Château de Brissac, France

The Château de Brissac has a long and often violent history. It was built sometime in the 10th century by the Dukes of Anjou. Over the centuries, it was captured and ransacked time and again. Eventually, the Dukes of Brissac gained ownership over the castle in the 19th century; the family still owns it today.

The château is open for visits by the public, and it serves as a bed and breakfast - if you can put up with the Green Lady.

The Green Lady (La Dame Verte, in French) is said to be the daughter of King Charles VII and his mistress, Agnès Sorel. This made the Lady, Charlotte de Brézé, the half-sister of King Louis XI. However, being illegitimate, she was not "true" royalty. She married nobleman Jacques de Brézé - not of her own choosing. The marriage was made for political reasons, and the two had virtually nothing in common.

It wasn't long, of course, before Charlotte began to look elsewhere for companionship. This was made easier by the fact that Charlotte and Jacques didn't share a bedroom, let alone a bed. Charlotte started up an affair with a man named Pierre de Lavergne. Jacques was, at first, unaware, but the servants definitely knew.

On May 31, 1477, Jacques returned from one of his many hunting trips and, after dining with Charlotte, retired for the night. He was awakened by a servant, who informed him of the affair between Charlotte and Pierre. Enraged, Jacques hurried to Charlotte's room and murdered the two lovers.

It wasn't long before the ghosts made their appearance known by frequent moaning. Jacques was driven out of the castle by the noise.

Now, it appears that only Charlotte haunts the castle. Sounds of moaning are heard in the castle very early in the morning. She has also frequently been seen in the chapel, wearing a green dress (which is the source of her name). Worse, she appears with holes in her face where her eyes and nose should be.

NOTE: The link above leads to Booking.com. As of this writing, the website isn't taking bookings for the château. However, since this appears to be the only way to book, I've used the link for the time when it goes live again.

Mason House Inn, Bentonsport, Iowa, USA

Built in 1846, the Mason House Inn (then known as Ashland House) was originally an inn designated for serving passengers on steamboats traveling the Des Moines River. In the course of its existence, it was a stop on the Underground Railroad, a holding area for wounded Civil War soldiers awaiting transport to the hospital in Keokuk, and a sanitarium for tuberculosis patients.

The main building contains six rooms. A seventh is not exactly a room, but a converted train caboose near the main house. The caboose has its own kitchen.

Stories of the house are fascinating. According to legend, Room 7 was the site of a murder, and the ghost of the victim (a man named Knapp) still haunts it. The ghost of an elderly woman has appeared in more than one room. A little boy haunts Room 5, where he tugs on the clothing of whoever is staying there.

Room 8 is for the more intrepid. This one is haunted by a floating head.

The owners are open to ghost hunts, with very strict rules (no alcohol, no seances, no Ouija boards, etc.). Happy haunting!

Fort Garry Hotel, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

The Fort Garry Hotel is an impressive building dating from the early 20th century.

For those who want an added experience, Room 202 is said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman who hanged herself in the closet. Guests have reported sounds of (wet) footsteps coming from the bathroom, hangers moving in the infamous closet, the lights and TV turning on, footsteps around the bed at night, sounds of sobbing, and a cloaked figure hovering above the foot of the bed.

Canadian Liberal MP Brenda Chamberlain stayed in the room once, and claimed that the ghost actually got into her bed. "I actually felt the bed move," she claimed.

More disturbing is that some guests in 202 have reported seeing blood trickling down the walls. The unfortunate woman's ghost has been seen crying in a corner of the hotel lounge, as well as walking the corridors.

It seems that all the employees at the hotel know about the ghost - and that she may have no intention of ever leaving.

Lindsey Hotel, Rockland, Maine, USA

It appears that Captain Lindsey loves his house so much, he's still there.

The 1835 Lindsey Hotel in Rockland, Maine is near the waterfront and has a number of attractive amenities. The website doesn't mention the ghosts, however. According to various sources, the Captain Lindsey who built the house - and for whom the house is named - is one of the spirits haunting his former home. Doors slam, beds are rumpled (but only when unoccupied by the living), and voices are heard.

See for yourself what sort of vibe this place has!

