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America's Most Haunted Hotels: Checking In with Uninvited Guests
Phantom footsteps pace the stairs at the Myrtles Plantation. A seductive spirit tugs on the sheets at the Copper Queen. Ghost children whisper and giggle at the Kehoe House. Journey into the mysterious world of haunted hotels, where uninvited guests roam the halls, supernatural sounds ring throughout the rooms, and chills run along the spines of those who dare to check in for the night. Join Jamie Davis Whitmer, author of Haunted Asylums, Prisons, and Sanatoriums , as she explores some of the most haunted hotels across the United States. From the Jerome Grand Hotel in Arizona to the Palmer House in Minnesota, each hotel is discussed in great detail, covering everything from the building’s history and legends to first-hand accounts of spooky sounds and smells, ghost sightings, EVP sessions, and more. You’ll also find photos, travel information, and everything else you need to plan your own visit to these iconic hotels.
264 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 6, 2017
3.5 Stars → AMERICA'S MOST HAUNTED HOTELS would be a fun travel guide to have on a cross-country ghost tour road trip. This book highlights ten of the country's notable haunted hotels, some familiar to me and some not. The author gives readers a brief history of the properties and why each is thought to be haunted. She also shares her own experiences at the hotels, and whether or not she got a feel for their resident spirits ― though no in depth ghost hunting takes place. I was a bit disappointed it wasn't spookier, but it gives plenty of info to stir up interest. Each hotel's chapter concludes with reservation and contact information if you'd like to plan a visit.
My two favorites were the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, which was Stephen King's inspiration for The Shining, and the Crescent Hotel in Arkansas, which I've visited many times. Love it. The ghost tour was great spooky fun.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My two favorites were the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, which was Stephen King's inspiration for The Shining, and the Crescent Hotel in Arkansas, which I've visited many times. Love it. The ghost tour was great spooky fun.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2016
I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am a huge fan of paranormal shows and books, so I was thrilled when I was notified that my request for this book had been accepted. My excitement was short-lived though because all of the locations described in this book are very well-known sites for paranormal activity, hence they've been featured on many ghost hunting shows and in other books I've read. I was already familiar with the histories of these locations and I've seen/read about more compelling evidence that was captured by other investigators than the evidence (or lack thereof) that was captured by Whitmer and her husband. Overall, I felt that the book lacked originality and the writing left much to be desired.
I am a huge fan of paranormal shows and books, so I was thrilled when I was notified that my request for this book had been accepted. My excitement was short-lived though because all of the locations described in this book are very well-known sites for paranormal activity, hence they've been featured on many ghost hunting shows and in other books I've read. I was already familiar with the histories of these locations and I've seen/read about more compelling evidence that was captured by other investigators than the evidence (or lack thereof) that was captured by Whitmer and her husband. Overall, I felt that the book lacked originality and the writing left much to be desired.
November 16, 2016
**This book was given to me from NetGalley for a fair and honest review.
This was a fascinating book. I love stories of hauntings, ghosts and the like and couldn't resist this book when I saw it. The author does a really good job of detailing the history of each of the hotels. I found this part fascinating. How old is it? Who built it? What has it been used for in it's lifetime? And so on. She really paints a picture for you so you can imagine the building at it's inception. She then tells you about it's "haunting" history. When, if possible, was the first account and what has supposedly happened there. Then she shares her experiences, if any. If tours are possible, she has gone on them and tells us all about them and what to expect. Then, finally, what I really respected was the short sections at the back of each chapter where her husband, a skeptic, tells you what if anything he experienced. In some cases he is only able to tell us his reaction to his wife and what she experienced. But I felt that this soft of backed up her claims sort of. He has witnessed things he doesn't understand, and perhaps he hesitates to call them hauntings, but he is positive something happened.
The author then continues on with information regarding visiting these places. How to contact them and whether tours are available. This is more than just a book of hauntings, in the afterward she says that she intended this book to be a sort of travel guide. At first, I was somewhat disappointed that she was moreso detailing facts, histories and events instead of telling me cool ghost stories. But that wasn't what she intended. I had to completely rethink my original opinion when I read that. She did her job, I now want to go to every one of those hotels!
