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Texas has quite a few haunted hotels, these are some of the most haunted places that you could find, and they have been known to be haunted for many years. In this blog post, we will list ten haunted hotels in Texas, along with their history, where you can spend the night.
Hotel Galvez, Galveston Texas
Built back in 1911, for the exorbitant cost of $1 million dollars, The Hotel Galvez in Galveston was added to the list of Historic Hotels of America in 1994. The Hotel Galvez has a storied history and has welcomed thousands since opening, some of which reportedly still hang around in spirit form.
A lady named Audra is perhaps the hotel’s most infamous inhabitant, Audra was a twenty-five-year-old bride-to-be in the mid-1950s. Engaged to a mariner she would stay in room 501 and await his return to port. Climbing the stairs to the rooftop to see his ship come into port she would wait for his return. On one trip word reached shore that the ship he was on had sunk with no survivors and upon hearing the news Audra hung herself in the west turret of the hotel. A few days later her fiancé returned to the news his bride to be was already buried and today guests report seeing her roaming the 5th floor, some hear slamming doors, lights and televisions turning on and off unexpectedly and the front desk has reported difficulties in making electronic keys for the room with the keys often being unreadable and not working.
Other spirits have been felt as well such as a young girl bouncing a ball on the hotels lower level, children laughing in the salon’s bathroom, candles being blown out and dishes being moved and even a woman dressed in an old maid’s uniform walking through guest rooms before disappearing.
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Menger Hotel, San Antonio Texas
The Menger Hotel was built in 1859 by German immigrants Mary and William Menger. Located on Alamo Plaza just feet away from the famed Alamo, originally built as a boarding house, the hotel sits on ground where the most famous battle in Texas took place. As such, there are as many as 32 spirits that call the Menger Hotel home.
Probably the most famous of the ghosts that roam the Menger Hotel is none other than President Theodore Roosevelt. Now why would former President Teddy be hanging around a Texas Hotel? Well, the bar at the Menger Hotel was where Teddy Roosevelt would buy drinks and talk cowboys into joining his Rough Riders unit headed off to fight in the Spanish American War. People have reported seeing Teddy sitting at the bar and enjoying a drink.
Another ghost that is often seen is that of Sally White, a chambermaid during Victorian times at the hotel. Sally died after her husband attacked her and she suffered severe injuries. She is often seen in her Victorian uniform in the halls carrying a handful of towels for guests.
Captain Richard King was the owner of King Ranch, one of the largest ranches in the world. King often stayed at the hotel in his personal suite and spent the last few months of his life at the hotel. His funeral was held in the hotel parlor and his suite, now called the “King Ranch Room” is where his ghost is often seen.
Another spirit of a woman has been seen in the original hotel lobby sitting and knitting quietly before disappearing suddenly. Other guests have reported the sound of heavy boots walking around, presumably the ghosts of those who fought at the Alamo.
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Crockett Hotel, San Antonio Texas
Built in 1909 on what was the Alamo battlefield, The Crockett Hotel is right across the street from the iconic Texas landmark and the most well known location associated with Texas Independence. The Crockett Hotel is said to be haunted with the ghosts of the Alamo. People have reported the lobby front door opens and closes on its own, there has been an apparition of a man wearing the dark blue uniform of an Alamo defender seen many times by staff and guests alike. Footsteps, chanting and the sounds of horses have all been heard within the hotels walls.
Some say the ghost of the hotel’s namesake Davy Crockett himself wanders the grounds. Orbs of light have been captured on film as well as people reporting cold spots in the hotel accompanied by an eerie feeling.
With all of the death that occurred on this spot is it possible that some have yet to cross over?
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The Sheraton Gunter Hotel, San Antonio Texas
Another historic hotel in San Antonio also has its fair share of spirits wandering around and guests have been reporting strange occurrences almost since the hotel was opened. Opened officially on November 20, 1909, The Sheraton Gunter Hotel was hailed the ‘most modern hotel between New Orleans and Los Angeles’. A hotel has stood on this spot in some form since 1837, one year after the battle of the Alamo took place less than half a mile away. Formerly named the Frontier Inn opened in 1837 throughout the years it was leased to the military and changed ownership several times before the new hotel named the Gunter opened in 1909. Since then, Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman have both stayed in the Presidential Suite as well as blues musician Robert Johnson and actors Roy Rogers, Tom Mix, Gene Autry, Mae West and John Wayne have all stayed at the hotel. In 1989 the Gunter became part of the Sheraton Hotels Network.
