Salem, Massachusetts · Haunted hotel guide
Hawthorne Hotel: Haunted Rooms, Ghost Stories & Where to Stay in Salem
If you’re going to spend the night in a haunted hotel, Salem, Massachusetts feels like the right place to do it.
And sitting beside Salem Common, within walking distance of the city’s historic streets and witch-trial attractions, is the Hawthorne Hotel. The Hawthorne has welcomed guests since 1925. More than a million people have stayed here, and the property remains a 93-room historic hotel today. But we’re not here just because it’s old. Guests have reported furniture apparently moving by itself. Lights and faucets turning on and off. Cold spots. The scent of freshly cut flowers when no flowers are present. A mysterious woman wandering the sixth floor. And two room numbers appear again and again in the stories:
325 and 612. The hotel itself doesn’t claim that ghosts are proven to exist. Its FAQ puts it rather nicely: paranormal activity is unconfirmed, some guests report experiences, and most people sleep perfectly peacefully. So naturally… we’re checking in.
Reported hauntings are folklore and guest accounts; a reservation does not guarantee a paranormal experience. Booking links open the named provider’s website. Read our affiliate disclosure.
Plan a stay at Hawthorne Hotel
Compare dates and room types on the official website. If a particular room or floor matters to your trip, confirm it directly, along with access arrangements and the full price, before booking.
Hawthorne Hotel at a glance
- Location
- Salem, Massachusetts
- The setting
- Historic hotel — opened 1925
- Reported lore
- Reported apparitions, unexplained sounds and enduring hotel ghost stories
- Famous for
- Its location in the heart of Salem and the city’s witch-trial history
- Best fit
- Haunted getaways, Salem trips, history lovers and paranormal travelers
A Hotel Built by Salem
Unlike some historic hotels created by railway companies or wealthy individual developers, the Hawthorne began as something of a community project. In 1923, local businessman Frank Poor envisioned a modern hotel for Salem’s business travelers. Salem residents and businesses rallied behind the idea. According to the hotel, more than half a million dollars in stock was sold in a single week. Construction began in 1924. Then, on July 23, 1925, the Hawthorne Hotel officially opened with considerable fanfare, including a flag-raising ceremony and citywide parade. Nearly a century later, it’s still welcoming travelers.
Although these days, some of them arrive specifically hoping their room isn’t entirely vacant.
Why Is It Called the Hawthorne Hotel?
The hotel’s namesake is one of Salem’s most famous residents: Nathaniel Hawthorne. The author of The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables was born in Salem in 1804, only blocks from where the hotel would eventually stand. Several places associated with Hawthorne remain nearby, including his birthplace, the Custom House where he worked and the House of the Seven Gables that inspired his famous novel. There’s another fascinating connection between Hawthorne and Salem’s darker history. One of his ancestors, John Hathorne, served as a magistrate during the Salem witch trials of 1692.
Nathaniel added the “w” to the family surname. So even the hotel’s name connects it indirectly with the history that made Salem infamous.
Was the Hawthorne Built on an Apple Orchard?
This is where the hotel’s folklore starts getting interesting. One story frequently repeated about the Hawthorne claims the property was constructed on land once belonging to Bridget Bishop, the first person executed during the Salem witch trials. Some versions describe an apple orchard owned by Bishop occupying the location. It’s a fantastic setup for a haunted hotel. Unfortunately, the historical connection is considerably less certain than paranormal websites sometimes make it sound. Rather than presenting the Hawthorne as definitively built on Bridget Bishop’s property, it’s safer to treat this as local paranormal folklore.
And frankly, the Hawthorne doesn’t need an invented witch-trial connection to be interesting. Its own ghost stories are good enough. Especially Room 325.
