The Read House Hotel – Haunted Hotel in Chattanooga, Tennessee

The Read House Hotel stands as one of Chattanooga’s most elegant landmarks. This grand hotel also carries the distinction of being one of Tennessee’s most haunted buildings.

Guests have reported paranormal encounters for decades within these historic walls. The spirits seem particularly active on the upper floors and in specific rooms.

The hotel’s luxurious facade masks a darker history of tragedy and death. Several documented deaths have occurred on the property over its long operational history.

Visitors come seeking both luxury accommodations and potential supernatural experiences. The Read House delivers on both fronts with remarkable consistency.

Ghost hunters and paranormal enthusiasts consider this location a must-visit Tennessee destination. The activity here ranks among the most consistent in the southeastern United States.

Historical Background

The original Read House opened its doors in 1847 as a modest establishment. Dr. John T. Read founded the hotel to serve Chattanooga’s growing population.

The first building burned down in 1867 during the post-Civil War period. The community immediately recognized the need to rebuild this important social center.

A second Read House rose from the ashes in 1872 with expanded facilities. This Victorian-era structure served the city until it too succumbed to fire.

The current building opened in 1926 as a grand ten-story luxury hotel. Architects designed it in the Renaissance Revival style with opulent public spaces.

The hotel hosted presidents, celebrities, and countless travelers throughout the twentieth century. Winston Churchill reportedly stayed here during his 1932 visit to Chattanooga.

Several tragic deaths occurred within the hotel walls over the decades. These incidents created the foundation for the building’s haunted reputation today.

A particularly gruesome murder took place in Room 311 during the 1920s. A woman was brutally killed in what authorities called a crime of passion.

The hotel underwent extensive renovations in 2013 but maintained its historic character. Modern amenities were added while preserving the original architectural details and atmosphere.

Paranormal Activity Summary

Guests consistently report strange occurrences throughout the hotel’s upper floors. The third floor experiences the highest concentration of paranormal activity.

Disembodied footsteps echo through empty hallways during late night hours. Security guards and staff members hear these phantom sounds almost nightly.

Cold spots appear suddenly in specific locations without any logical explanation. These temperature drops can be as much as twenty degrees Fahrenheit.

Electronic devices malfunction frequently in certain rooms and corridors. Guests report cell phones draining completely within minutes and televisions turning on independently.

Doors open and close by themselves even when securely locked from inside. Some guests have witnessed doorknobs turning slowly before doors swing open.

The elevators often stop on the third floor without anyone pressing the button. This happens so frequently that staff members barely react to it anymore.

Shadow figures dart across hallways just beyond the edge of peripheral vision. These dark shapes move with purpose and sometimes appear to walk through walls.

Guests report feeling watched in their rooms even when completely alone. This uncomfortable sensation is particularly strong in specific rooms on floor three.

The smell of antique perfume wafts through hallways with no identifiable source. This floral scent appears suddenly and dissipates just as quickly.

Ghost Stories & Reports

The most famous spirit is a young woman in a white nightgown. She roams the third floor hallways searching for something never found.

Many believe this ghost is the murder victim from Room 311. Witnesses describe her as appearing confused and distressed when she manifests.

She has been seen walking through walls where doorways existed in earlier configurations. Her appearance always coincides with a dramatic temperature drop in the immediate area.

Some guests report hearing a woman crying late at night from empty rooms. The sobbing sounds heart-wrenching and filled with despair and anguish.

A male spirit in 1920s business attire appears in the hotel lobby occasionally. He sits reading a newspaper as if waiting for someone who never arrives.

This gentleman ghost vanishes when approached or when witnesses look away momentarily. Staff members have witnessed him at least two dozen times over the years.

Children’s laughter echoes from the upper floors despite no children being present. This playful sound contrasts sharply with the hotel’s other darker manifestations.

A little girl’s spirit reportedly plays in the stairwells between floors. Witnesses describe her as wearing an old-fashioned dress from the early 1900s.

Some guests report being tucked into bed by unseen hands at night. They feel blankets being pulled up gently as if by a caring parent.

A phantom housekeeper pushes an invisible cart through third floor hallways. The distinctive squeaking wheel sound moves down the corridor with nobody visible.

Room 311 experiences the most intense and frightening paranormal phenomena. Guests in this room report violent nightmares and feelings of overwhelming dread.

Objects move on their own in this particular room with alarming frequency. Suitcases get unpacked overnight and personal items appear in different locations.

Several guests have requested room changes specifically from Room 311 mid-stay. They describe an oppressive presence that makes sleep impossible despite exhaustion.

Scratching sounds come from inside the walls of certain third floor rooms. These noises sound like fingernails dragging slowly across plaster and wood.

Most Haunted Spot

Room 311 holds the undisputed title as the hotel’s most haunted location. This is where the brutal 1920s murder occurred that still echoes today.

Guests staying in this room report the most intense paranormal experiences. Many refuse to spend a full night despite having paid for accommodations.

The third floor hallway outside Room 311 also experiences concentrated supernatural activity. Staff members avoid this area during late night shifts whenever possible.

