We've just released our 2009 list of Great Places to Sleep with a Ghost. To see the complete list of more than 100 tales of ghostly happenings at B&Bs around the world, be sure to visit BedandBreakfast.com's press room. We thought we might share a few of the stories about things that go bump in the night...and daytime too, but first did you know that BedandBreakfast.com surveys show that 20% of inns and B&Bs are haunted? That means approximately 3600 B&Bs offer the chance to have other-world experiences. I, for one, am a believer and have had some great experiences with ghosts. I've actually enjoyed a first-hand encounter with Jason, the former handyman at the Inn at Jackson, described below.
Here are just a few of the 100+ stories you'll find in BedandBreakfast.com's compendium of haunted inns and B&Bs.
Inn at Jackson, Jackson, NH: Jason, once the trusted workman at the inn, committed suicide as a young adult yet returns to check on repairs at the inn. Guests have been awakened by a hammering noise, and the staff has caught glimpses of movement as they check on rooms, primarily on the second and third floor. Jason is a peaceful presence, bringing a smile to the innkeeper's face as he explains his comings and goings. Jason is not the only ghost; the water mysteriously turns on and off in Room Two, perhaps at the hand of a ghostly old man.
Texas White House, Fort Worth, TX: The ghost here is believed to be the husband of the only family who ever lived in the house. He died here and now haunts his old bedroom (now the Lone Star Room). Interestingly, the ghost sightings occur when a single woman is staying in the room. One woman awoke in the middle of the night, feeling that someone was lying on the bed beside her, back to back. She says that for several minutes she lay perfectly still, then she felt the "person" start to move off of the bed. At that point she turned over very quickly to see who it was, and no one was there. The overhead light then came on, even though no one had turned it on. Another woman awoke feeling someone getting into bed with her. She turned over immediately to see who it was, but no one was there. Immediately afterwards, her cell phone, which was plugged in several feet away, began to beep and wouldn't stop for several seconds. She says that her phone had never done that before. A third woman reported that she felt a presence in the corner. Later that night she felt the same presence again on the other side of the bed. Thus far, all of the presences have been "friendly."
Honeybee Inn B&B, Horicon, WI: It's believed that a lumber baron named Coton is still hanging around with his female companions. His beloved rocking chair, where he died, rocks by itself, and the innkeeper's family has spotted a woman in a long skirt with an apron. Investigators of the paranormal explain that stairs squeaking at night and the unexplained ringing of bells are evidence of an active spirit in residence.
Kehoe House B&B, Savannah, GA: Set in a beautifully restored 1892 Queen Anne-style mansion, this B&B is reputed to be haunted by the ghosts of twin Kehoe children who may have died while playing in one of the house’s fireplaces (now blocked up). The inn’s website speaks of many reported sightings of the ghosts and the sound of children laughing and playing in the dead of night.
Be sure to tune visit the BedandBreakfast.com press room for the complete list of ghost stories...if you dare!