The Stanley Hotel — Inspiration for The Shining Still Haunts Guests

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado was built in 1909 and is best known as the inspiration for Stephen King's novel The Shining, after King stayed in Room 217 in 1974 and experienced a vivid nightmare about his son being chased through the corridors. The hotel has been the site of reported paranormal activity for decades. The most frequently reported activity includes the ghost of founder F.O. Stanley himself appearing in the ballroom and billiard room, children playing in the fourth-floor hallway with no children present, and Room 217 where guests frequently report disturbed luggage, lights turning on and off, and a presence in the bed beside them. The hotel's concert hall is considered particularly active, with full-body apparitions reported and documented on security cameras. A child's ball found near the stage has been observed rolling on its own. The Stanley Hotel embraces its haunted reputation and offers ghost tours and paranormal investigation packages. It maintains an archive of guest incident reports spanning decades. A documentary series filmed extensive investigations at the property, capturing numerous anomalies on multiple camera systems.