A historic Savannah hotel has been named one of the best haunted hotels in the country, according to USA TODAY’s annual 10Best Readers' Choice Awards.
The Marshall House in Savannah ranked No. 9 in the Best Haunted Hotel category, putting the Georgia property among 10 hotels recognized in the national ranking.
The hotel is one of two Georgia properties included in the haunted-themedUSA TODAY rankings this year.
What is Georgia's most haunted hotel?
The Marshall House is located at 123 E. Broughton Street in Savannah's Historic District.
The property dates to 1851, when Mary Magdalene Marshall opened the hotel on Broughton Street. The hotel describes itself as Savannah's oldest hotel.
The building has undergone multiple renovations and was restored and reopened in 1999 after being closed
for decades. Many historic features were preserved, including original wood floors, doors, fireplaces and brick walls.
Why is The Marshall House considered haunted?
The Marshall House's reputation comes from its long and unusual history as well as reports from visitors.
The hotel says guests have occasionally reported mysterious sounds or sights and that it is often included on lists of Savannah's most haunted hotels. The hotel describes those reports as part of the property's history and says it embraces the stories with "good fun and open curiosity."
Those reports should not be confused with independently verified evidence of paranormal activity. The hotel presents them as reported experiences and part of its reputation.
The hotel has a long history
The Marshall House has been part of some major chapters in Savannah's history.
According to the hotel's history, it served as a hospital during yellow fever epidemics in the mid-1800s and later became a Union hospital during the final months of the Civil War.
The hotel eventually closed in 1957. Its upper floors were abandoned while the ground floor continued to house shops and businesses. Restoration work began again in 1998, and the hotel reopened the following year.
What other hotels made the list?
The Marshall House ranked No. 9 among USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice honorees.
The full list includes:
- Fainting Goat Island Inn (Nichols, New York)
- 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa (Eureka Springs, Arkansas)
- Farnsworth House Inn (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
- Hotel Alex Johnson Curio Collection by Hilton (Rapid City, South Dakota)
- Hotel Saranac (Saranac Lake, New York)
- Lizzie Borden House (Fall River, Massachusetts)
- Lemp Mansion Restaurant & Inn (St. Louis, Missouri)
- The Queen Mary (Long Beach, California)
- The Marshall House (Savannah, Georgia)
- The Stanley Hotel (Estes Park, Colorado)
For more information, visit 10best.usatoday.com/awards.
Vanessa Johns is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia, covering food and entertainment. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: This is the most haunted hotel in Georgia, USA TODAY says
