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    Home » Recipes » Accommodation

    I Stay at the Haunted Congress Plaza Hotel Chicago

    November 6, 2014 By Sara McCleary Updated March 16, 2022 - This post may contain affiliate links

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago

    And survive……

    On the very first morning of my stay at the Congress Plaza Hotel I heard mutterings and whispers in the lift of suspected hauntings. These whispers continued right through my seven night stay. The initial reflex action was to consult Mr Google, but I put this off until later for fear of reading something that may have made me freak out without good reason.

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-outside
    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-statues

    When I did consult Google, I found out that our very own Pete Evens didn’t last an hour at the hotel. “I grabbed my bags and pretty much ran out! I bypassed checkout, jumped straight in a cab and got the %$&# outa there”.

    Side effect of activated almonds maybe?

    Well Pete, this girl managed to survive seven whole nights at the hotel. But I will agree with you that some of the halls are a little creepy. When I investigated I found out there are believed to be numerous ghosts gracing the rooms and hallways of the Congress Plaza.

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-lobby

    Before you read any further I should make something quite clear. Yes I do believe in things that go bump in the night. I have encountered unexplainable happenings in the past and had the hair on the back of my neck stand to attention. Yes, I do believe in spirits.

    The Congress Plaza Hotel was originally constructed in 1893 to accommodate visitors to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition (now World’s Fair). An enormous hotel, which takes up an entire block on South Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-white-house-chair

    The hotel has a bit of a shady past. It is said that America’s first serial killer, Dr HH Holmes, meet his young female victims in the lobby of the hotel. (This isn’t proven, but makes a great story) The young ladies were seeking employment in his pharmacy. Instead he would end up killing them in his torture 'castle' a few blocks away.

    It was home to Al Capone (some say he even owned it at one stage), supposedly residing in a suite on the 8th floor of the North tower. His spirit is said to haunt the halls. Though according to records Capone never stayed there, nor owned it, at least not under his own name.

    These are but a couple of the stories of past patrons of South Michigan Avenue's grand dame.

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-level-8-lobby

    Haunted level 8 - North Tower

    The Congress Plaza has seen better days. In its prime it would have been a stunning and majestic hotel. These days the old girl is a little rough around the edges and is in need of a major overhaul. I think the tattiness adds to the haunted feel.

    When I investigated I find there are said to be numerous ghosts that reside at the hotel. Rooms with reputations that make the movie 1804 resemble a trip to Disneyland.

    So when in Rome, you leave the security of your hotel room on the 11th floor, grab the camera and go for a walk to investigate. Remember I knew nothing about the alleged ghosts until the last night of my stay.

    I am lucky with the situation of our room, the corridor it is on has windows to daylight on one side. This makes it feel quite airy and comfortable. When I go exploring I find that this is a welcomed rarity in the hotel. You see only the floors from 9 to 12 have an internal open space to the heavens. And only the rooms located above and below me on these levels have corridors with windows. All other corridors have rooms either side and no natural light, which does make if feel very creepy.

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-north-tower

    Open space for levels 9 - 12 of the North tower.

    Internally the hotel reminds me of the one in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. No windows and very long corridors. As I walk around the corridors I do wonder if I am going to run into the twins asking me to come play with them.

    Certain areas of the hotel feel creepier than others. There is wallpaper peeling off the walls, ceilings in disrepair, dank smells in certain areas and just a general feeling of neglect.

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-level-12

    The stairs heading up to level 12 of the North tower. These are the stairs that made me feel a little uneasy.

    The 12th floor of the North Wing has been reported as the most haunted area of the hotel. I am staying one floor below on the 11th floor of the North Wing. When I find this out it gives the process of heading up there to visit the ice machine a whole new meaning. In fact I send Mac up there on our last night, of course I don’t tell him why, I just proclaim laziness.

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-level-12-hall

    After numerous attempts to take an in focus photo of this particular corridor on level 12 (on a couple of occasions) I gave up.

    Prior to my knowledge, I did feel a little spooked heading up to the 12th floor, but I put this down to how old the hotel was. I kept feeling uneasy each time I was about to walk down the stairs back to level 11, almost like I am going to be pushed. Each time I erase the thought out of my head and regard myself as an idiot.

    But maybe this is the reason. The 12th floor is meant to be the realm of Karel Langer, a six year old boy who was thrown from a window by his mother Adele in the late 1930’s. She also threw his brother Jan Tommy out the window before following them out the window to her own to death. So that then raises the question, who was I sensing about to push me down the stairs, Adele or Karel?

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-staircase

    Peg Leg Johnny
    The South Tower is home to Peg Leg Johnny, supposedly a hobo who was murdered at the Congress Plaza. I didn’t see any peg legged ghosts while I was there, but there are reports up to 2006 of seeing him.

    Room 666
    Yes, of course I had to go find the notorious room 666. It is meant to be so haunted, that it has to be sealed shut to protect us all.

    There is no room 666…………

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-room-666

    Standing outside of room 668 looking at room 664, where is room 666?

