Hotel Monte Vista

Built during the roaring twenties with public funds raised by a community drive, the Hotel Monte Vista quickly became the sophisticated centerpiece of Flagstaff’s growing tourism industry. While its early years were marked by glamour and prosperity, serving as a preferred destination for Hollywood stars filming Westerns in nearby Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon, the hotel gradually acquired a more sinister reputation as unexplained phenomena began to multiply.

Among the hotel’s most famous supernatural residents is the “Phantom Bellboy,” who regularly announces his presence by knocking on doors and declaring “Room service!” When guests open their doors, they find an empty hallway, with witnesses describing the distinct sound of disappearing footsteps echoing down the corridor. More unsettling are the reports from hotel staff who have seen a ghostly figure in a brass-buttoned service coat standing in the lobby, only to vanish when approached.

Room 305 harbors one of the hotel’s more tragic spirits. According to local legend, two prostitutes were murdered in this room, their bodies unceremoniously thrown from the window. Guests staying in or near this room report hearing persistent coughing and mysterious voices in the middle of the night. Some have even awakened to find themselves staring at shadowy female figures standing at the foot of their beds.

The hotel’s haunted reputation took an even darker turn with the infamous “Bank Robber” incident. In the 1970s, three men who had just robbed a nearby bank stopped for a drink at the hotel’s cocktail lounge. One of the robbers, mortally wounded during their escape, bled to death while sitting at the bar. Today, bar patrons and staff regularly report seeing a ghostly man dressed in a leather jacket sitting at the bar, items moving independently, and barstools inexplicably spinning on their own.

Perhaps the most active paranormal hotspot is Room 220, known for its “Meat Man.” Guests have reported waking up to find a threatening figure standing over their bed, watching them sleep. The spirit is believed to be connected to an old meat deliveryman who would make his rounds to the hotel’s restaurant. Some theorize that his dedication to his work was so strong that he continues his duties even after death.

The second floor has its own spine-chilling tale involving a young boy who endlessly roams the hallways. Guests have reported hearing the sound of running and giggling, only to catch glimpses of a small child darting around corners. Hotel maids often speak of hearing children playing when the floor is empty, and some have even felt small hands tugging at their uniforms.

Even the hotel’s basement holds its share of supernatural activity. The former speakeasy, which operated during Prohibition, is said to be haunted by the spirits of gamblers and drinkers who frequented the establishment. Visitors to this area report sudden cold spots, the sound of raucous laughter, and the phantom smell of cigarette smoke where smoking hasn’t been permitted for decades.

Modern paranormal investigators have documented numerous unexplained phenomena throughout the hotel. Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) recordings have captured everything from children’s laughter to threatening voices, while thermal imaging cameras have detected inexplicable cold spots and human-shaped heat signatures in empty rooms.

The Hotel Monte Vista has embraced its supernatural reputation, maintaining detailed logs of guest experiences and offering historical tours that include accounts of paranormal activity. Many visitors specifically request the hotel’s most haunted rooms, hoping to experience something otherworldly during their stay.

Today, the Hotel Monte Vista stands as both a historic landmark and a testament to the supernatural, where the lines between the past and present, the living and the dead, seem to blur. Whether viewed as a charming historic hotel or a paranormal hotspot, it continues to draw curious visitors from around the world, each hoping to add their own chapter to its ever-growing collection of ghostly tales.