Overnight Stay
Stay at the Mizpah
Book a room at the restored 1907 Mizpah Hotel, the centerpiece of historic Tonopah. The fifth-floor Lady in Red Suite is the room most often tied to the hotel's signature story.
- Duration:
- 12 hr
Haunted Hotel / Inn
The Mizpah Hotel
1907 Tonopah Hotel and Home of the Lady in Red
100 Main St, Tonopah, NV 89049
Wheelchair Accessible
Research-Backed · 3sources
Age
All Ages (casino floor 21+)
Cost
$$
Mid-range room rates; restaurant and casino on site.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Five-story 1907 building with elevator; some historic surfaces uneven
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1907 · Tonopah Silver-Mining Boomtown · First Electric Elevator in the West · National Register of Historic Places
The Mizpah Hotel opened in 1907 in Tonopah, a silver-mining boomtown roughly midway between Reno and Las Vegas. Built at a cost of around $200,000, the five-story building was the tallest in Nevada for the following twenty-five years and was widely covered as one of the most luxurious hotels in the American West.
At opening the Mizpah offered all-electric lighting, steam heat, the first electric elevator in the western United States, ceiling-mounted fans, a fully stocked bar, and ornately finished guest rooms. The hotel served the silver-mining boom of the early twentieth century and the city's later transitions through closure and reopening cycles.
In early 2011 the hotel was purchased by Fred and Nancy Cline of Cline Cellars in Sonoma, California. Following an extensive renovation, the Mizpah reopened to the public in August 2011 and continues to operate as a hotel, casino, and restaurant. In 2018, USA Today readers voted the Mizpah the most haunted hotel in America.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizpah_Hotel
- https://travelnevada.com/haunted-history/meet-the-lady-in-red-nevadas-most-famous-ghost/
- https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-nevada/the-legend-of-lady-in-red-lives-on-at-tonopahs-mizpah-hotel-1883112/
Apparition (Lady in Red / Rose)Whispered voicesPearls found on pillowsDisembodied sighs in women's restroom
The Mizpah Hotel's signature legend is the Lady in Red, often called Rose, said in hotel tradition to have been a woman of the saloon era strangled or stabbed in a fifth-floor hallway after a jealous client found her with another man. Guest reports include whispered voices, pearls left on pillows attributed to a necklace torn during the attack, and apparitions on the fifth floor.
Local tradition holds that two separate witness accounts described hearing sounds of physical distress from the first stall of the women's restroom in the Mizpah's restaurant area, with the stall found open and the room empty on inspection.
A historiographical note: Bill Metscher, a founder of the Central Nevada Historical Society and Museum, has argued that the Lady in Red character was developed by hotel restorer J.L. Scott during the late-1970s renovation as part of the hotel's identity. The story has since become an integral part of Tonopah's tourism identity, and the Mizpah was voted USA Today's most haunted hotel in America in 2018.
Notable Entities
The Lady in Red (Rose)
Media Appearances
- USA Today — 2018 Most Haunted Hotel in America
- Travel Nevada — Lady in Red feature
- Las Vegas Review-Journal coverage
Plan Your Visit
2 ways to experience Dinner
Pittman Cafe and Mizpah Bar
Eat in the Pittman Cafe or have a drink in the Mizpah's restored saloon. Witness accounts of the women's restroom in the restaurant area are part of guest tradition.
- Duration:
- 1.5 hr
Sources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Mizpah Hotel family-friendly?
Family-friendly hotel with rooms suitable for travel; the casino floor is 21+. The Lady in Red lore is openly part of the hotel's identity and may not suit very young children. Overall family fit: Moderate.
How much does it cost to visit The Mizpah Hotel?
Mid-range room rates; restaurant and casino on site.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is The Mizpah Hotel wheelchair accessible?
Yes, The Mizpah Hotel is wheelchair accessible. Terrain: Five-story 1907 building with elevator; some historic surfaces uneven.