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America’s Most Haunted Hotel: Ghost Stories

Every October here in Eureka Springs, a historic village of 2,000 in the Arkansas Ozarks, USA Today-haunted26x-largethe 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa becomes the epicenter of heightened paranormal activity.  Even though encounters with hotel “guests who check out but never leave” are experienced the year-round in this mountaintop spa resort, experiences not easily explained in this Historic Hotel of America seem to increase exponentially during the weeks just prior to Halloween.

Empirical experiences disclosed to the hotel’s nightly ghost tour guides might tend to legitimize The Crescent’s claim of being “America’s Most Haunted Hotel”.  Here are six of those recently reported experiences in the guide’s own words:

o   “Of late, some people on my ghost tours are getting touched, poked, and pinched.  Nothing harsh, mind you, just gentle touches and nudges.  One of the most extraordinary recent happenings took place when one tour was being seated in the morgue (a leftover from when the hotel was purchased and utilized as an alleged cancer-curing hospital by a charlatan named Norman Baker in the late 1930s).  We heard a loud squeaking sound and the large, heavy, sliding door behind the seating area moved several inches ‘on its own’ on the rusty track from which it was suspended.  We all practically jumped out of our skins!  We all wondered which ghost in the morgue did that!”

o    “A three-year-old girl who came on the tour with her family started saying, ‘Bye-bye, baby.  Bye-bye, baby’ and waving goodbye in one certain direction as we exited the morgue.  No one could see to whom she was speaking.  She had been silent the entire tour until that point and then she kept looking directly at one ‘empty’ point in the room saying ‘Bye-bye, baby.’ over and over again.  Her father, the one carrying her, was impressed since he already believed in ghosts.”

o    “Apparently some girls in the morgue during one of my recent tours asked the EMF 442b0ee4afc877c2f630c55ed542b041meter (electromagnetic field reader used by many as a ‘ghost meter’) if Michael (an Irish stonemason who fell to his death during hotel construction) was listening.  The meter responded in the affirmative.  Their next question involved whether Michael preferred brunettes, blondes, or gingers.  At the mention of ginger hair, the EMF reader went crazy-fast.  So, in the minds of those witnesses, it is official that Michael, said to be a well-known ladies’ man even in his ghostly state, likes redheads the best!”

o   “My sister-in-law stayed at The Crescent about a year ago and the Jacuzzi and tub water kept turning itself on and off even after getting out of the tub.  It happened about three times, coincidentally each and every time she would post ‘This better not happen again on her Facebook page.  The timing of it was almost comical.  She called the bellman and asked him about it and he said it doesn’t usually happen in her room but has happened in several other rooms.  She joked that The Crescent must be an ‘equal ghost room visitation opportunity’ hotel since you never know where things will happen when a spirit’s energy starts moving around.”

o    “Recently, I got a rather unexpected reaction from a couple on my tour.  It was during my explanation of Norman Baker’s suite, the one he used while operating his hospital.  I mentioned that he had two giant St. Bernard dogs for protection.  The lady next to me snapped her head in my direction with wide and startled eyes.  She then looked at her husband pointedly as if in silent communication.  I smiled and stopped and asked if she had a question.  She said that they stayed in that room the night before and that they kept hearing scratching noises in the stairwell outside the door all night.  They kept telling themselves that it was nothing, nothing.  But, when she heard about those huge dogs she said that she was afraid to stay in their same room again that evening.  I assured her that nothing bad has ever happened to any of our hotel guests, only that they sometimes hear or see odd things.”

o    “ “One night, right after our tours had ended, a young woman who had been on one of my tours came running out of the bathroom telling me, ‘I just went in the bathroom and as soon as the door shut behind me I proclaimed out loud that I didn’t believe any of this!  And immediately after I had said that water started pouring out of the ceiling!  I couldn’t get out of there fast enough!’  I investigated to find the sprinkler head and the floor were both wet but had no flowing water.  Maintenance could not explain how or why it happened.  Needless to say, she had turned from cynic to ghost believer in the space of just a few short moments.”

“October is a wonderful and crazy month for The Crescent,” said Bill Ott, the hotel’s PACmay-236director of communications.  “People love the dual reason for a visit at this time:  awesome fall color and a chance to have a close encounter with one or more of our previous guests who have ‘crossed over’.”

