For Frightful Fun, Book a Stay at an Accessible Haunted Hotel

Are you intrigued by a scary story? Does the possibility of seeing paranormal activity thrill you? This Halloween (and any time of the year), consider spending the night at a hotel with an eerie past. Exploring an accessible hotel with an intriguing history and reported ghost sightings offers a fun way to celebrate the spooky season.

Haunted lodgings are often historic, so be sure to investigate accessibility features before packing a bag. You may need to call the hotel’s local phone number (not the corporate reservation line) to ask specific questions related to your accessibility needs, such as the elevator’s dimensions, bathroom setup, or whether there is clearance under the bed for a Hoyer lift.

These five historic hotels with resident ghosts and verified accessibility features are a great place to start.

Casa Monica Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection, St. Augustine, Florida

A landmark in one of the country’s most historic cities, the Casa Monica Resort & Spa was built in 1888 in the distinctive Moorish Revival style. The original owner, Franklin W. Smith, ran into financial troubles and had to sell to a business rival only a year after opening. Smith died in poverty, and his spirit is said to haunt the halls of his beloved hotel. A medium who came to investigate claimed to see a man with big bushy sideburns pacing back and forth in the Kessler Suite.

Unfortunately, the Kessler Suite is not accessible, but the property offers three types of accessible guest rooms: an accessible King Guest Room has a king-sized bed and either a roll-in shower or a tub. An accessible Queen Guest Room has two queen-sized beds and a tub. An accessible Premium Queen Guest Room has two queen-sized beds, a living/sitting area, and either a roll-in shower or a tub. Bathrooms in the accessible rooms have open space under the sinks, raised toilets, and hand-held shower wands. The hotel swimming pools are accessible via a pool lift or a sloped pool entry.

Photo courtesy of Historic Hotels of America and Casa Monica Resort & Spa

Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, Sonoma, California

The historic Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa opened in 1927 on the site of an earlier hot springs resort that burned down in 1923. On quiet evenings when the fog rolls in along the Sonoma Coast, employees report seeing a ghost known as Victoria leisurely moving through the hallways. She’s said to be an early European settler of the Sonoma Valley who was married at the hotel and celebrated her anniversaries there. More spine-tingling paranormal activity occurs in the Round Room, where legend has it that a guest was killed by a jealous lover in the 1920s. People have reported seeing shadowy figures and flickering lights and hearing mysterious noises.

Verified as accessible by Wheel the World, the property has pool lifts at the main resort pool and spa pools, as well as 10 accessible rooms. As an example, the accessible Mission Suite has a king bed and a double sofa bed. The roll-in shower includes grab bars, a shower seat, and a handheld shower head. The toilet height is 18 inches.

Additional accessible rooms have bathrooms with grab bars and either a roll-in shower, bathtub/shower combination, or tub. None of the beds have open space underneath.

Photo courtesy of Historic Hotels of America and Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa

Grand Galvez, Galveston, Texas

Built in 1911, the beachfront Grand Galvez evokes the glamour of a bygone age. Step inside the Founders Bar and sit beneath burgundy Baccarat crystal chandeliers. Sip on a specialty cocktail, the Ghost Bride, named for the young Audra who still haunts the hotel. When she heard that her betrothed was lost at sea, Audra took her own life in the hotel turret. Tragically, two days later, her fiancé returned to the hotel alive. Guests can even request a stay in the lovelorn bride’s room, although it is not accessible.

In 2023, the resort renovated the guest rooms and the swimming pool, adding a lift. The property’s accessible king and two double-bed rooms have bathrooms with grab bars and either a roll-in shower or a tub. Additional accessible features include levered door handles, raised toilet seats, and bathtub seats. The beds do not have space underneath.

Peacock Alley at the Grand Galvez

Hawthorne Hotel, Salem, Massachusetts

The Federal-style 93-room Hawthorne Hotel, in one of America’s most haunted cities, sits directly across the street from the Salem Witch Museum. The hotel is named for the author Nathaniel Hawthorne, who grew up in Salem and wrote “The Scarlet Letter” nearby. In 2025, the property celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Many of the hotel’s hauntings are attributed to sea captains who are believed to be returning to their gathering spot. In room 325 (not an accessible room), said to be the most haunted room, guests have reported cold spots and the smell of freshly cut flowers. The lights and water in the room unexpectedly turn off and on. Guests on the sixth floor have witnessed a ghostly woman walking the halls.

The Hawthorne Hotel offers two accessible rooms: one with a queen bed and a roll-in shower on the third floor, the other with two queen beds and a bathtub on the fourth floor. The bathrooms have wide doorways, open space under the sink, and grab bars. Guests may request a raised toilet seat and a portable shower seat. There is no open space under the beds.

The hotel provides guests with complimentary passes to the Salem YMCA, which has a gym and swimming pool with a pool lift. 

Photo courtesy of Historic Hotels of America and Hawthorne Hotel

The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza, St. Louis, Missouri

Built during the Roaring Twenties (1922), the Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza is a 398-room hotel in downtown St. Louis. Hotel staff members share the story of “the bride.” Many years ago, a bride fell to her death from the 19th-floor terrace. The incident occurred on her wedding night. She did not leave a note, and her husband was found unconscious. The mystery surrounding the tragedy sparked speculation, and unexplained phenomena are attributed to her spirit. In 1979, a new hotel director who was unaware of the hotel’s lingering guest resigned after seeing the bride’s reflection in his mirror while shaving.

The hotel has four types of accessible rooms: an accessible one-bedroom King Suite has a roll-in shower or tub, an accessible one-bedroom Queen Suite has a tub, and an accessible King Room has a tub. Bathrooms in accessible rooms all have grab bars and accessible vanities. The roll-in shower has a fold-down bench. Doorways provide 32 inches of clearance. Light switches and thermostats are lowered for easier reach. The beds do not have space underneath. The hotel pool does not have a lift.

Photo courtesy of Historic Hotels of America and The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza

Book a spooktacular trip

If you are hunting for a spooky hotel, visit Historic Hotels of America and look for property descriptions with the ghost icon. For assistance determining if a hotel meets your accessibility needs, consider booking a room through accessibleGO or Wheel the World.