Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

Posted: 09.24.2021 | Updated: 02.06.2025

The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is a popular holiday destination known for Old Hollywood’s rich history and glamour. Offering a mix of cutting-edge facilities and timeless elegance, it transports guests back to Hollywood’s golden age.

However, the haunted hotel in LA is not just a place for luxury and relaxation—its long history is filled with eerie tales. For decades, guests and staff have reported strange occurrences, from ghostly apparitions of stars like Marilyn Monroe to unsettling sounds like footsteps and whispers in the hallways. Many believe the spirits of former Hollywood celebrities still haunt the hotel, tied to its storied past.

Whether you’re curious about the supernatural or simply seeking a glimpse into Hollywood history, the Hollywood Roosevelt offers an unforgettable experience filled with both glamour and mystery.

The spirits of LA are calling! Book a tour with LA Ghosts and step into the eerie world of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel’s haunted history.

Is The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Haunted?

Is the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel haunted? Many believe it is, thanks to its long history and eerie stories. Since it opened in 1927, the haunted hotel in LA has been the site of countless celebrity moments—and just as many chilling encounters. Guests and staff have reported strange happenings, including ghostly apparitions of figures like Marilyn Monroe, said to appear near her old suite, and unexplained sounds like footsteps or whispers in the halls.

Whether you’re a skeptic or not, the hotel’s spooky reputation is hard to ignore. With its mix of Hollywood glamour and ghostly legends, the Hollywood Roosevelt offers an unforgettable experience for those curious enough to explore its haunted past.

The Birth of a Hollywood Icon

Thanks to a great group of investors, including Sid Grauman, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel came to life. It opened its doors on May 15, 1927, with numerous celebrities in attendance. Clara Bow, Gloria Swanson, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin, and Will Rogers were there to join the opening festivities.

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is an opulent 12-story building with 300 guest rooms, including 63 suites and lots of offices and conference rooms. During that time, it cost $2.5 million to complete.

That was several decades ago, but even today, the structure boasts luxury. Stunningly painted ceilings. Marble columns. Wrought-iron chandeliers. Sumptuous fountains. It was a building designed to be of service to the wealthy and famous.

Its reputation as an iconic landmark was further sealed when it was chosen to be the venue of the first-ever Academy Awards in 1929. That was also the shortest Oscar event ever, lasting only five minutes.

Since then, the hotel has become a top choice for all kinds of social events. That includes tons of movie shoots and premieres involving big names in the film and entertainment industry.

A Legacy Restored

However, in the 1950s, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel went into decline. Many parts of the building were demolished. Its elaborate ceilings were altered and repainted seafoam green. The downward turn in its operations and reputation went on for years.

The hotel was almost torn down in the 1980s if it wasn’t for the help of the luxury hotel chain Radisson Hotels. Equipped with the hotel’s historic photographs and original blueprints, they implemented a $35 million project to restore the building to its former glory.

That renovation and restoration work resulted in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel we know today—a historic building filled with modern-day perks and amenities upper-income earners enjoy. Among the most recent additions is the multi-million dollar David Hockney painting at the bottom of Tropicana Pool. That mural is, in itself, considered an architectural wonder.

In the early 2000s, the good old Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel regained its reputation as a place-to-be for the stars. Modern-day celebrities have started to frequent the hotel, including Lindsay Lohan, Kirsten Dunst, Paris Hilton, Scarlett Johansson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Bruce Willis, Angelina Jolie, and Eva Longoria. 

Hollywood Beginnings: Stars Who Started at the Roosevelt

The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, a legendary haunted hotel in LA, has witnessed the highs and lows of many iconic stars. Some even began their careers within the walls of this historic structure.

Young Shirley Temple took her first-ever tap dancing lessons on the hotel’s stairway. Her teacher? None other than tap dancer, actor, and singer Bill Robinson, the highest-paid African-American entertainer in the first half of the 20th century.

Actor Lew Ayres’ six-decade Hollywood career started at the Blossom Room when he asked an actress to dance with him. Luckily, his skills and charm caught the eye of her agent.

When English actor David Niven was first trying his luck in the entertainment industry, one of the hotel clerks felt sorry for him and allowed him to stay in a small room for free. He eventually reached his movie-star dreams and won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1958 film Separate Tables.

Legends Who Called the Roosevelt Home

Sweethearts Clark Gable and Carole Lombard started their high-profile love affair at the famous Gable-Lombard Penthouse, a 1,200-square-foot outdoor space on the hotel’s rooftop. They used to stay in this place for five dollars a night, enjoying quality time together and the spectacular Hollywood Hills view.

Actor Montgomery Clift stayed in Room 928 for three months in 1952 while filming From Here to Eternity. This movie ultimately earned him his third Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. His stay at the hotel remains one of the best moments of his life.

Many celebrity guests have stayed at the hotel, but probably the most famous is Marilyn Monroe. She lived at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel for two years in the 1940s when she started her modeling career. Her first professional magazine shoot for a lotion brand took place at the Hollywood Roosevelt’s pool.

The room she stayed in is now called the Marilyn Suite, a 750-square-foot suite featuring vintage furniture, sleek hardwood floors, and mid-century accents. It is one of the most requested rooms at the hotel—for good reason.

Famous Guests From the Afterlife

Guests typically leave after a few days. However, some of them didn’t—even after their death. Following the significant restoration work in 1984, spirits around the building became restless and increasingly active.

Apart from being a top holiday destination, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel now enjoys a ghostly reputation as a haunted hotel in LA. Unseen beings are said to roam the building’s premises, unable to find closure and eternal peace. Visitors and staff have reported eerie encounters, from shadowy figures in dimly lit hallways to sudden cold spots and mysterious whispers. Whether drawn by its luxurious past or its paranormal presence, the hotel continues to attract thrill-seekers and ghost hunters eager to experience its supernatural side.

