The Hotel Highland, formerly known as the Pickwick Hotel, was previously the Pickwick Club. Before that, it was a medical building that served surgeons and dentists from the early 1930’s to the 1980’s.
During the renovation, people began to see a ghostly nurse still making her rounds on the top floors. While the nurse keeps her rounds on the eighth floor, sometimes the elevator mysteriously moves to the eighth floor when no one has called for it. Reportedly, one guest on the eighth floor was told to leave the hotel by an unfriendly, disembodied male voice.
That’s not the only haunted floor in this hotel. Guests have reported many ghostly figures in their rooms. At the reservation desk, there’s been the sounds of a ball bouncing and small girl laughing. Often, people see her playing jacks near the desk. On the fourth and fifth floors, ghosts have been sighted. Two ghostly women were seen on the fourth floor while the fifth floor has, what’s been called, a friendly female spirit.
The basement of the medical building housed a morgue. In the hotel, this space is used for a gym, and guests have reported weird feelings while working out down there. The room would become freezing cold and a soft breeze would pass with the lingering scent of flowers.
Guests of the Tutwiler Hotel have reported someone knocking on their door. When they open the door, there’s no one there or in the hall outside the door. The sixth floor seems to have more reported encounters with the ghost that the staff has dubbed “The Knocker.” The hotel’s bartender has had his own spooky experiences. One night, he turned off all the lights only to find that something quickly turned them on after him. After five attempts to turn off the lights, he gave up and went home. This happened for five nights in a row. One night, a full course meal and wine were found on a table that nobody claims to have served. It’s as if a ghostly guest did not want to leave.
One of the ghosts haunting the hotel is thought to be the original owner; Japeth Rawls. He seems to be hovering and overseeing the activities of the hotel’s employees. One employee said that he was supposed to hang window treatments, but one kept falling. When he tried to rehang it, he was hit with a board in the room. He decided that Mr. Rawls didn’t like that window treatment. Many of the spirits in the hotel seem to be children as reported by guests and staff. On the second and third floors, guests have heard doors opening and closing as well as footsteps in the corridor.
The Haunted Arlington Resort Hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas
The Arlington Resort Hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas, originally built in 1875, is a beautiful and historic hotel. Patrons of the hotel tell stories of seeing people eerily dressed in old-fashioned clothes walking down the halls or strolling through the lobby before simply disappearing into thin air. Some speak of seeing a young girl in a pink dress in the lobby. Others report seeing the ghost of a woman in one of the two towers, wearing a wedding dress staring to the stars. Others have reported that they’ve seen the hotel’s old bellman, Henry Tweedle, on the fourth level of the building. He walks through closed doors before disappearing. Faucets are said to be turned on and off by themselves, people being brushed by something when no one is there, ghostly laughter and lights going on and off when no one is around. But…
…Is the Arlington Resort Hotel Haunted?
The hotel very well seems haunted, yet management may be keeping a tight lid on any ghostly scuttlebutt. Reports have it that several rooms within the hotel have been permanently locked, and some have even been walled up to prevent both guests and hotel staff from entering. If that doesn’t give you enough pause to wonder whether the rumors of haunting are true, not much will. Employees have been willing to talk, but quickly tighten their lips as if they were told to keep quiet. The bartender confessed to a particular bottle of wine continually jumping off the shelf with several guest-witnesses but it’s not often you’ll get someone to fess up.
Al Capone’s Ghost and the Arlington Hotel’s 4th Floor
Al Capone would rent the entire 4th floor for his crew of bodyguards and gangsters. His favorite was the Arlington’s room 443 where Capone could see what was happening at the Southern Club across the street. Southern Club was a gambling and entertainment joint that opened in 1893. Guests and employees have said that the elevator mysteriously will open, travel to the 4th floor and stop as if to drop someone off. You can even rent the Capone Suite if you want to experience the perks of Scarface and his crew.
Ghosts of the Arlington Resort Hotel
Many rumors circulate about the Arlington Resort Hotel being haunted. By whom or what and why it’s tough to get the stories straight. The building does have quite a history though. The hotel was originally four stories and built in 1875. In 1892, the original building was razed and replaced by a larger brick building. However, the new building was destroyed by a fire in 1923. Afterward, it was replaced with the Arlington Resort Hotel that remains standing to this day. The history of the hotel causes one to wonder whether it is the spirits of some who possibly died in the fire that haunt the hotel.
Haunted floors of the Arlington Hotel
The 7th floor is said to have some strange goings on in a particular unnamed room. People have the feeling of being tapped on the shoulder or brushed up against yet nobody is near. Employees have said that their hair had been pulled slightly with no one around.
The ghost of the bellman is said to walk the 4th floor.
On the 11th floor, a man’s laughter is heard near the elevators yet no one is around.
A man wearing a black suit has been seen in the laundry room.
Room 443 is where Al Capone would stay.
Some say room 824 houses an evil spirit, but the stories are not corroborated. A guest did report an experience there, but the spirit’s nature did not appear malevolent.
It’s said that room 666was changed to 667 because of the negative connotation and many reports of hearing strange things in that room.
The boarded up rooms are said to have doors that slam shut and ongoing whispers and conversations from time to time. Those are supposed to be built into the mountainside with no running water or electricity.
Tips for your haunted say at the Arlington Resort
Some hotels will embrace their ghosts, but the Arlington is not one of those hotels. If you’re going to ask someone if they’ve seen any ghosts or heard stories, do it when nobody else is around. You could ask specific questions such as “are there any boarded up rooms in the Arlington,” or in the bar ask about the bottle that was said to jump off the shelf. You could perhaps ask, “What kind of liquor was it?”