Dr. Holms Hotel, Geilo, Norway

Hotels (and motels and other lodging places) seem to be a magnet for suicides. A person who decides to end his/her life will often leave home, check into a hotel, and do the deed. This ensures that the body will be found relatively quickly, and that the suicide's loved ones won't have to clean up the mess (though they'll be stuck with the hotel bill and cleanup costs).

Dr. Holms Hotel in Geilo, Norway, has a tale to tell that is found in other hotels, in other countries. A married couple came to the hotel to spend their honeymoon, and all seemed well - until the bride found her new husband in bed with another woman. Distraught, the bride disappeared. When she was found three days later, she had hanged herself in the attic.

She is still in the hotel, particularly in Room 320.

Hotel Chelsea, New York City, New York, USA

The Hotel Chelsea is virtually a Who's Who of artists. Past guests include Allan Ginsberg, Brendan Behan, William S. Burroughs, Mark Twain, Dennis Hopper, Stanley Kubrick, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Tennessee Williams, and Andy Warhol.

Two infamous guests were Sid Vicious, of Sex Pistols fame, and his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen. Their violent relationship culminated in murder, when Sid allegedly stabbed Nancy to death. She was all of 20 years old when she died. (There are theories that Nancy was killed by a drug dealer while Sid was zonked out on drugs.) Vicious is believed to haunt the Chelsea; evidently, Sid (who died of a drug overdose in 1979, just a few months after Nancy) makes his presence known in the elevator, as well as in Room 100, where Nancy died. Oddly enough, for someone who in life was so self-destructive, Sid is very helpful in the elevator, pushing buttons and opening and closing the doors. Room 100 is a different story; guests have reported sounds of a couple arguing in there.

On November 4, 1953, Welsh poet Dylan Thomas walked into the Chelsea and announced, "I've had 18 straight whiskies. I think that's the record!" Five days later, he was dead of bronchial disease. His presence is particularly eerie; he is said to haunt Room 206, where he stayed before his fatal illness, and his disembodied head has been seen at the ends of guests' beds.

Eugene O'Neill has appeared at the Chelsea, as has Thomas Wolfe. Both of them have been seen in the hallways.

A less-famous ghost is that of a woman named Mary, who survived the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Her husband was among those who went down with the ship. Overwhelmed with grief over her loss, Mary hanged herself in her fifth-floor room at the Chelsea. She is seen gazing at her reflection in the mirror.

Hotel Bela Vista, Portimão, Portugal

Now a luxury hotel and spa overlooking the ocean, Hotel Bela Vista was once a private home. Evidently, the daughter of the former owner died in the house, and remains there. Screams and moans have been reported, and Room 108 is supposed to be the room where the unfortunate girl died.

The Farnsworth House Inn, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA

This inn, located in a building dating from 1810, should be haunted simply due to its location. Gettysburg is the site of one of the most famous battles of the U.S. Civil War; the fighting raged for three days in July, 1863. The Farnsworth House was occupied by Confederate sharpshooters during this time, and one of these men may have been responsible for the shooting death of Mary Virginia Wade (known as "Jennie"), the sole civilian to die during the battle. They took aim at Union soldiers from an attic window, but occasionally, one of the Confederates took a bullet from the Union side. His body was then unceremoniously dumped into a corner of the attic.

Gettysburg itself is said to be badly haunted - the battlefield itself, of course, as well as many buildings that were turned into makeshift hospitals. The Farnsworth House was one such hospital. Mary, a nurse who treated the wounded there, is still on duty, it seems. She is the blue-clad ghost seen occasionally on the lower level of the house. Other ghosts include some of the above-mentioned Confederate sharpshooters. (The inn's walls still bear marks left by Civil War bullets.)

The Sara Black room is supposed to be one of the most haunted rooms; the adjoining bathroom was once a bedroom, when a young boy named Jeremy died after a carriage hit him outside the house. The ghost of Jeremy's father is alleged to hammer fruitlessly on the door of the bathroom, anxious to hear whether his son will live or die. Pictures of the room on the house's website show a dressmaker's dummy wearing a white dress - certainly enough to freak out most guests who wake in the middle of the night.


Speaking of freaking out in the middle of the night, the Inn has an interesting condition noted on the website. It reads: "If guests wish to stay in different Bed & Breakfast rooms while they visit with us,  guests are subject to a $50 room switching fee, per day, per room."

