This content is reader-supported and this post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on some of our links that we will make a commission at no additional cost to you. Our affiliates are here to provide the resources to make your adventure as seamless and exciting as you desire.
The Top 6 Haunted French Quarter Hotels
The French Quarter of New Orleans has always been a popular travel destination. Mardi Gras, Bourbon Street, food, fun or history; the list of reasons to visit the Crescent City is endless. Have you ever been curious about ghosts? Why not spice up your adventure with a bit of supernatural flair? Reputed to be one of the most haunted cities in the U.S. (if not the world), New Orleans has its fair share of haunted hotels and my top 6 can be found right in the heart of the French Quarter. Even if you don’t have a chance encounter with a phantom, the unique southern charm exuded by each property is worth booking a stay.
The Andrew Jackson Hotel
919 Royal St.
Price: $
Expedia rating: 8.0
First on our tour of the Top Haunted French Quarter hotels is the Andrew Jackson Hotel. Originally built in 1792 as a boarding school and orphanage, the Andrew Jackson bears a rather tragic history. When the great fire of 1794 swept through the French Quarter, the orphanage was not spared the flames and five young boys perished in the blaze. It is believed that these same boys are the source of many of the haunted happenings at the hotel. The next few years would see a Federal courthouse built atop the ashes of the orphanage and in 1815 it would play host to the infamous obstruction of justice trial of General Andrew Jackson.
During the early1900s the courthouse would be demolished to make way for the structure that is today the Andrew Jackson Hotel. Oozing with southern charm and ambiance, the hotel offers 21 guest rooms, (some with furnished balconies), 18th century style trappings and a lush tropical courtyard. Listed on the national registry of historic places, the Andrew Jackson is brimming with local heritage and local ghosts.
Remember the five boys lost to the fire of 1794? It would seem they never left the grounds of 919 Royal Street. The boys being boys, are pranksters from beyond the veil; laughing, running, tugging on shirt tales and the moving about of objects are just some of the more common shenanigans. If you happen to be staying in room 208, you may get a visit from Armand. Believed to be one of five boys, Armand likes to hide belongings, pull sheets off the bed and turn on faucets. One couple who spent a night in 208 claims to have discovered pictures one their cell phone of themselves sleeping… taken from above the bed! Other spirits witnessed in the hotel include a ghostly housekeeper who seems to be eternally cleaning up behind the boys and a tall man that some claim to be Andrew Jackson himself, but is more widely believed to be the headmaster of the former orphanage.
Who doesn’t love the sounds of children playing?
Hotel Monteleone
214 Royal St.
Price: $$$
Expedia rating: 9.6
The next stop on our list of Top Haunted French Quarter hotels takes us a bit further down Royal street to one of the best known and most opulent hotels in the quarter. The majestic Hotel Monteleone was originally opened in 1908 by Antonio Monteleone , a Sicilian shoemaker who came to the U.S. To make his fortune. His grandson, Bill Monteleone would demolish the original structure in 1954 and build the current incarnation of the hotel atop its foundations. Boasting 600 guest rooms, two cocktail lounges, ballrooms and a sky terrace complete with swimming pools, The Hotel Monteleone has become a timeless New Orleans landmark.
The Beaux-arts facade has attracted many visitors over the years, including a number of literary celebrities. Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner were all regulars and even wrote some notable works during their stays. Turman Capote was so fond of the Monteleone that he proclaimed to have actually been born at the hotel. In 1998, The Friends of Library Association named the Monteleone a literary landmark. A title held by only three hotels in the whole of the country.
After having welcomed so many guests for well over a century, its not at all surprising that the Monteleone has gained a few spectral residents. The most infamous of these ghosts is Maurice Begere. Maurice was a four year old boy who passed from a fever while his family was staying in room 1462. He has been seen both inside and outside the room, often playing in the hallways and running happily toward guests only to disappear into thin air. In addition to Maurice, one may encounter the spirits of former employees of the hotel. William Wildemere was a custodian who never clocked out, a previous Chef insists on keeping the restaurant door open and the 14th floor (rumored to actually be the 13th floor) has a litany of spirits among which is a number of phantom children and a ghostly housekeeper known as Mrs. Clean
Fancy a stay on the 14th (13th?) floor?
