St. Louis Most Haunted Hotels
Posted: 11.23.2024 | Updated: 11.23.2024
St. Louis was founded in 1764, making it one of the oldest cities in Missouri. Its longstanding history makes it not only one of the best tourist destinations in the state but also one of the most haunted places in Missouri. For those looking for sights and spooks, St. Louis and its most haunted hotels has you covered.
One of the best ways to experience the eerier side of the city is to check into one of St. Louis’s haunted hotels. Each has its unique history and unique ghosts, making your trip to the Gateway to the West truly memorable.
Let’s pack our bags and discover some of the scariest places that the living and the dead reside in. Don’t forget to check out all the other haunted places in St. Louis. Book our St. Louis Ghost Tour, St. Louis Ghosts.
From the mysterious Native American dirt mounds to what lies beneath the world’s tallest steel arch, St. Louis Ghosts unveils why the city remains the burial ground for some of America’s most shocking historical tragedies.
What is the Most Haunted Hotel in St. Louis?
Out of all the haunted hotels and eerie inns in the city, everyone seems to agree that the Lemp Mansion is the place to have some truly terrifying encounters. Some people think the house is cursed, with many members of the family dying within its walls. Rumor has it that the family haunts the estate to this very day.
Of course, there are plenty of other haunted hotels to check out throughout the city.
The Lehmann House Bed and Breakfast
Built in 1893, this 10,000-square-foot estate was the dream home for Edward and Anne Eliza Rowse. However, their dream was short-lived. Edward died in the house in 1895, and Anne sold it only a few years later to Frederick W. Lehmann and his family.
Frederick was a lawyer in the St. Louis area who would go on to impact the city in many positive ways. He was a founder of the St. Louis Art Museum and State Historical Society and the director of the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis.
For the past thirty years, the house has been a cozy bed and breakfast for many weary travelers. Marie Davies, the owner of the BnB, has had many encounters with what she believes to be the spirit of Edward Rowse.
She remembers hearing the sound of loud footsteps in one of the hallways, even though no one else was in the house. Another time, she swore she heard wagon wheels rolling along hardwood flooring in one of the rooms. The weird thing is that particular room has carpeted floors.
The most shocking encounter was when she woke up in the middle of the night and saw the figure of a man standing at the foot of her bed. He then promptly disappeared. Even to this day, she swears she saw the spirit of Edward Rowse.
Guests who’ve stayed at the Lehmann House have shared their own experiences with Marie. Some have reported hearing things, seeing orbs, and seeing shadow figures. A couple once told her that they heard the chair move in their room.
The Ruebel Hotel
The Ruebel Hotel is one of the oldest surviving hotels in the area. It is located just outside the metropolitan area of St. Louis. The original building was constructed in 1879, though it burned down in 1912.
The owners quickly rebuilt the hotel that very same year, charging out only $1 per room. Today, that would be about $32. So, the rooms had to have been either good or terrible.
Since taking new ownership in 2008, the Ruebel Hotel has been doing better than ever. However, that may be due to the endless number of reports the hotel has been getting about its hauntings.
Many guests reported the smell of roses in their rooms when they had neither roses nor sprayed anything that smelled like roses. One guest woke up in the middle of the night to find their bedspread folded neatly on the floor.
Out of all the sightings in the Ruebel Hotel, none are as popular or as frequent as that of the spirit of a little girl known as Abigail.
She has been seen by the guests many times roaming the hallways. Rumour has it that she’s known to play the occasion trick or two on unsuspecting guests. Legend has it that Abigail stayed at the hotel somewhere in the 1920s. She suffered from terrible tuberculosis and ended up dying in the hotel.
Since 2019, the hotel has immortalized Abigail by opening a bar and restaurant called Abigail’s Tap Room. It’s unknown if Abigail has been lingering around her namesake. Looks like there is only one way to find out.
The Chase Park Plaza
Once two buildings, the Chase Park Plaza is filled to the brim with history. The Chase Hotel was built in 1922, taking only nine months to build nine floors. Before the stock market crashed, the 27-floor Park Plaza was built right next to the Chase. They were sold off to the same owner in 1961 and were connected to form the Chase Park Plaza.
In its heyday, the hotel welcomed some of the world’s biggest stars, including the Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley. Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis made one of their first nightclub appearances there.
Perhaps more famous than the guests who stayed here are the ghosts who still reside here.
During the off-seasons of the hotel, when vacancies are high, there are rumors of a spirit in a tuxedo who wanders the near-empty hallways. Some think he’s the hotel’s builder, Chase Ulman. He spent most of his time at the hotel during its construction. Perhaps long after he’s passed, he’s still checking over everything, making sure everything is in its place.
More famous than the tuxedoed spirit is that of the red-haired woman in white. It’s believed she was married in the hotel sometime in the 1930s. On her wedding night, she jumped out of one of the high windows, plummeting to her death on a terrace.
One woman who stayed at the hotel recalled how she was once woken by the red-haired lady whispering in her ear in the dead of night. Another guest managed to see her in his bathroom mirror. It terrified him so much that he fell into the bathtub and broke his arm.
The Lemp Mansion
The Lemp Mansion is the epitome of the American Dream. It was built in the 1860s by William Lemp, the son of a German immigrant who owned one of the biggest lager breweries in the United States.
What started as a massive success in the 19th century soon crumbled in the 20th century. One by one, members of the family died. Some due to mysterious circumstances, others due to suicide. Three members took their lives in the home, including William Lemp.
In 1975, the mansion was bought and converted into an inn. To this day, guests have reported strange occurrences happening throughout the home, many believing that the Lemp family still resides in their family home.
One of the spirits is connected to the darker aspects of the home and the family. Rumor has it that William Lemp, Jr. had an illegitimate son that he kept locked in the attic. He was said to have Down syndrome and was referred to as only “Monkey-Faced Boy”.
Many have reported seeing his face peering out from the attic windows onto the streets below. He’s also known to have a love of toys, and they would often move on their own.
There’s another spirit in the mansion known as the Lavender Lady. Some think she’s the wife of William Lemp. She's most often seen roaming the second floor, and some have said they’ve seen her looking out of the second-floor window.
Haunted St. Louis
There are many haunted abodes to choose from when visiting St. Louis, from the tragedy-riddled Lemp Mansion to the cozy Lehmann House. Of course, there are many other places for you to see by booking our St. Louis Ghosts tour.
Make sure to check our blog often. We’re always adding new locations for you to read.
If you want to be updated on what is going on at U.S. Ghost Adventures, make sure to follow us on our Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages.
Sources:
https://moonrisehotel.com/haunted-places-st-louis/
https://www.lehmannhouse.com/blog/a-history-of-lehmann-house
https://ruebelhotel.com/our-history.html
https://www.stlmag.com/longform/chase-park-plaza
https://www.gatewayarch.com/spookiest-spots-stlouis/
https://my1053wjlt.com/the-chilling-legend-of-the-lemp-mansion-located-in-st-louis-mo
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/mo-lempmansion/
https://www.hauntedrooms.com/missouri/st-louis/haunted-places/haunted-hotels
Book A St Louis Ghosts Tour And See For Yourself
St. Louis Ghosts exposes the ghastly hauntings that lurk underneath this charming jewel at the great gateway to the west. Built on ancient Indian graves, this City on the Mississippi hides a Gateway to a legion of ghosts.
The ghosts of Saint Louis stretch through history. Form the prehistory of the mysterious mounds to today’s gruesome murders and modern spirits, St Louis has ghosts of every era. Book your place now to experience the tour that exposes the horrid truth behind the city’s landmarks.