Colonial Williamsburg offers a unique look into what life was like in the late 18th century. For those looking to fully experience this historic city, there are a number of hotels and inns to lodge at for an extended stay. Among these lodging options are some of Williamsburg’s most haunted locations, adding a ghostly flare to any trip.
Have you stayed in any of the haunted hotels in Williamsburg? Planning your next trip to Williamsburg? Hear about its haunted past by booking a ghost tour with Colonial Ghosts today!
What Are The Most Haunted Hotels In Williamsburg?
Considering that most of the buildings in Williamsburg are hundreds of years old, it stands to reason that more than a few of them would be haunted.
The Orrell House is a classic colonial home where guests have encountered paranormal phenomena in the bathroom. Then there’s Brick House Tavern, where 18-century lodgers still haven’t checked out of their rooms.
Even new constructions like the Fort Magruder Hotel & Conference Center are known to be haunted. Built on top of a Civil War battlefield, Union and Confederate soldiers are seen throughout this luxurious hotel.
Fort Magruder Hotel & Conference Center
Fort Magruder Hotel & Conference Center is built on the site of the Battle of Williamsburg. This Civil War battle is often overlooked since there was no clear winner, but the bloody battle left its mark on the land.
Today, the hotel pays tribute to the battle by displaying paintings and war artifacts in its lobby. There are also Civil War-era cannons on the property, along with man-made mounds called redoubts that were used by soldiers to hide and attack. The unintended result of all these historical artifacts is a slew of hauntings.
Overnight staff at the hotel have reported objects being moved, doors being unlocked, and glass shattering when the lobby is empty. One shocked staffer witnessed the ghost of a Union soldier glide through the lobby and exit through a closed window.
Guests at Fort Magruder Hotel & Conference Center also get to experience the paranormal, whether they want to or not. A female guest awoke in terror when she sensed someone in her room. That “someone” turned out to be a red-headed man in a Confederate uniform sitting at the foot of her bed. The spirit vanished when the two made eye contact.
Paranormal investigators have gathered extensive evidence of hauntings at the hotel. Spirits are known to mess with electronics, and one photographer had his camera battery drained in two hours even though it was charged to last 10 hours. Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVPs) of soldiers talking have also been recorded in the hotel.
In one especially eerie photograph, the apparition of a man in a hat stood behind one paranormal investigator with his ghostly hands on her shoulders.
Brick House Tavern
The original Brick House Tavern was built in 1770 and run by a woman named Mary Davis. The basement of the building, known as the Great Room, was where the tavern was located.
Lodging for women was on the first floor, and men slept on the second. Due to the high cost of beds at the time, strangers would have to share beds unless they were willing to pay an extra fee for the luxury of a private bed.
Brick House changed hands several times over the years, and a series of businesses operated out of the basement. In 1842, the building burned down with only the foundation and framing left intact. The owner at the time, Thomas Sands, had planned to rebuild the tavern, but it would take until 1936 for a full-scale renovation of the tavern’s dilapidated shell to commence.
The rebuilding of the tavern, which painstakingly copied the original structure, clearly disturbed the ghosts who had been resting for nearly a century. Guests have heard heavy footsteps on the staircase only to find that the stairwell is empty.
Late at night, some hear the jingling of keys, thought to be the ghost of an innkeeper checking in on lodgers. Shadow figures are also seen on all floors of the building. Ghosts enjoy testing out modern amenities like light switches and bathroom faucets.
The smell of tobacco smoke is a common occurrence at Brick House Tavern. This is peculiar, considering it’s a nonsmoking establishment, but the ghosts don’t seem to follow these rules.
The most shocking experience guests have reported is waking up to a ghost in their bed. Female ghosts have been reported in beds on the first floor, and male apparitions appear on the second floor.
One unlucky guest woke up to the pungent smell of body odor. She discovered a full-bodied male apparition in her room on the second floor. He attempted to kiss her before miraculously disappearing.
Orrell House
The cozy Orrell House was built around 1770 in Old City Williamsburg. The house has a unique cube shape, being 28 feet wide, 28 feet long, and 28 feet high. The home is topped by a distinctive Gamble roof. The details of the original owner have been lost to time. Orrell House is named after its second owner, John Orrell, a local tailor who lived in the home from 1800-1820.
Over the next century, various updates and remodels were made to Orrell House, but it eventually fell on hard times. It seemed no one was interested in bringing an 18th-century building into the 20th century. However, the Orrell House was saved from destruction in 1929 when it underwent a full-scale restoration that lasted two years.
In terms of hauntings, the ghosts at Orrell House can be a bit mischievous. They are especially known for “redecorating” when no one is around. For instance, staff and guests have entered rooms to find furniture turned upside down for no reason.
One family staying at Orrell House was relaxing in the living room when they heard the sound of rushing water coming from the second floor. They raced to the bathroom and found all of the faucets turned on.
A little creeped out, they turned off the faucets and tried to shrug off the strange occurrence. However, no sooner had the family settled back into their quiet evening than the faucets turned on again at full force.
The ghostly activity didn’t stop there. A glass was thrown from the medicine cabinet by an unseen force and shattered on the bathroom floor. The following morning, the family awoke to find the bathroom covered in toilet paper that seemingly unraveled itself in the middle of the night.
Haunted Williamsburg
If staying at a haunted hotel is a must for you, Williamsburg offers multiple options. The ghosts of Williamsburg remind guests that the past really isn’t so far away.
Take a step back in time and learn all about haunted Williamsburg by booking a ghost tour with Colonial Ghosts now! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real Virginia hauntings.
Sources:
- https://colonialghosts.com/fort-magruder-haunted-hospitality/
- https://hauntedhouses.com/virginia/the-brick-house-tavern/
- https://hauntedhouses.com/virginia/the-orrell-house/