Ghost Stories of The Hotel Colorado

The events that follow have been related by reliable hotel staff, most have been confirmed by a second witness.

Over 100 years, the Hotel Colorado has hosted thousands of guests. Some of the staff have wondered if certain guests never leave. Many people have reported that they smell the aroma of cigar smoke in the lobby when nobody around is smoking. Hotel staff smell it at the front desk. Things like keys or files turn up missing and then reappear in the place in which they vanished.

A night auditor in the 1980's saw a figure with charcoal gray slacks and a red and white vest. Upon seeing the same image on a Sunday night in 1993, a desk clerk and kitchen staff reported that after catching a glimpse, it immediately vanished. Night auditors inform me that usually between 2-4 a.m., peculiar things happen. The elevator moves between floors with no one on it. Doors on the Colorado Room Open and close for no reason. Housekeeping staff has related many times that the laundry doors downstairs have been locked at night. The following morning, after obtaining a key from the front desk, they arrive at the laundry room to find the doors wide open. A houseman in the early 1980's frequently locked up the basement and turned the light out. Upon returning, doors were open and the lights turned on.

While the hotel was serving as a hospital, a former chambermaid named Florence was murdered when she became part of a lover's triangle. A disheartened patient huled a heavy white pitcher at her in a jealous fit over a handsome miner from Aspen. Many guests smell perfume in the Devereux dining room and it is believed to be Florence's. In the bell towers, a woman has awakened several male guests, standing over the bed. When the men were asked how they reacted, they've usually responded that they pulled the covers over their head.

It is believed that a little girl fell from one of the balconies while chasing a ball. Many of the guests have seen a young girl wearing Victorian clothing, playing catch with their childen. In 1987, an older lady called the front desk and asked the night clerk if he had given a key to a little girl. The lady was in bed and the girl was standing at the bed's foot. This lady returned for several years, always to the same room. She told the desk agent that she visits with the child.

After extensive remodeling, workmen related the following experience that occurred in a 5th floor room. They applied wallpaper to the walls in the room. The next morning, it was all down, rolled neatly on the floor. They re-glued the paper twice with the same results. Exasperated, they left for the night leaving 3 rolls of different paper on the bed. The next morning, the paper from the bed was on the walls and the others wee on the floor. The mystery wallpaper remains on the walls today.

One night, the night auditor passed through the Devereux Dining Room numerous times between 11pm and 7am. In the early morning hours, a candle appeared on one of the tables, lit. It continued to be lit until the restaurant staff arived at 6 am. they swore the candles were all removed at closing the evening before. It couldn't possibly have burned all night since it was a 6-hour candle. This situation occured many times during the summer of 1992.

The same day, the morning cook arrived at 6am. He heard plates stacking in the Devereux dining room. When he walked in, the sound stopped. He returned to the kitchen and the noise resumed. After this occured several times, a white, misty cloud appeared in the kitchen and moved into the dining room. It aced out of the dining room and passe through one of the waitresses. The Devereux staff observed this and wee astonished.

Can there be ghosts in our midst or can these strange occurences be explained? I leave you to ponder and to draw your own conclusions.