717 Orleans St.
New Orleans, LA 70116
29.958726,-90.06473
Of the near endless number of hotels in the French Quarter, for one to be considered amongst the top three haunted places to stay, it must have quite the resume. The Bourbon Orleans backs up its claims, as its vast history can be held accountable for the many strange events that take place here on nearly a regular basis. I often get e-mails from tourists visiting New Orleans for the first time, wanting to know the best hotel to stay at that will give them a good chance of experiencing something paranormal. I almost always immediately suggest the Bourbon Orleans.
This historic hotel stands on the grounds that once contained two buildings; an old convent and an orphanage. The first building was built in 1816-1817 and was next to the first district courthouse. The building burnt down shortly thereafter, yet it was rebuilt in 1819. The building was used for Mardi Gras balls as early as 1823 and was also the site of the New Orleans Theater. Rumor is that the building was also used to hold the famous "Quadroon Balls", that I mentioned earlier. Here, wealthy Creole men would meet with their Quadroon mistresses to engage in their secret love affairs without exposing their mischievousness.
