Tag Archives: Prescott

Hotel Vendome

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Hotel Vendome

The Hotel Vendome is a small hotel in the town of Prescott, Arizona. It was built in 1917. It is situated very close to Prescott’s “Famous Whiskey Row.”

Ghost Stories

Room 16 is haunted by the ghosts of Abby Byr and her cat. The story goes that Abby Byr, her husband, and her cat, Noble, were allowed to stay in the room 16 of the hotel for free (or were simply guests at the hotel). After her husband left her there, Abby and Noble both died of starvation in 1921. In some stories on the web Abby is a former owner of the hotel. Regardless, the room is now decorated with the gifts that guests staying at the hotel leave for Abby and Noble. According to the manager who was on duty when we arrived, some guests even send their gifts to the room in advance of their stay so that it is waiting in the room when they arrive.

Our Review

The Hotel Vendome was a nice small historic hotel. The manager was nice enough to let us explore room 16 because no one was staying in it. There were a lot of cat themed nic-nacks, but no ghostly activity. My wife did have the sensation of smelling perfume near the room, and the following morning swore that she smelled tomato soup coming from the room, but that was it.

Various places in Prescott AZ

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About Prescott Arizona

Prescott, or “Preskit” as some of the locals seem to call it, is a small town in central Arizona that was once the territorial capital. The city was founded originally as a mining town. The town is proud of its cowboy heritage. The town’s “whiskey row” is a former “red light district” in the heart of the city near the courthouse. While whiskey row once was the home to many brothels and bars, the brothels have all made way to restaurants and shops. Prescott is also home to the self proclaimed “World’s Oldest Rodeo.”

Ghost Stories

There are several locations that are supposed to be haunted in the Prescott area. The Hotel Vendome and the Hassayampa Inn both have their own listings on out website about there ghost stories, but there are several other locations in the city that have their own ghost stories that we felt did not warrant their own full page. Those stories are collected here.

Coyote Joe’s, a bar located on Whiskey Row, is said to be haunted by the ghost of Annie. Strange things have occured in the pool room and the kitchen. It is reported that the building was at one time a brothel, which is not surprising given “Whiskey Row’s” colorful history.

The Prescott Fine Arts Association Theater now occupies what used to be the Sacred Heart Church. The church began construction in 1891 and is on the National Historic Registry. Two catholic priests are said to haunt the church, including one who was killed in a fire in 1904 that destroyed much of downtown Prescott.

Fort Whipple is an old army fort located in the town.

Our Review

We stopped in Prescott mostly to visit the wife’s relatives, but were pleasantly surprised by the quaint town. While there was not much for us to do in the town after dark except drink in one of the bars on Whiskey Row or visit the local indian casino, the city did indeed have its own unique charm. It was also nice to visit a place in Arizona that was green with vegetation, and while we went before the heat of summer, it does not seem like a town that would get as oppressively hot as most of Arizona.

Hassayampa Inn

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About The Hassayampa Inn

The Hassayampa was built in 1927 as a luxury hotel in the town of Prescott Arizona. The hotel has been extensively modernized, but the lobby had a more traditonal feel. The name is a Yavapai indian word for “upside down river.” The Hassayampa river is mostly subterranian.

Ghost Stories

The Hassayampa inn is said to be haunted by the ghost of Faith, a woman who killed herself in the hotel. Apparantly, Faith and her newlywed husband checked in to the hotel. Her husband left to go buy cigarettes and never returned. After three days of waiting for her husband to return, a distraught Faith hanged herself in her room. According to Jeffrey, an employee of the Hotel Vendome who had worked at the Hassayampa previously, a maid emplyed at the Hassayampa saw Faith and then quit. She had worked there for three years before the sighting. Dean, who was working in the lounge of the Hassayampa, told us that he will not sleep in room 426. That is faiths room. She supposedly will give foot massages to women, but gives men nightmares. Dean also told us that there is a six year old asian boy who haunts the laundry room and will tug on women’s shirts. Another ghost of the Hassayampa is the “Nightwatchman,” a man dressed in old western attire. He was spotted by Allison, the manager of the Peacock Room. He was described as having broad shoulders and wearing and old style brown overcoat.

Our Review

While we did not actually stay in the hotel, we had breakfast in the peacock room and spoke to several employees both during breakfast and the night before. The food was good and the atmosphere of the hotel was nice.