The Haunting of Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa — Hot Springs, Arkansas

Hot Springs, Garland County, Arkansas

Photo: Wikipedia

Nestled in the heart of Hot Springs National Park, the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa isn’t just a luxury destination — it’s one of the most paranormally active places in Arkansas. With a past stretching back to 1875, this grand hotel has survived fires, hosted presidents, and welcomed infamous figures like Al Capone. And some say it still hosts... guests who never left.

The current building — the third incarnation of the Arlington — opened in 1924, and its elegant 1920s design masks a legacy of tragedy, mystery, and ghostly encounters. From the moment you enter the grand lobby, you can feel it: this is no ordinary hotel.

One of the most talked-about areas is Room 443, famously favored by gangster Al Capone. Guests who stay there report cold drafts, strange shadows, flickering lights, and the sound of muffled voices through the walls — even when no one else is nearby. It’s said Capone even had a private escape route out of the hotel... but perhaps his spirit never took it.

The fourth, seventh, and eighth floors are also rife with supernatural activity. Elevators operate on their own. Doors open and slam shut without explanation. Some guests feel sudden cold spots or the eerie sensation of being watched. Others claim to have seen a woman in white wandering the halls — a spirit whose identity remains unknown to this day.

Hotel employees have told stories of a ghostly former staff member who still performs his duties after death, especially near the laundry and maintenance areas. Whispers in empty corridors, phantom footsteps, and vanishing figures are all part of the Arlington experience for those attuned to the otherworldly.

With its historic mineral springs baths, ties to organized crime, and luxurious facade, the Arlington is both a glamorous getaway and a haunted haven. Visitors come for the charm... but some leave with stories they can’t quite explain.

Are the spirits tied to the land's ancient healing waters? Or do they stem from the hotel’s long and complicated past?

One thing is certain — the Arlington’s ghosts aren’t just part of the legend. To many who visit, they’re still very real.

Address: 239 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71901
Phone: (501) 623-7771
Public access: Yes, open to guests.

The Hauntings of the Crescent Hotel

The Crescent Hotel – Carroll County, Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Photograph ©Kathy Weiser, 2005

Nestled in the enchanting town of Eureka Springs lies the renowned Crescent Hotel, an exquisite Victorian-Gothic masterpiece. Over the years and continuing to the present day, numerous accounts of paranormal occurrences and restless spirits have added an intriguing layer to its rich history.

Among the reported phenomena, a distinguished figure clad in Victorian attire has been spotted in various areas of the hotel. One guest encountered this spectral presence in the lobby and later found him at the foot of their bed, emitting an ethereal glow while silently observing as they slept.

Another guest shared a similar encounter at the hotel's bar, where the apparition appeared so lifelike that attempts at conversation were made. However, the ghostly figure remained indifferent, fixating on a point ahead. When two patrons tried engaging with him, assuming he was intoxicated, they were startled to find him gone as they glanced back upon leaving. Astonishingly, the apparition reappeared on the second-floor landing, disappearing mysteriously when a guest ascended the staircase. Strangely, the same guest felt a firm grip on his arm, forcibly guiding him back to the lobby.

On a separate occasion, a salesman staying at the hotel was abruptly awakened by an unseen force shaking and attempting to push him out of bed. Yet, upon illuminating the room, he discovered himself alone.

A Sunday morning at the front desk brought an unexpected event when a set of locked French doors suddenly burst open, unleashing a chilling wind that swept through the lobby and exited through another door.

Venturing to the third floor unveils another spectral tale—a nurse pushing a gurney down the hallway. Witnessed by numerous guests, the nurse, dressed in white, vanishes into thin air. In the hotel's earlier incarnation as a hospital, a dubious doctor, later imprisoned for defrauding the public with fraudulent medical treatments, adds a dark chapter to its history.

Address:
75 Prospect Avenue
Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632
(479) 253-9766
Website

The Haunting of the Arkansas Old State House Museum

Old State House – Pulaski County, Little Rock, Arkansas

Photograph ©Andy & Frank, 2005-2006

The Old State House was constructed between the years of 1833 – 1842. This building was formerly the state capital of Arkansas until a new capital building was built in 1912. The structure served as a barracks during the Civil War, to the Union troops and also served as a medical school at one point in time. In 1947, the building became, what is now known to be, the Arkansas History Museum or the Old State House Museum.

In 1837, when the house was still the state capital building, a fight broke out between two house members. Member, John Wilson, apparently stabbed another house member to death during this fight. Mr. Wilson was acquitted of the murder and it was deemed “excusable homicide”. However, the incident ruined his career and he apparently never got over it. Mr. Wilson’s apparition is said to haunt the building, perhaps, in death, he has regained his esteemed position that he could not salvage in life. The spirit has been seen walking the aisles of the central hall on the second floor and is reported to wear nineteen-hundreds clothing.


Address:
300 West Markham Street
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
(501) 324-9685
Website

The Haunting of Southern Arkansas University

Southern Arkansas University – Columbia County, Magnolia, Arkansas

Photograph ©Magnolia, Arkansas Website

Bussey Hall, a residence hall of Southern Arkansas University, is said to house the apparitions of several females and many living residents have complained of strange happenings.

One resident claims that while in her room one night she suddenly felt she wasn’t alone. She was sitting on one side of the bed with her back to the door, when she claims she felt the edge of the bed go down behind her, as if someone had just sat down on it. The girl said she was too terrified to mover or scream and then the edge of the bed raised up (as if someone had stood up) and the feeling she had, went away. She immediately got up and checked her door but it was still locked!

Many other residents have reported their stereos and television coming on by themselves, with the volume full blast! Another claimed that she had placed a loaf of bread on the window sill and it threw itself onto the floor in the center of the room!

Others say that the attic light seems to go on and off on its own and that the attic is kept locked. The only person with a key is the dorm director and they would have no reason for going to the attic at night (or during the day).


Address:
100 East University
Magnolia, Arkansas 71753
(870) 235-4000
Website