The Bourbon Orleans Hotel
717 Orleans St.
Price: $$
Expedia rating: 9.0
Our next haunted French Quarter destination is the Bourbon Orleans Hotel. Situated on the corner of Bourbon street and Orleans Street, The beautiful and stately Bourbon Orleans hotel began as opera house and theater in 1815. In 1816 the theater burned, but was rebuilt in short order, and after five years of roaring success added the adjacent ballroom that would come to host masquerade and the infamous “Quadroon” balls for the New Orleans elite. Catering to the nightlife of Bourbon Street and the opulence of Royal Street, The Theatre d’ Orleans and Salle d’ Orleans hosted balls, gambling, and more than a few duels…until the American Civil War crashed the party.
1881 would see the property sold to the Sisters of the Holy Family, the very first African-American convent. The nuns would transform the property into a cloister, the ballroom into a chapel, and eventually house an orphanage and the first catholic school for African-American girls. Between 1881 and 1960 the Sisters of the Holy Family would endure the ravages of the yellow fever epidemic, an influx of orphans caused by two world wars and the eventual realization that the structure on 717 Orleans st. was simply too small for their growing convent. The Bourbon Kings Hotel corporation purchased the historic property in the early 1960s and began restoring structure to its current glory. Today The Bourbon Orleans offers 218 guestrooms, a cocktail bar, a restaurant, the ballroom, some of the most coveted balconies in the Quarter and of course ghosts.
With over 200 years of history under its roof, its no surprise that the Bourbon Orleans has its share of spirits. Guests often report the sounds of rambunctious children emanating through halls that have been attributed to the victims of yellow fever and the ballroom continues to host a lonely dancer from the past. Her partner unseen, whisks her about atop a bloodstain that returns each time the staff scrub it away. Unlucky lovers caught up in one of the infamous duels perhaps? Others have reported the apparition of a Confederate soldier, war-torn and bloody, limping down hallways at night with his saber scrapping along the baseboards. Finally, and possibly the most unsettling specter sighted in the hotel, is the ghostly nun of room 644. Residents of room 644 claim to awaken in the dead of night only to find a dark figure dressed in a habit, seemingly praying at bedside. While no official records exist to corroborate the rumor, local lore points to the tale of a nun who committed suicide in the room.
Are you prepared for a late night confession?
Hotel Villa Convento
616 Ursulines Ave.
Price: $
Expedia rating: 8.6
Long rumored to be the infamous “House of the Rising Sun”, our next Haunted French Quarter Hotel certainly comes with a checkered past. Built around 1833, the creole style townhouse would begin as a single family home, but by the end of the American Civil war would fall into degradation with the rest of the city. While there is no clear record, it is widely believed that the residence at 616 Ursulines ave. housed a brothel. In 1902 the property changed hands once again and returned to its roots as a single family home. 1946 would see the home sold once more and become the Old Town Villa, which was a hostel of sorts and would for a time serve as a home to none other than Jimmy Buffet (room 305 is known as the Jimmy Buffet room). The Campo family purchased the property in 1981 and converted the townhouse into its current incarnation, The Villa Convento.
Depending on which of the 25 guestrooms you chose, you may have views of the Ursuline Convent, the downtown skyline, the courtyard or the Beauregard-Keyes House. The hotel is unique even in a city as quirky as New Orleans; it boasts a family-style vibe, but also embraces its ghostly reputation. When I stayed at the Villa Convento, I was amused to find a plastic skeleton playing a weathered piano in the lobby and I was surprised when the clerk candidly informed me that the room I had booked was one of the most active haunts in the establishment.