“Interest around the world in our paranormality seems to grow during October.  Numerous international and national radio and television stations call or come by the hotel for an October interview.  For that same reason, many of the nationally-released television network programs like ‘Ghost Hunters’ seem to replay their Crescent episodes more often during the tenth month of the year,” Ott concluded.

This may be why the thousands of guests who step inside the 129-year-old five-story limestone structure during the 30 days leading up to Halloween will inevitably inquire at check-in, “Is the Crescent really haunted?”  Desk clerks reply with, “Please let us know when you check out.”

For more information on the paranormal aspect of the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa, go to americasmosthauntedhotel.com.

Haunted Room Specials

This Fall Season visit America’s Most Haunted Hotel and explore the hallways and experience lights out in the “morgue.” Some venture to this five story historic hotel with eagerness or skepticism, but we’ll let you be the judge of your own experience.

Nightly ghost tours lead groups through the halls and down to the morgue sharing the many stories that have famed why the Crescent has become America’s Most Haunted Hotel.    Daily, visitors share their images of orbs or strange reflections in the pictures they take.  On numerous accounts a visitor will take a picture of the hallway or staircase, then take another photo directly after which will have something odd that appears in the photo that the visitor can’t explain nor remembers seeing.  Others share their stories of feeling some type of energy around them, a poke or feeling light headed.  Now its your turn to visit America’s Most Haunted Hotel!

We’ve put together 2 popular ghostly hotel packages that will spark your interest. *Tip:Weekends in the Fall Season sell out, so book a weekday stay over and actually save money on the pkg.

Paranormal Pair Stay 2 nights at the Crescent Hotel 2 Tickets to the Crescent Ghost Tour 2 Tickets to the Spirits of the Basin Tour 2 Tickets to Flickering Tales (Available for Friday & Saturday stays.)

$324 plus tax Sunday-Thursday. $480 plus tax Friday & Saturday.  (Includes Flickering Tales) Check Availability.

 

 

Spirit of the CrescentMorgue_WalkInCooler_1886CrescentHotel&Spa_7x10 Share a hotel with “guests who checked out but never left.” America’s Most Haunted Hotel is waiting for you.

1 night stay in a Premium Room Breakfast for 2 in the Crystal Dining Room 2 Tickets to the Ghost Tour 1 Ghost Squeezie 1 Ghost Coffee Mug 2 Ghost T Shirts

$229 plus taxes and fees, Sunday-Thursday $309 plus taxes and fees, Friday *Saturday night only is based on availability. Check Availability.

 

 

American Horror Story

American Horror Story’ Season 5 Spoilers: Possible Hotel Setting for Show

The site also cited The Crescent Hotel and Spa in Eureka Springs, Arkansas as a potential candidate. The property, which was built back in 1886, is said to house no less than eight spirits, and was dubbed as “America’s Most Haunted Hotel” by many. Read More…

ESP Weekend Investigation

ESP Weekend 2015  REPORT

Every year we try a different formula with ESP and every year we get a few more elements right. The general consensus, from investigation leaders, participants and staff, is that 2015 was the best ESP weekend to date!

  • We limited the number of participants in the guided investigations, to avoid contamination of active sites.
  • We cut back on satellite events, to allow more time for investigations.
  • However, we did extend the hours of our popular ESP testing, and the Psychomanteum – this year set up in the notorious “Dr” Norman Baker’s penthouse – was available until the sun rose. .
  • Lead investigator Larry Flaxman, best-selling author and founder of ARPAST, shared his time and expertise with every ESP participant, and generously provided the investigation with thousands of dollars worth of highly sensitive equipment.
  • We instituted a long-overdue policy of no alcohol or alcohol-affected individuals allowed on the investigations.
  • We extended the investigation to include sister hotel the Basin Park, in downtown Eureka Springs. The Basin Park was closed and empty for the occasion.

And our new approach paid off !

We had an unprecedented amount of response in the 1886 Crescent hotel, from orbs to Eureka Springs Paranormal WeekendEVP to a mysterious dark blob that was captured on thermal-imaging camera and left marks on lead investigator Larry Flaxman’s back!

The Basin Park rewarded the first really organized investigation with abundant responses to the Ovilus, EMF and EVP meters. Especially in Room 519, long conversations were held, the instruments yielding yes or no answers to questions put by the investigators.