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe endured a loveless childhood and mental health issues, all while being the center of public attention. Sadly, she never got the help she needed. Instead, she turned to alcohol, drugs, and sex to chase all the emotional pain away.

People say that until today, her troubled, unhappy soul still roams her old suite 1200, as well as other parts of the hotel. The most notable apparitions involve a full-length mirror that used to be in her old suite. The sightings got so bad; the staff was forced to move the mirror in the hallway to avoid losing guests. 

Her ghost has also been seen dancing in the Blossom Ballroom, the venue of the first-ever Academy Awards. This eerie sight adds to the growing legend of the haunted hotel in LA, where the spirits of Hollywood’s past still seem to linger in the shadows.

Montgomery Clift

Montgomery Clift’s 1958 car accident marked the end of his career in the movie industry. He never completely recovered from the incident and turned to alcohol and drug abuse to make himself feel better. His drug use seriously affected his job as an actor, resulting in a life filled with career frustrations. 

His restless spirit is said to wander in Room 928 and the 9th-floor hallway. Some maids have felt something cold brush by them while cleaning and have felt a presence walk beside them. 

One of the most chilling experiences came from a guest. It happened one night while she was in bed reading, with her husband beside her. All of a sudden, someone patted her shoulder. Thinking it was her husband, she turned to talk to him but was so surprised to see him asleep. 

Peter James, a psychic, also spent a night in Room 928 and saw Clift’s ghost sitting on a chair in one corner of the room. He watched his spirit for several minutes in that same spot until it disappeared. 

Spirit of Caroline, a Five-Year-Old Girl 

Caroline is the youngest among the hotel’s known spectral residents. She was first encountered by Peter James in the Academy Room back in 1992, but it was in the Penthouse Library when the psychic got to communicate with her. He saw her crying, so he asked what was wrong. She said she’s worried about her mom getting hurt. She simply disappeared when the psychic tried to comfort her. 

Until today, Caroline still plays around and roams the hallways while looking for her mother. Guests and employees say that she looks like a real child, usually wearing a pink jacket and jeans. One of the receptionists who saw her thought she was alive as she skipped around the lobby, singing like an ordinary kid. 

Two Unknown Male Spirits in the Blossom Ballroom

A male entity, possibly an actor back in the 1920s, graces the Blossom Ballroom while dressed in a tuxedo as if attending an event. According to psychics, he was an award nominee and an Oscar banquet attendee who is still very much attached to his career and dreams. 

The Blossom Ballroom is a favorite spot of another male ghost in a tuxedo, this time a piano-playing one. Some guests were exploring the mezzanine area when they heard him playing the piano. When they looked over the balcony, they saw that he was wearing a white tuxedo. He disappeared moments after he was seen. 

Unknown Entities by the Swimming Pool

Security personnel monitoring CCTV cameras at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel have reported a chilling sight: a figure swimming in the pool late at night or when the pool is closed for guests. These strange occurrences often take place after hours, when the hotel is quiet, and the pool area is off-limits. When security rushes to investigate, they find no one there—only the ripples of the water left behind, as though someone had just been swimming moments before.

This haunting has become one of the most talked-about phenomena at the hotel, further adding to its reputation as a haunted hotel in LA. Some believe that the spirit of a past guest, possibly a former celebrity, continues to enjoy the waters long after their passing. Others speculate that it could be a residual energy—a haunting replay of a moment frozen in time. Either way, the mystery persists, and the hotel remains a place where the boundary between the living and the dead is especially thin.

Haunted Hotel in Hollywood

It’s clear that strong emotional attachments keep the spirits lingering at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, a renowned haunted hotel in LA. Some souls seem to be searching for something they lost—like a child wandering the hallways, calling out for her mother. Others, such as a once-promising actor haunted by career frustrations, may still be reliving their struggles. Then there are those whose lives were tragically cut short, like a pop culture icon who succumbed to substance abuse and mental health issues, forever tethered to the place they once called home.

But not all spirits remain due to sorrow. Some seem to have stayed because of the wonderful memories they made within the hotel’s historic walls. The glamour, romance, and excitement of Old Hollywood still linger, creating an atmosphere where the past feels very much alive.

Haunted Los Angeles

Ever wondered what secrets lie beneath the glamorous surface of Hollywood? While the city is known for its stars and cinematic legacy, there’s a darker side that has captivated the curious for decades. One of the most haunted spots in Los Angeles is the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, a legendary haunted hotel in Hollywood steeped in history. With its association to eerie events and untimely deaths, the hotel’s spine-chilling reputation only deepens its mystique, making it a place where the supernatural seems to linger in the shadows.

Once a luxurious haven for the elite, the Hollywood Roosevelt’s opulent design continues to attract visitors with its timeless elegance and rich past. But it’s the hotel’s eerie connection to the supernatural that truly captivates the curious.

Guests and staff have reported strange occurrences, from ghostly apparitions of former celebrities in the hallways to unsettling sounds of footsteps and whispers in the night. With its legendary Hollywood history and haunting present, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, a renowned haunted hotel in LA, is a must-see for those in search of a spine-tingling, unforgettable experience.

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Sources:

• https://www.tatler.com/article/the-real-story-of-marilyn-monroe
• https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/the-hollywood-roosevelt/history.php
• https://journalhotels.com/thejournalist/7230/the-restoration-of-david-hockneys-underwater-work-of-art/
• https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/the-hollywood-roosevelt-reimagined-penthouse-suites-1235856793/
• https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/09/scandals-of-classic-hollywood-montgomery-clift