The Stanley Hotel

Mystery rating

The Stanley Hotel opened in 1909 in Estes Park, Colorado, at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Stephen King stayed one night in 1974, in room 217, and the visit gave him the idea for The Shining. The hotel now runs ghost tours all year.

Why it's famous

Stephen King and his wife checked into the Stanley Hotel on its last night of the 1974 season and found the place nearly deserted, eating in a ballroom with the chairs already stacked and staying in Room 217. King woke from a nightmare about his son being chased by a fire hose and had the full idea for The Shining by morning. Kubrick's 1980 film was actually shot at Timberline Lodge in Oregon, but King's own 1997 television miniseries was filmed on location at the Stanley. The hotel opened in 1909, built by Stanley Steamer inventor F.O. Stanley after Estes Park's mountain air helped him recover from tuberculosis. It was unusually modern for its time, with on-site electricity and telephones in every room. Its most reported haunting predates King entirely: housekeeper Elizabeth Wilson, injured when a gas lamp exploded in Room 217 during a 1911 storm, is said to still be present in the building she worked in for decades.

History

Freelan Oscar Stanley, who helped invent the famous Stanley Steamer automobile, arrived in Estes Park in 1903, very ill with tuberculosis. The fresh mountain air did him so much good that he decided to build a grand resort there. The Stanley Hotel first opened its doors on July 4, 1909. It was designed in the Georgian and Colonial Revival styles and was incredibly modern for its time, with its own electricity generated right on site, telephones in every guest room, and a fleet of Stanley Steamers ready to bring guests up from the train station in Lyons. This hotel was strikingly advanced and catered to a wealthy clientele, helping to establish Estes Park as the main entry point to what would become Rocky Mountain National Park in 1915. Stanley's wife, Flora, loved playing the Steinway piano in the music room. Many guests today say they still feel her presence there, making it the most frequently reported haunting in the hotel. The hotel started to decline in the mid-20th century and was in poor condition by the 1970s, which is exactly how Stephen King found it. Since the 1990s, the Stanley has undergone extensive renovations. They've added a concert hall, a whiskey bar that boasts one of Colorado's largest collections, a film center, and the now-famous hedge maze, which was planted in 2015. The Stanley Hotel is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. Interestingly, the famous 1980 film \"The Shining\" directed by Stanley Kubrick, was actually shot at the Timberline Lodge in Oregon, not here. However, King's own television miniseries version of \"The Shining\" in 1997 was indeed filmed on location at the Stanley.

The full story

The Stanley Hotel sits beautifully above the town of Estes Park, about 90 minutes from Denver, with stunning views of the Rockies filling its windows. You don't have to be staying there to visit; you can explore the grounds, lobby, and bar. But for the real experience, you'll want to book a night. When you do, try to get a room in the main historic building. Rooms like 217 and 401 are super popular and often booked months ahead. The newer lodge buildings are comfortable, but they don't quite have the same special feel. If you're looking for that full, intriguing atmosphere, ask for a room on the fourth floor. You'll find tours running all day long. The 90-minute night tour is the most in-depth. It takes you through the tunnel under the building, into the concert hall, up to the fourth floor, and even into Room 217 when it's empty. Your guides skillfully weave together the hotel's true history with its ghostly tales, giving you a complete picture. If you prefer to focus just on the history without the paranormal equipment, there are shorter historical tours available. Beyond the tours, make sure to enjoy what the hotel offers. The Whiskey Bar boasts hundreds of different bottles and has a terrace perfect for watching the sunset over Longs Peak. Out front, the hedge maze is a clever nod to its famous connection and looks absolutely magical when covered in snow. And in every room, \"The Shining\" plays constantly on channel 42 – which can be either wonderful or a bit eerie at 2 AM. Then, step outside and explore the incredible nature nearby. Rocky Mountain National Park is just ten minutes away. You can visit beautiful spots like Bear Lake, drive the Trail Ridge Road (which climbs above 12,000 feet) from late May to October, or even hear elk bugling right through Estes Park each September. There are also easy trails to stunning places like Emerald Lake and Alberta Falls. Consider visiting in autumn to experience the elk rut, see the golden aspen trees, and soak up that late-October atmosphere that inspired King himself. Or come in winter, when snow blankets the maze, a cozy fire crackles in the lobby, and the hotel feels wonderfully quiet and empty.

Legends & sightings

Room 217 is definitely the heart of the hotel's mysterious activity. Back in 1911, the head housekeeper, Elizabeth Wilson, was hurt when a gas lamp exploded in that room during a storm. She survived and worked at the hotel for decades, and people say she never truly left. Guests staying there often report strange happenings: unpacked clothes neatly folded, lights turning on and off by themselves, and a chilly presence by the bed. It's even said that Jim Carrey, the actor, only lasted three hours in the room while filming \"Dumb and Dumber\" and never talked about why he left. The fourth floor, which used to be for servants and a children's nursery, also gets a lot of reports. Visitors claim to hear running footsteps and laughter in the empty hallways. Down in the ballroom, Flora Stanley's piano is sometimes heard playing on its own; staff joke that she prefers to play for an audience rather than be interrupted. F.O. Stanley himself is often spotted in the lobby and billiard room, appearing so real that people have even apologized to him. Another resident ghost is Paul, a former groundskeeper, who is said to make appearances in the concert hall and occasionally tells visitors it's time to leave. The hotel doesn't try to hide any of these stories. In fact, it embraces them wholeheartedly, and its popular night ghost tours often sell out months in advance.

Can you visit?

Yes. It is a working hotel, so anyone can book a room or eat there. Ghost tours and daytime history tours are open to non guests with a ticket, and they sell out in the busy season. Guest floors are not open to wandering non guests.

How to get there

1. Fly into Denver International (DEN). 2. Drive northwest towards Estes Park, roughly an hour and a half to two hours depending on traffic. 3. Shuttle services run between Denver airport and Estes Park if you prefer not to drive. 4. The hotel sits on a hill above the town, clearly signed. A car is useful for the national park.

Before you go

Book tours and rooms well ahead, especially around Halloween. Estes Park is at high altitude, around 2,300 metres, so take it easy on your first day and drink water. Mountain weather changes fast and snow is possible outside summer. Room 217 and the other famous rooms are booked far in advance. A timed entry reservation may be needed for Rocky Mountain National Park in peak season.

What to expect

A grand white hotel with a long porch and mountain views. Tours take you through the ballroom, the tunnel under the building and the corridors, with the history and the ghost stories told side by side. It is entertaining rather than frightening. Allow an hour and a half for a tour, or stay the night and use it as a park base.

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