HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
Ripley's-certified upside-down hotel rebuilt after the 1903 fire, with named spirits on three floors and a sealed suicide room
5841 Dunsmuir Ave, Dunsmuir, CA 96025
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Nightly Airbnb-style bookings; rates vary by room and season. See venue website.
Access
Limited Access
Multi-level underground layout; the building's iconic feature is multiple floors extending below street grade.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1904 · 1903 Dunsmuir Fire Rebuild · Ripley's Believe It or Not Feature · Northern California Railroad Town History
Dunsmuir sits on the upper Sacramento River at the foot of the Cascades, and its downtown formed around the Southern Pacific railroad division point established in the 1880s. The hotel on Dunsmuir Avenue traces its origins to the 1800s, when the building was known as the Mt. Shasta Hotel and served travelers arriving by rail.
In 1903 a fire swept through downtown Dunsmuir, destroying most of the commercial district. The hotel's original wooden structure burned with the rest of the block. Abner Weed rebuilt on the original brick skeleton in 1904, and the rebuilt structure took the name the Weed Hotel. Subsequent renovations through the 1940s gave it the Art Deco character it retains today.
The building's most peculiar physical characteristic is its vertical layout. Street-facing, the facade reads as a single floor; behind it, multiple levels descend underground into the hillside. The configuration earned the hotel a mention in Ripley's Believe It or Not as the 'upside-down hotel.'
In 2022, director Michael Hall shot a thriller titled Hotel Dunsmuir at the actual location, housing his cast and crew in the building during production. The film competed at the Atlanta Horror Film Festival and became available on demand. The production brought renewed attention to the property's ghost-story history.
Sources
The hotel's paranormal reputation centers on three named presences. Charlie, called 'The Kid' by regular guests, is said to be a child who fell to his death from the main stairwell. Accounts describe him as small, curious, and occasionally seen near the staircase landing.
James is described as a man who hanged himself in the stairwell, reportedly in full view of guests at the time. His presence is associated with the stairwell area and has been reported by multiple people over the years.
Room 307 is the most consequential space in the building's lore. A guest died by suicide in that room at an unspecified date; the hotel has since removed it from the rental inventory. The door remains closed and the room is not accessible to guests. Staff and former guests refer to it as 'The Suicide Room.'
A paranormal investigator who conducted a walk-through of the property told the owner there were thirteen spirits in the building in total. Reported phenomena beyond the named apparitions include drawers opening and closing without contact, lights flickering, and furniture that shifts position between visits. The 2022 film Hotel Dunsmuir drew on these accounts for its horror-thriller storyline.
Notable Entities
Media Appearances
Book a room in this multi-level historic hotel, described by Ripley's Believe It or Not as an 'upside-down hotel' because its floors extend underground while the street-level face appears as a single story. Thirteen spirits are said to occupy the building according to a paranormal expert who toured the property. Room 307 is not available for rental.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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