Flagstaff is a city in the state of Arizona and it is known for its mountains, desert, and pine forests. It is also where the tallest mountain of Arizona is located as well as the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort.

One of the tourist spots in Flagstaff, Arizona. (Link: https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-day-trips-from-flagstaff/)

However, Flagstaff, Arizona is also famous for the location of the most haunted hotel in the whole of Arizona. This hotel is Hotel Monte Vista and there are so many ghosts allegedly living here that is why it became very popular to thrill seekers and enthusiasts of paranormal activities.

Hotel Monte Vista as seen from the outside. (Link: https://ktar.com/story/1321982/hotel-monte-vista-named-most-haunted-spot-in-arizona/)

The History Of Hotel Monte Vista

Hotel Monte Vista was built in the year 1927 and became the tallest building in the whole of Flagstaff during that time. The hotel had 73 rooms and 3 floors. A lot of celebrities have spent time at the Hotel Monte Vista like Anthony Hopkins, Barbara Stanwyck, Clark Gable, Esther Williams, Humphrey Bogart, and many more.

Hotel Monte Vista at night. (Link: https://foursquare.com/v/hotel-monte-vista/4afde055f964a520ac2b22e3)

Another reason why the Hotel Monte Vista was famous during its time was because of having the only slot machines operated within the city.

Now, however, it’s more famous as a haunted hotel rather than what it was initially known for. Continue reading to know more about the alleged ghostly guests at the Hotel Monte Vista.

The Famous Ghosts Of Hotel Monte Vista

The first ghostly hotel guest is said to be a bank robber. Back in 1970, a group of robbers robbed a bank near the hotel. A guard was able to shoot one of the robbers. However, despite the shooting, the robbers stopped by the lounge of Hotel Monte Vista to have a drink. The wounded man was allegedly enjoying his last drink when he bled himself to death. It is unclear what happened next but staff at the hotel claim that they hear an anonymous voice saying “Good Morning.” Also, bar stools and drinks were seen moving on their own and it is believed that this bank robber’s ghost is the one responsible.

A sign outside Hotel Monte Vista’s lounge. (Link: https://downtownflagstaff.org/go/cocktail-lounge-at-the-monte-vista)

The next ghosts belong to two prostitutes who were taken to Hotel Monte Vista back in the 1940s. These two women were allegedly killed and were thrown out of the window of room 306. Guests at the Hotel Monte Vista, usually men, claim that they felt hands placed over their mouths and throats resulting to them not being able to breathe so they suddenly wake up. Other guests also claimed that they get the feeling of being watched so they wake up in the middle of night and are unable to go back to sleep anymore.

One of the rooms inside Hotel Monte Vista. (Link: https://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/americas-most-haunted-places)

Another frequent and friendly ghost at the Hotel Monte Vista belongs to a bellboy. The bellboy allegedly knocks on the doors of the guests and announces that he is there for room service. Whenever the guests would open the door, no one is there. John Wayne experienced this and he said that he feels the ghosts it not threatening at all. Hotel staff claim that they have seen this phantom bellboy’s ghosts roaming the halls. He is reportedly seen wearing an old fashioned red coat with brass buttons.

The ghost of a boy is also frequently felt and seen by children and adults. The voice of the child could be heard as if the boy was walking behind the guests. Some guests reported that they felt the boy touch their hands. Children who have seen the boy believes he is looking for a playmate.

The other resident ghost of Hotel Monte Vista was indeed a resident of the hotel for many years. He is known as the Meat Man because he usually hung raw meat from his chandelier. The boarder was found in his room dead sometime in the 1980s. Accordingly, the first ever encounter of the Meat Man’s ghosts was not long after his death. A maintenance worker made some repairs at the room. The worker left the room and turned the lights off. However, when he came back, the television was on full blast and the sheets of the bed were scattered on the floor. To this day, the TV at room 220 turns on by itself.

Another long-term resident died at the Hotel Monte Vista. This time, it’s at room 305 and the resident was an old woman. The old woman frequently sat by the window on her rocking chair for many hours. Some claim that she was waiting for someone but that someone never came. After her death, many reported that they saw the rocking chair moving on its own.

A photo of the infamous rocking chair at Hotel Monte Vista. (Link: http://gemjourn.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-haunted-hotel.html)

A frequent paranormal activity at the Hotel Monte Vista is the cries of an infant from the basement. Maintenance and laundry staff have reported this and it usually sent them running upstairs from the basement. It remains unknown from where the cries were coming from and what could be the story behind it.

An attendant at the elevator is said to be a friendly ghost. This attendant is usually seen by housekeeping and people who man the front desk. The attendant reportedly asked them which floor he has to take them to despite the elevator being self-service.

The reception area of Hotel Monte Vista. (Link: https://www.thebethlists.com/90-notable-nights/178-hotel-monte-vista-in-flagstaff)

A First-Hand Experience By A Guest At The Hotel Monte Vista In 2011

A guest of the Hotel Monte Vista took to Trip Advisor to share her experienced at the Monte Vista Hotel. She was with her best friend and a 10-year-old boy during their stay.

The woman shared, “Events included Hearing footsteps coming toward us in the hallway and no one was there, my bag got mysteriously zipped back up after I had just left it unzipped, and I saw orbs of light hover and then zoom out one of the windows at about 3:30 in the morning.”

A Staffer’s Bloody Encounter

Two people also shared their experience at the Hotel Monte Vista through a blog. In the blog, it was shared that the person who welcomed them named Carolyn shared her experience about a bloody nightgown.

The blog reads in part, “So about three or four months ago in room 302, Maintenance was building a new window, and so they were taking the cinderblocks out of the window, and umm, we found a bloody nightgown. So we keep it downstairs in the parlor. And we had to call Flagstaff Police and let them know. But the weirdest part about that was we have a front desk log, and there were about seven or eight reports of people seeing a little girl in a bloody nightgown, walking down the hallway about two weeks before the nightgown was found.”