Is the Stanley Hotel Really Haunted? The Truth Behind The Shining's Inspiration

Room 217. The Stanley Hotel. Stephen King. If you're into haunted places, you know these names are forever linked. But what's the real story behind America's most famous allegedly haunted hotel?

In this episode of The Dark Folio, we dive deep into the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado—the grand historic resort that inspired Stephen King's "The Shining." We'll explore:

✦ The TRUE story of the 1911 gas explosion in Room 217 and housekeeper Elizabeth Wilson✦ What really happened when Stephen King stayed there in 1974✦ Why Stanley Kubrick filmed the 1980 movie at Timberline Lodge instead✦ The ironic story of the hedge maze the hotel built in 2015✦ Whether the hauntings are real, or if "The Shining" created them✦ How the hotel just sold for $400 MILLION in 2025

From F.O. Stanley's desperate search for a tuberculosis cure in 1903, to Flora Stanley's phantom piano playing, to the children's laughter on the fourth floor—we separate fact from fiction and give you everything you need to decide for yourself: Is the Stanley Hotel genuinely haunted, or is it the greatest ghost story marketing campaign ever?

Featured Topics: Stanley Hotel history, Room 217 hauntings, Stephen King inspiration, The Shining filming locations, Elizabeth Wilson ghost, paranormal investigation, haunted hotels Colorado, Estes Park

Perfect for fans of: Ghost stories, true hauntings, Stephen King, horror history, paranormal investigation, skeptical inquiry

🎧 Listen now and decide: Would YOU stay in Room 217?

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