Maybe the hauntings have been a bit much for some guests.

Notice for owners of haunted lodgings

Do you own or manage a haunted hotel, B&B, or other form of lodging?

Would you like me to blog about it?

Simply add a comment, and I'll get back to you.

The Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast, Fall River, Massachusetts, USA

If the house isn't haunted, it should be. Granted, there are many places where more murders occurred - such as the dwellings of the late and unlamented John Wayne Gacy and Jeffrey Dahmer - but the Borden house is one that has gone down in history for the crimes committed there.

In the 19th century, the city of Fall River, Massachusetts was the center of the U.S. textile industry. The city was also known for the production of iron, twine, thread, and looms. Towards the end of the century, however, the city became infamous for a shocking double murder.

On August 4, 1892, leading citizens Andrew and Abby Borden were hacked to death with a hatchet. Abby was murdered first, struck down as she changed the sheets in the guest bedroom. Andrew was murdered while sleeping on a couch downstairs.

Andrew's 32-year-old daughter, Lizzie, and the maid, Bridget Sullivan, were the only ones who could have committed the murders - unless an extremely resourceful killer was able to gain access to the house, kill Abby, hide long enough for Andrew to come home and fall asleep in order to commit the second murder, then leave the house without being noticed by Lizzie, Bridget, or any of the neighbors.

Lizzie was accused, charged, and tried for the murders of her stepmother and father. Despite the fact that she kept changing her story, not to mention the fact that she hated her stepmother, she was found not guilty. The police investigation of the murders was, at best, slipshod, and the fact that Lizzie was a woman worked in her favor. Juries of the time still consisted entirely of men, and none of them could belief that Lizzie, member of a prominent family (and a woman!) could be capable of such a crime.

She most certainly could, and in my opinion, she was guilty of both murders.

Andrew and Abby Borden's former house, where they met such gruesome ends, is now a bed and breakfast. The house also serves as a museum, where guests can see photos of the crime scene. The whole house looks much as it did when the Bordens lived there.

The house is open for tours, including night tours. You can also take part in a Paranormal Night at the Borden house, as well as "A Night with Lizbeth Borden" at Lizzie's later residence, Maplecroft.

Stay on Main (formerly the Cecil Hotel), Los Angeles, California, USA

Constructed in 1927, when the neighborhood was in much better shape, Stay on Main/Hotel Cecil has a long and gruesome past.

In 1962, 27-year-old Pauline Otton, suicidal following an argument with her husband, threw herself from her window. Otton got her death, but so did an unlucky pedestrian after she landed on him.

In 1964, guest Goldie Osgood was both strangled and stabbed (in addition to being robbed and raped). Her murder is still unsolved.

Serial killer Richard Ramirez (aka "The Night Stalker") lived in the Cecil in 1984-85, during which time he murdered 13 women. Not to be outdone, copycat killer Jack Unterweger moved into the Cecil in 1991, prior to murdering 3 women.

On January 26, 2013, 21-year-old Elisa Lam, a Canadian student, checked into the hotel. She was visiting various cities along the West Coast, and planned to spend five days in L.A. before continuing to San Diego. She called her parents daily, but on the day she was supposed to leave L.A., no phone call came. Her parents promptly contacted the Los Angeles police and flew to the city to search for their daughter. The search was extensive and fruitless, until guests of the hotel began complaining of low water pressure and an odd taste to the tap water. On February 19, one of the water tanks on the roof of the hotel was opened, and found to contain Lam's naked body. The autopsy concluded that death was due to accidental drowning.

Questions surround her mysterious death. How did she access the roof, when the doors were locked and protected by an alarm? Why would she want to climb into one of the water tanks in the first place? Assuming that she climbed into it herself, how did she lift the heavy lid? Why was she naked, with her clothes in the tank with her? Why did police dogs, which were brought to the roof, fail to find her scent?

Furthermore, what caused Lam's bizarre behavior in the hotel elevator on the day after she had intended to check out of the Cecil and depart for San Diego? Video footage (released on February 14) shows Lam entering the elevator, making odd gestures, leaving the elevator, and re-entering it. However, the doors remain open for much longer than the usual time. Was someone outside the elevator, and outside the field of view of the elevator camera, pressing the button? Was Lam interacting with this person? The video is available on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQcTuTXpj3c

This blog post differs from the others in that the hotel doesn't abound with ghost stories - but it is, by all accounts, a creepy place to stay.

