The floors creek, doors slam, and locals swear that was a ghost you saw walking down the street last night. Sound like a perfect Halloween vacation? Then you’ll love these scary hotels in some of America’s most haunted cities.

St. Augustine, Florida

America’s oldest town prides itself on having spooky residents around every corner. Take a ghost tour before settling in for the night at The Casablanca Inn, where you might spot a lantern waving back and forth courtesy of the original owner who used the lights to signal bootleggers when law enforcement came around. The Ponce de Leon Hotel is also said to be haunted, but you can only spend the night here if you’re a registered college student as its now part of Flagler College.

Savannah, Georgia

Southerners love their ghosts and Savannah is no exception. For your best chance at coming face to face with a ghost, check in to Olde Harbour Inn, home of the popular and often-spotted Hank. East Bay Inn claims to host a ghost named Charley and swears a guest photographed the spirit in 2001.

Salem, Massachusettes

With a history of witch trials, it’s no surprise that this New England town attracts ghost hunters year round. For a particularly harrowing Halloween, book a night at Hawthorne Hotel. Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the Scarlet Letter here and today there is rumors about a haunted elevator. The Salem Inn is also believed to be haunted – past guests report mysterious toilet flushing, oh my!

Photo Britt Reints

View across the river to River Street at Westin Savannah

Savannah’s Historic District and River Street are popular destinations for tourists in the South East United States. Visitors will find charming shops, inviting squares, and restaurants serving local blue crab in every form imaginable. There are also a number of hotels to choose from among the old buildings and narrow streets.

I recently visited Savannah to enjoy the legendary St. Patrick’s Day celebration and stayed at The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa. My girlfriends and I found the location convenient, the staff hospitable, and the accommodations exactly what we’d hoped for when we selected the well-known brand. Even Risk Management was polite when they knocked on our door in the wee hours of the morning to ask us to keep our laughter down out of respect for our neighbors. (Oops!)

The Westin Savannah is located across the bridge from the famed River Street. While this may seem like a deterrent for visitors looking to spend most of their trip along the tourist-friendly strip, we actually found our location more convenient than a hotel directly in the Historic District might have been. We had free parking in a large lot and free ferry access all day and night to River Street. The ferry ride itself was not only convenient, but a soothing and beautiful experience. If we were ever too impatient to wait for a ferry (the lines were very long on the morning of the St. Patrick’s Day parade), the hotel staff helped us arrange for a quick taxi ride across the bridge.

The river-side room was very spacious with two Heavenly Beds® and a Heavenly® Bath with Dual Shower Heads that I felt too guilty to use (thanks to the environmental reminder note hanging in the shower). The view of the harbor itself was breathtaking, even if the tugboat horns at 3 am were annoying to my roommates. We also enjoyed a view of the newly renovated pool area which looked inviting. The pool area is surrounded by intimate seating areas, some of which are centered around gas fireplaces that can be used by guests in the evenings.

After spending two nights at The Westin Savannah for our girlfriend getaway, the four of us agreed that this was a great hotel for any trip to Savannah. We’d all highly recommend it to the rest of our friends and future St. Patrick’s Day revelers! Check out their website for current specials or ask the hotel representative about discounts when you call to make your reservation. We saved over $100 on regular rates during a holiday weekend thanks to a helpful customer service representative who told us about their “Pay Rates Equal to Your Birth Year!” special.

Photo by Britt Reints

One of Savannah's fountains gone green for St Patrick's Day

My bags are packed and I’m ready to go!

OK, my bags aren’t quite packed yet, but they will be soon as my girlfriends and I prepare to head to Savannah, Georgia for St. Patrick’s Day. Celebrating the High Holy Day in Savannah has been on my Life List for a few years now, ever since I discovered that the charming Southern town pulled out all the stops for a legendary party.

Interested in a last-minute trip?

Hotels start filling up for St. Patrick’s Day about a week in advance. But the holiday falling mid-week this year has left a few hotels with rooms available. That means there’s still time to be impulsive and head to Savannah for a notoriously good time!

3 Last-Minute Hotel Specials in Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day

1. Comfort Inn & Suites Midtown – literally had one room left for Wednesday and Thursday night when I called Tuesday morning. You’ll pay a little over $100 a night.
2. Holiday Inn Express Savannah Historic District - queen beds available for about $230 and king beds available for about $300. Wednesday night rates are a little lower than Thursday night rates.
3. The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa – they are currently running a special that offers your second night at the cost of the year you were born. (For example, if you were born in 1960, you only pay $60 for your second night.) Rates for Wednesday and Thursday night are running between $279 and $319 right now.

All three of these locations are in the Historic District, which is where most of the St Patrick’s Day festivities take place. The Westin is across the harbor but provides a complimentary ferry shuttle.

Remember, it’s never too late for a great trip!

Photo Credit

When thinking about a romantic getaway for two, Thanksgiving weekend is usually not the first thing to come to mind. But that’s just what The Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront, Autograph Collection in Savannah, Georgia has in mind for couples.

King Room, The Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront, Georgia

Savannah is within a day’s drive for much of the northern east coast of Florida to central Georgia the east coast of North Carolina. Arrive on the morning of Thanksgiving to a riverfront hotel and a day of relaxation with your evening planned sitting down a full Thanksgiving feast for two. Retire to your king or queen riverfront high-tech room equipped with a large screen TV, satellite programming, complimentary WiFi, and touch screen controls. The football games won’t be missed in the well-appointed room.

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