One pair of spirits you might run into are Ingrid and Peggy. These two inhabit opposite sides of the hotels 2nd floor and apparently do not like each other. They often throw things at each other, slam doors and on occasion tug guests back and forth between them. Ingrid, wearing a white dress and Peggy in short flapper attire are especially active when parties are being held and Ingrid likes to photo bomb guests’ pictures.
On November 23rd 1936 noted blues musician, Robert Johnson, began the first recording session of his career in Room 414. The session lasted three days and included his recording of “Cross Road Blues,” a song some have said was a hint to the deal he made with the devil. Legend has it Robert Johnson was a terrible guitarist and one day he disappeared for a few weeks in Clarksdale, Mississippi. They say he took his guitar to the crossroads of Highways 49 and 61, where he made a deal with the devil, who returned his guitar in exchange for his soul. When he came back in town he could play the guitar like never before. Johnson died too early when he was only 27 after having poison put in a bottle of whiskey that he drank. Today guests at the Gunter Hotel say they can see or hear him lingering around Room 414.
And then there is the incident in Room 636. In 1965 Walter Emerick checked into Room 636 under a false name. For the next few days, he was seen with a blonde woman who was sharing his room. On the day he was to checkout a maid entered the room and saw Walter sitting on the bed and the room had blood splattered all over. Walter raised his finger to his lips to shush her as she screamed. Walter ran out of the room holding an armful of bloody sheets. A few days later Walter checked into the St. Anthony Hotel requesting room 636, he became angry after having to settle for Room 536. The hotel clerks called the police to report this suspicious guest but before they could arrive Walter shot himself. A body was never found but there was a report of Walter having an argument with a store keeper over a meat grinder a few days earlier and long blonde hairs were found amongst all the blood in the room. That along with a lot of blood being found around the toilet and bath tub led investigators to the conclusion Walter had ground up the body and washed it down the drains. Today guests and staff have reported the sight of a woman in the room and the hallways with outstretched arms and strange sounds coming from Room 636.
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The Emily Morgan Hotel, San Antonio Texas
The Emily Morgan Hotel is another San Antonio landmark located near the battle of the Alamo but it is the buildings previous use that have many believing that spirits roam the halls. Built in 1924 as the Medical Arts Building, the original use was that of medical offices on the downstairs level, a hospital on the upper floors and a morgue in the basement.
Staff have reported cleaning an empty room and after returning to the room the pillows have been thrown on the floor, seeing doors close for no reason, guests have reported hearing what they describe as hospital carts outside their rooms in the middle of the night and the 14th floor has the smell of antiseptics. The elevators have stopped at various floors for no reason and cameras have captured “orbs” floating in the air.
With all the people being treated as patients, and some dying there, when the building was a medical center, it is no wonder that The Emily Morgan has had numerous reports of paranormal activity.
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Jefferson Hotel Jefferson Texas
Built in 1851 The Historic Jefferson Hotel was originally a cotton warehouse. It would also be used as a brothel, and during the Prohibition Era it became a speakeasy named the Crystal Palace. The most well known ghost at the Jefferson Hotel is known simply as “The Vanishing Man.” Just about every guest who stays in the hotel encounters him one way or another. Wearing a long black trench coat, he randomly appears in the hotel rooms staring at the occupants before disappearing.
There are also the spirits of two young boys who used to work at hotel when it was used a cotton mill. People often see them walking and talking in the hallways.
If you stay in Room 19 you might encounter Judy, a teenage girl thought to be the spirit of a prostitute. Judy was stabbed and left to slowly die in the bathtub and guests have seen her writing her name on the bathroom mirror or leaving messages asking for help. If you do encounter a spirit during your stay, make sure you jot it down in the hotel’s “Book of the Dead,” where guests write down their experiences with the spirits.
Excelsior House Hotel, Jefferson Texas
The Excelsior House Hotel opened the 1850s and since then has welcomed guests like Oscar Wilde, Ulysses S. Grant, and Steven Spielberg. Spielberg checked out early. When he checked in to his room, he threw his briefcase onto a chair only to have it fly off back at him and the next morning he woke up to the ghost of a young boy, wearing clothes from the 1800’s, asking him if he wanted breakfast. Shortly afterward he wrote the screenplay for the movie Poltergeist.