This was a fascinating book. I love stories of hauntings, ghosts and the like and couldn't resist this book when I saw it. The author does a really good job of detailing the history of each of the hotels. I found this part fascinating. How old is it? Who built it? What has it been used for in it's lifetime? And so on. She really paints a picture for you so you can imagine the building at it's inception. She then tells you about it's "haunting" history. When, if possible, was the first account and what has supposedly happened there. Then she shares her experiences, if any. If tours are possible, she has gone on them and tells us all about them and what to expect. Then, finally, what I really respected was the short sections at the back of each chapter where her husband, a skeptic, tells you what if anything he experienced. In some cases he is only able to tell us his reaction to his wife and what she experienced. But I felt that this soft of backed up her claims sort of. He has witnessed things he doesn't understand, and perhaps he hesitates to call them hauntings, but he is positive something happened.
The author then continues on with information regarding visiting these places. How to contact them and whether tours are available. This is more than just a book of hauntings, in the afterward she says that she intended this book to be a sort of travel guide. At first, I was somewhat disappointed that she was moreso detailing facts, histories and events instead of telling me cool ghost stories. But that wasn't what she intended. I had to completely rethink my original opinion when I read that. She did her job, I now want to go to every one of those hotels!
July 16, 2016
I really enjoy reading about the paranormal and hauntings so I jumped at the chance to be able to read and review and advance copy of this book. The book is set out really well with a chapter being dedicated to each location. I have watched a lot of the US series that get shown over here in the UK such as Ghost Adventures and Ghost Hunters so I knew about a couple of the locations but in the main they were new ro me and it was really enjoyable reading how Jamie and Bob had found their visits. Well written and photos added where needed, very good read.
January 12, 2020
This is a record of paranormal investigations at several hotels in the U.S. where significant ghostly activity has been reported, sometimes over hundreds of years.
The author acknowledges in the prologue that traveling to these places around the country can be expensive and their team has limitations on what they can actually do to investigate, but they are able to collect stories and legends and leave themselves open for possible experiences.
The first stop is a hotel in Louisiana called The Myrtles where paranormal activity is frequently reported. The various stories and investigations of living people who might account for what people have claimed to see was interesting, but the investigators personal experiences were auditory on this one. These were fairly significant.
We are then taken to the Queen Mary cruise ship which has many stories attached to it, followed by a visit to Brisbee Arizona which the author suggests is the most haunted town in America. A hotel in Arkansas provides some pretty chilling stories as do several of the other examples our armchair tour takes us through. Many of the stories are substantiated by multiple people interviewed and the authors do report a few experiences themselves, though they point out in the conclusion that ghosts don't appear on command and ghost hunting is largely down to luck and random behavior of the subjects.
I liked that the addresses and contact information were given for the locations, so that interested readers can look into these places themselves if they have a mind to. It's not a sensationalist book with pictures of apparitions at every location, though one mirror photograph is worthy of scrutiny. It would make a good starting book for someone who fancies the idea of doing some investigating themselves.
The background information of each location is thorough and prices at the time of writing are included in the contact information.
The author acknowledges in the prologue that traveling to these places around the country can be expensive and their team has limitations on what they can actually do to investigate, but they are able to collect stories and legends and leave themselves open for possible experiences.
The first stop is a hotel in Louisiana called The Myrtles where paranormal activity is frequently reported. The various stories and investigations of living people who might account for what people have claimed to see was interesting, but the investigators personal experiences were auditory on this one. These were fairly significant.
We are then taken to the Queen Mary cruise ship which has many stories attached to it, followed by a visit to Brisbee Arizona which the author suggests is the most haunted town in America. A hotel in Arkansas provides some pretty chilling stories as do several of the other examples our armchair tour takes us through. Many of the stories are substantiated by multiple people interviewed and the authors do report a few experiences themselves, though they point out in the conclusion that ghosts don't appear on command and ghost hunting is largely down to luck and random behavior of the subjects.
I liked that the addresses and contact information were given for the locations, so that interested readers can look into these places themselves if they have a mind to. It's not a sensationalist book with pictures of apparitions at every location, though one mirror photograph is worthy of scrutiny. It would make a good starting book for someone who fancies the idea of doing some investigating themselves.
