous Hauntings
Kate Morgan is probably California’s most famous hotel ghost. She died at Hotel del Coronado in 1892, and people still blame her for faucets turning on and mysterious noises.
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is packed with celebrity spirits. Marilyn Monroe’s reflection shows up in a lobby mirror from her old suite, and Montgomery Clift’s ghost is said to practice lines in room 928.
Notable California Hotel Hauntings:
| Hotel | Primary Ghost | Manifestation |
|---|---|---|
| Glen Tavern Inn | Calvin & unnamed prostitute | Room 307 activity |
| Queen Mary | Multiple ship spirits | Engine room encounters |
| Chateau Marmont | John Belushi | Bungalow 3 presence |
The Delta King Riverboat is another odd one—three spirits have been reported there: a ship captain, a young blonde girl, and actress Dorothy Milette, who jumped overboard in 1932.
Haunted Road Trips and Paranormal Experiences in California
If you’re up for an adventure, I’d try a haunted hotel road trip. In Northern California, you could hit the Queen Anne Hotel in San Francisco, then the Napa River Inn for some haunted wine country vibes.
Southern California is packed with options. Start at Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, swing by the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, and maybe wrap up at Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
There’s also the Gold Rush route. The 1859 Historic National Hotel in Jamestown is famous for Flo, a friendly ghost who supposedly visits rooms in the early hours.
Recommended Haunted Hotel Clusters:
- San Francisco Bay Area: Queen Anne Hotel, Zaballa House
- Wine Country: Napa River Inn, Glen Tavern Inn
- Gold Country: National Hotel, Historic Cary House Hotel
If you want to get really remote, Amargosa Opera House & Hotel in Death Valley is about as isolated as it gets—hauntings there include a drowned child and the spirit of a man who was hanged.
Frequently Asked Questions
California’s haunted hotels draw thousands of ghost hunters and curious travelers every year. From luxury resorts on the coast to old riverboats, each spot has its own set of ghost stories and unexplained happenings.
Which are the top haunted hotels to stay at in California for a paranormal experience?
My top pick is Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. It’s famously haunted by Kate Morgan, and the mystery around her death still draws people in.
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles is your best bet for celebrity ghosts. Montgomery Clift and Marilyn Monroe are both said to linger there, and Monroe’s reflection supposedly still appears in a lobby mirror.
The Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach is a floating hotel with a wild history—and plenty of ghosts from its days at sea. It’s 1,019 feet of haunted corridors and cabins.
If you’re up north, the Queen Anne Hotel in San Francisco is a classic. It’s one of the city’s most haunted hotels, with Mary Lake, a former headmistress, haunting the fourth floor and especially room 410.
Can you list some haunted hotel rooms in Los Angeles with a notorious reputation?
Room 928 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is still said to be Montgomery Clift’s haunt. Guests claim to hear him running lines and practicing in the very room he once called home.
Suite 1200 at the Hollywood Roosevelt meant a lot to Marilyn Monroe back in the 1950s. While the suite itself isn’t a hotbed of activity, her presence is rumored to linger in the lobby mirror that used to hang in her room.
Bungalow 3 at the Chateau Marmont is infamous in West Hollywood’s paranormal circles. John Belushi died of a drug overdose there in the early 1980s, and some guests say they can still feel him around.
A young boy who’d never heard of Belushi’s death once picked him out from photos after insisting he’d seen the comedian in Bungalow 3. People tend to avoid the mirrors in that place—can’t say I blame them.
What historical events contribute to the hauntings at Northern California's hotels?
The Napa River Inn’s ghostly reputation dates back to the early 1900s. Captain Albert Hatt Jr. and Robert Keig, both former owners, are spotted from time to time by guests and staff alike.
The Delta King Riverboat in Sacramento went through some rough years during World War II. It served as a barrack, troop transport, and even a hospital from 1940 on, which probably explains the lingering spirits.
Dorothy Milette’s death on the Delta King happened in 1932. The Hollywood actress jumped overboard after learning her common-law husband had married Jean Harlow.
The Queen Anne Hotel used to be a girls’ boarding school in the 1890s. Mary Lake, the headmistress, is said to still keep an eye on the place—some say protectively.
Are there any documented ghost stories associated with Sacramento's haunted lodgings?
The Delta King Riverboat has a whole log of supernatural reports. There’s this old ship captain’s ghost who wanders the decks and wheelhouse, and people have spotted him during theater shows.
A little girl with dirty blonde hair is another regular. Crew members often hear her giggling and find small footprints in the morning dew across the deck.
The captain’s footsteps echo above deck at night, especially in spots where he used to work while the boat ferried passengers.
Dorothy Milette’s spirit turns up near the places where she spent her last hours. Her story’s tied to the heartbreak and scandal that led up to her death, and the energy just kind of lingers there.
What are the most chilling encounters guests have reported in California's haunted hotels?
At the Glen Tavern Inn in Santa Paula, Room 307 has the darkest past. A prostitute was found decapitated in the closet during Prohibition, and people still say her presence is strong.
The Historic Cary House Hotel in Placerville is so active that staff turnover is unusually high—fear seems to drive people away. Stan, a former clerk who died on the stairs, apparently hasn’t left and his behavior remains… unsettling.
Guests at the Queen Anne Hotel have spotted Mary Lake’s misty figure in old-fashioned clothes. There’s often strange tapping from the furniture in room 410, which used to be her office.
The Amargosa Opera House & Hotel is another spot where visitors run into tragedy. A child who drowned in a bathtub and the angry spirit of a hanged man make the atmosphere pretty heavy.
Which hotels in the California Gold Country are known for their haunted histories and paranormal activities?
The 1859 Historic National Hotel in Jamestown stands among the oldest haunted accommodations in Gold Rush territory. The two buildings served as the first permanent structures built in 1848.
Flo’s the main ghost at the National Hotel. Sometimes, folks say her apparition drifts through the rooms in the early morning hours. (https://www.hauntedrooms.com/california/haunted-places/haunted-hotels)
