Lodging

During the Halloween season, people look for that extra jolt of fear in their vacations, and no U.S. city offers more reports of supernatural encounters than the city of New Orleans.

But if just visiting amongst the ghosts isn’t enough, here are five hotels that are actually rumored to be haunted.

Stay at them, if you dare!

Hotel Provincial Guest Room

1] Hotel Provincial

This beautiful hotel in the French Quarter offers great amenities like free WiFi and continental breakfast in its low rates that start at $79 a night.

But it was once a Confederate hospital, and is reportedly still home to many a soldier ghost. Building #5 is reputed to be the most haunted, and over the years, guests have reported everything from ghostly apparition sightings to actual physical encounters that even include moaning sounds and mysterious blood stains that appear and disappear on their own.

Hotel Provincial
1024 Rue Chartres
New Orleans, LA. 70116
Phone: 504-581-4995

[photo: Hotel Provincial]

Bourbon Orleans Hotel Lobby

2] Bourbon Orleans Hotel

Another beautiful French Quarter hotel, this lodging celebrates the haunted legends of New Orleans by offering a “Phantom of the Bourbon Orleans” package that includes two tickets to the French Quarter Haunted History Tour, breakfast and more for only $195 a night. Room only rates start at $135 a night.

But those that stay here may have ghostly encounters without even leaving the hotel.

Many have reported seeing and hearing spectral children running in the hallways. A lonely figure of a woman is said to haunt the elevator, as well.

Both are attributed to the hotel’s past life as a convent.

Bourbon Orleans Hotel
717 Orleans Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
Phone: 504-523-2222

[photo: Bourbon Orleans Hotel]

Hotel Monteleone Guest Room

3] Hotel Monteleone

This gorgeous hotel has been featured in several movies, ranging from Double Jeopardy (featuring Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones) to the more recent 12 Rounds (featuring WWE wrestler John Cena). But the real reason most people stay here is the frequent sightings of the spectral kind.

In March 2003, the International Society of Paranormal Research spent several days investigating the hotel and reportedly documented over a dozen ghosts. Other supposed haunted encounters include a locked restaurant door that opens on its own and an elevator that stops on the 14th floor with sounds and images of children playing in the halls.

Find out for yourself with nightly rates starting at $219, or indulge in the Halloween Murder Mystery Weekend 2009 package for $499 a person.

Hotel Monteleone
214 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Phone: 504-523-3341

[photo: Hotel Monteleone]

Dauphine Orleans Hotel Courtyard

4] Dauphine Orleans Hotel

Constructed in 1775, the building was first a home to prosperous merchant Samuel Hermann, then it became a Civil War bordello frequented by Confederate soldiers.

Many report this French Quarter hotel is still home to the ghosts of many of these ladies-of-the-night, who often dance around the property. It’s said a dark-haired gentleman in a military uniform has also been spotted in the courtyard.

Rates for the hotel start at $209 a night. They also have a Halloween 2009 package that includes 2 nights courtyard accommodations, daily continental breakfast and two tickets to the Ghosts & Spirits Walking Tour, among other amentities, for $480 (double occupancy).

Dauphine Orleans Hotel
415 Dauphine Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
Phone: 504-586-1800

[photo: Dauphine Orleans Hotel]

Le Pavillon Hotel Lobby

5] Le Pavillon Hotel

Sitting on the edge of downtown New Orleans, near the French Quarter, this hotel is one of the most haunted in the city. Over the years, paranormal experts have supposedly documented over 100 ghostly encounters from floating apparitions to spectors that have actually sat on the beds while guests tried to sleep. A room on the third floor is even said to smell of the rose perfume one ghost girl wears, who occasionally appears physically asking for a ride to the ship terminals.

This AAA Four-Diamond rated hotel has rates starting at $159 a night. They also offer a package called “Le Pavillon Haunted Experience” which includes a “seance-inspired” turndown service in the evening starting at $249 per night.

Le Pavillon Hotel
833 Poydras St
New Orleans, LA 70112
Phone: 504-581-3111

[photo: Le Pavillon Hotel]

Have you stayed at one of these haunted hotels? If not, would you? Let me know in comments.