While Iowa doesn’t have traditional ghost towns, you’ll find something eerier—historic haunted hotels where restless spirits roam. You can spend the night at Mason House Inn with its 20 resident ghosts, the Franklin Hotel with its phantom piano player, or the infamous Villisca Axe Murder House where eight souls met violent ends in 1912. These atmospheric locations offer authentic paranormal experiences from March through October, with overnight stays ranging from $75 to $199. Discover which haunted destination best suits your courage level.
Key Takeaways
- Mason House Inn in Bentonsport offers overnight stays in a historic 1846 building with over 20 reported resident ghosts.
- Franklin Hotel in Strawberry Point provides lodging with documented paranormal activity including phantom piano music and mysterious figures.
- Hotel Julien Dubuque, Iowa’s oldest operating hotel since 1839, offers rooms where guests report ghostly encounters and apparitions.
- Decker House Hotel in Maquoketa combines historic 1875 accommodations with reported paranormal experiences and spectral sightings.
- Villisca Axe Murder House offers authentic overnight paranormal experiences in the 1912 crime scene for $199 per night.
Mason House Inn: a Steamboat Hotel With Over 20 Spirits
Since 1846, the Mason House Inn has stood along the Des Moines River in Bentonsport, Iowa. Its weathered walls harbor stories of steamboat travelers, Civil War soldiers, and restless spirits who never quite checked out.
You’ll find Iowa’s most haunted lodging in this former Underground Railroad station and Civil War hospital. With over 20 resident ghosts—including Mary Mason Clark, whose apparition roams the third floor where she died in 1911—the inn’s haunted history runs deep.
Four deaths occurred within these walls, and spectral sightings happen regularly during the inn’s ghost hunting weekends. Guests frequently report floating Victorian dresses appearing throughout the historic building.
Today’s nine guest rooms maintain Nancy Mason’s 1857 tradition: cookie jars in every room. Built by Mormon craftsmen traveling west from Nauvoo, Illinois, the structure has served continuously as an inn for nearly two centuries. You’re welcome to stay among the friendly spirits, though you mightn’t sleep alone.
Periwinkle Place Manor: Where a Funeral Home Became a Haunted Haven
While Bentonsport’s Mason House Inn welcomes travelers along the Des Moines River, another haunted lodging awaits in Chelsea, Iowa—one with an even darker past. The Periwinkle Place Manor served as Hrabak Funeral Home from 1892 to 2003, where countless souls made their final stop.
For over a century, the Periwinkle Place Manor served as a funeral home where thousands of souls made their final earthly departure.
After years of abandonment, owner Jodi Philipp transformed this three-story brick building through extensive historic preservation and furniture restoration, creating a bed-and-breakfast that embraces its macabre heritage. The building survived near destruction by fire and flood before its restoration into the unique lodging it is today.
You’ll discover antique caskets displayed throughout, sleep in the third-floor Coffin Coves surrounded by funeral artifacts, and perhaps encounter the smoky apparition in the carriage house.
Guests report moving dolls, phantom footsteps, and spirits sitting on beds.
The manor hosts murder mystery dinners, ghost hunts, and paranormal investigations—turning death’s dwelling into your darkly enchanting escape. Situated along the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway, the manor also serves as an event center for community gatherings and themed celebrations.
Franklin Hotel: Strawberry Point’s Paranormal Lodging Experience
Have you ever spent the night where a 1920s prostitute still sings in the hallways and a spectral handyman rings the service bell at 2 a.m.?
The Franklin Hotel in Strawberry Point delivers exactly that freedom from ordinary lodging. Built in 1903, this Neoclassical and Romanesque Revival brick building sits at the curved intersection of East Mission and Elkader Streets, its hotel architecture following the road’s natural bend.
You’ll encounter Lily, the singing prostitute who drifts down staircases in her formal dress, and Leo, the laundry operator who won’t stop working the bell system.
Ghost sightings include shadows roaming the halls and a mysterious figure in blue. Listen for the antique piano playing itself at 2 a.m. in the locked dining room, or feel furniture shift beneath your touch in these genuinely active rooms.
The hotel served train travelers and early 20th-century visitors, making it a bustling hub for rail workers and traveling salesmen during its early decades. The property’s history stretches back to 1855, when it operated as Rawson House before later becoming Blake House and closing in 1896.
Decker House Hotel: A Night Among the Spirits
Just forty miles southeast of Strawberry Point, another historic hotel beckons paranormal seekers to test their nerve. The Decker House Hotel in Maquoketa has perfected haunted hospitality since James Decker founded it in 1875.
You’ll walk the same halls where Ulysses S. Grant and John Deere once stayed, surrounded by original woodwork crafted by local artisans.
The National Register building delivers more than beautifully restored rooms and great food. Guests report unexplained sounds and spectral sightings throughout their stays.
