14 Of The Best Haunted Hotels In New Orleans

New Orleans is widely considered one of the most haunted cities in the United States, and it's for good reason. New Orleans has a dark history and is home to legends of vampires, witches, and ghosts with a large number of buildings in the area that are a point of heavy paranormal activity. Being such an old city with the French having founded it in the early 1700s, hotels of New Orleans that have been reconstructed or flipped from older businesses and structures seem to be hot spots for ghost activity. Most short-term lodgings have made a home in old buildings full of unique and deadly history.

The famous French Quarter of New Orleans is popular for tourism, so naturally, hotels have found great success in the area. The French Quarter, along with the nearby streets and neighborhoods, are among the most haunted in the city and hotels are among some of the scariest places in the area, many of them making the list of stops on some of the best ghost tours in New Orleans. Visitors of New Orleans who are dying for a look into the spirit world have plenty of options to choose from if wishing to book a room in a haunted hotel, and we've got the rundown on 14 of the city's most haunted hotels.

If you're visiting New Orleans for its iconic architecture and historic buildings, the Andrew Jackson Hotel offers the opportunity to stay in such a building. Located in the French Quarter, the Andrew Jackson Hotel has a homey feel with its townhouse-style rooms and a connecting courtyard and balconies that overlook the bustling Royal Street. The location is prime for those who want to be in the middle of the lively city, with popular shops right outside the hotel's doors.

As charming as the Andrew Jackson Hotel is, the historic building it has made a home in was previously a boarding school for boys. The original building burned down in the late 1700s with five of the boys trapped inside of it. Guests have reported hearing children playing when there aren't any, and a boy named Armand, according to TheHauntedPlaces, is said to have jumped from a balcony in what is now room 204 to his death to avoid perishing in the fire. The room is ripe with hauntings, from both Armand and a ghostly caretaker that may try and turn down the bed while guests are still in it.

A hotel since the 1800s, Hotel Monteleone has been owned by the same family for five generations and is one of the last legacy hotels of its kind. A staple on Royal Street, this gorgeous and luxurious hotel has a tragic history and one that is not for those with a soft spot in their heart for children.

One of the most prominent resident ghosts of Hotel Monteleone is that of 3-year-old Maurice Begere, the son of a wealthy couple who frequented the hotel in its earlier years. While under the care of a nanny, Maurice developed a fever and passed away in their room. His spirit is said to still remain in the area near the room and his distraught mother haunted the hotel in her life as well, returning numerous times after his death in hopes of seeing him again. Rumor has it that he did, in fact, let his peace be known to his mother.

Hotel Monteleone may be a prime location to visit while in New Orleans if you're in search of ghost interaction because it has recently – and frequently in the past – undergone a renovation. There have been many connections made with ghost activity and renovations, the idea being that opening up an area and changing it manifests or awakens paranormal activity previously dormant. While Hotel Monteleone is a hot spot for such activity regularly, now may be a particularly opportune time to book a room.

Celebrated as a luxury hotel, the Pontchartrain Hotel is also arguably one of the most haunted hotels in New Orleans. Located in the Garden District, the modern re-imagined hotel from the 1940s is seemingly a perfect mix of old and new, but the old seems to include some specular guests that never left. Haunted Nation speculates that the hotel could be the permanent home of over 20 ghosts, and one happy guest mentions on her Tripadvisor review that her stay included a haunting of knocks on her door while no one was there.

There may be plenty of ghosts roaming the halls of Pontchartrain Hotel, none seem to be those of the hotel's most famous guests, of which there are many. Iconic figures from days gone by have stayed at Pontchartrain Hotel, Tennessee Williams being just one – interestingly enough, he actually wrote the famous "Streetcar Named Desire" while staying there. Frank Sinatra, Truman Capote, and Rita Hayworth are all additional creatives that are notable past guests. If you are looking to book a room that is ripe with history and may also include a ghostly experience, Pontchartrain Hotel checks all the boxes.

Le Pavillon is a grand hotel with sleek and timeless design, but it also has its own dark past. According to Historic Hotels of America, Le Pavillon was established as a successful and prestigious hotel in the early 1900s, but was built on the site of what was once a large plantation home and then, according to New Orleans Ghosts, a theater for explicit shows.

Though you won't find anything about ghosts on its own website, Le Pavillon is famously haunted. Secret New Orleans claims that there are over a speculated 100 ghosts that have found a home in Le Pavillon and that the hotel was haunted from its very beginning. While ghosts like the girl named Ava in Room 930 who was hit by a carriage out front can be directly linked to the hotel through their death, a mysterious couple who seem to wander the hotel and disappear through walls can not. Due to the sheer amount of ghosts that are said to exist there, Le Pavillon is speculated to be a portal to another universe, though no one has apparently been lost to it as of yet.