There have also been sightings of a headless man carrying his head around in his hands on the second floor. Then there is also the ghost of a woman dressed in black carrying her baby and that of a murdered prostitute roaming the halls.
Seems the small town of Jefferson has its fair share of dead prostitutes lurking around as spirits who have yet to cross over.
The Driskill Hotel, Austin Texas
The Driskill Hotel has been an Austin landmark since being built in 1886 by wealthy cattle baron Col. Jesse Driskill. Since then, the hotel has hosted several gubernatorial inauguration balls and President Lyndon Johnson watched the election results there.
In 1887, shortly after opening, the State Legislature was holding their session at the hotel while the State Capitol was being built. Samantha, the young daughter of one of the Senators was playing with a ball when she slipped and fell down the staircase dying of a broken neck. The girl’s spirit is often seen at the hotel and she is often seen on the 5th floor gazing at a portrait of a young girl holding flowers. Samantha is also known to play with children staying at the hotel. When parents have asked who their children are playing with, they answer “Samantha”.
Many people, from staff to guests, have reported the smell of cigars in the lobby even though there is no smoking in the hotel. When Col. Driskill owned the hotel, he could often be seen smoking a cigar while chatting up the guests in the lobby leading some to believe it might be his spirit still hanging around. Others believe it might be the spirits of customers that used to frequent the tobacco shop that was once doing business at the hotel. One security guard reported smelling the cigar smoke and having someone behind him ask “Got a match?” only to turn around and find no one there.
There is also the ghost of Peter Lawless, a ticket agent for the Great Northern Railroad. After his wife died he moved into the Driskill and operated his business on the 5th floor, where he lived for thirty one years. Visitors have reported seeing Peter exit the elevator and nod to guests and staff before disappearing.
In the early 1900’s a woman checked into Room 329 after her fiancé called off their wedding. On her second day she went on a shopping spree spending over $40,000. On the third day she lined up everything she had purchased and shot herself in the head. Guests say they have seen her ghost walking down the halls of the hotel carrying shopping bags.
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Miss Molly’s Hotel, Ft Worth Texas
Miss Molly’s has been the focus have several paranormal investigations by various groups. Built as a Boarding House in 1910 and later used as a Bordello in the 1940’s, today Miss Molly’s Hotel is an 8 Room boutique hotel in the historic Ft Worth stockyards. Each room has been carefully decorated to reflect what it would have looked like when new.
The last Madame to run the brothel was Josie King. She is often seen around 3 am, usually sitting on the end of the bed watching guests sleep. Guests in the Cowboy Room have reported personal items being moved around. There is also the ghost of a small child that frequents one of the rooms. Guests have also reported the unexplained aroma of perfume, probably a remnant of the hotel’s bordello days, as well as toilets flushing on their own, doors closing and lights flickering on and off. There have been reports of ghosts in every room of the hotel but the Cowboy Room seems to be the most active.
Adolphus Hotel, Dallas Texas
The Adolphus Hotel was built in 1912 by Adolphus Busch, the founder of the Anheuser-Busch Company. Built to be a grand and elegant hotel it is still one of the premier hotels in Dallas.
At least 13 people have died at the Adolphus with some falling down elevator shafts or being crushed by elevators, falling or being thrown out windows, being shot, one was poisoned and one who leapt to his death with his clothes on fire.
Over the years the front desk has received complaints of loud footsteps outside guest room doors and a piano playing late at night. When someone is sent to investigate, no one is around. People report feeling as if they are being watched and doors slamming with again, no one around. Others have reported a woman crying, or seeing the apparition of a woman walking into the Bistro and sitting down before disappearing. With as many people that have died at the hotel over the years no one is really sure how many spirits are wandering the hotel.
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So, do you have the nerves to spend the night in one of the haunted hotels in the Lone Star State? Do you think you can sleep well knowing that shadowy figures might be lurking around? Of course, these could all be nothing more than harmless ghost stories, after all you don’t really believe in ghosts, do you? Well?
I hope that you enjoyed this blog post, and please feel free to share it with your friends and family. Thanks for reading! :-)”
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