The Empress of Little Rock is an elegant bed and breakfast which originally served as a private residence for many years. The Empress of Little Rock is revered as one of the most haunted places in Arkansas and certainly the most haunted bed and breakfast.
Little Rock locals referred to the huge Victorian mansion as the Hornibrook Mansion. The Empress has a rich history and has served as a college for women, a boarding house, a nursing home and even apartments. Newer owners renovated the old home and turned it into one of the most loved inns in the entire state.
Despite its elegance, this bed and breakfast is home to multiple ghosts, including its former owner. Hornibrook himself died while playing a game of cards with friends at the age of just 49. Hornibrook was allegedly so worried that he might die young that he even had a death mask made of himself years before, which now hangs in the hotel. Its current owner believes that the man came to him and pleaded with him to renovate the hotel to its former glory. The owner’s wife also experienced cold spots and felt chills while working in the hotel.
There are a several other ghosts haunting the hotel as well. One ghost is of a former maid who workers sometimes spot standing quietly in rooms on the second floor and disappearing into closets. Others witnessed the ghost of a man in an old-fashioned captain’s outfit standing in the Empress. Guests also hear footsteps coming from empty hallways and the sounds of people talking in rooms that were completely empty for the night. The Empress of Little Rock is a great haunted place for those hoping to catch a glimpse of the paranormal.
If you are in the Eureka Springs area in Arkansas, you are probably more than familiar with the Victorian 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa. The tales of the ghosts here are terrifying, yet it happens to still be one of the most popular hotels in the area for tourists. Is it the ghostly forces that attract visitors or is it the accommodations? Let’s find out more about who is haunting the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa and if they are, in fact, friendly.
The Haunted History of the 1886 Crescent Hotel
Known as one of the most Haunted Hotels in America, the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa has had several functions since its construction. At one point, it served as a girls’ college and even was a cancer hospital. It was originally built as a retreat for very wealthy travelers. It quickly became a symbol of elegance. It hasn’t always been a hotel, and there have been periods when it was part of the transformations taking place in the area. It all began when news of how magical the town was began to spread all over the country.
Eureka Springs gained a reputation in the 1800s as a beautiful town in the mountains where travelers went for solace and rejuvenation. The town made great progress to accommodate all of the visitors. Soon, it was booming, and more and more people came to see how magical it was.
It didn’t take long for the town to need more lodging for its guests. In 1886, the Crescent Hotel was opened. The designers wanted it to overlook the mountains and showcase the beauty of the area. The hotel’s service was known to be some of the best in the area. It was a great getaway for wealthier travelers. However, it changed hands shortly after it opened.
In 1902, the Frisco Railroad leased the hotel for five years. It was very slow in the winter, so Crescent College opened for women. The building acted as a college until 1934. The college was known for providing women with an exceptional education, and women from around the country attended classes here. Even though it was short-lived as a college, those who attended gained many life experiences during that time.
The hotel was then purchased by Norman Baker. He was ready to share with others that he had found the cure for cancer. He turned the hotel into the Baker Cancer Clinic and claimed to be a healer. It was clear that he was scamming cancer patients out of money because they trusted that he would cure them. Not only did he pretend to heal cancer patients, but he also broadcast very controversial claims over the radio. He told his listeners that he could heal cancer without surgery and pushed for patients from all over the world to come to Eureka Springs.
Room 419 – 1886 Crescent Hotel
Soon, the American Medical Association would begin to investigate his claims. In 1940, he was arrested and thrown in prison for mail fraud, ending his medical practice for good. However, while he was in the hotel, he made a lot of changes to it. He built hidden staircases and even made himself an escape route if he ever needed it.
In 1946, it was purchased again, and the owners began to make major changes to it. Most of these changes still exist today. In 1967, the hotel suffered some devastation after a fire broke out due to faulty wiring. More changes had to take place to make the hotel what it is today.
The Ghosts and Hauntings of 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa
Theodora – Room 419
Since it reopened, the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa has experienced many paranormal events. There are rumors that some of the ghosts are those of the cancer patients who died there. One spirit often seen in the hotel is Theodora. She is a former cancer patient who was in Dr. Baker’s care. Some guests have seen her trying to find her keys right outside of room 419 and trying to clean up that room.
Michael – Room 218
In room 218, there was a man named Michael who apparently fell to his death. There are a lot of rumors as to what really happened to him in this room. No one knows the exact story, but Michael has been seen hanging out in this room, and his presence is also felt in other parts of the hotel.
Breckie and Morris
There are ghosts of children in this hotel as well. One child, Breckie, who was the son of Richard and Mary Breckenridge Thompson, died at the hotel when he had complications from appendicitis. Guests and staff have seen him going around the hotel and bouncing his ball. Not only is Breckie hanging around, but the hotel cat, Morris, also lingers around. He was called the hotel’s General Manager for 21 years. When he died, he was buried on the property, and guests have seen and heard him around the hotel often. Clearly, he is still devoted to the hotel and making sure it is still taken care of.
Dr. Baker
Paranormal experts continue to visit the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa. It recently emerged that the hotel is connected to a hospital, which could be one of the main reasons that the ghosts continue to linger. Graves have also been found where Dr. Baker buried some of his cancer patients.
Those who have stayed at the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa have seen quite a bit of paranormal activity. The ghosts and hauntings continue as more guests visit the hotel. If you are looking for some haunts during your next hotel stay in Arkansas, be sure to check in at the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa.
