It may look empty now, but this cozy living room at The Little Nell is filled tothe brim during apres ski hours.Photo by Lindley Arnoldy
My husband and I cannot resist a trip to Matsuhisa. On the menu: Yellow tailsashimi with jalapenoPhoto by Lindley Arnoldy
Hunt for buried treasure at vintage hot spot The Little Bird. My absolutefavorite! (There's a Houston location of the store, too.)Photo by Lindley Arnoldy
MAX is a high-end contemporary boutique that carries Rick Owens, YSL and ProenzaSchouler.Photo by Lindley Arnoldy
Taking to the slopes around Aspen.Photo by Paul Morrison
My obsession at MAX: An embossed and colorful Proenza Schouler PS1Photo by Lindley Arnoldy
I can't resist the winter sale at the Aspen Ralph Lauren store.Photo by Lindley Arnoldy
Tiny, yet well selected Nuages boutique has a unique assortment of Alaia.Photo by Lindley Arnoldy
Hip lunch spot: Try a pizza or the warm tomato basil soup.Photo by Lindley Arnoldy
Hit Gorsuch LTD for a variety of Bogner and fox fur boots.Photo by Lindley Arnoldy
Private club or tasty Italian cuisine, take your pick at Casa Tua.Photo by Lindley Arnoldy
Known by many as the best restaurant in town, Cache Cache is known for its finecuisine and exclusive clientele.Photo by Lindley Arnoldy
Boogie's hosts a killer denim selection downstairs and a '50s diner upstairs.Photo by Lindley Arnoldy
Shop chic home decor at Amen Wardy.Photo by Lindley Arnoldy
If you hear something knocking during a vacation in San Antonio, it might not be housekeeping. Two of the city's downtown landmark hotels — the Gunter and the Emily Morgan — have been named among the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 25 most haunted hotels in the U.S.
Each year, the nonprofit’s Historic Hotels of America program recognizes iconic properties where things are said to go bump in the night. It’s a playful way to highlight the organization’s work to preserve the nation’s diverse historic buildings and neighborhoods, whether one believes in the supernatural or not. The San Antonio pair were the only Texas properties to earn the hair-raising honors.
“The list invites heritage and cultural travelers to discover historic hotels where lore and legends make for memorable stays,” explained the trust in a release. “For believers and skeptics alike, these one-of-a-kind hotels preserve tales of guests who never want to leave and staff who never stopped helping.”
The Emily Morgan returned to the list after a year’s reprieve (maybe someone forgot this year’s blessing). The trust noted that the 102-year-old building is considered one of North America’s most active paranormal sites, owing to its original use as a medical building. Carved grotesques on the facade writhe from tooth pain and stomachaches. Inside, spectral nurses are said to be still providing care.
“On the fourteenth floor, guests have reported a hospital-like smell and, on rare occasions, visions of a hospital scene rather than their guestroom when they open the door from the hallway,” wrote Historic Hotels. “On the twelfth floor, guests have reported bathroom doors opening and closing on their own, lights flashing, and apparitions of nurses pushing rickety gurneys down the corridor before vanishing.”
Not pictured: Gunter's resident shadowy figure.Photo by Daniel Kelleghan Photography
Although medical manifestations are unsettling enough, the other San Antonio hotel on the list has a more gruesome claim to fame. Built in 1909, the Gunter Hotel boasts a room that is only slightly less notorious than The Shining’s Room 237. Room 636 was the site of one of Alamo City’s most famous murders.
In 1965, a housekeeper found ex-con Walter Emerick standing beside a blood-soaked bed. Police found empty wine bottles, bloody footprints, strands of blonde hair, and women’s clothing, but never found the body. Emerick left a psychic stain all over downtown, booking it to the St. Anthony’s room 536 (he reportedly asked to stay in 636 again), where he offed himself before arrest. The Gunter never quite recovered from his brief stay.
“Since the 1960s, guests and staff have reported unsettling phenomena, including unexplained cold spots, flickering lights, and faint whispers or footsteps when no one is present,” said Historic Hotels. “Some claim to have seen a shadowy figure lingering near the doorway or caught the faint scent of cigar smoke despite the hotel’s smoking prohibition.”
Still, the dark specters have not kept the Gunter from receiving another honor this year. Historic Hotels recently named it the Best City Center Historic Hotel, given to the property that “best celebrates its history in the guest experience and provides exceptional customer hospitality and service.”
Both of San Antonio’s haunted hotels have largely embraced their eerie reputations. The Emily Morgan proudly touts its mysterious occurrences on one of its webpages. The Gunter glosses over some of the more grisly details of room 636 on its own page, and assures guests the room has since been remodeled.
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