You know that if haunted paintings sell for top dollar on Ebay, then haunted hotels must be a tremendous tourist attraction all year round. Consider the Hotel Del Coronado of Coronado, California. This hotel, just across the San Diego Bay, is a luxury hotel and one of the few surviving Victorian style, wooden beach resorts, first opened in 1888. Not only has the hotel accommodated numerous presidents, it also is rumored to be visited by the ghost of Kate Morgan.
In 1892, Kate Morgan checked into room 3312 (later renumbered to 3327) to meet with her estranged husband Tom. She never arrived and was later found dead on the beach, at one time believed to have killed herself, but later exonerated as forensic evidence revealed she was murdered. Rumor has it that Kate Morgan is the resident ghost of the hotel and continues to haunt the same room to this day.
Some guests have reported that room 3312 (which you might assume is constantly renamed) is full of mysterious occurrences such as malfunctioning equipment, cold breezes and randomly floating objects. Others report that Kate’s ghost is occasionally seen walking down the hallway or standing at the window. (She can be identified by her black lace dress)
There are also reports that the light situated where Kate met her death never stays lit, despite replacement bulbs. Room 3205 has also reported problems with phantasmal noises, and restless curtains even on a perfectly still night. Allegedly, room 3502 (another number discrepancy, get used to those) has been investigated by parapsychologists who discovered 37 abnormalities in one day.
Despite the exciting promise of ghosts, the Hotel De Coronado has received mixed reviews from visitors. The grounds of the hotel has received complaints because of noise and nearby construction, whereas the poor hotel service and the high price of the hotel received the most scathing reviews. Perhaps they were just disappointed that they didn’t meet Kate like they had hoped?
No matter what the reviews – The “Hotel Del” is a stunning landmark and interesting piece of California history. If you want to stay in Kate’s room on Halloween, be sure you book early, it is quite popular!