The background information of each location is thorough and prices at the time of writing are included in the contact information.
June 13, 2016
Rating is 3.5
This is a NetGalley Book in exchange for a review. I have not read Jamie Davis Whitmer's book Haunted Asylums, Prisons, and Sanatoriums: Inside Abandoned Institutions for the Crazy, Criminal & Quarantined, so I don't know the style of her writing.
Note: I have the uncorrected proof before publication edition.
In this edition there needs to be more editing. There is missing information through out the book, mainly in prices and photos. The layout would be better if it was changed but it was easy to tell when one Hotel story ended to the next story.
I really enjoyed the history of each Hotel. Those are favorite parts of the book. This is told in a way, of a travel. They travel to each destination, talk about the town/city, then the history of the hotel, and why it's haunted. Next is their own experience and I like how they didn't use much. Just themselves to make it seem more like an average visitor passing through.
My favorite for sure is about the Stanley Hotel, the famous setting for Stephen King's The Shining. I loved the story of how King came up with the story from staying there. Very interesting stuff. I'd love to know more of his experience with that hotel.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I love how to get in contact through phone, email, etc for each hotel and for all the extra information about tours and other places to visit in the area. I've bookmarked a few.
This is a NetGalley Book in exchange for a review. I have not read Jamie Davis Whitmer's book Haunted Asylums, Prisons, and Sanatoriums: Inside Abandoned Institutions for the Crazy, Criminal & Quarantined, so I don't know the style of her writing.
Note: I have the uncorrected proof before publication edition.
In this edition there needs to be more editing. There is missing information through out the book, mainly in prices and photos. The layout would be better if it was changed but it was easy to tell when one Hotel story ended to the next story.
I really enjoyed the history of each Hotel. Those are favorite parts of the book. This is told in a way, of a travel. They travel to each destination, talk about the town/city, then the history of the hotel, and why it's haunted. Next is their own experience and I like how they didn't use much. Just themselves to make it seem more like an average visitor passing through.
My favorite for sure is about the Stanley Hotel, the famous setting for Stephen King's The Shining. I loved the story of how King came up with the story from staying there. Very interesting stuff. I'd love to know more of his experience with that hotel.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I love how to get in contact through phone, email, etc for each hotel and for all the extra information about tours and other places to visit in the area. I've bookmarked a few.
September 1, 2016
Jamie and her husband Robert are on the search for the most haunted hotels in America, the hotels featured in this book are;
The Myrtles Plantation
The Queen Mary
The Copper Queen
The Kehoe House
1886 Crescent Hotel
Jerome Grand Hotel
Farnsworth House Inn
Lemp Mansion
The Stanley Hotel (my favourite!)
And
The Palmer House
Filled with history of the hotels and ideas of who the ghosts could be plus information about the nearest airports to the hotels, suggested places to visit and places to eat it's an extremely informative and interesting read.
Jamie wants good experiences with ghosts while Robert isn't expecting anything.
I really enjoyed this, especially about The Stanley Hotel, the place where Stephen King thought up the story for The Shining! I really want to go there!
I will be keeping my eyes open for the book Jamie has written about Asylums, prisons and hospitals because I imagine some scary happenings went on in that!
*Huge thanks to Jamie and Robert Whitmer, Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review*
The Myrtles Plantation
The Queen Mary
The Copper Queen
The Kehoe House
1886 Crescent Hotel
Jerome Grand Hotel
Farnsworth House Inn
Lemp Mansion
The Stanley Hotel (my favourite!)
And
The Palmer House
Filled with history of the hotels and ideas of who the ghosts could be plus information about the nearest airports to the hotels, suggested places to visit and places to eat it's an extremely informative and interesting read.
Jamie wants good experiences with ghosts while Robert isn't expecting anything.
I really enjoyed this, especially about The Stanley Hotel, the place where Stephen King thought up the story for The Shining! I really want to go there!
I will be keeping my eyes open for the book Jamie has written about Asylums, prisons and hospitals because I imagine some scary happenings went on in that!