Jailer's Inn Bed & Breakfast, Bardstown, Kentucky, USA

True to its name, the Jailer's Inn was once a jail. It operated almost two hundred years, from 1797 to 1987, being converted into a b&b in 1988. This, of course, provides more than enough history to account for several hauntings.

One of the odd things reported is the sound of a baby crying - the child of one of the inmates? The child of a warden? Nobody knows. Whispering and conversation are heard, along with footsteps traveling upstairs and down.

The courtyard, now used for serving meals, was once the site of the gallows - a little gruesomeness with your breakfast. Guests stay in converted cells, though they are not locked in.

Chillingham Castle, Northumberland, England

Chillingham Castle is exactly what one might expect from a castle - it's hundreds of years old, it's solid, and it's haunted.

The castle caters enthusiastically to its ghost-seeking clientele, with ghost tours offered (only to those aged 16 or older) and even all-night vigils. Those wishing to stay in the building can do so, with elegant rooms offered - and a little extra; some guests have reported supernatural occurrences in their rooms. Visitors can see the castle's original torture chamber, with frightening instruments

The castle was the site of no less than eighteen executions, some by drawing and quartering, a particularly gruesome, drawn-out method involving hanging, disembowelment, and the body being quartered. It seems, however, that it is not these unfortunates who haunt the castle, or if they do, they are kind enough to appear intact.

A white ghost in the "Inner Pantry" appears from time to time, always begging for water. A "blue boy" once glided out of a wall in one of the rooms, wearing clothing appropriate for the time of King Charles II. He was dressed in blue and surrounded by a blue glow, hence the name. Only in the 1920s, when restoration work was being performed, did anyone break into the wall - to reveal the skeleton of a young boy, with shreds of blue clothing adhering to it.  The bones were given a proper burial, and the ghost never appeared again, though flashes of blue light were occasionally seen in the room after dark.

The Story Inn, Story, Indiana, USA

The Inn has the distinction of being the whole (tiny) town of Story, Indiana. The Story story is listed on the website. Old buildings that once served other purposes (the general store, old mill, carriage house, etc.) have been converted to provide lodging, with a restaurant in the basement of the general store.

The Inn also boasts a resident spirit, known as the Blue Lady. Rumor has it that she can be summoned simply by turning on a blue lamp. The Inn offers a "Ghost Hunter's Special", despite the fact that the owner is reluctant to believe in the Blue Lady, or in any other ghost. More information on the haunting is available here.

Cedar Grove Mansion, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA

Built in 1852, Cedar Grove Mansion was the property of the Klein family until 1919. The first owners were John Klein and his young wife, Elizabeth. Of their ten children, four died young - two in infancy (the cause of death is not given, but may have been SIDS), a daughter from undisclosed causes, and one of their sons, who dropped his gun, which then discharged and killed him. He was seventeen.

During the Civil War, the mansion was occupied by the Union Army and used as a hospital, where more than one soldier died. Another occupant of the house at a later date shot herself in the ballroom.

Elizabeth Klein, who loved her house, still looks after it, as more than one eyewitness can attest. John Klein's pipe smoke is noticed when someone he dislikes enters or goes near the parlor. Babies crying have been heard; a little girl has been seen on the staircase to the second floor. Ghosts of Union soldiers have been reported.

The St. James Hotel, Selma, Alabama, USA

The St. James Hotel was originally known as the Brantley, built in 1837. Union forces used it for lodging during the Battle of Selma in the Civil War. The hotel survived the burning that destroyed most of the city during the war.

Among the hotel's less-than-savory guests were those notorious train-robbing brothers, Frank and Jesse James. Jesse and his lover, Lucinda, are often reported as persistent guests at the hotel. Jesse is seen in rooms 214, 314, and 315, since he often stayed in those rooms. Guests have complained about the barking of a dog in the courtyard, which faded as soon as anyone investigated the source of the noise. Jesse was known to have a dog. Jesse is also seen, unsurprisingly, in the bar.