The room in question is room 209. This second floor, courtyard view room comes complete with giggling children (children are not permitted in the hotel), displaced belongings, and a rumored suicide. As a high-vibration empath, I have doubts about a suicide taking place in the room; however there was definitely a presence and I did have a number of items that I’m certain I left on the bathroom sink end up on the nightstand. Other reported phenomena at the hotel seem to stem from its days as a bordello. Couples engaged in “activities” report being interrupted by the apparition of a ghostly Madame whispering “times up” and other guests have made complaints concerning the “sounds” of the couple next-door, only to find out there was no one in the adjacent room the previous night.
Looking to spice up your love life? The Villa Convento might be the ticket.
Laffitte Guest House
1003 Bourbon St.
Price: $$
Expedia rating: 8.8
Our haunted French Quarter hotel tour continues with a stop on the ever popular Bourbon Street at what was once the residence of an infamous pirate. Laffitte Guest House named for the legendary pirate siblings, Pierre and Jean Laffitte has only served as a hotel since the early twentieth century. The property began life in 1736 as a charity hospital that specialized in the treatment of STDs and is the second oldest hospital in the U.S. In 1779 it would be destroyed by a hurricane, rebuilt in 1781 as the San Carlos hospital, and destroyed once again in 1809 by a fire. The lot was eventually sold and a brick ,single family home was constructed around 1810 and was purchased in 1816 by Marie Villard, mistress of Pierre Laffitte, or perhaps it was purchased by Jean Laffitte? All confusion aside, records indicate the Laffitte brothers lived, raised children, and possibly made some shady deals at 1003 Bourbon street.
The structure that exists today was built in 1849 for the Gleises family, and would serve has their home until 1866. After decades as a family home, the property at 1003 Bourbon was converted into the boutique hotel that operates today. The hotel offers 14 charming guestrooms, each decorated in vintage trappings, and many with their own balconies overlooking Bourbon Street. A quaint creole courtyard and cocktail bar round out just a few of then onsite amenities. But what about the ghosts?
If you are looking for ghostly pirates, you’ll have to try your luck at Laffitte’s Blacksmith across the street as most of the hauntings at the hotel seem to originate from the Gleises Family’s era. Room 21 is reputed to be the most active and the apparition of Marie Gleises who is believed to have succumbed to yellow fever sometime around 1853 is often glimpsed in mirrors. Other happenings around the hotel include guests belongings being moved about and even the furniture being rearranged in their rooms. Some guests have reported seeing a spectral girl wearing a flowing ethereal nightgown ascending the main staircase. Rumors persist that she is the spirit of girl who met her end after falling down the stairs sometime in the 19th century, but no one is sure of her true identity.
Are you ready to share a room with Marie?
Place d’Armes Hotel
625 Saint Ann St.
Price: $$
Expedia rating: 9.6
The final stop on our list of Top haunted French Quarter Hotels takes us to the heart of the French Quarter and the Place d’Armes Hotel. Taking its name from the original moniker for Jackson Square (which was a drill and parade yard for the French military), the hotel rests upon the spot of the very first school in Louisiana. Built in 1725, the school would operate until 1788 when it was lost (along with its headmaster, several teachers and many students) to the great fire. Seven structures of various use came to occupy the lot in the years following the fire and in 1811 the site would bear witness to the bloody German Coast slave uprising. The surviving leaders of the rebellion were executed in the nearby square and their heads placed upon pikes spanning from the Place d’Armes to some sixty miles down the riverfront.
In 1903, Sicilian immigrant Angelo Glorioso purchased the property and converted it into a grocery wharehouse and residence. His daughter Mary Ann Valentino would inherit the property in 1951, and converted the seven historic buildings into the hotel complex as it is today. The place d’Armes boasts 85 guestrooms, each decorated in their own unique Victorian fashion, a pool and some of the most charming courtyards in the city. And like most historic places in the Quarter, the hotel also comes with a few spirits.
