The Hotel Monte Vista, the name itself, oozes grandeur and old-school aesthetics. The hotel stands just around the corner of San Fransisco Street, and Aspenand stands off the historic Route 66. This is an actual touchstone for all the citizens.
With the Canyon countries close to it and the majestic mountains, the hotel is an amazing place to relax, and you get to witness all the wonderful natural things that Northern Arizona is presenting you with. This hotel is the centerpiece of Historic Downtown Flagstaff. You will get a direct look into the lifestyle of the American West.
Brief Overview
Back in the middle of the 1920s, the locals came to an agreement that Flagstaff required some first-class accommodations. The hotels that existed back then looked old and outdated. They started fundraising in April 1926. Within a month, they raised a total of almost $200,000. Some prominent citizens and the novelist Zane Grey contributed substantial amounts to these funds. They started building the hotel on June 8 of the same year.
The Monte Vista was the longest-held commercial property in Arizona till a private investor bought it in 1960. It is still one of the oldest standing hotels in Flagstaff and has made it to the list of U.S. Registrar of Historic Places. It is a genuine treasure of Northern Arizona.
The Underground Tunnels
There is a rumor in the city that the Chinese immigrants built the underground tunnels and made their way through downtown Flagstaff. The Babbitt’s Backcountry, Weatherford Hotel, and Hotel Monte Vista have access to the basement tunnels.
Back in the 1900s, a large fire broke in the block and devastated most of the buildings in downtown Flagstaff. They blamed the Chinese migrant workers for their cleaning and cooking practices. Prior to this incident, the Chinese people started using the underground tunnel system to get in and out of the town without facing any harassment.
Now, people use the tunnel mostly for piping and storage purposes. But most of the part of this tunnel is used for a lot of suspicious activities. People have discovered Moonshine distilleries, opium dens, gambling machines, and some other relics from the darkest corners of this underworld.
The Haunting Tales of Hotel Monte Vista
The Monte Vista was always popular because of the haunting tales. The buildings in its vicinity are of the same age. It is believed that those might also be hosts to some of the old-school spirits.
The city has a colorful history, and it might be the reason why a few spirits are holding back from it. The housekeeping staff are the best people who will let you in on the haunting tales if you wish to know while visiting the hotel. But to know now, read the section below.
The Meat Man (Room 220)
This long-term boarder was popular for his unusual habit of hanging meat from the chandeliers. In the initial part of the 1980s, people found him dead in his room. They discovered his body three days after he died.
It was not very long after his death when one of the maintenance workers left that particular room for a moment. When he came back, he saw that the television was switched on, and the volume was on full. The bedsheet was ripped to shreds. Moreover, he found the room completely messed up.
Now, people say that whenever a guest takes up that room, the television works on its own, and there are also reports that when guests are sleeping, they often feel a cold hand touching them.
The Rocking Chair (Room 305)
Room 305 is one of the most active rooms in the hotel. Moreover, there are many paranormal shows that have featured this room. This is also a very popular room among those who are a little curious about these paranormal activities that people talk about.
Many people have reported that they have seen a woman sitting by the window in a rocking chair. Housekeeping staff and guests often speak of seeing the chair moving by itself, and they have also heard someone knocking from inside the closet.
People have been circulating a story over the years that an old woman used to live in this room for rent. She used to sit by the window for hours towards the end of her life. Nobody knew what she was looking for or looking at. Maybe she was waiting for someone and still is, even in death.
Women of the Night (Room 306)
The red light district of Flagstaff was founded years ago by the south of the rail tracks. It is just two blocks from Hotel Monte Vista. Back in the 1940s, one of the guests brought two prostitutes to room 306. Nobody knows what went down after that. But he killed both the women and threw their bodies to the cold streets from the third floor.
Numerous guests have mentioned over the years that they could not sleep properly in the room. They woke up in the middle of the night and could not go back to sleep. They felt like someone was watching them.
Many of the male guests have often reported that they have felt a cold hand on their mouth or throat, trying to choke them, and they woke up unable to breathe.
The Phantom Bellboy (Room 210)
Many guests have reported that they heard a knock on the door and a voice calling out “room service,” but when they opened the door, they did not find anyone standing outside. Some of the guests have reported seeing a bellboy waiting outside room 210.
John Wayne, one of the guests, said that he encountered this ghost while he was staying at the hotel. He said that the ghost of the bellboy was quite friendly and did not threaten him in any way.
The housekeepers of the hotel often find the antics of that bellboy they heard about. There was a report when someone saw a young male in an old-fashioned red coat and brass buttons walking down the halls of the hotel.
The Dancing Couple
There have been instances where the patrons and the lounge staff have seen a couple dancing in the lounge area. They are seen wearing formals, giggling with one another, and dancing eternally.
Bottom line
The guests of the Hotel Monte Vista get the opportunity to explore the beauty of Northern Arizona. The hotel offers all the amenities possible, looks after te comfort of the guests, and takes it as their first priority. Along with that, if you meet a few of their eternal guests, then what is the harm in that?
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