Although the Biltmore Hotel in Miami is a magnificent and well-known establishment, many people think it is haunted. Some claim that ghosts of soldiers, gangsters, and a devastated bride still prowls its hallways. Let us investigate the eerie past of this well-known hotel!
An elegant hotel with a curious past
Opening in 1926, the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Miami, soon became a preferred location for well-known and rich guests. There stayed celebrities, politicians, even bandits.
Not everything of its past, meantime, is glittering. Many visitors and employees have claimed to have felt a menacing presence, heard unusual noises, and seen ghostly figures. The Biltmore is among the most haunted locations in Florida thanks in great part to these spooky stories.
Why would this hotel be so haunted? Let’s explore its past.
The Grand Opening of the Biltmore
John McEntee Bowman, a hotel investor, and George Merrick, the creator of Coral Gables, developed the property. Inspired by great Spanish and Italian architecture, its lofty tower reflected the Giralda in Seville, Spain.
The Biltmore drew wealthy visitors right the beginning. Celebrities stayed there including Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Ginger Rogers, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Al Capone, the infamous criminal, was among guests as well!
The hotel served purposes beyond mere sleeping quarters. At the time, it boasted the biggest swimming pool in the world and a massive golf course. Movies and TV series including Bad Boys, CSI: Miami, and Miami Vice even set their backdrop against it.
The Biltmore has some sinister secrets even if it is beautiful and well-known.
The Biltmore: in World War II
The U.S. government converted the motel into a wounded soldier hospital during World War II. Hospital beds and medical personnel tending to injured troops crowded the hallways rather than extravagant celebrations.
The structure stayed a veteran’s hospital long after the war. The University of Miami started its first medical school there in 1952.
The hotel was then left deserted and the hospital closed in 1968. This is the time the ghost stories started to proliferate.
The Haunted Legends of the Biltmore
Fatty Walsh, the Ghost of a Gangster
Thomas “Fatty” Walsh is among the most well-known spirits at the Biltmore. During Prohibition, when alcohol was outlawed, he was a 1920s gangster running illicit gaming operations at the hotel.
Fatty was shot and died in 1929 in a gaming argument. He passed away in a 13th level suite; unusual incidents have been recorded there ever since.
Visitors have witnessed a big man dressed traditionally walking the 13th floor. Some hear phantom laughter, as though Fatty is still throwing crazy parties.
Others have had unusual elevational experiences. Occasionally the lift pauses on the 13th level without someone pressing the button. Some claim the doors won’t close, as though an invisible force keeps them open.
The Puzzle Elevator Operator
Many guests have claimed to have seen a man posing as an antiquated lift operator. He greets them, assists them inside, but disappears before they get to their floor!
The Spirits of Menagers
Many think the ghosts of soldiers still linger since the Biltmore was formerly a hospital during World War II. Men in military clothes have been seen by some guests strolling throughout the hallways. Others have heard far-off gunfire and marching feet.
The Ghost Wife
The account of a young bride left at the altar is among the most terrifying ones. Heartbroken, she checked herself in the motel.
Her spirit is reportedly already prowling the hallways in a flowing white bridal dress. While some guests smell gardenias, her favourite bloom, even in the absence of flowers, others experience an abrupt icy shiver when she is close.
The Years of Abandonment: An Otherworldly Playground
The Biltmore was vacant for years following the hospital closure. It grew gloomy and terrible without security or electricity.
Local adolescents sometimes sneak inside, challenging one other to explore the ghostly hallways. They related tales of seeing dark figures and hearing odd sounds.
Coral Gables resident Betsy Skipp recalls slipping in as a teenage student.
Everyone claimed it was haunted, she said. “We would try to scare one another and pack flashlights. Though truly eerie, it was fun.
Many of them broke in the city, hence a security guard had to be hired. The teenagers dubbed him “The Greenie” since he drove in a green golf cart.
Curious children still slipped in despite the guard, adding to the hotel’s mystique.
Still Haunted at the Biltmore Today
Eventually the hotel was rebuilt into a luxury resort. Today it’s a five-star location with spa, golf course, and elegant accommodations.
Nevertheless, the ghost stories have never disappeared even if the Biltmore shines once again. Visitors regularly recount strange experiences, and many think the hotel still hosts ghosts from the past.
If you’re feeling courageous, you might reserve a stay at the Biltmore or arrange a ghost tour to search for one of its well-known spirits!
Also Read: The Mysterious Disappearance of Maura Murray
