Estes Park, Colorado · Haunted hotel guide
The Stanley Hotel: Hauntings, History & Where to Stay
High above Estes Park, Colorado, with the Rocky Mountains rising behind it, the Stanley Hotel looks almost too perfectly suited to a ghost story.
The sprawling white hotel opened in 1909 and has spent more than a century welcoming travelers to the Colorado Rockies. But today, its reputation extends far beyond mountain views and historic architecture. The Stanley has become one of America’s best-known allegedly haunted hotels — a place associated with mysterious footsteps, unexplained sounds, famous rooms and, most importantly, the night that helped inspire Stephen King to write The Shining. And unlike many legendary haunted locations, you don’t have to admire this one from behind a fence. You can actually spend the night here.
At Go Ghostly, we’re interested in both sides of places like the Stanley: the documented history and the paranormal stories that have grown around it. Here’s what we know, what people claim to have experienced, and what you should know if you’re thinking about staying there yourself.
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 The Stanley 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.
The Stanley Hotel at a glance
- Location
- Estes Park, Colorado
- The setting
- Historic mountain hotel — opened 1909
- Reported lore
- Room 217, Elizabeth Wilson, Flora Stanley, mysterious piano music and unexplained footsteps
- Famous for
- Inspiring Stephen King’s The Shining and its spectacular Rocky Mountain setting
- Best fit
- Haunted getaways, horror fans, mountain trips and paranormal travellers
The Real History of the Stanley Hotel
The story begins with Freelan Oscar Stanley — better known as F.O. Stanley. Stanley and his twin brother, Francis, made their fortune partly through the Stanley Motor Carriage Company and its famous steam-powered automobiles. F.O. Stanley eventually came to Estes Park, where he helped shape the area’s early tourism industry. The Stanley Hotel began operations in 1909 as a luxurious resort serving visitors coming to Estes Park and the Rocky Mountains. History Colorado identifies F.O. Stanley as the builder of the resort complex and notes his fame as the inventor and manufacturer associated with the Stanley Steamer automobile.
More than a century later, the hotel is still operating. That fact is important to the Go Ghostly appeal: this isn’t an abandoned building whose glory days exist only in photographs. Travelers can walk through the hotel, eat and drink there, take tours and spend the night.
The Night That Inspired The Shining
Stephen King and his wife, Tabitha, stayed at the hotel in 1974 near the end of its operating season. King has described finding the nearly empty grand hotel extraordinarily atmospheric. They stayed in Room 217. During the visit, King developed the idea that would become The Shining, published in 1977. That distinction is worth making: the Stanley Hotel was the inspiration for King’s fictional Overlook Hotel. It is not literally the Overlook Hotel.
The 1980 Stanley Kubrick movie was not filmed at the Stanley, either. But the connection between the real hotel and King’s novel has become so strong that the Stanley itself celebrates its place in The Shining story.
Why Room 217 Became Famous
Room 217 would probably be noteworthy simply because Stephen King slept there. But it has its own ghost story. The legend revolves around Elizabeth Wilson, a hotel employee who was injured in an explosion at the hotel in 1911. She survived, but later paranormal folklore connected her with Room 217. Guests have subsequently attributed unusual experiences in and around the room to Wilson’s spirit. Stories vary considerably depending on who’s telling them, which is exactly why paranormal folklore should be separated from documented history. What isn’t disputed is the room’s enormous place in Stanley lore.
For paranormal travelers, Room 217 is arguably the hotel’s most famous room.
What Guests Say Happens in Room 217
Room 217’s reputation extends well beyond its connection to Stephen King. Over the years, guests have attributed a variety of unusual experiences to the room and to the spirit said to be associated with it. The stories often involve surprisingly domestic activity. Guests have described belongings seemingly being moved, luggage being disturbed and other small changes occurring while they were away from the room. Some versions of the legend claim Elizabeth Wilson continues performing the sort of housekeeping duties she once carried out while working at the Stanley.
Whether those experiences have anything to do with Wilson is impossible to establish. There is also something psychologically powerful about staying in a room you’ve already been told is haunted. Every misplaced object becomes suspicious. Every unexpected noise gets your attention. And Room 217 adds another layer that almost no other haunted hotel room can match. You know Stephen King slept here. You know this hotel stay helped inspire The Shining. Then eventually the lights go out and you’re sleeping in the same room yourself. Even if absolutely nothing happens, that’s a pretty unusual hotel experience.
The Stanley’s Other Ghost Stories
Room 217 isn’t the only part of the property associated with unexplained activity. Over the years, guests, employees and paranormal investigators have described everything from footsteps and voices to doors moving seemingly on their own. Some stories involve F.O. Stanley himself. Others involve his wife, Flora.
The hotel even currently offers a room named Flora’s Spirited Grand King, located above the Music Room associated with Flora Stanley. The hotel’s own description says guests have reported footsteps, rustling fabric, floral scents and faint piano music there. Those are guest reports rather than proof of paranormal activity, but they’re a fascinating example of how thoroughly the Stanley has embraced its supernatural reputation.
Flora Stanley and the Music Room
Not all of the Stanley’s ghost stories are frightening. Some of the property’s most enduring paranormal folklore involves Flora Stanley, F.O. Stanley’s wife. Flora was an accomplished pianist, and the hotel’s Music Room has become particularly associated with her. Stories describe visitors and employees hearing unexplained piano music or individual notes when nobody appears to be playing. Other reports involve the scent of flowers, rustling fabric or the impression that someone is nearby. The connection has become such a recognizable part of Stanley lore that the hotel currently offers accommodation associated with Flora and the Music Room.