*Huge thanks to Jamie and Robert Whitmer, Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review*
October 17, 2016
*I've got this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review*
This book was just OK to me. I liked that there were a lot of useful information about the hotels for those who want to visit them. Actually it reminded me more of a catalog for tourists, than the actual book. There were a little bit of history, a little bit of witnesses reports, a little bit of everything, like in some kind of advertisement brochure.
But overall I was a little disappointed, because I expected more compelling evidence, than just some cold feeling spot or the feeling that you are watched. Maybe I was spoiled, because I saw a lot of shows where ghost hunting teams gave us more evidence in the same places. So these stories was just meh for me.
Do I recommend this book ? I guess you can try to read it.
This book was just OK to me. I liked that there were a lot of useful information about the hotels for those who want to visit them. Actually it reminded me more of a catalog for tourists, than the actual book. There were a little bit of history, a little bit of witnesses reports, a little bit of everything, like in some kind of advertisement brochure.
But overall I was a little disappointed, because I expected more compelling evidence, than just some cold feeling spot or the feeling that you are watched. Maybe I was spoiled, because I saw a lot of shows where ghost hunting teams gave us more evidence in the same places. So these stories was just meh for me.
Do I recommend this book ? I guess you can try to read it.
July 10, 2017
I thought this would be an interesting book about ghost sitings. If not this woman's ghost hunting adventures, I at least hoped I would hear some interesting ghost legends from the past. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the lack of actual sitings and the authors pessimism about the credibility of these legends. If you love spooky ghost stories like me you should probably just rewatch 5 seasons of Ghost Whisperer with Jennifer Love Hewitt instead of reading this book.
April 10, 2019
Maybe it’s not the best writing, but I enjoyed this immensely. It’s written like a travel guide, and a few of these places are going on my bucket list!
December 24, 2024
Fun read
March 13, 2022
This was a solid read that featured ten haunted hotels across America. Each chapter is dedicated to a certain hotel and the authors, a husband-wife team, give a quick history lesson and their accounts of their stay. We also get some spooky black and white photos and travel tips (hotel information, local amenities, airports etc.). Overall I appreciated the effort Jamie put into researching and experiencing these haunted places. It's clear she put a lot of work into getting the local and hotel-specific legends right and supplemented historical evidence where she could. I also loved her commitment to using ghost hunting technology. I say Jamie specifically since it's mostly from her voice, though her husband Bob hops in to finish off each chapter. He's the level-headed, dry humor peanut butter to her excited, completely invested jelly, if you will. It's safe to say I enjoyed their dynamic immensely. As with most place specific books, I'm learning that some chapters (places) stand out while others are a bit boring. That being said, there were points that dragged so I gave this book three out of five stars instead of four.
Favorite Chapter:
Chapter 3 : The Copper Queen Hotel – The Copper Queen Hotel is located in Bisbee, Arizona, which is a copper mining town. There was something about this hotel and town that had such an interesting history that I can't wait to research on my own.
Least Favorite Chapter:
Chapter 10 : The Palmer House Hotel – The Palmer House Hotel is located in Sauk Centre, Minnesota and is vaguely connected to author Sinclair Lewis. I think if I was interested in Sinclair Lewis then I would have liked this connection but I didn't even know who he was.
Favorite Chapter:
Chapter 3 : The Copper Queen Hotel – The Copper Queen Hotel is located in Bisbee, Arizona, which is a copper mining town. There was something about this hotel and town that had such an interesting history that I can't wait to research on my own.
Least Favorite Chapter:
Chapter 10 : The Palmer House Hotel – The Palmer House Hotel is located in Sauk Centre, Minnesota and is vaguely connected to author Sinclair Lewis. I think if I was interested in Sinclair Lewis then I would have liked this connection but I didn't even know who he was.
October 2, 2018
This book was, on the one hand, really interesting to me because I had never personally read anything regarding the majority of the hotels and their ghostly activities. On the other, at times the tone, writing and activities discussed reminded me too much of a bad travelogue, or those ghost hunter shows where the entire show is green. It was just really hokey and read like a bad psychic trying to explain phenomenon (even though Whitmer went to great pains to say she was not psychic)
I did enjoy learning about the history, and ghostly activity at these hotels, especially since I got to read about so many new ones. One of my favorites was the Jerome Grand Hotel in Arizona. A former hospital, this hotel saw it's share of heartache as well as experiencing great prosperity. Another never before read about hotel was the Kehoe House in Savannah. This stately building was constructed as a labor of love, and gorgeously decorated. The legacy of that construction lives on in its ghosts.
