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Opening in 1893, Congress Plaza Hotel is a 14 story historic hotel & is said to be one of the most haunted hotels in the U.S. We can help you save money on this.
This luxurious hotel is located in the Loop and has been providing guests with exceptional hospitality for over 100 years.
If people think it’s one of the most haunted hotels, then it must have numerous spirits, right? And you’d be right. Too numerous to try to mention all of them, but now we’d like to tell you about some of the most frequent and notable.
There have been a number of suicides in the hotel as well as accidental deaths and deaths from natural causes.
On April 8, 1900, Army Captain Louis Astheim was staying at the hotel alone on the night before he was to be married. He was a veteran of the Spanish-American War. For some reason, he took out his gun and pulled the trigger. No one knows why.
After that, a phantom shadow was seen around the hotel. The staff started to call him “Shadow Man of the Congress.”
“Shadow Man” has been seen in many areas of the hotel. Once a security guard spotted him and chased him up to the roof, but the “Shadow Man” vanished.
Guests relate feeling they’re being watched. Some have left in the middle of the night because they felt paranoid and couldn’t sleep. Many of the guests have described the hotel as “unsettling.” Cold spots, disembodied voices and objects moving on their own have been reported. There is a piano that plays random notes when no one is near it and it is not a player piano.
A spirit with a wooden leg has been reported multiple times since the early days of the hotel. He’s been given the nickname of “Peg Leg Johnny.” He’s mischievous and likes to turn room lights and electronics on and off.
The 12th floor has had a lot of reports of children heard laughing and making noise when no one is there. There have been numerous reports of a 6 year old boy who will smile and then vanish. He likes to rearrange furniture.
Room 441 appears to be the most haunted place in the hotel. The spirit of a woman has been reported going into and coming out of the bathroom. She has also been seen at night by the bed. It’s been said that she pulls on or tugs at the covers of the bed. You can request that room if you want to check it out for yourself.
America’s first known serial killer, Dr. H. H. Holmes, was known to spend time in the hotel lobby, searching for his next victim. Chilling.
Staying at the Congress Plaza Hotel
Over the years, the Congress Plaza Hotel has had numerous celebrities and heads of state as guests. So many U.S. presidents have stayed there that it became known as the “home of presidents.”
The hotel is located close to Grant Park, providing easy access to the city’s finest shopping district. It has 871 rooms and suites with modern amenities, lovely furniture and elegant designs. It features high ceilings and expansive views you won’t find in hotels built today. The hotel has two restaurants and the Tavern Top Pub.
If you’d like to visit the Chicago Plaza Hotel, book your stay here and you can save 32% off the regular rate.