    I have read that it is actually an office, but alas I found no office either. Numbering goes straight form room 664 to 668.

    In another area of the hotel I did find this non marked room. It seems to be securely shut compared to all of the other rooms in the vicinity. May be this is the room? I took the photo and split. Still had thoughts of the twins showing up wanting to play.

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-door-locked-from-the-outside

    Is this the locked from the outside room? The one that is too haunted to even go in?

    Room 441
    Another extremely haunted room is room 441, but this one you can actually stay in. If you do, expect to encounter a shadowy presence at the end of your bed. Objects may move and you may hear strange sounds. It is reported that security is called to this room more than any other room in the hotel.

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-level-8

    I did go searching for this room, but found myself walking the halls of level four of the North tower with out any luck. The room numbers didn't make much sense. Then I decided to walk across (on the same level) to the South tower. Again I walked and couldn't find the room in the rabbit warren of corridors. It was then a very uncomfortable feeling came over me and I decided that a photo of room 441 wasn't as important as heading back to the lift and getting out of there.

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-disprepair

    Peeling wallpaper of level 11

    The Florentine Room
    This room is actually a ballroom, but many unexplained and spine tingling occurrences have happened here. Reports of humming, of a ghostly women who will whisper in your ear and then there are phantom gunshots. To add to this, keys on the piano have been known to tinkle without assistance. I didn’t visit the Florentine Room.

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-staff

    For more ghostly stories head over to Adam Selzer’s Mysterious Chicago blog. He also quashes one of the most famous ghost stories of the hotel, the mystery hand. The mystery hand is meant to be the hand of a worker who was sealed up in a wall of the hotel. Seems it is pure fiction, a story started by a clever photo and Adam.

    Haunted-Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago

    Some visitors have reported the curtains in their room moving without any reason. I wonder if it ever happened in our room?

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-ghosts

    'Please chain your door before retiring'. Is that to keep you in or the spirits out?

    The only other strange compulsion I had while I was staying at The Congress Plaza was to ensure the door to our bathroom was shut. Not just at night when heading to bed, but I felt the need to make sure it was shut at all times. It was only after I was back in Sydney that I discovered a few people have reported seeing a shadow from the corner of their eye in the mirror of their room. A glimpse of a shadow staring at them from the bathroom. The bathroom didn't make me feel comfortable at all.

    Congress-Plaza-Hotel-Chicago-bar

    The bar, where you are certain to find a spirit or two.

    The Congress Plaza Hotel isn’t a bad place to stay. I can’t say it is somewhere I would want to stay again. Our room was comfortable enough with a view of the rooms opposite us. There was free Wi-Fi. Staff were hit and miss. Some were really lovely like the porter who went out into the rain at 5.30am one morning to hail a cab for me. Then there was the miss, like the Irish girl in the bar, who seriously was in need of a shot of happiness and most of the wait staff were in need of a jab of happiness too.

    Congress-Plaza-Chicago

    If you jump on to Trip Advisor or just reach out to Mr Google you will find numerous articles, photos and videos about the haunted Congress Plaza Hotel.

    If you have stayed anywhere haunted please share your story below. Who doesn’t like a good spooky ghost story? Pete, we’ll let you begin.

    You can read more about Pete Evan’s experience here.

    Sara xxx

    The Congress Plaza Hotel
    520 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, USA
    Tel: +1 312 427 3800

    Other Things to do in Chicago

    Visit Macy's and see the historic Tiffany Glass Dome Ceiling
    Head to a jazz session at Andy's Jazz Chicago
    Try a Smoked Pork and Toffee Crunch Shake at the Little Goat Diner

    PIN ME TO YOUR TRAVEL BOARD

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alina Popescu

      February 01, 2017 at 5:22 pm

      Okay, the Congress Plaza Hotel looks gorgeous in a creepy kind of way. While I'd love to see it, I'd join Pete's club. In and out in an hour, because I am a sacrdy cat that finds watching horror stressful and terrifying 😀

      Reply
    2. [email protected]

      February 01, 2017 at 10:13 am

      I've never stayed in a haunted establishment but just the outdated decor of the Congress Plaza Hotel looks creepy....lol! How strange that you couldn't get a focused photo of Level 12......things that make you go hmmm.....

      Reply
    3. Chrysoula

      February 01, 2017 at 9:25 am

      Although I love a good ghost story, I don't think I would have stayed there if I knew before hand. It is good you found out at least one day before you left. They might keep the hotel in this condition to preserve the eerie feeling, but I think when it opened it must have looked amazing.

      Reply
    4. Vicki Louise

      January 30, 2017 at 10:01 pm

      How brave are you?! You wouldn't catch me within a mile of this place! Creepy corners, stories of murdered people haunting the corridors - not for me at all! But I'm so glad you survived! 🙂

      Reply
    5. Darlene

      January 30, 2017 at 3:58 am

      You definitely are one brave girl! I would die! And to think you stayed there for a week. Reading this made me have goosebumps all over. I'm quite paranoid with these kind of stuff so I don't think I'll last. Cool photos and storytelling!

