Some people choose a hotel for the pool. Some choose it for the points. And every October, a few choose it because a ghost supposedly lives in room 217.

If you like a good ghost story, here are 10 famously haunted hotels you can really book, with a quick look at the legend behind each one. And because this is a points site, I'll also point out which ones belong to a big hotel rewards program. It's only 3. And one of those 3 is a better story than it is a deal.

10 haunted hotels and the stories behind them

These are legends, not proof. But the history underneath each one is real, and that's half the fun.

  • The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado. Built in 1909. Stephen King spent a night here in 1974, in room 217, and it inspired The Shining. Staff and guests still talk about that room.
  • The Equinox, Manchester, Vermont. Mary Todd Lincoln stayed here in the summer of 1864 and loved it so much she planned to return with the President the next year. That never happened. Some say she's still checking in.
  • Bourbon Orleans Hotel, New Orleans. It started in 1817 as a grand ballroom, then became a convent, a school and an orphanage run by an order of nuns, who also cared for the sick during yellow fever outbreaks. Stories of nuns, children and a dancing ghost came along with all that history.
  • The Hollywood Roosevelt, Los Angeles. Opened in 1927 and hosted the first Academy Awards. A young Marilyn Monroe lived here early in her career, and the legend says her reflection still shows up in a mirror near the elevators.
  • The Marshall House, Savannah, Georgia. Open since 1851, and used as a hospital during the Civil War and again during yellow fever epidemics. Guests report children running in the halls and faucets turning on by themselves.
  • Fairmont Banff Springs, Alberta, Canada. A castle-style hotel in the Canadian Rockies. The best-known ghost is a bride who is said to have fallen on a staircase on her wedding day and now dances in the ballroom. The other is a friendly old bellman named Sam, who is said to still help guests.
  • The Shelbourne, Dublin, Ireland. Founded in 1824. A child's ghost, named Mary Masters in the legend, is said to be behind the giggling, footsteps and taps that turn on by themselves.
  • The Langham, London. Opened in 1865. Room 333 has the reputation, with tales of a Victorian ghost in evening dress.
  • The Emily Morgan, San Antonio, Texas. Built in 1924 as a medical office tower with its own small hospital, and now a hotel near the Alamo. People talk about a woman in white and strange noises on the 7th floor.
  • Omni Parker House, Boston. Founded in 1855 and called the oldest continuously operating hotel in the country. Its founder, Harvey Parker, is said to still wander the upper floors.

Which ones take hotel points?

Most of the list is independent, so there's no big rewards program behind it. But 3 of the hotels belong to one:

  • The Shelbourne is part of Marriott's Autograph Collection, so you can book it with Marriott Bonvoy points.
  • The Emily Morgan is a DoubleTree by Hilton, so Hilton Honors points work there.
  • Fairmont Banff Springs is a Fairmont, which belongs to Accor, and Accor's program (called ALL) works like a rebate. Every 2,000 points takes about €40 off a stay.

The number of points a night costs changes by date, so I won't quote one here. Check the hotel's own page for the dates you want.

Are points a good deal here? Do the 10-second math

This is the part that's scarier than any ghost. Before you spend points on a night, divide the cash price by the points price. The answer is what each point is worth on that night.

Here's an example with made-up numbers. A room costs $300 in cash, or 60,000 points. Divide: $300 ÷ 60,000 = $0.005, or half a cent per point. Now ask yourself if that's a good use of the points. If the same points could cover a room that would otherwise cost $600, you'd be getting twice as much from them.

So the rule of thumb is simple. When the cash price is low, pay cash and keep your points. Save them for the nights when the cash price is high and the points price isn't.

And for the 7 hotels with no program behind them? Some bank travel portals will book independent hotels with points at a fixed rate. That's usually not the best use of points, but it's an option if you've got a pile you're not otherwise using.

The takeaway

If you want a haunted night paid with points, your options on this list are the Shelbourne, the Emily Morgan and Fairmont Banff Springs. Run the math first. If the number comes out low, pay cash and keep the points for a night where they go further. The ghosts don't care how you paid.

I keep points this simple over on YouTube too, at @ChasingSummerPoints: short videos on getting more trip out of the points you already have. No 40-minute deep dives.