Beyond its beautifully restored rooms and exceptional dining, the historic building hosts unexplained phenomena that keep guests intrigued throughout their stays.
Even Paranormal of Wisconsin investigated, though results remain inconclusive.
Recent visitors describe the atmosphere as “nice and spooky,” encouraging you to discover the truth yourself. The hotel’s slow three-floor elevator adds to the nostalgic charm that transports guests back in time.
For two nights of ghostly guest experiences, you’ll find this downtown landmark offers exceptional value—whether you encounter spirits or simply sleep among 145 years of history. The complimentary three-course breakfast provides hearty fuel before you explore nearby attractions within walking distance.
Hotel Julien Dubuque: Historic Elegance Meets the Supernatural
You’ll find Iowa’s oldest continuously operating hotel rising from Dubuque’s historic riverfront, where the Hotel Julien has welcomed travelers since 1839—and apparently, some guests never checked out.
The limestone and brick Beaux-Arts building you see today replaced its fire-damaged predecessor in 1915, but the spirits haunting its corridors seem to remember both incarnations.
From Al Capone’s rumored ghost prowling the halls where he once hid from Chicago mob troubles to phantom voices conversing at 3 a.m., this elegant landmark offers you more than luxury accommodations—it provides a night among Dubuque’s restless past. Guests and staff have reported encountering a vintage-dressed apparition wandering the top-floor hallways, adding to the hotel’s eerie reputation. Staff have documented doors opening and closing on their own despite being securely locked.
Dubuque’s Storied Haunted Past
Standing at the corner of Second and Main streets in downtown Dubuque, you’ll find the Hotel Julien Dubuque—a striking Beaux-Arts building whose limestone facade and arched windows have witnessed nearly two centuries of Mississippi River history. The historical architecture tells tales of transformation: from Peter Waples’ 1839 mercantile lodging through devastating fires to the fireproof concrete-and-steel structure that rose in 1915.
You’re walking where Abraham Lincoln once stayed, where Western Union first connected this river town to the wider world. But the haunted legends whisper of something more—spirits lingering from those catastrophic blazes, echoes trapped within salvaged stained glass and reclaimed antiques.
Today’s $30 million restoration preserved both elegance and mystery, blending geothermal innovation with ghostly folklore in Dubuque’s Old Main District.
Ghostly Encounters and Accommodations
Beyond the architectural grandeur and carefully preserved historical details, the Hotel Julien Dubuque harbors encounters that can’t be explained by restoration blueprints or archived photographs.
You’ll find ghostly legends woven through every floor—from Al Capone’s fedora-wearing apparition hovering bedside with cigar smoke trailing behind, to spectral sightings of a vanishing woman in vintage black dress.
The elevator develops a mind of its own, descending without command.
At 1:45 a.m., you might hear two women’s voices conversing through empty walls.
Some guests wake with unexplained burns or scratches.
Staff answer calls from locked, vacant rooms.
Near the pool, phantom hands reach upward.
On the eighth floor, that unmistakable cigar smell lingers where Chicago’s most notorious mobster once walked freely.
Villisca Axe Murder House: Iowa’s Most Notorious Haunted Overnight Stay
You’ll find Iowa’s darkest chapter preserved at 508 E. 2nd Street in Villisca, where eight people—including six children—were bludgeoned to death with an axe on the night of June 9, 1912.
The 1868 farmhouse, restored to replicate conditions from that horrific morning, now operates as an overnight rental where you can sleep in the same rooms where the Moore family and their young guests met their violent end.
Whether you’re drawn by the century-old unsolved mystery, the opportunity to conduct paranormal investigations, or the chance to experience one of America’s most haunted locations firsthand, this notorious house offers an unforgettable—and unsettling—glimpse into Iowa’s most infamous crime.
The 1912 Massacre History
In the early hours of June 10, 1912, someone crept through the Josiah Moore residence at 508 East Second Street in Villisca, methodically bludgeoning eight people as they slept.
The killer waited in the attic, leaving two cigarette butts as evidence before descending with an axe.
Six children and two adults died between midnight and 5 a.m., their faces mutilated beyond recognition.
The historical background reveals investigative challenges that plagued authorities from day one.
Reverend George Kelly confessed, claiming demonic influence, but two juries acquitted him.
Frank F. Jones, Moore’s former employer, faced suspicion over a business dispute.
William “Blackie” Mansfield matched similar Illinois murders.
Despite 100+ witnesses and nationwide manhunts, nobody was convicted.
The case remains Iowa’s most infamous unsolved crime.
Overnight Stay Rental Options
Since 2010, the Villisca Axe Murder House has opened its doors for overnight stays, transforming Iowa’s most notorious crime scene into a paranormal destination where visitors sleep mere feet from where eight victims met their violent end.