Lucinda announces her presence - seen or unseen - with the scent of lavender, her favorite. Sometimes, she is seen strolling the halls of the hotel.

In addition to the famous couple, guests have seen people wearing 19th-century clothing in the courtyard.

The Plains Hotel, Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA

The Plains Hotel is an imposing building in Wyoming's capital city. It opened in 1911, offering one hundred guest rooms and five elevators - no small feat for a hotel of that time, even in a major city.

It's no surprise that the hotel was a destination for honeymooning couples. One new bride, called Rosie, checked in with her husband on what was to be the last trip of her life.

Rosie's husband (no Prince Charming, he) wandered down to the lounge one evening for a drink or two. Hours later, when he hadn't returned to their room, Rosie found him still in the bar, getting friendly with a prostitute.

Rosie's new husband, with his new friend, left the bar and went to the prostitute's room on the fourth floor. Rosie followed, and with her husband's gun, shot the prostitute, her husband, and (back in the honeymoon suite) herself.

The ghosts of all three parties to the murder/suicide have been seen by staff and guests. Rosie, wearing a blue gown, walks the hallways of the hotel. Laughing and crying have been heard from the room that was once hers. Her husband is seen on the fourth floor, and - oddly - the basement. The prostitute is seen on the second floor.

Kewaunee Inn, Kewaunee, Wisconsin, USA

The Kewaunee Inn (once the Karsten Hotel) is close to Lake Michigan, Green Bay - and the supernatural.

The building turned 100 years old in 2012. In 1966, work was done on the hotel, and it seems that this operation brought out the spirits of three people once attached to the hotel - a former owner, his grandson, and a maid.

Why the maid (Agatha Struck) haunts the inn is a mystery; she was not an owner, and she didn't die on the premises. Rumor has it that she was in love with a former owner; if so, given the fact that they both haunt the place, she may be happy now. She has been seen performing her old duties, such as sweeping the halls. One guest who stayed in 310, Agatha's old room, watched, freezing, as a filmy wraith floated through the wall. She is known to move objects, especially when the inn was renovated in 1984; Agatha showed her displeasure by hiding tools, opening and closing doors, and turning lights on and off.

William Karsten, Sr., has been seen having an ethereal beer in the bar. Like Agatha, he moves things (in his case, furniture) when upset; he also causes a foul odor to show his unhappiness.

Billy Karsten, William's grandson, died of meningitis at the age of five. Living children have played with a little boy on the second floor, a boy who looks strikingly like the photo of Billy. He has also been heard running down the hall to his grandfather's room.

Ross Castle B&B, Oldcastle, County Meath, Ireland

Ross Castle (NOT to be mistaken for a castle in Killarney with the same name) is a rather imposing 16th-century building on Lough Sheelin.

The first owner was Richard Nugent, 12th Earl of Delvin, who had the castle built in 1536. Nugent, who was called "the Black Baron", was so eager to punish crime in his area that he had an innocent man hanged for stealing a loaf of bread (the real culprit was a dog).

In true Romeo-and-Juliet fashion, the Black Baron's daughter, Sabina, fell in love with Orwin O'Reilly, member of an enemy family. After many a secret meeting, the two decided to elope. They set sail across the lake, but a storm blew up and capsized their boat. When Sabina awoke, three days later, she learned that Orwin had drowned. Distraught, she refused food and drink, with the predictable result.

Sabina still haunts her former home; some say that she is being punished for the heartless actions of her father. He has not escaped his own punishment, though; his ghost has been sighted many times.

General Lewis Inn, Lewisburg, West Virginia, USA

The General Lewis Inn features at least three ghosts - a woman in white, a little girl, and a slave.

The inn was once a private home, built in 1834. During the early 1860s, the Civil War took a heavy toll on the area - and may have contributed to the ghost population.

A lady in white (the most popular dress color for ghosts, it seems) haunts Room 208 - fittingly enough, because her portrait hangs in that room.

The little girl has been heard, both crying and laughing, though not simultaneously, in Rooms 206 and 208, as well as Suite 202. Paranormal investigators who slept in the suite reported waking in the night to see a girl in a brown outfit standing next to the bed.

The slave, who is named Reuben, was hanged on the spot where the dining room now stands. He has been seen sitting at the table. Those curious to see him might decide to eat every meal at the inn.