Stanley Hotel.....ooooooohhhhhhh, spooky!

Last semester I took an Architecture class that focused on American History. I found this class incredibly interesting. I always wanted to know what people meant when they threw around terms like 'Victorian, Gothic and Greek Revival.' I'll write more about all of these house styles in another blog. First, I want to talk about the super cool field trip we took one blustery and snowy November day.

My professor had always wanted to check out the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. Many of his previous students had done projects on this building. Being a big fan of the dark side (ghosts, halloween, and spooky things in general) I was excited!

Can't quite place the name Stanley Hotel?? Think "The Shining." That's right, that spooky movie with Jack Nicholas, REEEEEDRRRUUUUMMMMM. The story goes like this, in 1974 Stephen King and his wife took a small vacation from their Colorado home and went to stay in the Stanley Hotel. As the hotel was closing down for the season, they were the only two in the hotel for the weekend. They stayed in room 217, which was reportedly haunted. They dined in the large dining room completely alone, with recorded orchestral music playing in the background. King explored the hotel on his own in the late hours, and gained inspiration for his novel.
Remember the little boy riding down the hallway with on his bigwheel?

Our class received a tour from one of the hotel workers. It mainly consisted of the rumors of hauntings, and the ghostly experiences that so many guests have experienced. I was kind of hoping to see something in the distance, or feel a kick in the shin while going up the main stairway (as many guests have reported). Unfortunately I didn't see or feel anything, well, expect for this:
If you look closely, this stairwell going up to the roof says Redrum on the door!! Spooky!

The hotel has quite an interesting history. It's a 138-room Georgian building located within sight of the Rocky Mountain National Park. It was built by Freelan O. Stanley of Stanley Steamer fame and opened on July 4, 1909, catering to the rich and famous. The hotel was built entirely with hand tools. This is very impressive considering all of the impressive wood work and detailing throughout the building.


The hotel was also of the first equipped with running water, electricity, and telephones. Unfortunately it did not have heat as the hotel was designed as a summer resort. Besides that, it was quite the posh establishment for the rich and famous, and in a stunning location of the Rocky Mountains. A very impressive building to say the least. I definitely recommend a stay at this lovely Colorado resort, if you're not afraid of ghosts! Just beware of hanging out in the lobby or bar area all by yourself...