As local travel experts, we know what travelers are looking for when it comes to finding the perfect accommodations for their next trip. To compile our lists, we scour the internet to find properties with excellent ratings and reviews, desirable amenities, nearby attractions, and that something special that makes a destination worthy of traveling for.

Eureka Springs is a popular resort town, and with its scenic setting and quirky personality, it’s no wonder that people love to visit. The entire city is on the National Historic Register. It is a beautiful place, and you should definitely go there – especially if you want to encounter the paranormal. You don’t get to be an old Victorian city set in the mountains without some kind of creepiness factor, and the biggest part of the creepiness factor in Eureka Springs is owed to the fact that both of the oldest hotels there are allegedly haunted, and one of them might well be the most haunted hotel in America. Could you spend a night at Crescent Hotel and Spa in Arkansas?

1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa/Facebook
With well over 100 years of ghost stories under its belt, the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa refers to itself as "America’s Most Haunted Hotel", and probably for good reason.
cynthia collins/Flickr
First opened as a resort hotel in 1886, but experiencing a drop off in tourism around the turn of the century, the Crescent Hotel later functioned as a college and conservatory for young women, a junior college, and even a cancer hospital run by an infamous quack named Norman Baker, who claimed he could "cure" cancer. Many of the most chilling ghost stories spring from this "cancer hospital" era.
Crescent Hotel, Eureka Springs, Arkansas/Wikimedia
Some folks claim to have seen Norman Baker himself, often in the basement, and sometimes at the bottom of the first floor stairs. He is said to wear a white suit, purple shirt, and a look of confusion.
Debra/Flickr
After 11 p.m., the time during which the cancer hospital moved the deceased to the morgue, you can sometimes encounter a nurse dressed in white. She appears in the third floor hallway, accompanied by the sounds of an old gurney, and disappears at the end of the hall.

If you wind up in room 419, be aware that you may meet Theodora. She will tell you she is a cancer patient, and then she will vanish into thin air.

Related Stories

You Won't Find Another Best Western Hotel Like This One In Arkansas  

You Won't Find Another Best Western Hotel Like This One In Arkansas  

 The Historic Basin Park Hotel In Arkansas Is Notoriously Haunted And We Dare You To Spend The Night

The Historic Basin Park Hotel In Arkansas Is Notoriously Haunted And We Dare You To Spend The Night

 Cool Off Under A Waterfall At This Arkansas Hotel

Cool Off Under A Waterfall At This Arkansas Hotel
Many other stories from the building's halls, however, have nothing to do with Norman Baker’s deadly scam.
Charity Sherwood/Flickr
Room 218 is said to be the most haunted room in the hotel. The spirit who lives there, usually called Michael, is said to have been a stone mason who fell from the roof to the second floor in 1885. Michael is fond of turning the lights on and off, messing with televisions, reaching out from behind the mirror, and screaming as if he is falling to his death over and over again.
Debra/Flickr
You may see another man in Victorian-era clothes sitting in the lobby. You may try to talk to him, but most of the time, he just stares back and says nothing.

You can also sometimes see a waiter pushing a tray down the hallway.
henskechristine/Flickr
Victorian-era apparitions sometimes appear in the Crystal Dining Room, often appearing to be dressed in dancing clothes. One year, they decided to move the Christmas tree to the other side of the room.

The dining room also hosts a man who sits near the windows, appearing to be waiting. If you speak to him, he will tell you, "I saw the most beautiful woman here last night and I am waiting for her to return."
MHRSFan/Flickr
He's certainly been waiting a long time, because this hotel is as old and beautiful as it is creepy and interesting. We're pretty sure she's never going to show, but that won't stop the male apparition from waiting.

 

If you’re up for a hair-raising getaway weekend, try the Crescent Hotel and Spa in Arkansas! You might just meet someone who is no longer of this world.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Crescent Hotel and Spa in Arkansas

Tori Jane | June 08, 2021

Where are some haunted places in Arkansas?

Arkansas is an old state, and with old states come lots of haunted places. There are all kinds of interesting, allegedly haunted spots throughout the state! If you try to drive down Old Redfield Road, in Sheridan, for example, you might find that your electronics stop working. Keep a close eye on anyone you see walking along the side of the road - they may not be alive anymore, and they might just disappear as soon as you look away for even a moment. The Cotter Bridge, in Cotter, Arkansas, is also said to be haunted. We’re also home to haunted houses, theaters, cemeteries, and so much more. Check this article out for an even longer list of some of Arkansas’s creepiest haunts. 

Are there any traditional Arkansas ghost stories?

Absolutely! Arkansas has an array of spooky urban legends that have been passed down from generation to generation. For example, if you’ve never heard of the ghosts of Arkansas Highway 365, you must not be a local. Tales of the hauntings on that highway go back decades. It’s the site of the original story in which a man picks up a hitchhiker only for her to disappear from the back seat before arriving at her destination. The Arkansas State Capitol building has been thought to be haunted for decades, too, and based on local lore, you might not want to enter Mount Holly Cemetery alone at night. 

What are the most popular hotels in Arkansas?

Visitors have literally hundreds of hotels to choose from for their stay, so it can be hard to narrow it down to just a few. However, some of the most popular stays in Arkansas include the legendary Red Bud Manor Inn, in Eureka Springs, and the Longbow Resort in Edgemont is also a wonderful place to spend the weekend. In Little Rock, the Capital Hotel is a perfect place to visit either alone or with family in tow, and The Baker is a classy, refined getaway you’re sure to love.

Related Articles

Explore Arkansas

Featured Addresses
75 Prospect Ave, Eureka Springs, AR 72632, USA