Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado, by Kathy Alexander.
The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, is famous for its old-world charm and excellent service, as well as its “active” paranormal phenomena and spirit folklore. The 100+-year-old hotel, located about five miles from the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, offers panoramic views of Lake Estes and the Rocky Mountains, especially Long’s Peak.
This old hotel was built in the early 1900s by F.O. Stanley, who created the Stanley Steam Engine — a steam-powered horseless carriage. The majestic Georgian-style hotel opened in 1909, catering to the rich and famous.
Freelan Oscar Stanley (F.O.) and his wife, Flora, traveled west to Colorado in 1903 because F.O. Stanley’s doctor advised him to seek fresh mountain air.
F.O. Stanley.
Stanley, who suffered from tuberculosis, had been advised not to make plans beyond six months. The doctor arranged for the couple to stay in a friend’s cabin in Estes Park for the summer. Immediately, they fell in love with the area, and F.O.’s health improved dramatically.
After spending the summer in the cabin, Flora wanted a home like the one she had left in Maine. The couple built their new home about one-half mile west of where the Stanley Hotel would later be built. Today, the house is a private residence.
F.O. Stanley built the hotel on land he purchased from the Irish Earl Lord Dunraven. Dunraven came to the area in 1872 while on a hunting trip. He built a hunting lodge, cabin, and hotel for his guests and illegally homesteaded up to 6,000 acres in an unsuccessful attempt to create a private hunting preserve. Dunraven finally ran out of the area after trying to swindle folks out of their land and money.
Construction started on the Stanley Hotel in 1906. Wood and rock were obtained from the nearby mountains, and the hotel was built in the Georgian architectural style, which experienced a revival in the early twentieth century. In 1909, the luxury hotel was completed, with no expense spared. Equipped with running water, electricity, and telephones, the hotel’s only amenity was heat, as the hotel was designed as a summer resort.
Stanley Hotel Lobby by Kathy Alexander.
The Stanley Hotel has hosted many “famous” guests, including The Unsinkable Molly Brown, John Philip Sousa, Theodore Roosevelt, the Emperor and Empress of Japan, and various Hollywood personalities. Of course, the Stanley Hotel hosted Stephen King, whose experience inspired his book The Shining.
Piano on the Stanley Hotel Ballroom by Kathy Alexander.
In addition to its regular guests, the hotel is also said to play host to several otherworldly visitors. The most notable is F.O. Stanley, often seen in the lobby and the Billiard Room, his favorite room when he was still alive. On one such occasion, he was said to have appeared during a tour group’s visit to the Billiard Room, materializing behind a tour member. Bartenders at the old hotel also report seeing F.O. stroll through the bar, disappearing when they try to cut him off in the kitchen.
Not to be left out, Flora Stanley also haunts the hotel, continuing to entertain guests with her piano playing in the ballroom. Employees and guests have reported hearing music coming from the room, and when they take a peek, they can see the piano keys moving. However, as soon as someone walks across the threshold to investigate further, the music stops, and no more movement can be seen on the piano’s keys.
Stanley Hotel Ghost Picture, courtesy of Stanley Hotel.
Several rooms in the hotel seem to be particularly haunted. One is Room 407, which is said to sometimes be occupied by Lord Dunraven, who owned the land before F.O. Stanley. Reportedly, he likes to stand near the bathroom door in the corner of the room. On one such account, witnesses reported that a light in that corner kept turning on and off. While the light was off, they told the ghost they knew he was there and would only stay two nights. They asked if he would please turn the light back on. The light turned back on. However, when the lights were turned off and they were trying to sleep, noises were constantly heard from the nearby elevator when it was not in use. At other times, a ghostly face has been reported to be looking out the window of Room 407 when the room is not booked.
Room 418 receives the most reports of haunting activity, apparently from children’s spirits. Cleaning crews report hearing many strange noises from the room and seeing impressions on the bed when the room was empty. When guests stay in the room, they often report hearing children playing in the hallway at night. One couple reportedly checked out of the hotel early in the morning, complaining that the children in the hallway kept them up all night. However, no children were booked at the hotel at the time.
Many guests have also reported haunting activities in Rooms 217 and 401. Tour guides tell a story of the ghost of a small child seen by many staff in various areas of the old hotel. Reportedly, Stephen King also saw the child calling out to his nanny on the second floor. Other past employees report footsteps and apparitions seen throughout the building.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places today, the Stanley Hotel is open year-round. It offers various accommodations, including historic rooms, modern apartment-style residences for extended stays, and expansive condominiums.
The hotel offers both historical and paranormal tours.
More Information:
Stanley Hotel Stairway by Kathy Alexander
The Stanley Hotel
333 Wonderview Avenue
Estes Park, Colorado 80517
800-976-1377
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated March 2025.
Also See:
The Ghost Tour at the Stanley via Legend’s Blog
Haunted Baldpate Inn, Estes Park
Two Heads Are Better Than One – The Stanley Brothers
See Sources.