The photos in this book really helped bring the locations to life and give you a visual sense of what the writers were talking about. A wonderful example of this was the seemingly endless hallway in the Stanley Hotel.
An interesting and intriguing, if slightly goofy sounding book.
I did enjoy learning about the history, and ghostly activity at these hotels, especially since I got to read about so many new ones. One of my favorites was the Jerome Grand Hotel in Arizona. A former hospital, this hotel saw it's share of heartache as well as experiencing great prosperity. Another never before read about hotel was the Kehoe House in Savannah. This stately building was constructed as a labor of love, and gorgeously decorated. The legacy of that construction lives on in its ghosts.
The photos in this book really helped bring the locations to life and give you a visual sense of what the writers were talking about. A wonderful example of this was the seemingly endless hallway in the Stanley Hotel.
An interesting and intriguing, if slightly goofy sounding book.
July 25, 2017
I honestly very much enjoyed this book and found it to be ideal as a travel guide. I would love to take this book with me on a spooky road trip and visit every location listed and described in this book. Jaime Davis Whitmer does an excellent job at telling the tales and histories of each location, and I appreciated her research and honesty. She made sure to let the reader know which legends she found evidence to back up and which allotted mostly to just spooky stories and tall tales. I also enjoyed her personal anecdotes, describing hers and her husband's own experiences and thoughts about the locations, which always came off as sincere. If neither of them had any experiences at a location they did not make anything up, but stated that while others reported occurrences they themselves did not. It was refreshing to read a book about haunted places with such honest accounts. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a simple ghost book or maybe someone open to vacation ideas!
December 5, 2016
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/mini-rev...
In this book, the author and her husband travel from one town to the next, to visit haunted hotels. Readers get the history of each hotel, info about the haunting, and then the author’s evidence (or lack of evidence, if they don’t get any during their investigation) for the haunting. I enjoyed that they included their own experience, and that they did research about the locations. A travelling guide for people who enjoy the paranormal.
In this book, the author and her husband travel from one town to the next, to visit haunted hotels. Readers get the history of each hotel, info about the haunting, and then the author’s evidence (or lack of evidence, if they don’t get any during their investigation) for the haunting. I enjoyed that they included their own experience, and that they did research about the locations. A travelling guide for people who enjoy the paranormal.
May 1, 2022
In the author’s own words: “what I write is non-fiction travel reports, and so, like life itself, it is not always entertaining…”.
I completely agree. I was in the library and quickly had to grab something and this was it. Not really what I was expecting. I guess if nothing happens, why include it? I was expecting more stories and not just direct reports of where they went, what they did, and such. The author referenced and quoted a lot of other works, and I thought on several occasions that I should be reading THOSE books instead of this one.
It’s a quick and easy read but I was disappointed.
I completely agree. I was in the library and quickly had to grab something and this was it. Not really what I was expecting. I guess if nothing happens, why include it? I was expecting more stories and not just direct reports of where they went, what they did, and such. The author referenced and quoted a lot of other works, and I thought on several occasions that I should be reading THOSE books instead of this one.
It’s a quick and easy read but I was disappointed.
Read
January 2, 2022I got about a chapter in when I realized I had also read Whitmer's Haunted Aslyums. If you liked that one, then you're also going to like this one. For me, it has a bit more of the flashlight thing and the talking to spirits than I like. I'm kinda more interested in what people have seen and heard than any attempts at proving anything. I don't think we can prove that ghosts exist.
That said, I do like that Whitmer goes out of her way to point out any places were the legend of a place doesn't match up with the actual history. (Esp. The Myrtles and Chloe)
I enjoyed the stories and now have some new hotels to one day visit so yay.
That said, I do like that Whitmer goes out of her way to point out any places were the legend of a place doesn't match up with the actual history. (Esp. The Myrtles and Chloe)
I enjoyed the stories and now have some new hotels to one day visit so yay.