Of course, hearing music inside a century-old hotel isn’t evidence that its founder’s wife has returned to play the piano. Sounds travel. Old buildings make noises. And once visitors know the Flora story, an unexplained sound can acquire a supernatural explanation remarkably quickly. But imagine walking past the Music Room late at night. The room appears empty. Then you hear a piano key. Perhaps another. Do you go inside and investigate? Or do you decide that whatever Flora is playing can wait until morning?
Is the Stanley Hotel Actually Haunted?
That depends entirely on what you consider evidence. There is no scientific proof establishing that ghosts inhabit the Stanley Hotel. There are, however, decades of paranormal stories associated with the property, and the hotel’s reputation has attracted investigators, television productions, authors and curious travelers. For Go Ghostly, that’s part of what makes the Stanley interesting. You don’t need to declare the building haunted to appreciate spending a night somewhere with more than a century of history and one of the most famous supernatural reputations in American hospitality.
The history is real. The ghost stories are reported experiences and folklore. What you believe about them is up to you.
What the Stanley Feels Like After Dark
The Stanley’s setting does a lot of the paranormal work before a ghost ever enters the story. During the day, the hotel looks spectacular against the mountains. Guests explore the property. Visitors arrive for tours. Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park are nearby. Then night falls. The mountains disappear into darkness. The historic hotel becomes quieter. Long corridors stretch between guest rooms. The Music Room takes on a different atmosphere. And now you know the stories. You know about Elizabeth Wilson. You know about Flora. You know about F.O. Stanley.
You know what guests claim to have heard in the hallways. And somewhere inside this building is Room 217 — the room where Stephen King spent the night before developing the idea that became The Shining. Eventually you have to stop exploring and go to bed. That’s when staying here becomes different from simply taking a Stanley Hotel tour. You close your room door. The hotel settles around you. Someone walks down the corridor. A floor creaks. Perhaps you hear something farther away. All completely ordinary things in a functioning historic hotel.
But at midnight, inside one of America’s most famous supposedly haunted hotels, ordinary noises don’t always feel ordinary. And that’s exactly why spending the night matters. You aren’t just hearing the Stanley’s ghost stories. For one night, you’re putting yourself inside them.
Can You Stay at the Stanley Hotel?
Yes — and that’s the best part. The Stanley isn’t merely a historical attraction. It remains an operating hotel complex. Currently, visitors can choose among several accommodation experiences, including the original Stanley Hotel, The Lodge, Aspire Hotel & Spa and The Residences. For someone specifically making a paranormal pilgrimage, staying in the historic portion of the property is likely to have the greatest appeal. Go Ghostly tip: If your goal is the full Stanley experience rather than simply accommodation near Estes Park, pay attention to exactly which building and room type you’re booking.
Ready to Stay at The Stanley Hotel?
Spend the night in the historic hotel that inspired The Shining and see whether the Stanley’s legendary ghost stories feel a little more convincing after dark.
Where to Stay at the Stanley
The Stanley Hotel
This is the historic original and the obvious choice for travelers coming specifically because of the hotel’s history and paranormal reputation.
The Lodge
The Lodge offers another historic-style accommodation experience on the Stanley property.
Aspire Hotel & Spa
A more contemporary option for travelers who want access to the Stanley destination without necessarily making the historic hotel room the centerpiece of the trip.
The Residences
These provide considerably more space and can make sense for families or groups traveling together. Some residences include multiple bedrooms, kitchens and other home-style amenities. Check Rooms & Availability at The Stanley Hotel →
More Than Just a Haunted Hotel
One reason the Stanley works so well as a paranormal destination is that you don’t have to spend your entire trip hunting ghosts. The property currently offers dining, entertainment and various experiences. Its dining options include Cascades Restaurant, a whiskey bar, the 217 Wine Bar and other venues. The hotel also leans enthusiastically into its stranger side. It currently promotes experiences including tours and theatrical séances, and its events calendar includes paranormal and Shining-themed programming. That makes it possible to turn an overnight stay into an entire paranormal-themed getaway rather than simply sleeping in an old hotel.
Explore Estes Park While You’re There
Don’t make the mistake of visiting the Stanley and seeing nothing beyond the property. Estes Park is the gateway to some spectacular Rocky Mountain scenery, and Rocky Mountain National Park is nearby. That combination is one of the Stanley’s biggest advantages as a travel destination. You can spend the day exploring mountain scenery and Estes Park, return to the hotel for dinner, take in one of its experiences, and then spend the night wondering whether that noise in the hallway was another guest. Or something else.
Why Go Ghostly
The Stanley Hotel represents almost everything we’re looking for in a Go Ghostly destination. It has genuine history. It has architecture and atmosphere. It has an enormous collection of paranormal legends. It has a major connection to one of the most famous horror novels ever written. And most importantly: You can go there yourself. You can walk the corridors, explore the property and spend the night inside the hotel that helped plant the seed for The Shining. Maybe nothing unusual will happen. Maybe you’ll sleep perfectly.
Or maybe you’ll wake up at 3 a.m. wondering exactly what you just heard outside your door. Either way, the Stanley isn’t simply a ghost story. It’s a ghost story you can travel to. The Stanley is just one of the incredible places featured in our guide to 15 Haunted Hotels You Can Actually Stay In.
Ready to Spend the Night at The Stanley Hotel?
Book your stay in Estes Park and spend the night inside the historic hotel that inspired The Shining — then see whether the Stanley’s famous spirits make an appearance after dark.
Keep planning your haunted getaway
Find another historic stay, compare the original collection, or pair your hotel with an evening tour.