Sometimes when you go on vacation you want to stay somewhere that has a story, maybe a little bit of history. A great solution to this is to stay in a hotel that is haunted. I have stayed in a few myself over the last couple of years and my favorite haunted hotel to stay at would be the Congress Hotel in Chicago, Illinois.
The History
The Congress was originally built in 1893 to accommodate the vast amount of travelers for the World’s Fair. Located in downtown Chicago, the hotel quickly became a place where many celebrities came to stay. In the 1920s the infamous gangster, Al Capone, bought the hotel, and then made it his headquarters. Then in the 1930s the hotel became the headquarters to NBC. After NBC, The Congress Hotel became a station for the military. Finally, some Chicagoans bought the hotel back and reopened it to the public.
Paranormal Activity
There have been many poltergeist activities in the hotel. The most common are electronic appliances turning on and off by themselves, as well as hearing furniture move in a nonexistant room above. Staffers will also say that they hear commotion coming from the banquet halls, but when they open the doors they find an empty, silent room. There is also rumor that a peg-legged man can be seen on a certain floor where he was murdered decades ago.
My Experience
The hotel gives off a great vibe. Right away you feel like you’re in a remake of The Shinning. Everything has been kept in the old style, but still clean with a friendly staff. I personally did not see any paranormal activity while at the hotel, but I felt like I was a part of history. I could see how there could be gangsters sitting in the lounge, starlets in sequin dresses in the banquet halls, and radio men running up and down the halls. I would definitely recommend staying at The Congress Hotel if you plan on going to Chicago and want a little spice in your trip.
Kristine blogs on behalf of Sears and other quality brands and loves to travel. She also enjoys baking Christmas cookies and walking her dachshund puppy.
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