May 13, 2022
A nice little collection of short stories of Jamie Davis Whitmer's adventures while staying in haunted hotels. Whitmer gives a brief history of the hotel, its location, and its inhabitants that may or may not be doing the haunting. She also provides eyewitness accounts plus her own feelings and experiences while on her stay. It is a good book if you are looking for a tour guide type book but if you are looking for a don't read before bed scary book then pass on this book. Yes, it has a couple of spooky stories but overall, just to get to know the Hotel and the ghost book.
May 6, 2018
The author wrote of well known hotels that have a reputation of being haunted. She wrote a brief history of each place, along with her personal experiences while visiting. She then left it to the reader to draw their own conclusions. I enjoyed the book quite a lot, and plan to read the authors other book.
October 23, 2020
I got this hopeing for a fun, spooky book to read with my oldest. However, it left much to be desired. The writing was subpar, written dialogue style with no excitement. The book itself had a lot of history but very little paranormal activity. Overall, I couldn't wait to be finished. The style of writing was not for me.
August 27, 2017
It was interesting but didn't really meet my expectations from the title. It was interesting to read about the author's feelings about different haunted places, but you never really got a lot of background on what made the places haunted.
September 23, 2017
I was expecting lots of scary stories and legends. Instead this book was more of a travel guide of haunted inns and B&Bs. A lot of these places have already been featured in books and on paranormal shows. The author's writing style could also use some work.
October 24, 2021
I checked this book out from my local library. It included history about each hotel and of course the paranormal aspect. I really enjoyed the stories and read through it quite fast. I do love a good spooky story.
September 12, 2025
I enjoyed this book, I loved learning about the history of the hotels mentioned in this book. I also enjoyed learning about the paranormal haunting. I also liked Robert's addition at the end of each chapter and getting his take on thr paranormal aspect of the hotels.
May 14, 2017
This book was an interesting. Maybe not the best written, but interesting and fun.
June 10, 2018
I found the history on the places far more interesting than the paranormal stories.
January 8, 2019
Entertaining and honest results of paranormal searches.
May 30, 2025
I enjoy reading the paranormal and hauntings and def recommend this as a starter if you want to start getting into this stuff. I loved reading about the Queen Mary fr
September 7, 2016
America's Most Haunted Hotels America's Most Haunted Hotels is the second book by Jamie Davis Whitmer. It details visits the author and her husband have made to some of the most haunted hotels in the US.
With chapters dedicated to The Myrtles Plantation, the Queen Mary, the Copper Queen the Kehoe House, the Copper Queen, the Crescent Hotel, the Jerome Grand Hotel, the Farnsworth House Inn, the Lemp Mansion, the Stanley Hotel, and the Palmer House Hotel, the author has traveled across the US conducting investigations.
The author does state that at the time of her visits, some of the hotels were occupied, and some weren't. This statement allows for some wiggle room in claims, predominantly in the EVP (Electric Voice Phenomenon) realm. She also clarifies that when she does EVP sessions, she keeps them short because it's easier for her to hear and understand responses. However, she does also state that she and her husband clear themselves before going into a haunted location and explicitly state that they only want to contact beings on the same positive wavelengths as them. The first part is great. Allowing a person who is interested in investigating a location know ahead of time that your EVP's and personal experiences could have been corrupted by other living beings is important. As is knowing that ghosts aren't like a carnival ride. You can't go in expecting them to perform for you, they either will or they won't. You can't expect hauntings to be handed to you.
There are nice descriptions of the different hotels, the decor, and of the first impressions of the author. There is also a blurb at the end of each chapter detailing the location, contact information, and website (if available) for each hotel, as well as a few suggestions of other places to visit in the area.
On the other hand, much of the stories the author passes along from each hotel is rehashed from stories told on the ghost tours of the location, or from other paranormal researchers visits. There is some good research thrown in, mostly about the history of the buildings, the families that lived there, and some geology. But the ghost stories are the same ones that have been passed around. And some of the research is flat out false. The claims that the Stanley Hotel is built on soil heavily laden with quartz has been proven false by the USGS. And proven before the book was published. That was a touch disappointing, as I'd hoped that maybe that falsehood could be put to rest.
