Haunted hotels have become my favorite reason to travel. Sure, staying in a Marriott is nice, but there are no quirks. Haunted hotels are usually old, unique, and full of rich history. They give you more stories to tell later. And also act as both a destination and a home base while exploring wherever you happen to be. For this blog, I headed to Flagstaff, Arizona, to stay at the Hotel Monte Vista.
If you’ve never been to Flagstaff, it’s basically the only blue city in the state. Think Boulder or Austin, it’s a pretty chill place. Flagstaff was originally just a camp for travelers. In the 1880s, a railroad was built, which caused the town to boom into a frontier hub. Lumber, ranching, and mining became major industries, creating demand for hotels and saloons. Flagstaff is known as the gateway to the Grand Canyon and sits along Route 66, which has helped make it a tourist destination today.
Hotel Monte Vista is all about the Hauntings
The Hotel Monte Vista opened in 1927 in downtown Flagstaff. It was built as an upscale place for politicians and businesspeople to stay. Actors and directors would also stay there while shooting movies in the area. In fact, many of the rooms are named after celebrities who stayed in them. Room 213 is the Bing Crosby room, 220 is Siouxsie Sioux, and 216 is Michael J. Fox. I stayed in room 305, the John Bon Jovi room, that’s right, baby.
When I booked my room at the Hotel Monte Vista, I asked to be put in one of the haunted rooms. I love when a hotel is super upfront about its hauntings. Like many haunted hotels, the Hotel Monte Vista has a section on its website dedicated to its ghost stories. That’s how I ended up in room 305, which is considered the most haunted room in the hotel.
The Legend of Room 305
When I checked in, the front desk attendant handed me the keys and said, “Be careful with the chair.” She saw in the notes that I’d asked for a haunted room and wanted to warn me. Legend says an old woman stayed long term in room 305. She would sit in the rocking chair and stare out the window. No one knows why, but she insisted on having the chair placed there. When I asked about it, the desk attendant said the chair will move on its own. It will rock by itself, and if someone moves it away from the window, it supposedly moves back. Some guests have even claimed to see her apparition sitting in the chair.
So, naturally, the first thing I did when I got to room 305 was move the chair away from the window. Yes, I’m facetious I know. I even said out loud that I thought the chair looked better where I moved it. No, I wasn’t antagonizing anyone; I was simply expressing my aesthetics. I then left for a couple of hours to give her ample time to move the chair back.
Haunted Bar in a Haunted Hotel? Nice
Other notable haunted spots in the Hotel Monte Vista include the hotel bar. It’s said that in the 1970s, a bank robber stopped by the bar for his last drink. He was wounded during the robbery and died in the lobby bar shortly after. Today, staff and patrons report hearing a phantom voice saying, “Good morning.” Chairs and glasses are also said to move on their own. I visited the bar at night, so it would’ve been weird if someone had greeted me with “good morning.”
Flagstaff is a Party Town
Across the lobby and down a flight of stairs is a cocktail lounge. Two bars in one hotel? Flagstaff knows how to party. In this lounge, there are reports of a dancing couple dressed in formal wear. When I went, a college band was playing. They were good, but I guess not good enough for a ghost couple to dance to.
The Infamous Meat Man
Back upstairs, there are a few more notably haunted rooms. Room 220 is home to the infamous Meat Man. In the 1980s, a man stayed long term in this room and had a habit of hanging raw meat from the chandelier, very Ed Gein of him. I couldn’t find his cause of death, but hotel staff discovered him in his room three days after he passed. Since then, guests and staff have reported strange activity. When the room is unoccupied, the TV will turn itself on at full volume. Some guests report that when trying to sleep, they feel cold hands touch them.
Dark History in Flagstaff
Room 306, right next to mine, is haunted by possibly two women. In the 1940s, the Hotel Monte Vista was located near Flagstaff’s red-light district. Two sex workers were brought to room 306, murdered, and thrown from the window. Today, they seem to target male guests specifically. Men report waking up in the middle of the night unable to breathe, claiming they felt hands over their mouths and around their necks.
Other hauntings at the Hotel Monte Vista include the sound of a crying baby in the basement. Not much is known about this spirit, but it reportedly deeply upsets the maintenance staff. There’s also a phantom bellhop who knocks on doors and says, “Room service.” When guests open the door, no one is there.
Is Ghost Hunting in Flagstaff Worth it?
After ghost hunting through the rest of the hotel, I returned to my room, and the chair was right where I left it. It hadn’t moved back to its original spot. I left it there for the rest of the night, hoping it would move while I slept, but it never did.
So, would I recommend staying at the Hotel Monte Vista? Yes, absolutely. Just because I didn’t experience anything doesn’t mean it isn’t haunted. It also doesn’t mean it wasn’t a fun place to stay and ghost hunt. Any haunted location where the staff openly talks about the hauntings is A-OK in my book. Plus, the town of Flagstaff is super cute and fun to explore. You can even check out a haunted tour while staying there. If you do stay there, ask for a haunted room when booking. You can request one by email, you don’t have to call. And in all my travels, there’s nothing scarier than having to talk on the phone. Am I right?
Happy hunting.
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