The Stanley Hotel

"The Stanley Hotel, located in Estes Park, Colorado, is famous for its connection to Stephen King's 'The Shining'. It is reputed as one of the most haunted hotels in America, with ghost tours, Victorian seances, and paranormal lectures. The hotel features the 'Stephen King Suite' and 'The Shining Suite', both of which include homages to King's work and the film adaptation. The hotel also hosts the annual Frozen Dead Guy Festival and offers tours related to its history and ghostly reputation. Despite its eerie allure, visitors can enjoy a scare-free stay, with many guests not experiencing anything supernatural. The hotel embraces its haunted legends with themed events and tours, attracting fans of King and horror enthusiasts alike." - Julie Tremaine Julie Tremaine Julie Tremaine is a freelance writer who’s passionate about travel, food, wellness, and road trips. She is the Disneyland editor for SFGate and has also contributed to The Boston Globe, CNN Trave

"Not only is this popular Rocky Mountain destination famous for inspiring Stephen King's classic horror novel 'The Shining,' it also has its own spooky past. Allegedly, staff members have encountered ghosts such as the maid from Room 217, who is known to pack away guests' clothing when they aren't looking. The hotel offers a variety of accommodations and ghost tours of the property if you're feeling brave enough. It also makes a great base if you want to visit nearby Rocky Mountain National Park." - Travel + Leisure Editors

"This historic Rocky Mountains hotel is best known for inspiring Stephen King's novel 'The Shining.' In 1911, there was a gas leak in Room 217. After the hotel's chief maid, Elizabeth Wilson, walked in with a lit candle, the resulting explosion destroyed the entire west wing of the hotel. Although Elizabeth recovered, it's believed that after she died, her soul returned to live at the place she once tended. She is one of the many characters that still haunt the premises, along with the spirits of the Stanley Hotel's original owners, Flora and F.O. Stanley. You may hear Flora playing the antique Steinway in the Music Room, catch F.O. overseeing a game of billiards, or find your belongings mysteriously unpacked by Elizabeth." - Travel + Leisure Editors

"Famously known as the place that inspired Stephen King to write The Shining, this stately hotel has been catering to well-heeled guests since 1909. Options range from historic rooms to boutique-y renovated units to apartments."

"The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, is on the National Register of Historic Places and has hosted numerous celebrities since opening in 1909, but it remains most famous as the hotel where Stephen King stayed when he was inspired to pen “The Shining,” a classic 1977 horror novel about a recovering alcoholic father and his clairvoyant son. The Stanley, which many believe is legitimately haunted by benign spirits, embraces the association, playing the uncut R-rated version of the first film adaptation on a continuous 24-hour loop in all guest rooms. Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the Stanley offers panoramic views of what is now the Rocky Mountain National Park. The picturesque setting has helped to attract famous guests over the years, including Theodore Roosevelt, the Emperor of Japan, Titanic survivor Margaret Brown and many others. The 138-room Georgian hotel was constructed by Freelan O. Stanley of Stanley Steamer fame on top of 35 pristine acres after his doctor ordered him to spend time in the fresh air of Estes Park when he came down with tuberculosis. He liked the area so much, he thought he’d stay. In fact, many who believe in the paranormal insist that Stanley can still be seen roaming the lobby and the Billiards room on some nights. Several guests have also reported to have seen the keys of a piano in the hotel’s ballroom moving by themselves. It is said that Stanley’s wife, Flora, would entertain guests on the piano when she was still living. When Stephen King visited the Stanley, he stayed in room 217. Early in the novel, the same room is referenced - the clairvoyant son, Danny, is told to avoid room 217 - but in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation the haunted room has been changed to 237 because owners of the Timberline Lodge, which served as a site for exterior shots, were afraid they would lose customers.  Although The Timberline is the hotel that fans most closely relate to The Shining, it was actually used in only a few establishing shots; all interior scenes were shot at Elstree Studios in England using a mock-up of the Timberline’s exteriors. King, as it turns out, ended up hating Kubrick’s film so much that he supported a 1997 remake filmed at The Stanley Hotel, the place that inspired King to write The Shining in the first place. The hotel was profiled on the Syfy television show “Ghost Hunters.” During the episode, hosts on the show claimed to experience paranormal activity during their visit. People could be seen in the hallways and then hiding, children could be heard running and playing on the floors above them and cupboard doors unlocked and opened while one of the ghost hunters was staying the night in a guest room. Over the years, guests have reported experiencing similar phenomena." - ATLAS_OBSCURA