Get into spooky season with these haunted Florida hotels
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Maisie Plant and her pearls. Photo: Courtesy of The Belleview Inn
"Hotels, Motels & Inns of Florida," a new guidebook by Tampa Bay journalist Kristen Hare, has a lot more than just ghost stories.
- It's a 184-page deep dive into some of the most unique, memorable places to stay in the Sunshine State, organized by decade and packed with glossy vintage photos.
Yes, but: 'Tis spooky season, so we asked Hare to break out some of the paranormal details.
- And if you're hungry for more, catch Hare talking about the book with Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's Ray Roa from 3-5pm Sunday at Hotel Flor in Tampa.
The Belleview Inn in Belleair: This Henry Plant hotel opened in 1897 and was eventually run by his son, Morton Plant. This hotel, like many others of that era, housed service members during World War II.
- If there is a ghost here, it's probably that of Morton Plant's wife, Maisie Plant, who the hotel's cafe is named after.
- The story goes that when the couple married, he traded a mansion on Fifth Avenue in New York City for a string of pearls. His bartering partner: Pierre Cartier.
- After her death, Maisie's pearls were sold for a fraction of their original value. You can't blame a girl for being saucy about that.
The Hacienda in New Port Richey: This pink Mediterranean hotel first opened in 1927 and attracted film stars from the era, such as Gloria Swanson and Charlie Chaplin. It includes a half-floor where the hotel believes booze smugglers operated during prohibition.
- Like many hotels of this era, it thrived, then struggled before the city bought it in 2003 and it was later purchased, renovated and revived.
- Today, staff will show you where the cold spots are and share stories of some friendly guests who apparently never checked out, including The Lady in White, a dancing ghost and a little girl.
The Cordova Inn in St. Petersburg: This neoclassical hotel opened in downtown St. Petersburg in 1921 as the Hotel Scott and served as a more modest option than its swankier neighbors, including The Don CeSar and The Vinoy, which opened a few years later.
- It's had a few names since, including Hotel Cordova and the Pier Hotel, In 2015, it reopened as the Cordova Inn.
- Staff there claim their friendly ghost is thought to be the hotel's longtime concierge who reportedly died in the hotel and now sticks around to be helpful, not spooky.