Fans of Stephen King’s The Shining and sinister stuff in general may be thrilled to know that the fictional Overlook Hotel is based on a real haunted hotel: the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado.
The beautiful building is large and looming, emitting eerie vibes that cause you to be unable to shake the feeling that something bad has happened there or is about to happen.
Stephen King was actually so spooked by his stay at the Stanley Hotel that he was inspired to incorporate elements of it into his novel. Guests who have stayed at the hotel have also reported being extremely creeped out. So, what is it about the Stanley Hotel that makes it so unsettling?
It all started when Freelan Oscar Stanley, an inventor, architect, and entrepreneur, arrived in the valley of Estes Park in 1903 after he was told by doctors that he had less than six months to live due to tuberculosis.
He found that spending time in the fresh mountain air helped ease his tuberculosis symptoms, and within a couple of months, his health was restored. He vowed to return every summer.
However, he and his wife, Flora, were accustomed to life on the East Coast, and the rugged Estes Park offered little in the way of sophistication. So, they built the grand Stanley Hotel, which opened in 1909.
The hotel was indeed magnificent, almost palatial. There were electric lights, telephones in every room, connecting bathrooms, and a staff of uniformed servants. The hotel even boasted a fleet of automobiles that carted guests around. In 1917, the little town of Estes Park became an official municipality because of Stanley and his hotel.
By the 1970s, the hotel had deteriorated and earned a reputation for being haunted. It might’ve eventually gotten torn down if it weren’t for a visit by Stephen King.
King stayed in room 217, which is currently still the Stanley’s most requested room, and it is mentioned frequently in the author’s novel.
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In 1911, Elizabeth Wilson, the head housekeeper, walked into room 217 with a lit candle during a big storm. Unfortunately, there was a leak in the room’s gas lanterns, and the flame from the candle triggered an explosion.
Wilson was blasted through the floor into the dining room below. Somehow, she survived and continued working at the hotel for years afterward. Some guests have claimed that their suitcases were rearranged and the room straightened up while they were asleep.
Furthermore, the hotel’s fourth floor is said to be haunted by children. The children can be heard laughing and running down the hall. Room 428, in particular, has reports of the sounds of footsteps and furniture being moved around. Additionally, there is a friendly cowboy who appears at the corner of the bed.
Believe it or not, animal ghosts have also been seen wandering the hotel grounds. There is a pet cemetery on the property, and among the buried are Cassie, the golden retriever, and a fluffy white cat named Comanche. Both of them have been spotted in the hallways and in guests’ rooms.
The pet cemetery predates King’s novel Pet Sematary, which is about animals coming back to life after being buried in a cursed cemetery.
The Stanley Hotel offers a range of tours highlighting its haunted history. So, if you’re brave enough to visit, the Stanley will be waiting for you. Maybe you can even get to stay in room 217!
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