The Stanley Hotel
Built in 1909 by Stanley Steamer inventor F.O. Stanley, this Georgian hotel inspired Stephen King's The Shining after he stayed in Room 217 in 1974. That room is tied to head chambermaid Elizabeth Wilson, who lit a candle during a gas-lamp leak; the explosion blew her through the floor into the dining room below. She survived, returned to work, and remained employed until 1950. Guests now report her tidying belongings, folding clothes, and switching lights on and off. F.O. Stanley is reported in the lobby, bar, and billiard room, while wife Flora's spirit is said to play the music-room piano. The fourth floor, once servants' quarters, produces unexplained children's laughter and running footsteps. Rooms 401, 407, and 428 carry their own accounts, including a cowboy apparition. The hotel has been investigated on Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures, anchoring its reputation as one of America's most documented haunted hotels.
📍 333 E Wonderview Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517, Estes Park, CO · Get directions