Hotel Saranac Named to USA TODAY Readers’ Poll Top 10 Best Haunted Hotels in America
The gorgeous Hotel Saranac, the centerpiece of Saranac Lake Village.
Apparitions in top hats and tails, cats scratching, phantom singers, invisible skirts rustling, and steps upon the stairs are just a few of the things you may encounter at Hotel Saranac, which was recently named by USA TODAY readers as one of the 10 Best Haunted Hotels in the country.
It’s not the first time Hotel Saranac has made the prestigious list. This year, it beat out such esteemed institutions as Colorado’s Stanley Hotel (the location for Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining) and the Driskill Hotel, an iconic landmark in the heart of Austin known as “the Official Hotel of Texas.”
Hotel Saranac also beat out the famous Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, where Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, and Truman Capote were frequent guests; and the Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, Massachusetts, now a B&B (no, thanks!).
Enjoy a beverage in Hotel Saranac’s Great Hall.
USA TODAY writes, “Hotel Saranac dates back to the Roaring '20s.” Developers built the hotel on “the grounds of a former high school. According to local reports, the spirit of Howard Littell, the school’s superintendent, still roams the property.”
Other encounters at Hotel Saranac include mysterious “scratching sounds on the third floor, a young girl spotted on the fourth floor, and spectral singing on the sixth floor.” This rich history adds a layer of intrigue to the hotel's paranormal reputation.
However, don't solely depend on USA TODAY's assertions. During a significant renovation of Hotel Saranac in 2015, a team of professional paranormal researchers spent several nights at the property.
They captured disembodied voices, observed a shadowy figure in the hallway moving toward an open door that suddenly closed without explanation, and heard humming and singing. Additionally, they reported a strong feeling of a spirit presence.
If you’re considering a stay at Hotel Saranac, it’s essential to know that paranormal researchers were careful to note that the presence of spirits is not ominous or threatening. In their words, the souls were “just trying to be recognized.” And aren’t we all?
Hotel Saranac has loomed large in Saranac Lake’s history for decades.
Hotel Saranac has long been on our list of the best haunted places in the Adirondacks. If you’re planning a trip to Saranac Lake, we heartily recommend a stay at Hotel Saranac, now part of the Hilton Family of hotels.
Architectural Digest recognized the hotel as one of the most beautiful in the Adirondacks, a distinction that fills Saranac Lakers with pride and excitement.
At the very least, stop in for a cocktail in Hotel Saranac’s Great Hall, where rumors of ghostly activity and flickering lights are commonplace. It’s a spectacular setting for a libation. Who knows what or whom you might see?
To hear more about other haunted places in the Adirondacks, listen to our podcast ADK Talks.
Places to stay, shop, eat, and things to do near Saranac Lake.
