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Is the Chelsea Hotel in New York haunted? With its magnificent gothic-Victorian architecture and colorful history, New York makes for the perfect paranormal hotspot. As the home of the original Amityville Horror house, as well as countless other on-location horror films, there’s no denying our state’s chilling past. In fact, our long and storied history has lent itself to hundreds of New York urban legends and supernatural tales that are rooted in very real historical happenings.

From haunted hotels and burial grounds to museums, mansions, and other popular landmarks in every corner of the state, you don’t have to look far to find a spooky nook riddled with ghostly lore! However, the century-old Chelsea Hotel in New York City is home to some of the most shiver-inducing stories we’ve ever heard and has made a clear name for itself in ghost-hunting circles over the years. If you’re a fan of the unseen and things that go bump in the night, this historic haunted spot should definitely be on your list to visit. Who knows — you might just spot a Chelsea Hotel ghost!

The Chelsea Hotel (or Hotel Chelsea, if you prefer) has often been labeled the second most haunted spot in New York City.
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
The architecture alone would fit right into the backdrop of a horror film. Heavy wrought iron balconies and banisters add edgy, Gothic-inspired decadence while the protruding wings and soaring towers create an imposing facade that stands out from the rest of the cityscape.
The Chelsea's impressive structure also has plenty of room to host a multitude of visitors from the other side.
stephanie/Flickr
This regal "dame of NYC" officially opened in 1884. Since then, over a century's worth of tragedy, superstition, and controversy has shrouded the hotel, even in its vibrant glory days.
Elvert Barnes/Flickr
The towering 11-story landmark - the tallest building in NYC at the time of its construction - was once a local haunt (no pun intended) for decades of the world's most famous characters, artists, and literary geniuses to live, work, and play.
Buzz Anderson/Flickr
After the market crash of 1873, architect Philip Hubert designed the Chelsea as a cooperative apartment building. Madonna, Mark Twain, Bob Dylan, Stanley Kubrick, and hundreds more made their mark here. And while a small number of those original apartments remain, the Chelsea gradually became a luxury hotel stop rather than a destination.
But even as the hotel's fame rose and fell in the 20th Century and as decades of artists-in-residence came and went, stories of the supernatural have remained eerily consistent over the years.
Sergio Calleja (Life is a trip)/Flickr
The tale of Mary, the ill-fated Titanic survivor, is one of the most well-known Chelsea legends.
Chris Goldberg/Flickr
Mary is said to have lost her husband on the Titanic and wound up staying on the eighth floor of the Chelsea upon her arrival in New York. Since her untimely demise by suicide, she's been seen on multiple mid-level floors and has been known to make appearances in guests' mirrors.
Inexplicable chills and direct contact have been felt in rooms where the worst tragedies took place, like the infamous suite of Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen.
Hans Juul Hansen/Flickr
The Vicious-Spungen murder story is a heartbreaking one, and both parties have been reported haunting the room where Spungen lost her life.
Ghostly voices have been heard echoing through the darkened hallways.
Buzz Anderson/Flickr
The voices add an ominous ring of truth to the hundreds of detailed accounts of possession, mad baronesses, "Larry" the chatty ghost, the "Gray Man," and more.
Countless photos of mysterious aura have surfaced over the years, giving tangible credibility to the Chelsea's lore.
Chris Goldberg/Flickr
At every turn, it's all too easy to wonder what’s really hidden behind the door at the end of the dark, forbidding corridor. Or whether the walls really appear to be moving.
Although the eclectic artwork, eerie lighting, and heavily shadowed vignettes no doubt create a disconcerting ambiance all on their own.
Chris Goldberg/Flickr
Chris Goldber/Flickr
Chris Goldberg/Flickr
While the Chelsea continues to be rife with controversy surrounding its renovations and grand reopening, the ghostly stories continue to multiply as local construction workers have shared their chilling encounters during the remodel.
Chris Goldberg/Flickr
A glimpse of something not-quite-human behind a plastic dropcloth . . . a formless whisper or a barely perceptible brush against something that isn't actually there . . .
JJ Hall/Flickr
Today, as the story of the Chelsea continues to unfold and the hotel's identity transforms, one question remains:
Dawn Danby/Flickr
Will the numerous ghosts of the original Chelsea Hotel remain in this new era, or be forever lost to modernization?
Neil Jenkins/Flickr
If you're curious to learn more about the history behind the Chelsea Hotel in New York, watch the video below, courtesy of CBS Sunday Morning:

Disembodied voices, spine-chilling encounters, and inexplicable phenomena . . . oh my!  For a true taste of the macabre in New York, one of the most haunted hotels in New York is well worth a visit—whether you hope to try your hand at ghost hunting or just want to see the famous NYC landmark for yourself.

Have you ever stayed at the Chelsea Hotel? We’d love to hear your stories! And, if you’re fascinated by haunted hotels, be sure to read the book Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places.

For another truly chilling adventure, check out this Haunted New York Road Trip. And be sure to let us know if we missed a spectacularly spooky place in New York you’d like to nominate for us to look into!

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More to Explore

Haunted Places In New York

Bill Hall | August 29, 2022

Where are some haunted places in New York?

Some of the most haunted places in New York include:

  • Fort Ontario
  • Landmark Theatre
  • Wayside Irish Pub
  • Belhurst Castle

New York is old. And old places have a full range of history. So no matter how wonderful a place is, odds are that something weird or scary happened there in the last 200 years. And this notion often leads to some compelling ghost stories. When going through a creepy old building, one may feel that history is still alive there. A person walking down a century-old hallway can sense that so many others have done the same. And when you learn you are standing at the scene of a crime or séance… that adds something.

There is a bonafide haunted house in Nyack, NY. For real, the state weighed in and decided it had haunted status. (People live there, so please don't visit.) But, you should read about it in the article There’s A House In Hudson Valley That’s So Terrifying It Was Legally Declared Haunted By New York State.

Speaking of old haunted places, Fort Ontario in Oswego, NY was constructed in 1755. Its history is super interesting and folks often feel like it is haunted. You'll have to visit and decide for yourself.

Wayside Irish Pub in Elbridge is known as a haunted bar in New York. Some of your friends may not want to visit scary old buildings or graveyards with you. However, most of your friends will be more than happy to grab a pint in a place with some rumored ghosts. 

This last spot is surprising. Many people breeze through Washington Square Park at different times of the day. Most never feel spooked at all. Yet, some sensitive people do feel strange there. And guess what? It sits above an enormous graveyard! The history is fascinating. In the 1600s the area was farmland. Then in the late 1700s, the land was purchased as a burial ground for the poor or unknown. Later, it was also used for those who died of very contagious diseases, such as yellow fever. It was one of those places! It’s estimated that there are over 20,000 bodies under the park. Yikes, this might be all you can think about the next time you go through.

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