The 10 Most Haunted Hotels in Chicago

When you check in for a relaxing night at a hotel, the last thing you expect to see are ghosts. However, due to the age of the buildings and the sheer number of check-ins over the years, there are bound to be a few guests who never leave. Chicago and the rest of Illinois are home to some of the most haunted hotels in the country. Book your stay and experience the paranormal for yourself.

Congress Plaza Hotel

The Congress Plaza Hotel is, without a doubt, the most haunted hotel in Chicago. Constructed in 1893, it has a long history that includes a few notable villains – America’s first documented serial killer, Dr. H. H. Holmes, was a guest, as was Al Capone. These and other spirits are believed to roam the halls and play creepy pranks on guests.

Drake Hotel

Up on the tenth floor of the Drake Hotel, you may have the chance to see the “Lady in Red.” After leaping to her death from a hotel window in 1920, the woman’s spirit is believed to haunt anyone who dares to stop on her floor.

Ruebel Hotel

Located in Grafton, IL, the Ruebel Hotel is haunted by a young girl named Abigail. She is believed to have lived in the late 1800s, when the brick hotel was first opened by original owner Michael Ruebel. It wasn’t until the hotel reopened in 1997 that staff discovered her spirit.

Capital Hotel

Located in Colchester, IL, the Capital Hotel was built in the late 1800s by an entrepreneur named Darius Hicks, near the natural springs of a community known as Vishnu Springs. After the owner died in 1908, the resort sat empty. Today, the hotel and its ghosts are nearly all that remain of Vishnu Springs.

DeSoto House

In Galena, IL, sits the DeSoto House, one of the oldest operating hotels in the state. It’s where Abraham Lincoln spoke from a balcony in 1856, and it hosted other notable guests like Ulysses S. Grant and Stephen A. Douglas. Staff and guests have claimed to hear voices in the hallway and catch glimpses of spirits in old-fashioned garb.

Rose Hotel

The Rose Hotel in Elizabethtown, IL, currently operates as a bed and breakfast. One of its permanent guests, however, is a former servant named Tote, who was identified by the Little Egypt Ghost Society in a photograph found in an old hotel scrapbook.

Hotel Baker

St. Charles is home to Hotel Baker, which opened in June of 1928. Known back then as the “hangeymoon hotel,” the getaway offered beautiful views of the river and gardens. Local legend suggests a chambermaid haunts the sixth floor after drowning herself in the Fox River when her fiancé left her at the altar.

Kaskaskia Hotel

This LaSalle hotel is believed to be haunted by a woman who lived in the 1920s and is thought to have taken her own life in 1948. Staff say they often hear footsteps throughout the building, and the elevator is known to open on its own.

Original Springs Hotel

The Original Springs Hotel in Okawville opened in 1893 and is still in operation today. Guests report seeing a woman in white sitting on the second-floor balcony, her face always hidden by her hat.

Mineral Springs Hotel

In Alton, IL, the Mineral Springs Hotel was once famed for its swimming pool and mineral water. The building is known to be haunted by several ghosts, including an artist and a woman who leaves a jasmine scent in her wake. Today, the hotel has been transformed into an antique mall.

Stay Where the Spirits Roam

If you’re drawn to the paranormal, there’s no better place to spend Halloween than the most haunted hotel of them all. Get your tickets for the Haunted Halloween Ball at the historic Congress Plaza Hotel.