You’ll choose from three rooms priced at $199 each, with the Stillinger Room accommodating up to three guests. Check-in begins at 5:30 p.m.
You’ll experience authentic 1912 conditions—no electricity or running water inside the house. You’ll sleep in sleeping bags while investigating with EMF readers and provided spirit communication tools.
The adjacent barn offers modern necessities: bathroom facilities, refrigerator, and device charging stations.
This blend of cultural preservation and haunted tourism lets you explore freely after a guided historical briefing. Though strict safety rules prohibit flames, weapons, and indoor eating.
Paranormal Investigation Experiences
Beyond simply occupying the rooms where tragedy unfolded, your overnight stay grants you unfettered access to investigate the paranormal phenomena that have haunted 508 E. 2nd Street for over a century. You’re free to explore every corner where shadow figures reportedly manifest and attempt spiritual communication in spaces where eight lives ended violently.
Your investigation can include:
- Attic surveillance where the killer waited, cigarette smoke still allegedly detectable
- Master bedroom vigils in the room where Josiah Moore’s brutal murder began
- Mirror documentation at locations the murderer deliberately covered
- Children’s bedroom sessions where the Stillinger girls met their fate
Without electricity or running water, you’ll experience authentic 1912 conditions while documented paranormal activity surrounds your investigation throughout the darkness.
Planning Your Haunted Hotel Adventure in Iowa
When darkness settles over Iowa’s rolling hills and river valleys, a network of haunted hotels awakens with unexplained footsteps, phantom whispers, and apparitions that have terrified guests for decades.
You’ll find these paranormal destinations scattered from Bentonsport’s 1846 Mason House Inn—where over 20 spirits roam—to Chelsea’s Periwinkle Place Manor, a former funeral home with active third-floor Coffin Coves.
The ghostly folklore runs deep at Villisca’s infamous Axe Murder House, while haunted architecture draws thrill-seekers to Strawberry Point’s Franklin Hotel and Dubuque’s Hotel Julien.
Reserve your ghost hunt between March and October, as most close seasonally.
You’ll need $75-$175 per person, depending on overnight stays.
Book Friday or Saturday nights directly by phone, arrive after 8:00 PM, and prepare for encounters that’ll challenge everything you believe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Children Allowed to Stay Overnight at These Haunted Locations?
You’ll find children are permitted at most Iowa haunted locations, though you should verify age restrictions for specific events. Always guarantee proper child supervision and discuss safety precautions beforehand, as these atmospheric settings feature dark corridors and unsettling paranormal activity.
What Should I Bring for a Ghost Hunt Sleepover?
Picture yourself settling into spooky sleeping quarters as darkness falls. You’ll need ghostly gear: a high-lumen flashlight, EMF meter, digital recorder for EVPs, thermal camera, walkie-talkies, and backup batteries. Don’t forget your sleeping bag and courage!
Can I Get a Refund if I’m Too Scared to Stay?
Booking policies at Mason House Inn don’t mention fear-based refunds, so you’re likely committed once you reserve. Review their privacy concerns and cancellation terms beforehand—these haunted overnight adventures expect brave souls who’ll stay despite encountering Iowa’s restless spirits.
Do These Hotels Offer Non-Haunted Rooms for Nervous Guests?
Picture yourself wandering moonlit hallways—there’s no escape here. Mason House Inn doesn’t separate haunted from non-haunted rooms since spirits roam everywhere. Their haunted hotel policies embrace the supernatural, so you’ll need personal fear management tips to survive the night.
Are Professional Paranormal Investigators Available to Guide Tours?
Yes, professional investigators guide you through Mason House Inn’s historical architecture, sharing local legends about its 20+ spirits. They’ll lead you to active hotspots, provide equipment, and reveal the building’s haunted history from 8 PM to 2 AM.
References
- https://www.hauntedrooms.com/iowa/ghost-hunts/mason-house-inn-bentonsport
- https://www.bumpinthenight.net/night-at-the-mason-house-inn
- https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g37679-d217917-r684570808-Mason_House_Inn_and_Caboose_Cottage-Bentonsport_Iowa.html
- https://themasonhouseinn.com/shop/events/ghost-hunts/ghost-hunt-sleepover/
- https://khak.com/iowa-haunted-hotels/
- https://www.thegazette.com/travel/a-day-away-plan-a-haunted-iowa-road-trip-to-these-spirited-sites/
- https://koel.com/8-haunted-places-in-iowa-you-can-visit-or-stay-the-night-at-photos/
- http://www.iowapbs.org/article/8600/local-legends-around-iowas-haunted-locations
- https://www.iowahauntedhouses.com/real-haunts/hotels.aspx
- https://murderhouse.com/overnight-stay/