Taken as a personal account of someone who has read all the ghost stories about a location, gone on the haunted tours, and then conducted some research of their own, America's Most Haunted Hotels isn't bad. But it is just that, a personal account. There are things that happen that the author can't explain, and that the conditions don't account for, but some seem to be a touch overhyped by the author. It's not a book for everyone, but for a very casual investigator with money to spend staying at some very luxurious hotels, America's Most Haunted Hotels makes a pretty good little guidebook of where to visit.
I did receive an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.
America's Most Haunted Hotels: Checking In with Uninvited GuestsJamie Davis WhitmerPublisher: Llewellyn Publications (October 8, 2016)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 0738748005ISBN-13: 978-0738748009
With chapters dedicated to The Myrtles Plantation, the Queen Mary, the Copper Queen the Kehoe House, the Copper Queen, the Crescent Hotel, the Jerome Grand Hotel, the Farnsworth House Inn, the Lemp Mansion, the Stanley Hotel, and the Palmer House Hotel, the author has traveled across the US conducting investigations.
The author does state that at the time of her visits, some of the hotels were occupied, and some weren't. This statement allows for some wiggle room in claims, predominantly in the EVP (Electric Voice Phenomenon) realm. She also clarifies that when she does EVP sessions, she keeps them short because it's easier for her to hear and understand responses. However, she does also state that she and her husband clear themselves before going into a haunted location and explicitly state that they only want to contact beings on the same positive wavelengths as them. The first part is great. Allowing a person who is interested in investigating a location know ahead of time that your EVP's and personal experiences could have been corrupted by other living beings is important. As is knowing that ghosts aren't like a carnival ride. You can't go in expecting them to perform for you, they either will or they won't. You can't expect hauntings to be handed to you.
There are nice descriptions of the different hotels, the decor, and of the first impressions of the author. There is also a blurb at the end of each chapter detailing the location, contact information, and website (if available) for each hotel, as well as a few suggestions of other places to visit in the area.
On the other hand, much of the stories the author passes along from each hotel is rehashed from stories told on the ghost tours of the location, or from other paranormal researchers visits. There is some good research thrown in, mostly about the history of the buildings, the families that lived there, and some geology. But the ghost stories are the same ones that have been passed around. And some of the research is flat out false. The claims that the Stanley Hotel is built on soil heavily laden with quartz has been proven false by the USGS. And proven before the book was published. That was a touch disappointing, as I'd hoped that maybe that falsehood could be put to rest.
Taken as a personal account of someone who has read all the ghost stories about a location, gone on the haunted tours, and then conducted some research of their own, America's Most Haunted Hotels isn't bad. But it is just that, a personal account. There are things that happen that the author can't explain, and that the conditions don't account for, but some seem to be a touch overhyped by the author. It's not a book for everyone, but for a very casual investigator with money to spend staying at some very luxurious hotels, America's Most Haunted Hotels makes a pretty good little guidebook of where to visit.
I did receive an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.
America's Most Haunted Hotels: Checking In with Uninvited GuestsJamie Davis WhitmerPublisher: Llewellyn Publications (October 8, 2016)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 0738748005ISBN-13: 978-0738748009
November 15, 2016
Ghost stories are a staple of the horror genre, and they always have a little sharper edge when the magic words, “based on a true story” appear under the title. Ghost hunting has taken on its own genre, as either pure entertainment or amateur scientific research, sometimes a combination of both. I readily admit my deep affection for a good haint tale, and this book delivers spooky real-life accounts as well as practical information about haunted tourism. If you’re a writer, having a solid nonfiction reference like this is handy.
Jamie Whitmer is an author, ghost hunter and traveler. Her book Haunted Asylums, Prisons and Sanatoriums was published in 2013, and this could be considered a sequel of sorts. She opens the book with practical information on what it takes to do a full paranormal investigation at sites like old prisons and hospitals. These are expensive and time-consuming since the entire building must be rented to do an investigation.
However, haunted hotels can be investigated for the price of a room, and many offer ghost tours for those who just want to visit. If you’re an avid spirit-seeker without a big budget, this is much more affordable. The Whitmers were able to use the tools of the trade in their room, or within hotel common rooms with permission from the manager. (It never hurts to ask.)