As its name suggests, Bourbon Orleans Hotel is located on Orleans Street, right between Bourbon Street and Royal Street. This puts the hotel at the very heart of the French Quarter and pretty much everything that brings travelers to New Orleans. What is now a popular hotel was once a theater in the early 1800s and a convent and school for Black girls in the late 1800s. All stages of its lengthy history are, in a way, alive today in aspects as the Bourbon Orleans Hotel is among the most haunted hotels in the world.

Bourbon Orleans Hotel is home to many resident ghosts, including a ballerina who haunts the hotel's Ballroom, a number of little girls from the building's convent area, and at least one ghost who makes their presence known by their smell rather than their appearance. An older gentleman is said to be seen reading a newspaper in the lobby, but it's possible to smell the cigar he's smoking before actually laying eyes on the specter. Paranormal experiences in Bourbon Orleans Hotel are anything but rare, and the many distinct ghosts that seem to reside there make the hotel's spot on this list well deserved.

Once a well-known brothel in New Orleans' own red light district of Storyville, Dauphine Orleans Hotel still remains a unique lodging choice for those visiting New Orleans. The homey hotel rooms may be housing some extra guests patrons aren't expecting, but the hotel's bar and tribute to the property's racy past May Baily's Place is also a hot spot for paranormal happenings.

Named for the former bordello's Madame herself, May Baily's Place still contains the traces of at least one of its previous owner's employees. Ghost hunters who have investigated the property gathered evidence of the presence of a former prostitute who doubled as a bartender, and reports of bottles rearranged and a faint figure in the mirror are attributed to her.

Among the ghost stories of Dauphine Orleans Hotel is one tragic love story. According to U.S. Ghost Adventures, May Baily's own sister haunts the site after being heartbroken on the day of her wedding when her love was shot and killed. Reports of a woman in a wedding dress and that of a Confederate soldier, who people have coined "The Worried Soldier," are speculated to possibly be the tragic couple, forever awaiting their exchanging of vows. The Dauphine Orleans Hotel's storied past has contributed to a number of ghostly presences, and there's no telling what guests could experience during their stay here.

What was once a private home is now a cozy and intimate hotel on one of the most desirable and popular streets in New Orleans. Lafitte Hotel & Bar on Bourbon Street offers 14 rooms, each with their own private bathroom, and most either have a private or shared balcony that looks over the bustling street.

While the ghost of privateer Jean Lafitte may haunt Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar a short way down the road, the hotel may be home to another entity from the past. Guests who are specifically looking for a haunted experience should try to book Room 21, as there have been various reports of paranormal activity there.

According to Ghost City Tours, the room is haunted by a young girl by the name of Marie Gleises, a daughter of the original owners of the building when it was a private residence, who died of an unknown illness. Her presence can be felt and even seen in the room along with other areas in the hotel, and Room 21 is the most requested of all 14 in the hotel. If you're planning a ghost trip to New Orleans and want the best chance of crossing paths with Marie, be sure to book your stay well in advance.

Historically known as St. Louis Hotel, Omni Royal Orleans is one of the French Quarter's luxury hotel options for visitors. While the hotel offers plenty of grand views within its walls, the renovations done by a large hotel corporation like Omni can't do much in the way of kicking out its long-time, permanent residents.

The hotel has a vastly storied history that contributes to the numerous alleged ghosts that haunt the halls of the grand building. Built on the site of a slave auctioning block that was known as the City Exchange, founder James Hewlett was a Creole man who envisioned the hotel as a place where people of different descents could gather and socialize. He was successful in his endeavor for a short time, until the hotel was turned into a makeshift military hospital by the Union during the Civil War.

The ghosts that haunt the Omni Royal Orleans range in manner and temperament. Possibly the most prevalent of hauntings is from a departed maid that roams the rooms and halls checking on guests and tucking them into bed, tidying up rooms like she did when she was alive. Other encounters have been of overwhelming feelings of sadness and the sound of agonizing moans coming from hallways. While very different in nature, neither of these experiences sounds overly appealing — that is, unless you have the goal of encountering something otherworldly during your stay.

A gorgeous courtyard, balconies with glorious views, and an atmosphere that is both beautifully classic and timeless are all that you can expect at Hotel Provincial — but that's not all the hotel on the French Quarter's Chartres Street has to offer. The long-standing hotel is home to a number of ghosts who seem to regularly interact with guests, or at least watch them, as one guest alludes to in their Tripadvisor review of their stay.

