The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, stands as an iconic monument to both history and mystery. Nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the grand hotel has been captivating visitors for more than a century. Originally built as a luxurious retreat for the wealthy elite, it promised an escape from the chaos of urban life into the serenity of nature. Its pristine location, coupled with its opulent architecture, quickly made it a favored destination for those seeking peace and solitude in the mountains.
But time has a way of changing fortunes. By the 1970s, the once-glorious Stanley had fallen into disrepair, its luster dulled and its guest list dwindling. What might have been the hotel’s final chapter took an unexpected turn when a certain visitor checked in for the night: a struggling writer named Stephen King. Little did anyone know, his brief stay would forever transform the hotel’s legacy.
During his visit, King reportedly experienced unsettling dreams and an eerie feeling of isolation within the near-empty hotel. These impressions became the seed for what would grow into one of the most terrifying novels of all time, The Shining. Both the book and its blockbuster film adaptation catapulted the Stanley Hotel back into the public eye, attracting droves of fans eager to glimpse the inspiration behind the Overlook Hotel’s chilling halls.
Today, the Stanley enjoys renewed grandeur, thriving as both a historic landmark and a pilgrimage site for horror enthusiasts. Yet, the Stanley’s fame extends beyond its association with King. The hotel has become a hotspot for paranormal activity, with countless guests and staff reporting unexplained phenomena over the years.
Such tales were precisely what drew Texas resident Henry Yau to the Stanley Hotel in April 2016. Fascinated by the hotel’s spooky reputation, Yau decided to book a last-minute getaway to see the legendary location for himself. Upon his arrival, he embraced the ambiance of the historic property, enjoying a relaxed dinner before setting out to explore its storied corridors. Armed with his camera, Yau wandered the hotel, snapping photos as he went.
His curiosity eventually led him to the grand staircase, a focal point of the Stanley’s elegant interior. Waiting patiently for the area to clear of people, Yau captured an image of the stairs, thinking little of it at the time. But the night would take an unsettling turn.
After returning to his room, Yau was overcome by a sudden and severe illness. “I felt really sick, I had the shivers, I was like, something’s really wrong,” he later recounted. His companion urged him to seek medical attention, but Yau refused, choosing instead to rest and recover on his own.
It wasn’t until his journey home that Yau revisited the photos he’d taken during his stay. As he scrolled through the images on his phone, one particular picture stopped him cold. There, on the staircase, stood a figure—a figure he swore hadn’t been there when he took the photo.
Yau’s reaction was one of stunned disbelief. Sharing the image on Instagram the following day, he half-jokingly suggested he might have captured a ghost. The post quickly went viral, catapulting Yau into the spotlight as media outlets and paranormal enthusiasts clamored for a closer look at his spectral snapshot.
The photo itself became the subject of intense scrutiny. Paranormal experts and enthusiasts examined the image, offering a wide range of theories. Some suggested that the figure on the stairs was not alone; a second ghostly presence seemed to lurk nearby. Others posited that Yau’s sudden illness that night was no coincidence. According to some experts, the ghost might have been attempting to manifest itself, drawing energy from Yau in the process.
For his part, Yau has remained open-minded but noncommittal about the experience. “I have no idea,” he said with a laugh when asked what he believed. Despite his lighthearted response, the incident left a lasting impression.
The Stanley Hotel, of course, is no stranger to such stories. Over the years, guests have reported everything from phantom footsteps to disembodied laughter echoing through the halls. Some say the spirit of F.O. Stanley, the hotel’s founder, lingers on, keeping watch over the property he so dearly loved. Others point to Room 217, famously linked to Stephen King’s stay, as a hotspot for ghostly activity.
For many, the allure of the Stanley Hotel lies not just in its history or its connection to The Shining, but in the tantalizing possibility of encountering the unexplained. Whether one visits for the stunning mountain views, the rich architectural heritage, or the hope of capturing their own ghostly photo, the Stanley Hotel continues to captivate the imagination of all who cross its threshold.
Was Henry Yau’s photo genuine evidence of the paranormal, or simply a trick of light and shadow? The mystery remains unsolved. But one thing is certain: the Stanley Hotel has secured its place as a nexus of history, horror, and haunting, where the past and present intertwine in the most unexpected ways.