      Reply
    6. Debra Schroeder

      January 29, 2017 at 3:23 pm

      I would be totally freaked out if I heard noises. I've had a couple of scary hotel experiences that I'd rather not repeat. I'd be okay exploring the hotel in the day with others. 🙂

      Reply
    7. Megan

      January 29, 2017 at 10:34 am

      I agree with you that if I Googled it at the beginning I probably wouldn't have been able to stay seven nights! Looks like a fun hotel to explore and learn it's history of. Glad you stuck it out.

      Reply
    8. Ceci

      June 13, 2016 at 11:25 am

      Check out your photo of room 666 - the crown molding above and the baseboards below clearly indicate that a room has been dry walled and wallpapered over. There was once a door there.

      Reply
      • Sara

        June 13, 2016 at 11:42 am

        Oh my gosh Ceci you are so right! Isn't it funny how you don't notice things in your own photos. So glad you pointed that out!

        Reply
      • Ibazela

        February 01, 2017 at 9:30 am

        OMG, it seems you are right!
        Sara, how about thirteen floor? Sometimes hotels skip this floor on purpose. Did they have it? 😉

        Reply
    9. janet2buns

      November 18, 2015 at 11:40 am

      I'm sure glad I didn't know about the hotel's haunted reputation when I stayed there a few years ago. I would have been reeeeeally nervous had I known! I just remember it was incredibly shabby and run down. The hallways were very poorly lit. I think they kept the hallways dim on purpose so you had trouble seeing how worn out everything was.

      Reply
    10. Beth

      September 18, 2015 at 10:44 pm

      I'm actually in room 441 as I am typing this. No weird happenings to report from the night!

      Reply
      • Sara

        September 21, 2015 at 5:30 am

        Glad to hear you are surviving the Congress Plaza 🙂 Also glad that you found room 441, I got lost in the rabbit warren of halls from North tower to South.

        Do let me know if you end up having any strange experiences, but to be honest glad you aren’t

        Reply
        • Beth

          September 21, 2015 at 7:16 am

          I was less than thrilled after googling the hotel to see that we were placed in the room. The room itself is massive with a huge closet and super high ceilings. The only"weird" thing was when I got out of the shower "help" was written on the mirror in the steam but that seemed like it was left from someone before us as the steam was slightly over the help....we laughed at it it would have been too easy for that to be the woman's ghost. we did however, sleep with the lights and tv on just in case!

          Reply
    11. Chanel | Cultural Xplorer

      February 07, 2015 at 4:13 am

      Just reading this gave me the creeps!

      Reply
    12. [email protected]

      November 17, 2014 at 10:47 pm

      Classic Sara... going on the hunt for strange and scary occurrences - you are a braver lady than I!

      Reply
    13. Helen | Grab Your Fork

      November 09, 2014 at 1:40 pm

      I always get flashbacks of The Shining whenever I stay in hotels with long corridors! I say I don't really believe in ghosts, but then again, I'm not in a hurry to be proven wrong either. lol

      Reply
    14. Tania @My Kitchen stories

      November 08, 2014 at 11:49 pm

      Great story Sara. I am glad you got out unscathed with a great story. The spookiest but is the photo of level 12 hallway. Not really a surprise that Pete Evens was too scared to stay. if I was a ghost I'd haunt him,.....

      Reply
    15. john | heneedsfood

      November 08, 2014 at 9:14 pm

      I do love a good ghost story and I'd be hoping to catch sight of something supernatural if I was staying at the hotel. Spooky!

      Reply
    16. Martine @ Chompchomp

      November 07, 2014 at 11:55 pm

      OMG you are so brave! I would have freaked out just hearing the stories and would have had to move to another hotel!

      Reply
    17. THE HUNGRY MUM

      November 07, 2014 at 10:25 am

      I too believe. How very eery. I think I would have fled, quicksmart! PS - love the new look. So clean and chic.

      Reply
      • Kimberly

        September 12, 2021 at 11:32 pm

        What are the specific claims to room 441?

        Reply
    18. milkteaxx

      November 06, 2014 at 11:46 am

      i had a good laugh at the "Side effect of activated almonds maybe?" line. but reading this post did make me feel a bit uneasy!

      Reply
    19. Padaek

      November 06, 2014 at 8:51 am

      Love this post and awesome photos too! What an experience - you are very brave indeed. I'm not sure if I could handle it! Lol, I also wouldn't mind hanging out with a couple of spirits in the bar. Gorgeous building though. Best wishes! 😀

      Reply
    20. Choc Chip Uru

      November 06, 2014 at 6:46 am

      Oh wow, I can't believe you are so brave! I love me my horror stories, but omg to actually live it in a haunted area? That takes guts!
      it is a beautiful place though, great photos!
      I LOVE that shot of the corridor, reminds me of the Shining!
      And those stairs do creep me out a little :/

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

      Reply
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    photo of Sara McCleary, Founder, Belly Rumbles culinary travel blog

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