7 Creepiest Abandoned Hotels Still Standing In Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s landscape is dotted with forgotten relics of its tourism past. Once-glamorous hotels now stand empty, their corridors silent except for the whispers of ghost stories and echoes of happier times. These abandoned properties attract urban explorers, paranormal enthusiasts, and photographers seeking to capture the haunting beauty of decay before time claims these structures completely.

1. Lake House Hotel’s Haunted Rebirth

The Lake House Hotel in Saylorsburg dates back to the 1800s, when it served as a stagecoach stop and later a tavern for local coal miners. Abandoned for decades, the historic structure avoided demolition through an unusual transformation – it now operates seasonally as the aptly named “Hotel of Horror” attraction. Behind the Halloween facade lies genuine historical tragedy.

According to local historians, the hotel witnessed several deaths during its operational years, including suicides and mysterious accidents. Paranormal investigators claim the building harbors multiple spirits, particularly in the former third-floor guest rooms where staff and visitors report cold spots and unexplained footsteps.

During its off-season months, the empty building returns to its authentically creepy state. Original woodwork, period details, and weathered corridors create an atmosphere so naturally disturbing that little theatrical enhancement is needed to frighten visitors.

2. Penn Hills Resort’s Heart-Shaped Legacy

Nestled in the Pocono Mountains, Penn Hills Resort was once the crown jewel of honeymoon destinations. Couples flocked to its kitschy romance-themed rooms with circular beds and heart-shaped bathtubs throughout the 1960s and 70s. The resort’s fall from grace was dramatic – financial troubles led to its closure in 2009, leaving behind a decaying monument to retro romance.

Local legends tell of a murder that occurred on the property, adding a sinister layer to its abandonment. Urban explorers report strange sounds and cold spots throughout the crumbling buildings. Though parts were demolished in 2017 and several fires have damaged remaining structures, the eerie shell of this once-thriving lovers’ paradise continues to fascinate visitors brave enough to venture near.

3. Birchwood Airpark Resort’s Decaying Playground

Hidden among the Pocono pines stands what remains of Birchwood Airpark Resort, a unique vacation destination that once combined aviation with leisure. Developed in the 1950s, the property featured an airstrip allowing wealthy guests to fly directly to their vacations. Its abandoned recreational facilities tell a story of mid-century prosperity now lost to time.

The resort’s most haunting features include a kidney-shaped swimming pool now filled with rainwater and debris, and deteriorating mini-golf courses where nature has reclaimed the fairways. Faded cabin exteriors stand with doors ajar, revealing interiors frozen in time with vintage furniture and decorations still in place.

Though much of the property has been demolished, explorers still discover remnants of its heyday – including a crumbling recreation hall where guests once danced under chandeliers. Locals speak of strange lights seen near the old airstrip on foggy nights, attributed to phantom planes seeking a landing spot that no longer exists.

4. Mount Airy Lodge’s Ghostly Honeymoon Suites

Before its demolition and rebirth as a casino, the original Mount Airy Lodge reigned as the Poconos’ premier honeymoon destination for decades. The abandoned remnants of this once-glamorous resort contained architectural time capsules from the 1960s and 70s. Couples who could afford it splurged on fantasy suites with private heart-shaped pools and champagne glass whirlpool baths.

Financial troubles in the 1990s led to the property’s slow decline, resulting in an eerie abandonment period before demolition. Urban explorers who accessed the site during this time reported an overwhelming sense of melancholy permeating the empty ballrooms and deteriorating guest rooms.

Local paranormal enthusiasts claim the spirits of honeymooners past still linger in the area where the original buildings stood. Security guards at the new casino development have reported unexplained music playing from empty spaces and ghostly figures in outdated clothing wandering the grounds at night – echoes of Mount Airy’s romantic heyday.

5. Pocono Palace’s Champagne Glass Ruins

The abandoned sections of Pocono Palace in Middle Smithfield Township stand as decaying monuments to the region’s romantic past. Famous for its seven-foot tall champagne glass whirlpool tubs and heart-shaped swimming pools, this adults-only resort epitomized the Pocono Mountains’ reputation as the “Honeymoon Capital of the World.” Its gradual decline left behind structures that seem frozen in a bygone era of shag carpeting and mirrored ceilings.

Before demolition claimed most buildings, urban explorers documented the surreal sight of fantasy suites open to the elements. Nature had begun reclaiming the once-private retreats where countless couples celebrated their marriages. The property’s remote sections created a particularly unsettling atmosphere after dark.

Former employees share stories of unexplained phenomena in the abandoned wings – lights turning on in rooms without electricity and phantom phone calls to the front desk from unoccupied rooms. These tales add a supernatural dimension to the melancholy of this faded romantic playground.

6. Legacy Inn’s Blackened Swimming Pool

Standing along Route 209 in East Stroudsburg, the Legacy Inn represents a more modest but equally haunting abandonment. This former roadside motel closed abruptly in the early 2000s, leaving behind a perfect snapshot of budget travel accommodations frozen in time. Unlike the glamorous resorts of the Poconos, this property tells the story of everyday travelers and their temporary homes on the road.

The motel’s defining feature is its blackened concrete swimming pool, now filled with decades of rainwater and forest debris. Room doors hang open, revealing interiors where beds remain made with faded floral bedspreads and outdated televisions sit covered in dust. Evidence of squatters appears throughout – makeshift bedding, food containers, and graffiti that grows more elaborate each year.

Local law enforcement considers the property dangerous due to structural concerns and occasional vagrant activity. Despite these warnings, photographers and urban explorers continue to document the site’s haunting aesthetic and the strange beauty in its decay.

7. Yellow Dog Village’s Spectral Mining Quarters

Tucked away in Armstrong County near Worthington, Yellow Dog Village stands as an entire ghost town rather than just a hotel. The community’s boarding house once provided accommodations for workers at the nearby limestone mine. Named after workers who signed the “yellow dog contract” promising not to unionize, the village was abandoned when the mining operation ceased in the 1950s.

The boarding house remains surprisingly intact, with period furniture, fixtures, and personal items left behind as if residents expected to return. Visitors report an overwhelming sense of being watched while exploring the property. Paranormal investigators have recorded unexplained voices, footsteps, and temperature fluctuations throughout the buildings.

Local legends tell of miners who died in accidents and continue to haunt their former home. The village’s current owner allows scheduled tours and paranormal investigations, making it one of the more accessible abandoned properties for those fascinated by Pennsylvania’s industrial past and its ghostly residents.