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Haunted Hotels in Texas
(Number 1)
 Lots of people of people are interested in
haunted hotels in Texas. This is our first.
This Austin,
Texas hotel, built in 1886, was listed in the
National Register for Historic Places in 1969.
It
is lavishly decorated, filled with luxury amenities and has
been frequented by celebrities,
statesmen and the elite for decades. It is the oldest operating hotel
in the city
and remains a premier hotel for the state of Texas in present day. It
is also considered one of the most haunted hotels in Texas.
Its conception occurred
when cattle baron, Colonel Jesse
Driskill, decided to build the finest hotel south of St. Louis and
proceeded to
spend his fortune creating the four-story, six-million-brick structure.
He
might have been a little too lavish in the details, however, because
after his
dream hotel opened its doors, room rates were too high for the area at
the
time. It was, after all, still pretty much the Wild West and other
hotels,
although nowhere near as well-appointed, were charging a mere fraction
for a
nights’ stay. Less than a year after it opened, his dream
failed and the doors
were closed. It is
said Col. Driskill
then lost title to his beloved hotel in a poker game the next year and
two years after that, died of a stroke.
Being nearly opulent in
ambience, it has been a favorite for
well-known persons and celebrities, including President Lyndon B.
Johnson, who,
among other special occasions, stayed there during the 1964 election,
to watch
the presidential race and to address the public from the ballroom
afterwards.
In the past decade, this first of our haunted
hotels in Texas has been refurbished and
restored and is a prime destination for tourists and others who
appreciate fine
living, fine dining and luxury.
Some of the
ghosts reported to be haunting this hotel:
Why it is considered one of the haunted hotels in Texas is firstly, one
account of a young woman who was “left at the
altar.”
She checked into the hotel and went on an extravagant shopping spree,
using the
credit card she stole from her wayward fiance. Afterwards, she returned
to her
room (Room 29) and was found in the bathroom several days later, dead
of a
self-inflicted gunshot wound to the stomach. Her very vivid apparition
has been
witnessed coming off the elevator with packages under her arms.
Another
apparition seen at the hotel is that of the daughter
of a former US Senator. She was killed when she slipped on the stairs
while
playing ball. Staff at the hotel have witnessed a child’s
ball bouncing out of
nowhere, attended by giggling from an unseen source.
Others
report that Col. Driskill still watches over his
property and refuses to let it go. His manifestation is the smell of
cigar
smoke. He is also believed to be the culprit behind bathroom lights
turning on
and off in some of the rooms.
While
this hotel is regarded as very haunted (one of the most haunted hotels in Texas), it is
certainly not a decaying ruin, but in fact is a very upscale property,
rich in
history and décor. We’re not sure how management
would react to one waving EMF
detectors and placing full-on investigative gear in their public areas. Please get permission and
act appropriately.
However, even if you need to be discreet, this place would make for an
incredible stay by any stretch of the imagination –
paranormal or not. If you
don’t see a ghost, you will certainly feel pampered. Shoot, take advantage of
the situation by bringing your lady
along (or gent, as the case may be) and make it a romantic getaway
you’ll never forget.
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