In the introduction, the author shares her experiences with spirits of the dead and her ideas of how and why these hauntings occur. Her husband, Robert, also shares his views. He’s a practical man and says he is “open to the possibility that things exist that I cannot see … I go into this endeavor with an open but cautious mind.”
The author researched the hotels featured in the book. She opens each chapter with the history of the original owner(s), photographs of the hotel, notable events in town, the natural landscape and features, and tales of famous deaths, hauntings and other sightings that gave these hotels their notoriety. Some of those stories are apocryphal and don’t stand up to the author’s historic scrutiny. She and Bob both write separate first-person accounts of what they did—or didn’t—experience during their stay at each place.
Occasionally, the couple is delighted with their stay in the hotel but disappointed that they experienced nothing more than a great night’s sleep. Of course, ghosts aren’t on the payroll and don’t always show up when people want them to! On other stays, Ms. Whitmer writes of doors mysteriously opening, corner-of-the-eye glimpses of people who weren’t there when she turned her head, and an emotional experience that left her shaken.
It’s hard to resist the charm of these old hotels. If you enjoy “ghost tourism” and are looking for a firsthand guide to the top 10 haunted hotels, you should read this first before planning your trip. The people who led their tours were engaging and knowledgeable and clearly enjoyed their jobs. While room and tour prices will change, the authors do their best to help you plan your trip accordingly.
I’m scheduled for a stay on the Queen Mary in a few months, and eager to tour to see the places that the authors described so beautifully. While I doubt I’ll see a ghost, I will know a bit more about the history of this great ship-turned-hotel, and the Whitmer’s account of their stay will have me keeping watch out of the corner of my eye.
http://horror-writers.net/blog/americ...
Jamie Whitmer is an author, ghost hunter and traveler. Her book Haunted Asylums, Prisons and Sanatoriums was published in 2013, and this could be considered a sequel of sorts. She opens the book with practical information on what it takes to do a full paranormal investigation at sites like old prisons and hospitals. These are expensive and time-consuming since the entire building must be rented to do an investigation.
However, haunted hotels can be investigated for the price of a room, and many offer ghost tours for those who just want to visit. If you’re an avid spirit-seeker without a big budget, this is much more affordable. The Whitmers were able to use the tools of the trade in their room, or within hotel common rooms with permission from the manager. (It never hurts to ask.)
In the introduction, the author shares her experiences with spirits of the dead and her ideas of how and why these hauntings occur. Her husband, Robert, also shares his views. He’s a practical man and says he is “open to the possibility that things exist that I cannot see … I go into this endeavor with an open but cautious mind.”
The author researched the hotels featured in the book. She opens each chapter with the history of the original owner(s), photographs of the hotel, notable events in town, the natural landscape and features, and tales of famous deaths, hauntings and other sightings that gave these hotels their notoriety. Some of those stories are apocryphal and don’t stand up to the author’s historic scrutiny. She and Bob both write separate first-person accounts of what they did—or didn’t—experience during their stay at each place.
Occasionally, the couple is delighted with their stay in the hotel but disappointed that they experienced nothing more than a great night’s sleep. Of course, ghosts aren’t on the payroll and don’t always show up when people want them to! On other stays, Ms. Whitmer writes of doors mysteriously opening, corner-of-the-eye glimpses of people who weren’t there when she turned her head, and an emotional experience that left her shaken.
It’s hard to resist the charm of these old hotels. If you enjoy “ghost tourism” and are looking for a firsthand guide to the top 10 haunted hotels, you should read this first before planning your trip. The people who led their tours were engaging and knowledgeable and clearly enjoyed their jobs. While room and tour prices will change, the authors do their best to help you plan your trip accordingly.
I’m scheduled for a stay on the Queen Mary in a few months, and eager to tour to see the places that the authors described so beautifully. While I doubt I’ll see a ghost, I will know a bit more about the history of this great ship-turned-hotel, and the Whitmer’s account of their stay will have me keeping watch out of the corner of my eye.
http://horror-writers.net/blog/americ...
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