A hotel as old as The Seelbach is bound to have a few skeletons in the closet or running around the halls. Opened in 1905 with a whopping $1 million spent on marble, bronze and rugs from around the globe, The Seelbach became an instant success. Many famous faces have graced the hotel including the infamous gangster Al Capone. Capone was so paranoid that he had a large mirror installed in The Oakroom (now the 5 diamond restaurant) so that he could see his surroundings at all times. There were also secret panels that led to tunnels in case of a raid on the hotel. The Seelbach has also inspired great writers such as F. Scott Fitzgerald who authored The Great Gatsby.
There have been several reported sightings of unregistered guests at The Seelbach Hotel. A worker in the café reported see a woman in ragged clothing in the mirror, but when he turned around to talk to her she was gone. Another occurrence was a couple honeymooning in the hotel. They awoke to a freezing cold room and saw a man standing next to the window, but when they turned the lights on he suddenly vanished.
The most commonly sighted apparition at the hotel is that of The Lady in Blue. Supposedly this ghost is that of 24 year-old Patricia Wilson who moved to Louisville in the 1930’s with her husband from Oklahoma. After four years of marriage the couple had separated. Both parties agreed to meet at the hotel to try and reconcile but Patricia’s husband was tragically killed in a car accident on the way and never showed up. Shortly thereafter, Patricia’s body was discovered at the bottom of the service elevator shaft. No one knows for sure if she simply fell or if she jumped, heartbroken by the loss of her beloved. Patricia’s ghost has been spotted on the eighth floor and the mezzanine, every time being described as a woman in a long blue dress walking into the elevator.
Location: 500 S 4th St, Louisville, KY 40202
Price: $$$