A young lady was talking to a friend in one of the rooms on the highly active 3rd floor. Her friend noticed a red line slowly appearing around her neck. They both felt an oppressive sense of unease and left the room. The mark remained for hours after. We have no explanation for this – but it is interesting to note that in the early days of the hotel, when gambling was a common activity, one loser who was caught trying to slip through one of the famous bridges to the cliffside had his throat slit by the people he was trying to avoid…

Did we capture any hard evidence during ESP 15? As expected, our instruments registered Eureka Springs Paranormal Weekendsome major anomalies. But, as with most supernatural phenomena, all we can say is: inexplicable, unrepeatable, inconclusive. However, as ghost-hunting equipment becomes more sophisticated, the percentage of irregularities that cannot be explained by rational means increases. We videotaped throughout the event. Look for an edited version – highlights of ESP15 – to appear on our Facebook and Website pages soon.

We continue to refine our ESP weekends to make the event ever more attractive to serious paranormal investigation groups. Every year we hear more positive feedback from participants, and 2015 received the most enthusiastic responses to date. Next year, we are planning to outdo ourselves!

ESP 2016 will take place over two weekends: Jan 8,9,10 and 15,16,17. 

The Basin Park will be investigated on the late evening of Sunday Jan 10th

We invite you to join us for ESP 16. Bring your group, bring your equipment, bring yourself, and your curiosity. See you in the shadows!

Keith Scales

Tour Manager

1886 Crescent and Basin Park Hotels

 

 

ESP Weekend 2015

Eureka Springs  Paranormal Weekend invites your to join us in another 3 Day Paranormal chGhostBldg_circa1890Event January 9, 10, 11 2015.  The ESP event will again feature an expertly guided behind the scenes quest for evidence in the famed Crescent Hotel but will also include a one-of-a-kind investigation of its sister hotel, the 1905 Basin Park Hotel, which will be fully closed off and dark exclusively for event participants.

This three-day, hands on investigation puts tools of the paranormal investigator in your hands as well as an introduction to ghost hunting , tour of the property on the ghost tour and unheard of 24 hour access to “active space” including rooms 218, 419, 3500, 502 and THE MORGUE at America’s Most Haunted Hotel.

Lodging Packages:

Friday & Saturday 2 Night Packages ($395.00) Package is good for two people

Includes : Upgraded room accommodations for two nights Welcome reception Saturday Night Ghost Tour & Hunt with Larry Flaxman “Active Space” pass $30 per day Food Credit ESP Weekend t-shirts Team review of evidence gathered. 2 for 1 tickets to hotel attractions (i.e. Not really a door) $395 plus tax. Valid 1/9-1/11. Check Availability.

 

1 Night Saturday Only Package ($239.00)

Package is good for two people Premium Guest Room Ghost Tour “Active Space” pass ESP Weekend t-shirts Saturday Night Ghost Tour & Hunt with Larry Flaxman Team review of evidence gathered. 2 for 1 tickets to hotel attractions (i.e. Not really a door) $239 plux tax. Valid 1/10.  Check Availability.

 

Stayover Sunday for just $89  at the Crescent Hotel for the private investigation at the Basin Park Hotel.    The Basin Park Hotel will be fully closed off and dark exclusively for event participants only.  Call 877-342-9766 to Stayover Sunday at the Crescent.

We have capped attendance (and reluctantly had to turn some folks away) to keep the group sizes down to reasonable proportions. And we have extended the hours of access to active areas to include the entire night.

Late Friday and Saturday evenings, veteran Paranormal Investigator Larry Flaxman will guide small group investigations. When they conclude, the rest of the night is yours to independently investigate known active areas.

And on Sunday night Larry will be conducting a guided investigation of the sister hotel to the Crescent, the historic Basin Park – which will be closed and entirely empty for the occasion!

Ghost tours, a ghost play, Ozark tales of ghosts and the supernatural, personal ESP evaluation and the ever-popular Psychomanteum (this year constructed at the highest point in the Ozarks – the notorious Norman Baker’s penthouse suite, 502), van tours of Eureka Springs – all this and plenty of opportunities to meet and mingle with others of similar interests to your own – plus T-shirts!

If we were not able to accommodate you in 2015, please stay in touch and maybe we can be persuaded to run ESP for two weekends next year…

ESP weekend – a Eureka Springs tradition.