New Orleans is famed for its history of voodoo, slavery and aboveground cemeteries – not surprising it is one of America’s most haunted cities! Additionally it is famous for its haunted hotels and restaurants.
Local legend claims that the Comte de Sainte Germain haunts this house; his ghost appears as a flicker of light.
Gardette Le Prete House
At first glance, Gardette Le Prete House does not appear to be particularly haunted. Instead, its classically beautiful French Creole architecture and subtle shades of pale pink complemented by black wrought iron work is pleasingly appealing to the eye. But perhaps Gardette Le Prete is hiding some dark secrets.
But the house has an unsavoury past; according to legend, its backstory involves mass murder of the brother of a Turkish Sultan. People visiting have reported hearing shrieks and seeing a light-haired ghost.
Not the most haunted spot in New Orleans, but certainly intriguing: this former plantation home has long been considered Marie Laveau’s spiritual residence; according to some accounts her ghost still haunts it to this day! Visitors frequently experience unexplainable chills or feel as if being watched when on this property as well as hearing the sounds of shoes tapping across floors when no one else is around – all hallmarks of haunting activity in any environment!
LaLaurie Mansion
At 1140 Royal Street in New Orleans, the LaLaurie Mansion is an essential stop on tours. Don’t be fooled by its exterior though: this haunted building has a tragic past. Madame Delphine LaLaurie used to live here during the 1800s; her mistress seemed like an irresistibly charming socialite but beneath this facade lay true evil.
She made slaves endure brutal torture at her mansion, using bludgeons, starvation and even murder against them. After a fire broke out at her residence, rescuers arrived to discover hundreds of chained people chained up in rooms with holes in their heads, maggot-infected wounds and severed limbs stitched back onto other parts of their bodies; an event so shocking that newspaper writers wrote accounts detailing it graphically.
Pontchartrain Hotel
Pontchartrain Hotel has long been one of the most haunted places in New Orleans, due to its tragic history of yellow fever epidemics, fire deaths, and Civil War battles.
As originally designed as an orphanage, children have often been seen and heard inside. Additionally, ghostly sightings of a Creole woman can often be found roaming through its halls. Room 930 of this hotel has become one of the most haunted rooms, due to a tragic incident whereby she was hit by a carriage outside.
Confederate soldier ghosts have also been reported, along with ghost dancers seen dancing in the ballroom and hearing voices and having their hair pulled. Additionally, this hotel once housed brothels; so ghost pirates may even frequent its premises!
Bourbon Orleans Hotel
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, an elegant luxury hotel and popular meeting space in downtown Louisville, is also one of the city’s most haunted properties. Visited by several renowned psychics and believed to house as many as 17 ghosts–most likely small children who died due to Yellow Fever when it served as a convent–the property has long been associated with paranormal activity.
Other spirits are said to linger at the hotel, including a Confederate soldier roaming the sixth floor corridor, nuns wandering hallways and an isolated ghost dancer who appears only when alone in the ballroom. Additionally, guests have reported hearing footsteps in hallways, seeing little girls rolling their balls down sixth-floor corridors, hearing footsteps at night in hallways or seeing women dancing underneath chandeliers – among many other phenomena reported by guests.
As it sits just behind Jackson Square, this hotel makes a convenient base from which to explore Bourbon Street’s lively atmosphere and Royal Street’s charming galleries and endless fine galleries. Anyone wishing to spend the night here should find themselves an opulent room in this hotel which was originally founded as a theater back in 1806.
