Nashville Haunted Hotels: These lodgings are to die for!
Planning a Trip to Music City? Don’t stay in just any accommodation when the rich history of Nashville is alive within the walls of the many haunted hotels in and around the city. If you’re a fan of the Paranormal, then you’ll certainly want a sleepless night in one these Nashville Haunted Hotels!
Let’s start with one of the most famous of Nashville’s Haunted Hotels. The Gaylord Opryland Hotel is haunted by an entity known as The Black Lady. She is described as a young woman in a beautiful Antebellum black dress with a black veil covering her face. The Black Lady is believed to be the ghost of Ms. McGavock, who lived on the property long ago and was killed by a falling chandelier. She has been seen all over the Opryland Hotel, including the hotel, mall, the Opry, and the grounds, but her favorite haunt spot seems to be the Magnolia Lobby. Its design resembles a southern-style mansion with an elaborate chandelier. Fittingly, The Black Lady causes the chandelier lights to flicker as it inexplicably sways back and forth. She is also heard moaning in pain in dark corners and guests have reported her ghost appearing in the elevator only to disappear just as the doors close. Even more chilling though, she has been known to whisper in people’s ears as they sleep. Sweet Dreams!
This next Nashville Haunted Hotel began life as a railway station. Built in 1900, Union Station is where Nashville’s eight railway companies came together. Trains came through regularly until the 1970’s when the building was abandoned. In 1998 the grand Union Station Hotel opened in the old train station. This beautiful hotel is home to several permanent ghostly residents.
The most famous ghost is a young woman named Abigail. As the story goes, Abigail came to Union Station to say goodbye to her love, who was headed off to fight in WWII. When the war was over, she excitedly returned to meet him only to discover that he had been killed overseas. Devastated, Abigail threw herself onto the tracks into the path of an oncoming train. To this day, she is seen roaming the halls, still waiting for her love to step off the train. It is also believed she has taken residence in Room 711 because it has a great view of the train tracks below. Guests report hearing dragging sounds and other strange noises inside. The room’s phones will ring with no one on the other line, and unexplained shadows appear in the mirror’s reflection.
The other strange occurrences in this haunted hotel are usually attributed to the deadliest train wreck in US history. In 1918, the Number 4 left Union Station, unaware that the Number 1 from Memphis was running about 30 minutes late. The two trains collided at a particularly sharp turn in the tracks known as Dutchman’s Curve. 101 passengers were killed with another 171 injured. The rumors claim that the victims were brought back to the station where the wounded were treated, and a makeshift morgue was setup for the dead. So, if you enjoy high-class lodgings with a side of tragedy, this Nashville haunted hotel is the place for you!
The world-class Hermitage Hotel which opened in 1910 is another super fancy, yet very haunted Nashville hotel. Countless famous and historical legends have stayed there, with John F. Kennedy even using the hotel as his campaign headquarters. Room 912 has had the most ghostly complaints. Guests have reported hearing a baby crying all through the night, despite no evidence of a child. An old rumor says that a baby fell from a window on the 9th floor and that it’s cries still shatter the night.
Several spirits in Victorian clothing have also been seen wandering about the hotel. They are responsible for doors opening on their own, chairs being pulled out from the tables, the elevators running by themselves, and even wine bottles tipping over. It’s as though they don’t know they are dead and believe they are simply vacationing at the five-star establishment. There is also a large ornate mirror in the lobby that will suddenly crack at the top. When the incident is reported to management, the mirror has seemingly repaired itself.
Although the Hermitage Hotel is high up on the list of Haunted Nashville Hotels, probably the most interesting thing about it is the men’s restroom. You may recognize it from the background of several Albums and music videos. The bright green and black chamber have been awarded Best Bathroom on numerous occasions. Don’t worry ladies, if you want to take a gander at this lavish lavatory, you are more than welcome to.
If budget is an issue, then this next Nashville haunted hotel just might tingle your spine! The ghosts of the Congress Inn date all the way back to the Civil War. It was one of the first buildings that was used as a makeshift hospital. As the bodies kept piling up, it became harder and harder to dispose of the corpses. Doctors had to resort to having the dead cemented into the basement walls. The perfect recipe for a good night’s sleep, right? Aside from the ghostly soldiers, sounds of gunshots and cannons echo through the halls. But perhaps the most unsatisfied guest of the haunted Congress Inn, was a young man in room 102, who woke in the middle of the night to find that he was pinned to the mattress by some unseen heavy force. Unable to move for at least 15 seconds, he began to panic. The force was suddenly lifted, and he got himself a new place to stay!
The Drake Motel is another budget-friendly Nashville Haunted Hotel. The Drake once invited it’s guests to “Stay where the stars stay.” That’s because in the 30’s and 40’s, it was the closest affordable hotel to the Ryman. One day, a man who was staying in the Drake Motel noticed a strange smell coming from the closet. He discovered that at no extra cost to him, his room came equipped with a dead body! When police investigated, they found that the room had been completely covered in blood. The dutiful maid had seen the bloody mess and simply done her job by scrubbing it clean for the next guest. This Nashville murder is still unsolved and the spirit of the poor guy in the closet cannot find peace. Those that stay in that room report foul smells to management and have even felt as though they are being watched while they slept.
