The Biltmore Hotel, the Grand Old Dame of Los Angeles

Los Angeles is famous across the world for its sun-soaked beaches, celebrity residents, and glamorous red-carpet events. But away from the Pacific Ocean views, the million-dollar homes, and the endless flashes of the paparazzi cameras, downtown Los Angeles also has its own fascinating history, true crime tales, famous movie location shoots, and or course, hauntings.

The Biltmore Hotel, Pride of Los Angeles

The Biltmore Hotel opened to great fanfare in 1923 at a cost of just under 9 million dollars and soon built a reputation as a place to see and be seen. From the mid- to late- 1930s, the hotel played host to the Academy Awards ceremony, welcoming luminaries such as Jack Warner and Cecil B. DeMille alongside era-defining stars of stage and screen like Clark Gable and Ginger Rogers, who both won their Oscars there. Orchestral music filled the elegant hallways and glittering ballrooms, while sumptuous 7-course dinners set the scene for dazzling evenings of glitz and glamor.

The Presidential Suite was favored by US leaders and gangsters like Al Capone alike, and the hotel even served as a speakeasy during the Prohibition Era. And when the world fell into the deathly grip of World War II, the Biltmore became a popular place of relaxation and rejuvenation for war-weary soldiers.

The Black Dahlia

The most infamous event surrounding The Biltmore is without doubt the brutal murder of Elizabeth Short, a Hollywood débutante now nicknamed ‘the Black Dahlia’ for her dark locks. She’d stepped out for an evening’s entertainment at The Biltmore in mid-January 1947, only to be discovered the next morning in a field outside town—her body sliced in half at the waist and completely drained of blood. With her intestines removed and her face carved from ear to ear, Short had met with a gruesome and cruel death, and it’s a case that remains open and unsolved to this day.

Short’s ghost is said to haunt the lobby, and the 10th and 11th floors of The Biltmore—perhaps that’s where the party was held on the night she was kidnapped and killed those years ago. Visitors to The Biltmore today can raise a glass in Elizabeth Short’s name – the hotel bar serves up a cocktail of vodka, raspberry liqueur, and Kahlua, fittingly named the Black Dahlia.

Paranormal Activity in the Historic Biltmore

This grand old dame of a hotel has seen a few ups and downs over the decades, from the roaring ‘20s through to LA’s decline in the ‘70s and beyond—but she’s always had a special place in the heart of the city. Perhaps for this reason, and the tales and mysteries that have always surrounded the place, that paranormal activity has been reported at The Biltmore from the bowels of the basement right up to the rooftops.

It’s said that the ghost of a little boy can be seen running around on the 10th floor, which is one of the places where the Black Dahlia’s spirit has allegedly been seen. Other reports include sightings of a ghostly nurse on the second floor—who might possibly be associated with the World War II soldiers—the ghost of a young girl on the 9th floor, and a faceless boy on the hotel roof.

Famous Films Shot At The Biltmore 

Many different movies have been shot at this amazing location, including The Sting, Chinatown, Beverly Hills Cop, and True Lies. TV shows like Mad Men, Alias, West Wing, and Entourage have all shot here as well. Of course, we're here to talk about ghosts, and probably the world's most famous ghost was encountered right here when three New York scientists testing out some cutting-edge equipment actually were able to capture the spirit of a ghoul we know today as Slimer when the Ghostbusters destroyed the place, formerly the music room and now the hotel lobby.

The Biltmore is far from the only supernatural site of interest within Los Angeles, though it's certainly among the most fascinating.  Boardner's on Cherokee Avenue in Hollywood is equally intriguing for fans of the paranormal and often comes up in conversation on our ghost walking tours in Hollywood. See and walk through the Biltmore yourself on our Los Angeles Hauntings Ghost Bus Tour.

Check out our Los Angeles ghost tour reviews on Google to see why this tour is a must-experience. Ready to embrace the eerie? Reserve your spot today!

Find Your Next Paranormal Experience