The Stanley Hotel - A Ghost Story

It was a lovely spring day, and my friend was coming to Colorado for a visit.  We decided to go to Estes Park for the weekend. 

We talked as we drove up the mountain, and he asked if this was where “The Shining” was filmed.  I told him I wasn't sure, but I thought it might be. 

It was a glorious day - blue sky, beautiful scenery, and the perfect way to begin our trip.

As we approached the overlook of Estes Park, with the Rocky Mountains rising in the background, it was truly a spectacular sight.

We drove toward town and noticed a striking white building up on the hill.  Neither of us knew what it was, so we decided to investigate.  

Driving closer, we marveled at the perfectly manicured grounds and then saw the sign that read - The Stanley Hotel.

We agreed that we had to see it but were sure that it would be too expensive to stay there.

As we entered the property, the massive white gates opened to a large outdoor patio.  

Inside, the lobby was beautifully decorated with big leather chairs surrounding several huge stone fireplaces.  Antique tables with fresh flowers brightened every corner, it was warm and inviting.  

We inquired about the rates and were surprised that they were offering a special price for the night, so we decided to stay.  

After checking in, the desk clerk informed us that the hotel was haunted and that they had ghost tours in the basement after dark.

We thought it was amusing and a good tourist attraction but declined.

Climbing the stairs, we noticed the air changing, it became heavy and dense.  The brightness of the lobby faded as we walked toward our room.

When we opened the door, we were immediately struck by the closeness of the space.  Not only was it very small, but there didn't seem to be any air circulating at all. 

We knew that this would not be comfortable and asked to change rooms.  They moved us to a large, beautifully appointed suite with a great view of the mountains. 

We enjoyed a luxurious meal downstairs at the restaurant and continued to marvel at the wonderful surroundings.  We planned on going into town later and do some sightseeing, but we never left the hotel. 

Throughout the evening, several people approached me, saying I looked like someone they knew.  

When I went downstairs to the restroom, I felt a chill in the air.  The entire time I was there, I felt as though I was being watched.  It made me very uneasy, and I hurried back to our table.  

My friend laughed when I told him and reminded me about the ghost tours.  I thought it was funny, and quickly put it out of my mind.  

It was getting late, so we decided to go back up to the room.  As we sat and talked, I felt a sudden draft of cold air and looked to see where it was coming from.  

I was shocked when I saw an apparition of a man step through the doorway of the bathroom and disappear.  

Before I could react, my friend asked if there was someone behind him.  

Standing over his shoulder, I could see the faint outline of a young girl.  We both were stunned, not sure what was happening. 

Slowly, we began to speak.  This felt like a child’s spirit nothing malevolent, but terrifying just the same.

Suddenly, the energy changed dramatically.  The room filled with cold air, and a bright light flashed across the wall and splashed onto the bureau mirror.  

It felt as though dozens of very angry people were trying to get into the room. 

We were both in shock at what we were seeing and feeling.  It was 2:00 a.m. and checking out in the middle of the night seemed strange, but we could not stay any longer.

It was a relief to see the friendly night clerk at the desk. 

When we told her what happened, she said that it was a regular occurrence because the hotel really was haunted.  She had seen some extraordinary things herself. 

We talked to her for some time, hoping to calm down before driving home. 

She said she was not surprised that I had a bad experience.  She told me that I looked very much like a woman from the hotel who passed away many years ago.  

We drove back down the mountain in silence.  

Years later, I still think about what we encountered in that strange and dark place.  

I have never returned to the Stanley or to Estes Park.

My Magic Wand

 Years ago, when I was working and encountered any sort of problem or difficulty, I would tell my team that I would just bring in my magic wand and that everything would be fine.  I actually had one that I purchased from a local Renaissance Festival - it was beautiful, twisted metal wand with a gorgeous crystal attached, but that is not what held the magic.  It was the attitude that I had about the situation.

Somehow, I always knew that something good would happen and it would always work out for the best.  Call it serendipity, happenstance or just plain luck, whatever it was I understood that the more positive expectation I had, the faster it would come.  This was a belief I held in all areas of my life.  It seemed as though, as soon as I joked about it and let go of any attachment then - poof, it would appear!

Easy Does It

I was traveling from Fort Lauderdale to Fort Myers, Florida and had scheduled a shuttle from the airport to take me on the short 2-hour trip.  It seemed like a great option, I love land journeys, they are very relaxing, and you get to see areas that you miss by flying.

As always, I arrived extra early because I don't like to rush if I don't have to.  That is another bonus of being retired, I can take my time and set my own schedule.  So, while patiently waiting at the airport, I felt very fortunate to not be getting on a plane, I had fun just wandering around and visiting with some of the nice people there.  

As the pick-up time approached, I went to the designated area and waited there.  When the shuttle did not arrive on time I rang the office to check on the schedule and they said they were running a few minutes late.  No worries, I was fine standing in the fresh air just watching the people go by.

When Things Go Wrong on the Road

While I was waiting I met a lovely young couple from Australia who were traveling to visit family in the area.  I love meeting new people wherever I go so it was very nice to chat to them while we waited for the shuttle.  I am a very patient traveler and know that delays happen so I was not concerned until over an hour passed and still no sign of the shuttle.  The office was no longer answering our calls and my phone had completely died.

After almost 2 hours we began to get a little anxious that they may not be coming at all and we needed to think about what we were going to do.  We all needed to be on the other side of the state that evening or we would have to make plans to stay where we were for the night and try again tomorrow. 

I don't like feeling trapped, I'm sure no one does, but my response is to get creative and see what other choices are available. 

The Golden Rule of Traveling is to Stay Flexible and be Open to other Possibilities

When problems arise you have to decide how you want to handle it and it never helps to get upset or to be rude.  Calmly assess the situation and then decide how you want to proceed.

Fortunately, we were at the airport so we had many options for alternate travel.  We could rent-a-car and drive over, we could hire a taxi to take us or we could fly.  All reasonable avenues, and more if we wanted to check into coaches or the train.  Literally the moment we began to decide what option we would prefer, the shuttle pulled up to collect us.

The driver was brusque and clearly had been having a very bad day, much worse than ours.  The bus was loaded with passengers who seemed very tired and frustrated as well but now we were on our way.  At a short fuel break, I talked briefly to the driver and asked cautiously how he was doing.

It had been a very long day for him, he was actually the owner of the company and had a driver that didn't come in so he had been driving since 4 am and was trying to get all of his customers to their designated locations throughout the state.  He was so warm and friendly and immediately the atmosphere changed for the entire journey.

Sometimes the Best Things come from the Strangest Circumstances

After arriving safely, having a great dinner and good night’s sleep I thought about what a great day that it had been.  I met some wonderful people and got to see some lovely parts of the state and everything worked out perfectly.

Perfect does not mean that everything goes to plan.  It means that it works out for the best, usually in a way that will surprise and delight you!

I no longer have that magic wand but its power is always with me as long as I remember to expect the very best outcome possible and know that it will happen.

What experiences have you had while traveling?  Do you expect something good or something bad when things go awry?  Join the conversation and share your stories.

Published on Sixty and Me