Stay overnight at Michigan’s 9 most haunted hotels (if you dare)

From upstate down to Kalamazoo, Michigan has many haunted hotels, and staying at most of them—and getting a spooky thrill—is cheaper than you might expect.

Not all hotels are created equal, and if you’re looking for supernatural accommodations in Michigan, you’ll want to visit one of these nine hotels and inns.

Naturally, Michigan boasts more than nine haunted hotels, but we’ve selected the ones with the biggest reputation for ooky-spooky happenings—ones with visceral histories. We also want you to be able to stay at these hotels, so we’ve excluded any closed businesses, including the famously haunted Holly Hotel, which has long been “loaded with spirits,” according to parapsychology professor Norman Gauthier.

With that established, join us on a haunted tour of Michigan via its many haunted hotels.

1. Henderson Castle 

Address: 100 Monroe St, Kalamazoo, MI 49006

Description: Situated near Kalamazoo College, Henderson Castle is an inn that’s as haunted as they come. Rolling up to it, you get the sense that the charming, old-school building likely has a lot of history, and you’ll have this confirmed for you if you stay a night. The castle also has a lavish restaurant on-site, so you’re never far away from ghoulishly good cuisine here, either. Every room in the castle is different and gives you the illusion of true Medieval castle life, including stunning spiral staircases and gorgeous, draped bed canopies, and prices start at $134 a night.

But what supernatural experiences can you expect to witness here? Well, this building, which was finished in 1895, saw several deaths sweep through its halls in its first two decades, including owner Frank Henderson’s passing in 1899 and wife Mary Henderson’s passing in 1908. According to FOX 17 West Michigan, it’s not incredibly uncommon for guests to leave because they feel forced out by the spirits, which are still believed to be the Hendersons.

“We had a couple checking in, and they love the place. And, within 20 minutes, they run out and I’m like, ‘what’s wrong?’ And they’re like, ‘we gotta go, we gotta go,’” castle guardian Francois Moyet told the outlet. Folks also hear pianos playing and see doors opening by themselves. Creepy!

2. Grand Victorian Bed & Breakfast Inn

Address: 402 N Bridge St, Bellaire, MI 49615

Description: The Grand Victorian Bed & Breakfast Inn is one of the most visually pleasing hotels on this list—and one of the spookiest. It’s a large Victorian manor that features beautiful red accenting property-wide, including on the accompanying gazebo. It’s also surrounded by breathtaking flowers and foliage. In fact, the grounds are so beautiful that we understand why ghosts wouldn’t want to leave the property. And you, too, can call this inn home for a night for just $169 and up. 

What about the hauntings, you ask? Well, this inn—originally a house—was built in 1895 (just like Henderson Castle), and its owner, Henry Richardi, is said to keep an eye on the property to this day. Lights have been seen on in the building when no one’s around, leading folks to speculate that Richardi is still preternaturally kicking—and making himself at home.

Why? Unfortunately, Richardi attempted to impress a woman with the home, wanting to spend the rest of their lives together in it—a future that ultimately never came to pass for him. Now, he lies in wait of love, and you might be able to see and hear him if you give the Grand Victorian Bed & Breakfast Inn a visit.

3. The Red Apple Restaurant and Inn

Address: 32707 Michigan Ave, Wayne, MI 48184

Description: Not far from the Detroit airport, The Red Apple Inn and Red Apple Restaurant sit next to each other and keep the city of Wayne fed and sheltered. The catch? A ghost nicknamed Chick is said to hang around the property.

The service at the restaurant isn’t highly lauded, but many Yelp reviews for the establishment mention the property being haunted. Unlike other hotels on this list, the Red Apple Restaurant and Inn’s haunting only goes back to the 1980s. “[Chick] was found stabbed to death here in the late 1980s, said to have been killed by a waitress who was angry because he didn’t leave her a tip,” one Yelper explained in their review. What does he do now? According to this Yelper, he “moves the Bible from the drawer, hides the TV remote, and disturbs the little bottles of shampoo!”

These aren’t super-egregious acts, but if you want to experience a real-life haunting, stay here for a night—and don’t forget to ask for room 17. This room supposedly sees the most supernatural action, so booking it will give you your highest chances of witnessing something. This is one of the cheaper options on our list, too, coming in at $65 to $75 a night. You can’t beat a price like that when it comes with free—and devilishly fun—entertainment.

4. National House Inn

Address: 102 S Parkview, Marshall, MI 49068

Description: Even older than previous entries on this list, the National House Inn was built in 1835—nearly three decades before the Civil War. This context is important, as the inn connected to the Underground Railroad and aided in helping enslaved individuals escape the South. Then, in the 20th century, the inn became a prohibition hotspot—a safe haven for those smuggling alcohol.

As we know, a history this long often comes with legends and hauntings, and the National House Inn comes with many. Today, the inn sits on a beautiful intersection, and its red-brick construction can’t be missed. It’s a fortress in a way, overlooking the area and helping bring the city of Marshall to life, and you can stay in this historical landmark for between $140 and $210 a night.

When you sleep at the National House Inn, you may become acquainted with the famous Lady in Red. No one’s entirely sure who she is, but there are a few leading theories: Some believe she was a woman who died while traveling the Underground Railroad, while others think she was a Prohibition-era mobster who died in the 1920s. Others still say she could be someone who lived in the building during the era when it was an apartment building, not a hotel.

Guests claim to see and hear the Lady in Red, and the inn’s hauntings only magnified when antique decor was added throughout the building, apparently bringing spirits with them.