Guests at the hotel sometimes report running into the apparition of a little girl who sheepishly asks for her grandmother. Others claim to have bumped into a bearded, older gentleman wearing Victorian period clothing and one guest even detailed a friendly conversation with the bearded specter on the balcony of her room. Speculation as to the origins of the little girl phantom are many, but most believe the older Victorian dressed man is in-fact the headmaster of the ill-fated school that burned in 1788. According to the staff, the most common complaint at the Place d’Armes hotel is the late night clatter of moving furniture and loud footsteps. Many guests have reported being awoken at night by the sounds of someone dragging furniture and loudly stomping about in the adjacent room, only to later discover that there were no guests in said room.
Looking for a lesson in the supernatural? Just have a chat with the Headmaster.
When is the best time to visit the haunted French Quarter?
Personally, I would say any time your budget allows. Having visited the city a few dozen times and during almost every season (I still haven’t made it to the Big Easy for Christmas), I’ve never had a disagreeable experience. That being said, the events, festivals and seasons can prove daunting for the unprepared. Which is why I’ve put together the following guide to give you some idea of when and what to expect.
The best time to visit the French Quarter in New Orleans is typically between December and April. During these months, you’ll find:
– Pleasant temperatures (60-75°F) ideal for walking around and exploring
– Lower humidity compared to summer months
– Fewer crowds compared to major events like Mardi Gras
– Cheaper hotel rates (except during specific festivals)
Early March can be exciting if you want to experience Mardi Gras, but expect large crowds and high prices. February and early March are particularly festive with parades and celebrations. The Quarter is also a popular St. Patrick’s Day destination with a variety of parades and events, with much smaller crowds and cheaper rates compared to Mardi Gras prices.
Avoid visiting from June through August if possible, as New Orleans experiences extreme heat and humidity (90°F+), frequent afternoon thunderstorms, and potential hurricanes. Many locals consider these months quite uncomfortable for tourists exploring the Quarter on foot. If you insist on visiting during hurricane season (the hotel rates are actually some of the best), be certain you have travel insurance, extra deodorant and be prepared to sweat off a couple pounds.
For a more authentic, relaxed experience, consider visiting in December or January. You’ll get to enjoy holiday decorations, special Reveillon dinners (traditional Creole Christmas feasts), and the historic architecture without the overwhelming tourist crowds.
If you would like to dial the supernatural vibe all the way to eleven, book a stay during the week of Halloween. The All Hallows Eve celebrations in New Orleans are the best in the whole of the South, possibly in the country, with numerous parades, expos, events and concerts. Be warned however, as these festivities are not kid-friendly. Costumes in the Quarter can range from decadent to disturbing. Halloween also brings higher hotel rates, so book early to secure cheaper options.
Check out my Halloween weekend tour of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1.
The French Quarter’s haunted hotels stand as living testaments to New Orleans’ rich and sometimes dark history. From the elegant corridors of the Monteleone, where ghostly children play hide-and-seek, to the Bourbon Orleans where civil war spirits still watch, each property offers more than just a place to rest your head – they provide a window into the city’s supernatural soul.
Whether you’re a serious paranormal investigator or simply someone seeking a brush with the extraordinary, these historic hotels deliver experiences that can’t be replicated anywhere else. The spirits of jilted lovers, Confederate soldiers, and long-departed guests continue their eternal residence alongside modern-day visitors, creating an atmosphere where the past and present dance together in true New Orleans fashion.
As you plan your stay in the Crescent City, remember that these haunted hotels aren’t just about the ghostly encounters – they’re about connecting with the very essence of New Orleans itself. Each creak of a floorboard and unexplained whisper in the night adds another layer to the city’s endless stories. After all, in a place where jazz echoes through the streets and voodoo shops neighbor five-star restaurants, the line between the living and the dead has always been delightfully blurry.