Hotel Provincial used to be a military hospital, so it makes sense that it would be a hot spot for paranormal activity. There are plenty of Civil War ghosts roaming the southern states, and it would seem Building Five of Hotel Provincial contains a few itself. According to Haunted Rooms America, guests have walked into rooms to a scene of carnage as soldiers bleed and moan throughout the room, only to disappear moments later. Blood appears and disappears seemingly at random, and both soldiers and surgeons have been spotted wandering the building. It's certainly not for the squeamish, but wholly worthy of its presence on our list of New Orleans' best haunted hotels.

Is it a gimmick? Maybe! However, as New Orleans is known for being a ghost city, it makes sense that a hotel literally named Haunted Hotel should have a spot on this list. Though you may write off a hotel that literally has named itself "Haunted," it certainly seems to take itself and its alleged ghosts seriously, as their own website claims the majority of guests end up having some sort of paranormal experience during their stay.

Though he was never caught, one of the most notorious serial killers in New Orleans, The Axeman, reportedly lived in the hotel during the time he committed his gruesome murders and was employed as the hotel's handyman. A bloody axe was allegedly found in the attic of the Haunted Hotel New Orleans during some renovations, and the connection is clear even though it is not confirmed. While hosting a vicious character like The Axeman doesn't automatically make the hotel haunted, it certainly sounds like the kind of energy paranormal entities would latch onto.

A hotel since the 1940s, the building of Maison de Ville dates back to the 18th century, which leaves it ripe for hauntings. While the hotel is certainly getting on in years, it doesn't look it. The crisp and refreshing rooms bring a new life to the building, while also incorporating details of its past in the decor. Once a grand and expansive residence to a wealthy family, the hotel still feels intimate the same way a private home does, making experiences with ghostly residents feel even more special.

If you cherish your sleep, booking a room at Maison de Ville may not be wise, as the ghosts within its walls get up to quite a bit at night. According to Ghost City Tours, knocks on the door and walls, disembodied whispers, and the tugging of sleeping guests' feet are all relatively common occurrences at the hotel. Still, a stay at Maison de Ville may just be the mild ghostly contact you are looking for in a New Orleans stay.

With homey rooms with balconies looking out in one of the most popular New Orleans destinations of the French Quarter, Hotel St. Pierre appears to be a comfortable place to lay your head while vacationing in New Orleans. Offering free ghosts as well as free wi-fi, you may get more out of a stay than just the normal amenities.

One spooked guest stated in her Tripadvisor review of her stay that she woke up to her daughter's voice telling her to wake up, but instead of her daughter – who was staying in the next room – she was greeted by a person sitting on the edge of the bed covered by a sheet. If that's not enough to scare you off, the hotel is said by Ghost City Tours to be haunted by disembodied footsteps that are heavy enough to wake guests up from a deep sleep and a middle-aged man speculated to be a carriage master, who is frequently seen standing out front of the main building as if to welcome all who come to the hotel.

Another former brothel, Hotel Villa Convento in the French Quarter boasts unique rooms for guests and is haunted by not just any ghost, but a Madame. If you are looking for a more affordable way to stay in what is the most popular area of New Orleans, this hotel is a great option. It is by no means a luxury hotel, though, and it does show signs of aging both inside and out as well as having some plumbing issues (via Oyster). One unique perk and draw of the hotel, though, is that it just may be the inspiration for The Animals' iconic song "House of the Rising Sun," which may just make rooming with a ghost worth it.

According to Ghost City Tours, men in particular seem to have run-ins with the ghost of the Madame, especially if they have stayed at Hotel Villa Convento before or for a decent period of time. After and during intimate moments, men have reported seeing a woman standing watch at the side of the bed, which their female partners can not see. Knocks on room doors are also attributed to the Madame, as the general practice of the time was to knock on bedroom doors when patrons' time was up.

The seven suites that Audubon Cottages offer are all full of their own unique personalities and provide guests with a quaint comfort away from home. These refreshing and airy cottages seem like the perfect place for a couple's getaway and a semi-private oasis in the bustling city of New Orleans, but the charming atmosphere comes with some serious potential for a ghost sighting.

According to the hotel's own website, both Cottage Two and Cottage Four have reported paranormal experiences and the two-bedroom suites may be home to past guests who were a little too comfortable and decided to never leave. You may hear a ghostly tune in Cottage Four, as it is said to be haunted by a music-playing soldier.

Audubon Cottages have such a reputation for the ghostly activity within its walls that it was named one of ABC News' most haunted hotels in all of the world back in 2015, alongside other paranormal hot spots in New Orleans and the iconic Stanley Hotel, inspiration to Stephen King's "The Shining." The cottages certainly deserve a spot on this list, and are a perfect choice for lovers looking for a haunting getaway.