The sensation of being grabbed or touched occurs most frequently near this room. Guests report feeling invisible hands on their shoulders and arms in this corridor.

Photography equipment malfunctions specifically in and around Room 311 more than anywhere else. Cameras that work perfectly elsewhere suddenly refuse to function near this location.

Can You Visit?

The Read House Hotel operates as a fully functional hotel welcoming overnight guests. You can book rooms through their website or various travel booking platforms.

Room rates vary seasonally but typically range from one hundred fifty to three hundred dollars. Room 311 can be specifically requested by adventurous guests seeking paranormal experiences.

The hotel does not offer formal ghost tours of the property currently. However, guests are free to explore public areas and hallways at any hour.

Photography is permitted throughout the hotel in public spaces and your own room. Flash photography should be used respectfully given this is an operating hotel.

The lobby and public areas remain accessible twenty-four hours for registered guests. Reception staff members are often willing to share ghost stories with interested visitors.

No special permission is required to investigate paranormal activity as a guest. Simply book a room and conduct your investigation respectfully and quietly.

Best Time to Visit

Paranormal activity occurs year-round but intensifies during autumn and winter months. October through February shows the highest concentration of reported supernatural encounters.

The hours between two and four o’clock in the morning are most active. This time period aligns with traditional “witching hour” beliefs in paranormal research.

Weeknights typically offer quieter conditions for those seeking paranormal experiences without crowds. The hotel fills up on weekends making discreet investigation more challenging.

Some investigators report increased activity during the anniversary of the Room 311 murder. However, the exact date of this tragedy remains disputed in historical records.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

A hotel security guard named Marcus reported seeing the white-nightgown woman in 2015. He was conducting his nightly rounds when she appeared at the hallway’s end.

Marcus stated she looked completely solid and real until she walked through a wall. He immediately checked that room and found it empty and securely locked.

A couple from Atlanta documented strange orbs in their Room 311 photographs in 2018. The images show unexplained light anomalies that weren’t visible during the photo session.

They also reported their clothes being removed from suitcases and neatly arranged on furniture. This occurred while they ate dinner in the hotel restaurant for ninety minutes.

A business traveler named Jennifer recorded audio of the phantom crying in 2019. The recording clearly captures a woman’s sobs coming from the empty adjacent room.

Hotel management confirmed that room remained vacant and locked that entire evening. Jennifer’s recording has been analyzed by several paranormal research groups since.

A paranormal investigation team from Nashville spent three nights investigating in 2020. They documented multiple EVP recordings and unexplained electromagnetic field fluctuations on floor three.

Their thermal imaging cameras captured a human-shaped cold spot moving through the hallway. The temperature differential measured nearly twenty-five degrees colder than surrounding air.

Housekeeping staff members have collectively signed a petition requesting schedule changes avoiding late shifts. They cite repeated encounters with the phantom housekeeper as their primary concern.

One housekeeper named Rita refuses to service Room 311 after feeling violently pushed. She maintains something unseen shoved her backwards toward the doorway in 2017.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

Multiple independent paranormal research teams have investigated the Read House over decades. Most conclude the location hosts genuine supernatural phenomena beyond reasonable doubt.

Tennessee Paranormal Research conducted a comprehensive three-day investigation in 2016. They documented over forty unexplained events including full-bodied apparitions and intelligent responses.

Their electromagnetic field detectors registered consistent spikes in specific locations without electrical sources. These readings corresponded exactly with reported paranormal hot spots throughout the building.

The investigation team recorded several class-A EVP examples using digital recorders. One recording clearly captures a female voice saying “Get out” in Room 311.

Ghost Adventures featured the Read House in online content though not a full episode. The crew experienced equipment malfunctions and captured unexplained thermal imaging footage during their brief visit.

Local Chattanooga paranormal groups conduct regular investigations with hotel management permission. They’ve compiled extensive documentation of recurring phenomena patterns over multiple years of research.

Dowsing rods and pendulums reportedly respond with unusual intensity on the third floor. Investigators report communication attempts receiving intelligent responses to specific questions asked.

Local Legends & Myths

Local legend claims the woman in white searches eternally for her murderer. Some versions suggest she seeks revenge while others claim she seeks understanding.

Old stories suggest a secret tunnel system exists beneath the hotel from Prohibition. These tunnels allegedly connected to speakeasies and bootlegging operations throughout downtown Chattanooga.

Some believe the phantom businessman died of a heart attack waiting for his bride. She supposedly left him at the altar and he died of heartbreak in the lobby.

The little girl spirit is rumored to be the daughter of hotel staff from the 1930s. According to legend, she fell down the service stairs and died from her injuries.

Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions

The Read House is private property operating as a commercial hotel business. Trespassing or investigating without being a registered guest is illegal and subject to prosecution.

Respect other guests’ privacy and right to quiet enjoyment during any paranormal investigations. Loud ghost hunting activities during sleeping hours will result in removal from property.

The hotel’s historic elevator system should be used cautiously by those with mobility concerns. Take stairs when possible as elevator malfunctions occur with unusual frequency.

Never attempt to enter locked areas or restricted sections of the hotel. These areas are off-limits for safety and legal liability reasons regardless of paranormal interest.