More Travel News

Where to Sleep with a Ghost in New England

October 2005 -- Ready to cozy up with your sweetie...in a B&B that might have a few guests that checked in but never checked out? Every year, BedandBreakfast.com releases its list of the allegedly haunted places where you can stay. Check out this list of B&Bs in New England that are known for their long-term guests:

Captain Grant’s Inn, Poquetanuck, CT - Visitors to this historic 1754 inn are told when they arrive if they hear the loud knock at the door, they can answer if they like, but nobody will be there. And those who stay at the Adelaide Room are sure to have some contact with the mysterious woman and her two children who once lived there, whether it be through the TV turning on and off or the shower curtain continuously falling down. While visiting, take a tour of the local cemeteries, also known to house their own ghostly dwellers. Info: 800-982-1772.

Penny House Inn, Eastham, MA: Home to the “Goodnight Ghost”, along with other playful spirits, ghost stories from this inn are well documented in Haunted Houses of Cape Cod. One ghost named Charlotte loves to turn the music up full blast in the inn’s on-site spa, so care is taken before every treatment to turn the music down. Charlotte loves the new spa, built in the oldest part of the inn dating back to 1690. It is said her approval gives the spa positive energy. Info: 800-554-1751.

Colonial House Inn and Restaurant, Yarmouth Port, MA: There are many stories about haunted happenings at this inn. One guest recounted how he felt someone tapping him on the shoulder and when he looked up he saw a transparent figure of a woman wearing a bonnet. A year or two after that, the same person staying in a different room felt pressure on his back; he saw a shadowy figure, very low to the ground, which quickly vanished from the room. Info: 800-999-3416.

Thaddeus Clapp House, Pittsfield, MA: Playwright Peter Bergman had a one-on-one with the spirit that resides here when he was rehearsing a play in the B&B’s drawing room, where the original owners held “parlor plays” in the 1800s. This friendly spirit is a former member of the Clapp family, doing its best to welcome guests of their beloved home. Info: 888-499-6840.

Nichols Guest Rooms, Seekonk, MA: Legend tells us that the original owner of this 200-year-old Colonial home took his own life. Shadows and strange sounds in the night, and lights mysteriously flickering on and off ensure that guests know that friendly spirits remain. Info: 508-761-7146.

Coach Stop Inn, Bar Harbor, ME: The oldest lodging establishment on Mount Desert Island, this former tavern and coach stop is home to Abbe, a spirited little girl who loves music. Strange noises, flickering lights and fleeting reflections may be Abbe singing, or they may be additional spirits. Who knows. Info: 800-927-3097.

Peace With-Inn, Fryeburg, ME: This home was owned by the same family for ten generations, starting in 1777, and continuing until Chester and Alice Black, the last family members in residence, died in the house in the mid-1970s. The present innkeepers consider the Blacks their “spiritual innkeepers,” when they find decorations re-arranged, doors locked, and hear floorboards creaking. Info: 877-935-7322.

Greenville Inn, Greenville, ME: Last summer, a guest staying in the Carriage House Suite (an original part of the inn) reported in full detail about her encounter with a lovely young female ghost. The guest told of the sounds of the crinoline skirt swishing by, the cool breeze as the ghost passed by and the door she opened. She concluded her story by asking everyone to be kind to this ghost, since she was very sweet and lovely. Info: 888-695-6000.

Captain Lindsey House, Rockland, ME: Captain Lindsey is still hanging around the Captain Lindsey House, along with 35 other spirits, according to what he told the “spiritologists” on their recent visit to the inn. Included in the band of happy ghosts is the Captain himself, along with T. B. Severence, the 41-year-old who purchased the inn from George Lindsey in 1857, a dominant spirit named Ensign, a five-year-old named Jeffrey and a four-year-old named Emmy, both of whom are waiting for their father to come and get them. The majority of the spiritual activity usually takes place in the parlor, where glasses of water slide across tables, and doors have been known to slam on their own. Info: 800-523-2145.

LimeRock Inn, Rockland, ME: When experts of the paranormal visited the LimeRock Inn, they felt the presence of many people in the front parlor – vestiges of the patients that once sat in the parlor waiting room, when the inn was home and office to Dr. Lawry, the local physician. A number of giggling phantoms played at the top of the stairs, checking in with the visiting paranormals. Many of the presences at the LimeRock Inn gaze longingly out the windows. All are friendly, and it’s clear that happy family members are still hanging out here to welcome guests also in search of friendly spirits. Info: 800-546-3762 .

1794 WATCHTIDE...by the Sea, Searsport, ME: Spirits reside here playing music and pranks on innkeepers and guests. Their presence is gentle and the innkeepers claim this is the perfect place to sleep with a spirit. Info: 800-698-6575.

Three Chimney’s Inn, Durham, NH: Innkeeper, Karen Meyer, feels an “angel on her shoulder” here, and one night after a particularly long week she received a clear message from her guardian angel. The office door was mysteriously locked after a long day, a strange phenomenon since the office can only be locked with a key, and no one with keys had locked it. To emphasize the message, the office computer, which remains on at all times, was also turned off. “Time to go home and relax” was the angelic message. Info: 888-399-9777.

Sugar Hill Inn, Franconia, NH: One evening, an elderly couple came to visit, then disappeared through a locked door. Shadowy sightings of a male figure have been seen in the kitchen too, where the original owner of the inn passed away. Could he be coming back to check on the inn’s success? We’ll never know. Info: 800-548-4748.

Beal House, Littleton, NH: Slamming doors and late-night stomping up and down stairs allow the haunted dwellers of this inn to make their presence known. Another time, the housekeeper felt a distinct hip check from one side to another, as if someone was pushing her aside. One night, when two guests were sitting in front of the fire enjoying tea, they clearly heard voices. Beckoning women at the end of the bed in the middle of the night, and plenty of other sightings are recounted by innkeepers. Info: 603-444-2661.

Inn at Jackson, Jackson, NH: Jason, once the trusted workman at the inn, committed suicide as a young adult, yet often comes back to check on repairs at the inn. Guests have been awakened with hammering, and staff have caught glances of movement and activity as they check on rooms, primarily on the second and third floor. Jason is a peaceful presence, bringing a smile to the innkeepers face as he explains his comings and goings. But Jason is not alone, the water mysteriously turns on and off in Room Two; some say by the ghostly old man who’s been seen there. Info: 800-289-8600.

Golden Stage Inn, Cavendish, VT: The innkeepers have become so familiar with the young friendly spirit who appears dressed in a traveling cloak and a large brimmed hat, that they’ve named him George. He appears often, and sometimes plays tricks on the innkeepers. This Halloween, guests are invited to help decorate and come in disguise. Who knows, you might even get a glimpse of George. Call 800-253-8226.

For more Halloween packages and events:

• visit www.BedandBreakfast.com and click on Advanced Search. Choose Special Packages, then Halloween Happenings from the drop down box.

Related Pages:

• Where to Sleep with a Ghost in the Midwest and Great Lakes States
• Where to Sleep with a Ghost in the West and Southwest
• Where to Sleep with a Ghost in the South
• Where to Sleep with a Ghost in the Mid-Atlantic States