Room 325
If you’re deliberately trying to choose a haunted room at the Hawthorne, one number stands above the rest: 325. Historic Hotels of America identifies Room 325 as the room most commonly associated with the hotel’s paranormal reputation. Guests have reported unusual cold spots inside the room. Others claim they’ve smelled freshly cut flowers despite there being no obvious source for the scent. There are also reports of lights behaving strangely and faucets apparently turning themselves on and off. Some paranormal accounts go further, describing unexplained touching and even the sound of a crying child.
But those more dramatic claims aren’t as well established as the reports documented by Historic Hotels of America. So we’ll stick with what we can reasonably trace. Cold spots. Flowers. Lights. Plumbing. That’s already plenty when you’re lying awake in Room 325 at two in the morning.
When the Faucet Turns Itself On
There’s something particularly effective about paranormal stories involving ordinary objects. A shadow disappearing around a corner can be dismissed. Old buildings make strange noises. Floorboards creak. But imagine waking up because you hear water running. You walk into the bathroom. The faucet is on. You’re certain you turned it off. You shut it down. Return to bed. And then… you hear water again. That’s the type of activity associated with Room 325. Could old plumbing explain it? Absolutely. Could an electrical problem explain strange lights? Certainly. But knowing the room’s reputation before going to sleep probably doesn’t help.
Room 612
Then there’s Room 612. Guests staying here have reported an uneasy sensation that they’re not alone. But the best-known story involves someone who apparently prefers the hallway. A ghostly woman has reportedly been seen wandering the sixth floor, particularly around Room 612. Who is she? That’s where the story becomes less certain. Unlike Elizabeth McGrath at the Fairmont Empress, we don’t have a clearly documented historical woman whose life and death neatly explain this apparition. And we’re not going to invent one. We simply have repeated stories of a woman appearing where no woman should be.
Sometimes that’s all a good ghost story needs.
The Woman on the Sixth Floor
The sixth floor appears repeatedly in Hawthorne Hotel folklore. Guests have described seeing a female apparition moving through the corridors. Room 621 has also generated reports of lights and faucets behaving strangely. There’s an amusing modern twist to staying up there too. The Hawthorne currently places guests traveling with pets in designated sixth-floor pet-friendly rooms. Which creates an interesting paranormal detection system. If your dog suddenly starts staring intensely at an empty section of hallway… we’re not saying it’s a ghost. But you’re staying on the sixth floor of the Hawthorne Hotel. So maybe take note.
The Sea Captains
Not every alleged Hawthorne spirit has a room number attached. Some of the hotel’s ghost stories are traditionally attributed to sea captains. That makes sense within Salem’s broader history. Long before witches became the city’s primary tourist association, Salem was an enormously important maritime community. Historic Hotels of America notes that many of the Hawthorne’s alleged hauntings have been attributed to sea captains supposedly returning to a favorite gathering place. Guests have reported unexplained noises and furniture apparently moving. Whether any dead sea captain is responsible is another matter entirely.
But the maritime theme fits Salem far better historically than many of the witch-related legends attached to modern locations around the city.
The Hawthorne Tries to Contact Houdini
Then the hotel decided to deliberately invite a ghost inside. Not just any ghost, either. Harry Houdini. Houdini spent part of his career exposing fraudulent mediums and spiritualists who claimed they could communicate with the dead. Before his death in 1926, he reportedly arranged a secret code with his wife, Bess, that could be used to prove his identity if genuine communication from beyond the grave ever occurred. Decades later, the Hawthorne decided to give it a try.
On October 30, 1990, a séance was held in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom in an attempt to contact Houdini on the 64th anniversary of his death. The hotel’s official history records the result rather succinctly: It was unsuccessful. No Houdini. No secret message. No dramatic escape from the afterlife. Still, you’ve got to admire the effort.
Ghost Hunters Comes to the Hawthorne
The hotel’s paranormal reputation eventually attracted professional ghost hunters. In 2007, Syfy’s Ghost Hunters investigated the Hawthorne Hotel. The visit helped expose the hotel’s ghost stories to an even larger audience and cemented the Hawthorne’s place among America’s best-known haunted hotels. Historic Hotels of America has repeatedly included the Hawthorne on its annual lists of haunted historic hotels. But there’s another television connection here that has nothing to do with paranormal investigation. And it’s perfect for Salem.
