The Wandering Hotel Spirit

I have worked at a certain hotel for the past 2-3 years. It has changed names three times. Not only have our guests had strange and unusual experiences but so have we. We do not advertise the hotel for its playful spirits and are not allowed to mention the name.

The most recent experience occurred on 5/12/2010. Our guests arriving at 2:00 pm were placed in 2 rooms with double beds. Somewhere around 6:00 pm, I received a call from room number #116. The guests were having some kind of unusual electrical problem with the lights in the room. There had been no prior complaints of any electrical problems so naturally I was skeptical and told them I would be over in about 5 minutes. I finished my paperwork and went and knocked on #116. The guests re-iterated how the lights had gone on & off all around the room on different circuits. Everything appeared to be normal at first glance.

Then to my complete amazement, the lights on 3 separate panels and the bathroom light started to go on & off alternately back & forth. Three guests and myself witnessed it and all of us pretty much stood there with our mouth open. The older gentlemen spoke up and asked, "Is there any chance this room is haunted?" I had to smile because several months prior another set of guests could not get this door to unlock with a slide key. I could open it but for some strange reason the door simply would not unlock for them. Both sets of guests were given a different room on both occasions. Oddly enough, the room was re-cleaned and re-rented to other sets of guests on the first occasion and the door unlocked easily and there were no complaints from the next guests. As for the unusual electrical display, the room was checked the following day by General Manager and maintenance. No problems were found. However, we left this room off the list the following day in hopes that our little spirits would calm down.

It is not unusual to read and hear ghost stories all over Saint Augustine but our hotel won't be found on a ghost tour and we have never advertised other haunting experiences at this location. We prefer to wait and hear our guests' stories first.

Our front lobby has what appears to be a trickster of a ghost. On one occasion a guest handed over $59.59 cents in cash and change. We both counted the money with the guest who then picked up the money and placed it in my hand but somehow the change disappeared in the process. We were both searching the counter and floor on both sides when the change (seemingly) just dropped one coin at a time, out of nowhere onto the counter. My only response to our guest was, "Did you see that too?" He replied, "Yes, but let's not mention it to anyone because I don't think they would believe us!"

There are three doors in our lobby, two of which have an electronic lock and one that just has a turn bolt. All of our managers have soon and quickly learned that after dark only unlock and go out the bolted door. The main door mysteriously will click shut and lock managers out even when it is TURNED OFF!

We sometimes receive calls at the front desk from rooms that are not rented usually #119 & #122 appear on the switchboard.

Inside room #120 the sound of a woman singing can be heard coming from #119. Sometimes people can be heard talking or drawers opening and shutting or bags rattling. Number #119 is unoccupied when this occurs.

Even the General Manager has seen what he thought was a guest entering the front lobby. He rushed to the office to help the customer only to find the lobby completely empty. He even checked the closets for the man wearing a long white beard, shorts and sandals that he saw enter the main doorway.

A man has also been seen standing just inside the windows in room #227 on the second floor. The room again was empty and had not been rented that day.

Guests staying in #107 reported much activity on their ghost meters and rattling sounds at night.

Other guests in #114 felt uncomfortable and asked if this room was haunted. One renter scattered garlic around the room (????).

A repeat customer whom always stays in #124 stated that he has heard street brawls and arguing outside his door but when he opened the door no one is ever there. This man has been coming here for 8-9 years and always requests the same room.

#108 seems to have a spirit that likes to touch your arm or blow your hair to one side.

WE had repeated problems keeping the mirror on the bathroom wall in #117. It finally had to be practically glued, cemented and screwed to the wall!!!