The Stanley Hotel opened in 1909 in Estes Park, Colorado. It was created by Freelan Oscar Stanley, inventor and manufacturer of the Stanley Steamer automobile, after he spent time in the region while recovering from tuberculosis.

One of the hotel’s best-known stories involves Room 217. In 1911, housekeeper Elizabeth Wilson entered a room during a power outage without knowing that gas had accumulated inside. When she lit a lantern, an explosion threw her through the floor into the room below. Wilson survived and later returned to work at the hotel.

Guests have since reported unusual experiences associated with Room 217, including luggage being unpacked, clothing being arranged and shoes being lined up. Other reported activity throughout the property includes footsteps, voices, shadowy figures, children running through hallways and faint piano music.

These accounts are part of the hotel’s paranormal folklore and have not been independently verified.  
In 1974, Stephen King stayed in Room 217. The isolated atmosphere and a vivid nightmare helped inspire The Shining, although the fictional Overlook Hotel is not a factual depiction of the Stanley Hotel.  
Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film was not filmed there. However, Stephen King’s 1997 television miniseries used the Stanley Hotel as a filming location.  
The property remains an operating historic hotel and tourist destination today.

Do you think the Stanley’s paranormal reputation is mainly the result of its age, atmosphere and decades of storytelling, or do some of the reports deserve a closer look?

Sources: The Stanley Hotel, History Colorado, Colorado Encyclopedia and Stephen King / The Shining references.

This post is for educational and informational purposes only.

The Stanley Hotel: Its History, Paranormal Claims and Connection to The Shining