The Stanley Hotel
The famous Stanley Hotel in Estes Park is considered as one of the most frequently visited hotels in Colorado and the United States. This is because it is also considered as a “haunted” Georgian hotel. It has about 198 suites that can provide picturesque views of the Rocky Mountain National Park.
Freelan O. Stanley built the Stanley Hotel in 1909. He is also the owner of the famous Stanley Steamer that accommodated the rich and famous guests as well. Hence, Stanley Hotel, along with its surrounding areas is reportedly listed in the US’ National Register of Historic Places.
A few of the popular guests accommodated by this so-called “haunted” hotel include Theodore Roosevelt, John Phillip Sousa, the Unsinkable Molly Brown, the Empress and Emperor of Japan and Stephen King among others. In fact, this hotel is Stephen King’s inspiration for his best-selling novel-turned-movie “The Shining”. Thus, some parts of The Shining’s mini-series version were filmed here. However, in contrast to the reports, Stephen King did not write this novel at the Stanley Hotel but at his home in Boulder, Colorado.
Many guests would confirm true-to-life experiences about the guests from the other world of the Stanley Hotel. The most frequent ghostly visitor is reported to be Freelan O. Stanley himself. Stanley’s ghost would frequently be seen lurking the hotel’s lobbies as well as the spacious Billiard room. Those who knew Stanley would affirm that these two rooms were, in fact, his favorite places in his hotel when he was still living. Thus, there was even one occasion wherein Stanley appeared and materialized himself to a member of a tour group for the hotel. Bartenders of the hotel also saw Stanley’s ghost walking through their bar.
Another frequent ghost visitor of the Stanley Hotel is Flora Stanley, the wife of Freelan Stanley. Flora, on the other hand, would be heard lurking in the hotel’s Music room. Guests and employees would often hear music from the piano of this room. The music only stops when someone walks directly to the piano. If you will just take a peek and pass by, you will see how the piano keys moved by itself.
Then again, the area in Stanley hotel that is most frequented by ghosts would be the hotel’s fourth floor, especially Room 418. Even if the room is empty and doesn’t have guests, there are impressions found daily on the room’s bed. At night, guests would hear strange noises not only from this room but along the fourth floor hallway as well. Most of the noises were like children playing. This would happen even if there were no children being booked in the Stanley hotel that day.
There was also an instant last 2002 wherein a guest reported that he or she saw a man with a mustache who wore a cowboy hat and was looking out of room 408’s window. As the man stood there for a few minutes, he then disappeared to the left side of the window. When the guest checked about the man in room 408, with the clerk at the front desk, the clerk emphasized that there is no one booked in that room at that time. What made it more spine-tingling are the facts mentioned by the hotel clerk. The clerk told the guest that if the man would stand at that part of the room facing the window in room 408, it will not be possible because that is where the bathroom sink of that room is located. Meaning, if the man walked to the left side of that window, he would go right to a wall.
The most recent indicated ghostly encounter in the Stanley Hotel was last 2006. A female guest reportedly attended the wedding of her sister in the hotel’s Music Room. Before the wedding reception ended, the guest went upstairs towards the Groom and Bride’s Suite. The guest wanted to play a joke on the couple, so she used her lipstick to write the words “REDRUM” on the couple’s bathroom mirror. When the female guest hurried back downstairs to the reception area, she mentioned that she felt a distinctive shove on the lower portion of her back. This made her lose her footing and fall eight steps face down on the wooden flooring below. When other guests managed to help her get up, she looked back to see who was behind her. To her surprise, there was nobody there. Other guests who witnessed her fall confirmed that there was really nobody behind her when she fell down the staircase.
The Stanley Hotel accommodations are as follows:
Classic Rooms – Classically styled rooms equipped with walk-in closets, either 2 double beds or a queen sized bed, and views of the nearby mountains.
Historic Rooms – Classically styled rooms equipped with furnishings, a double bed and a relaxing atmosphere.
Manor Rooms – Built one year prior to the main Stanley Hotel. It is also situated just adjacent to the main Stanley hotel. It has a queen-sized bed.
Suites – These rooms are equipped with queen sized beds and sitting areas.
Deluxe King Rooms – Spacious rooms that was recently renovated and equipped with a flat screen TV.
Overlook Villas – These rooms offer self contained one-bedroom up to three-bedroom layouts and private hot tubs.
Presidential Cottage – This is the best room in this hotel! It is equipped with five bedrooms, 4.5 baths that have three jetted tubs, a kitchenette and a dining room. Its spacious living room is right next to the units’ private deck.
Furthermore, for dining and pleasure, Stanley hotel houses Streamers Café and the Cascades bar and Restaurant. The Cascades Restaurant serves regional Colorado and fine Continental dishes. The Cascades Bar has special summer offers in their charming veranda. Streamers Café, on the other hand, serves gourmet espresso, freshly baked pastries and even provides complementary Internet access.
If you are seeking relaxation and a stress-free get-away, the hotel also houses the Parlour Salon and Spa. Parlour is acclaimed for its 18 years of dedication to providing quality service and relaxation to the hotel’s guests. This salon and spa is open from 10:00 AM up to 6:00 PM, seven days a week or even upon availability.
The Stanley Hotel can be found at 333 Wonderview Avenue Estes Park Colorado. The hotel’s phone numbers are 970-586-3371 and 800-976-1377.