Photo courtesy of Jimmy Emerson, DVM/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

5. Nahma Inn

Address: 13747 Main St, Nahma, MI 49864

Description: Ideal for those who prefer to stay by the water, Nahma Inn is a premier hotel on Lake Michigan that was built in 1906 and continues to welcome guests into its haunted halls. Interestingly, the Nahma Inn actually promotes its haunting on its website, while the same can’t be said for other hotels on this list. Luckily, the inn’s spirit is an amicable one, and she’s said to “organize things in the kitchen and rearrange objects when nobody is around,” according to the History page on the inn’s website.

Who is she, you wonder? The spirit is supposedly someone who, at one point, “resided and worked in the [hotel’s] kitchen.” Now, she makes her presence known through small actions, but they’re frequent enough to be noteworthy.

Nahma is a quaint town, and it was built up by an organization from Wisconsin that was looking to create a stronghold in the area to operate out of. The inn was eventually built and is gorgeous—it’s a classic, white building, but the property is studded with flowers in a way that makes it almost evoke a fairy tale—just with a side of disembodied activity. To stay here and see the kitchen employee work her magic, you’ll only need to cough up $115 to $125 a night.

6. Doherty Hotel

Address: 604 N McEwan St, Clare, MI 48617

Description: Built in 1924, the Doherty Hotel is an older building, and with that history comes some spirits who might not have fully moved on yet. The Doherty has evolved steadily over the years, both changing names and being renovated many times. (At the time of writing, its pool and jacuzzi are scheduled to be renovated soon.) That said, some Tripadvisor reviewers have found the hotel outdated and unable to keep up with renovations, leading to less-than-stellar experiences. These issues even spread to the hotel’s pricing. Some outlets report a starting price of $80 a night, while Tripadvisor reviewers note they ended up spending $179 a night, making the cost “double what we thought.”

Still, if you’re into ghost-hunting, you may want to stay a night or two here. “… [T]he staff love to answer your questions about ghosts and hauntings,” one reviewer commented on Tripadvisor. And the hotel’s lore really is intriguing. Thanks to its location, the Doherty experienced a lot of gang activity in its early years, which culminated in a vicious murder—and the murder victim, Isaiah Leebove, is said to haunt the hotel’s halls to this day. Helen Doherty herself is also said to interact with the hotel’s guests, so if you stay here, be on the lookout for any signs of Leebove or Doherty.

Photo courtesy of Don…The UpNorth Memories Guy… Harrison/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

7. The Inn on Ferry Street

Address: 84 E Ferry St, Detroit, MI 48202

Description: Our only Detroit hotel on the list, The Inn on Ferry Street brings the scares to The Motor City. This inn is Victorian, just like many other haunted Michigan hotels—sensing a theme, anyone?—and is actually spread out across five buildings, allowing many more guests to experience it than if it were a single property. The buildings are stunning, too, but that beauty comes with a price. You can easily expect to pay over $300 a night here, but it might just be worth it. These updated Victorian homes have seen Detroit change in numerous ways over the years, and you might just find yourself changed after sleeping here.

Not all experiences at The Inn on Ferry Street are the same since it’s spread out across five buildings, but if you book the Own House, you might find yourself confronted by a spirit. That’s right: Many reports over the years recount a man actually touching—and gripping—guests’ arms. This is most common in room 4102, but there’s no telling if you might fall into his clutches in other rooms.

8. The Henry

Address: 300 Town Center Dr, Dearborn, MI 48126

Description: A luxury hotel by any other name is just as sweet—or spooky. Such is the case of Dearborn’s The Henry, which used to be a Ritz-Carlton. But The Henry didn’t only inherit the Ritz’s property; it also assumed its paranormal activity. The bulk of the activity is believed to be caused by a male ghost, though his identity has yet to be uncovered.

He’s known to toggle guests’ light switches, turning them on and off repeatedly, as well as opening and closing folks’ doors, creating a ruckus. Complaints about these issues are most common for room 418, but they’re not exclusive to this one room. Interestingly, there’s a debate about whether the paranormal activity stopped or has continued since the Ritz-Carlton became The Henry. Some argue that it’s stopped altogether, while others think the ghosts are still running amok.

Staying at The Henry will cost you about $300 for the most basic room, but prices can quickly climb into the thousands if you want a more luxurious experience. Some of these prices are steep to pay for a single night, but if you’re interested in giving ghost-hunting a whirl—or simply live nearby and want to stay in a haunted hotel—The Henry is your best bet. This is made all the more interesting, considering it was only built in 1989, which makes it one of the newest properties on this list. Who knew contemporary hauntings were so in vogue?

9. Landmark Inn

Address: 230 N Front St, Marquette, MI 49855

Description: The Landmark Inn is, well, a landmark in Marquette. It’s been a functioning hotel since the 1930s, and it’s one that guarantees a good time through its highly customized rooms. No two rooms are decorated the same, and some rooms come with full suites, allowing you to make yourself even more at home. This is especially important when you consider that there’s so much shopping to do in downtown Marquette and so much coast to walk and swim along on the nearby Lake Superior.

Its innate charm and close proximity to so many fun places have meant that many famous people have stayed at the Landmark Inn, including Amelia Earhart, who stayed there just two years after it opened its doors. Given its long history and illustrious reputation, you might be surprised to hear that prices here start at only $129 a night.

You might also be surprised to learn that it’s chock full of ghostly activity—and even further surprised (we know; stay with us) that guests have reported seeing Amelia Earhart herself in apparition form. If true, this could finally debunk where she went following her disappearance. Rather than looming in the Bermuda Triangle, she might just be tinkering with guests’ room lights and creating scary sounds from underneath their beds.

Or at least that’s how the stories go. No other named ghosts are known to reside in the Landmark Inn, but if you choose to stay there, you may just encounter one of the bravest women the world’s ever seen. 

Photo courtesy of rossograph/CC BY-SA 4.0.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.