Love experiencing all of the haunts that Nashville has to offer, but you’d prefer to stay somewhere a bit more quaint and quiet? Just southeast of the city is the little town of McMinnvile. Clay Faulkner was an impressive entrepreneur in the late 19th century and had opened several prospering businesses in McMinnville. In 1896, he gave his wife the ultimate birthday gift and built Falcon Rest, a ten-thousand-square-foot state of the art complete with indoor plumbing, central heat, and electric lights.
When Faulkner, then his wife passed, Falcon Rest was converted into a hospital and nursing home. Faulkner must not have liked that because it is said that his spirit tormented the head physician, Dr. Dietrich. Patients constantly complained of hearing footsteps on the stairs. The pungent aroma of cigar smoke would often overwhelm the staff. Smoking was highly prohibited on the hospital grounds, but it was a well-known habit of Faulkner’s. Electric lights switched on and off by themselves and many heavy medical devices would go missing only to turn up on the other side of the mansion. When the hospital closed, Dr. Dietrich tried to have it torn down, but things kept getting in the way so he finally just abandoned it.
It was left to the elements for almost two decades, until a couple purchased it and spent four years restoring Falcon Rest to its former glory. It was reopened as a Bed and Breakfast filled with Victorian antiques and plenty of other-worldly experiences. Most of the staff say that simply walking through the haunted hotel, especially around the holidays, compels them to whistle. When they finish their tune, even if they are alone, the whistling will continue for a few moments before fading into another room.
Falcon Rest is not just a haunted hotel. They also offer a Victorian gift shop, murder mystery dinners, event space, and tours of the mansion and grounds. These tours are well known for ghostly encounters. There is a large antique mirror that hangs in the dining room. Before a tour group entered the room, they heard a terrible crashing and breaking sound. Upon entering the room, they noticed that this heavy mirror had indeed fallen from its place on the wall but there was not a scratch or a crack to be seen. It was as though the mirror was picked up and gently placed on the floor beside the buffet. After occurring multiple times, the owners finally decided that the spirits did not want that mirror on that wall, so they changed its location and it finally stayed put. One particularly skeptical gentleman was touring the mansion when, suddenly, all the hairs on his arms stood straight up and a frigid cold rushed through his body. The man claimed he had never felt anything like it before and he had been an undertaker for 40 years! Cold spots are a regular occurrence at Falcon Rest.
The local PBS station won the Tennessee Broadcaster’s Award for their audio walking tour of the Falcon Rest Haunted Hotel. But it didn’t come easy. After wrapping up recording, doing sound tests frequently throughout the day, they got back to the studio to discover that every tape sounded as though it were recorded in a hurricane. There was no explanation and no sign of that kind of interference during recording. They had to go back and do it all over again. This time it was suggested that perhaps Clay Faulkner had been fascinated with the modern equipment. He was, after all, ahead of his time technologically when he built Falcon Rest. They simply asked him not to mess with the recordings and everything turned out pristine.
Ever wanted to own your very own haunted hotel near Nashville? To the south of the city is the little town of Wartrace. It became known for the famous Walking Horses that were bred there. That’s where the name of this haunted hotel comes from. The Walking Horse Hotel is not currently open for business, but it is for sale! The hotel dates back to 1917 and it has long been haunted by two different entities.
The friendly spirit of Floyd, one of the hotels former owners and horse trainers, has stuck around to keep an eye on the place. His apparition has been seen in the stairways, dancing at parties, and he has a tendency to photobomb visitors photographs. But Floyd contributes more than just harmless hijinks. He has also been known to alert people to any trouble that may be about. One owner claimed that he kept feeling overwhelmed by waves of heat and he couldn’t figure out why. He went outside to enjoy the cool air and he noticed a small fire on the property that certainly would’ve devastated the hotel had he not seen it and put it out. A recent owner was having trouble with the security cameras in the stables. The feed kept cutting and flashing. When he went to check the equipment, he discovered that his prize mare was struggling to give birth. He was able to get a veterinarian out and the colt was saved. Both men attribute these instances to Floyd.
The other activity of this haunted hotel is attributed to a purebred spirit: Floyds world champion walking horse, Strolling Jim. Guest even heard hoof sounds on the ground floor of the hotel and even sound of horses running across the upstairs corridors. Strolling Jim and Floyd were both laid to rest behind The Walking Horse Hotel and don’t seem to be abandoning the place anytime soon. Just think, if this haunted hotel were yours, you’d have your very own phantom farmhand and his paranormal pet. Ghost horses are much easier to clean up after!
REST IN PEACE IN NASHVILLE!
As you can see, there is no shortage of spooky settings to rest your head. If you find yourself feeling daring after enjoying a night in Music City, be sure to check in to one of these Nashville Haunted Hotels and meet the lingering long-term guests that refuse to check out!
Add a comment