Bewitched Came to Salem
In 1970, the classic television series Bewitched came to Salem. The show filmed part of its famous “Salem Saga” in the city, and the Hawthorne Hotel was among the locations used. The hotel’s own history specifically notes an elevator scene filmed at the Hawthorne. So you have a hotel in Salem… named after Nathaniel Hawthorne… associated with ghost stories… that hosted Bewitched… and later held a séance attempting to contact Harry Houdini. At some point, the building was simply destined for Go Ghostly.
Is the Hawthorne Hotel Actually Haunted?
There’s no scientific evidence establishing that ghosts inhabit the Hawthorne Hotel. And importantly, the hotel doesn’t pretend otherwise. Its official FAQ says the hauntings are not confirmed, although some guests have shared stories about paranormal experiences. It also notes that most guests sleep peacefully without experiencing anything unusual. That’s exactly the distinction we want to make. The hotel’s history is documented. It opened in 1925. Bewitched filmed here. The Houdini séance happened. Ghost Hunters investigated. The reports of cold spots, phantom flowers, moving furniture and a mysterious woman belong to paranormal testimony and folklore. Whether those experiences have supernatural explanations?
You’ll have to decide. Preferably from Room 325.
Can You Stay at the Hawthorne Hotel?
Absolutely. The Hawthorne remains an operating 93-room hotel in downtown Salem. And unlike some haunted destinations where the surrounding location is almost secondary, staying here puts you directly in one of America’s most famous historic cities. Hawthorne Hotel official website Rooms range from traditional accommodations to suites, and the hotel sits beside Salem Common within walking distance of many major attractions. If you’re planning an October visit, book early. The hotel’s own 2026 booking information warns of very high demand for October weekends, with special minimum-stay and deposit requirements during the busiest period.
Ready to Stay at the Hawthorne Hotel?
Spend the night in the heart of historic Salem and see whether the Hawthorne’s ghost stories feel a little more convincing after dark.
Make It a Haunted Salem Trip
This is where the Hawthorne becomes one of the strongest hotels in our entire series. You’re not merely staying somewhere haunted. You’re staying in Salem. Walk the historic streets. Explore the city’s witch-trial history. Visit the waterfront. See the House of the Seven Gables. Learn what actually happened in 1692—and how centuries of mythology transformed those events into the Salem people know today. Then head back to the Hawthorne after dark. Walk into the lobby. Take the elevator upstairs. If you’re staying in 325, check the bathroom faucet. If you’re on six, pay attention to the hallway.
And if you suddenly smell freshly cut flowers… look around.
Why Go Ghostly
The Hawthorne Hotel is almost impossible to beat as a paranormal travel destination. The building has been welcoming guests for more than a century. It has specific rooms associated with paranormal activity. It has a mysterious woman wandering the halls. It hosted an actual Houdini séance. Ghost Hunters investigated it. Bewitched filmed here. And when you step outside, you’re standing in the middle of Salem. You don’t have to believe Room 325 is haunted to have an incredible trip. That’s exactly what we’re looking for. History first. Legends second. And the opportunity to go there and decide for yourself.
Maybe you’ll stay in Room 325 and sleep straight through the night. Maybe Room 612 feels completely ordinary. Maybe every noise has an explanation. But if you wake up in the darkness and smell flowers that weren’t there when you went to bed… you’re probably going to remember which hotel you booked. The Hawthorne Hotel isn’t simply a ghost story. It’s a ghost story you can travel to. The Hawthorne Hotel is also featured in our guide to 15 Haunted Hotels You Can Actually Stay In.
Ready to Spend the Night at the Hawthorne Hotel?
Book your stay in the heart of Salem and see whether one of the city’s most historic hotels feels quite as welcoming after dark.
Keep planning your haunted getaway
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