Nestled in the heart of San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood lies a charming Victorian gem with an intriguingly eerie past—the Queen Anne Hotel. Blending the elegance of the 1890s with just enough spooky allure to send a chill up your spine, this historic hotel offers more than just cozy lodging. It’s a full-bodied experience of vintage luxury, storied pasts, and, for some lucky guests, a brush with the paranormal. Whether you’re a die-hard ghost hunter, a history buff, or simply a traveler who appreciates unique places with a tale or two, the Queen Anne Hotel might just hold your next unforgettable overnight adventure.
The History
Origins in the Gilded Age
The story of the Queen Anne Hotel begins in 1890, during San Francisco’s opulent Gilded Age. Originally built as the Miss Mary Lake School for Girls, the hotel’s stately Victorian architecture reflected the values of refinement, prosperity, and education. Miss Mary Lake—a respected educator and socialite—was the first headmistress and deeply cherished the school and its students.
The building was designed by architect Clayton Wilson in the popular Queen Anne style, known for its ornate trim, gabled roofs, and towers. With its finely crafted woodwork, tall bay windows, and fragrant rose gardens, the school looked every bit a palace of learning. For many San Franciscans, it symbolized a brighter future for young women during a transitional period in American society.
From School to Abandonment
Despite its noble beginnings, the school lasted only a decade. In 1900, following a change in ownership and financial difficulties, the Miss Mary Lake School for Girls shut its doors. The building changed hands numerous times in the early 20th century. At one point, it was rumored to have been used as a gentleman’s club, boarding house, and even briefly as a private residence.
Remarkably, the Queen Anne’s grand structure survived the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire almost completely intact—a rare feat that hints at some unseen protection, if you believe in such things.
Rebirth as the Queen Anne Hotel
In the 1980s, a major restoration project carefully revived the building, retaining its original woodwork and elegant design. The structure reopened as the Queen Anne Hotel, offering a boutique experience wrapped in antique charm. True to its roots, each room is a step back in time, with period furnishings, clawfoot tubs, fireplaces, and original decorative flourishes.
Today, the Queen Anne Hotel is both a tribute to Victorian elegance and a living monument to San Francisco’s colorful history—a perfect blend for those who live for a great story and maybe a spectral encounter.
The Haunt
The Ghost of Miss Mary Lake
The Queen Anne Hotel is reputedly one of the most haunted hotels in California, and the reason points straight back to its earliest days. Many believe the spirit of Miss Mary Lake still walks the halls, particularly around Room 410—the former headmistress’s office.
Guests staying in Room 410 often report feeling an unexplained presence, and some even say they’ve been tucked in at night by invisible hands. Others have found their belongings mysteriously unpacked, the bed smoothed just moments after leaving it in disarray. While some might find this unsettling, many guests describe a calm, maternal energy—almost as if Miss Mary is watching over her guests the way she once might’ve kept a vigilant eye on her students.
Common Paranormal Experiences
Documented ghostly activity in the Queen Anne Hotel includes:
- Cold spots and temperature fluctuations in certain rooms.
- Unexplained footsteps in empty hallways during the night.
- Mirrors catching shadowy figures that vanish upon second glance.
- Furniture moving ever so slightly when no one is near it.
- Voices and whispers—especially around stairwells and the fourth floor.
Staff members and repeat guests have come to acknowledge the hotel’s resident spirits with something close to fondness. It’s not unusual to hear longtime front desk employees share tales of late-night piano music floating through the corridors from empty parlors.
Paranormal Investigations
The Queen Anne Hotel has attracted numerous paranormal investigators over the years. Several ghost-hunting groups have captured EVPs (electronic voice phenomena) around Room 410, and a few even claim to have photographed anomalies like orbs or mist-like apparitions. The hotel has been featured on various ghost tourism websites and television shows, reinforcing its status as one of San Francisco’s favorite haunted hot spots.
What stands out about the hauntings at the Queen Anne is the distinctly non-threatening nature of the encounters. These spirits, if here, seem less about mayhem and more about memory—a gentle haunting that speaks to the emotional imprint left behind in such a storied place.
Plan Your Visit
For travelers with a penchant for the paranormal, the Queen Anne Hotel offers a rare chance to step into history and perhaps across the threshold to something otherworldly. The hotel’s close proximity to other San Francisco landmarks like Japantown and the Fillmore District makes it a convenient home base for city exploration—with a deliciously haunted twist.
Book Room 410 if you’re feeling brave—though other rooms also share in the ethereal energy. Ghost hunters should plan to bring their equipment: EVP recorders, EMF detectors, and infrared cameras. Consider asking the front desk staff about the building’s past—they might have their own tales to tell.
With high tea served daily in the Victorian parlor and ghost stories lingering in the wood-paneled walls, there’s no shortage of reasons to plan your trip.
Conclusion
Supernatural seekers, history lovers, and curious travelers—it’s time to add the Queen Anne Hotel to your bucket list. This stunning Victorian masterpiece isn’t merely a place to lay your head; it’s a living, breathing time capsule steeped in charm, mystery, and above all, spirit. Whether or not you encounter Miss Mary Lake or feel the brush of unseen hands, you’ll walk away with stories of your own shimmering with nostalgia and maybe, just maybe, something beyond the veil.
So pack your ghost-hunting kit and prepare to tiptoe down velvet-carpeted halls beneath the glow of antique chandeliers. One thing is for sure—the Queen Anne Hotel is more than a luxurious stay; it’s an unforgettable experience where the past never truly rests.