In 1908, Alturas, California was in desperate need of a hotel.
The town was quickly expanding, and visiting businessmen and developers needed a place to stay.
Within a year, the Hotel Niles opened its doors to the public.
The Most Beautiful Hotel in Alturas
Updated 9/19/2019 – Despite having many years of financial strain and a brush with demolishment, the hotel remains open and has become an iconic building in Alturas.
When Dean (Name changed for privacy) was traveling through the town in search of a hotel, he was immediately transfixed by the stunning beauty of the building.
“I was just passing through, but as soon as I saw the hotel, I knew I wanted to stay there for the night, no matter the cost,” he said.
Did you know that it was haunted at that point?
“No, not at all,” Dean replied.
I had never been to Alturas before, so I didn’t know anything about it.
I mentioned to the concierge that I had never been there before, and she seemed to want to tell me something, then thought better of it.
“So I got my key, went to my room and set down all of my bags.
As I unloaded the clothes I would wear the next morning, I felt this…odd sensation,” he shrugged.
Odd sensation?
“Yes, kind of like a low, steady burning on the upper part of my body.
It was weird and hard to describe, but that the time I thought I was possibly coming down with a fever.
Is It a Fever or Something More Sinister?
“For that reason I decided to get to bed early.
I read for a while and had shut the lights off by 10:30.
I slept poorly…I kept feeling that burning sensation, but it seemed to intensify by the hour.
“Then, I suddenly felt something put weight on the bed right beside me.
As I watched, puzzled, the weight shifted and I felt this unseen force move closer and closer to my body.
What were your initial thoughts?
“I thought my fever had gotten worse—to the point where I was bordering on hallucinations.
I felt this unseen force graze against my forearm,” Dean said, demonstrating.
“Really, I was very calm, until I distinctly began to hear a woman breathing right in my ear.
It was so incredibly clear, my instinct was saying, ‘Dean, you don’t have a fever, Dean this is real.’
“I lunged out of bed and grabbed my suitcase, not even bothering to change out of my pajamas.
I ran through the lobby, got into my car and peeled out of the parking lot.
“As I circled around to the front of the hotel to exit onto the main road, something made me draw my eyes up to the window of what had been my room.
I slammed on the brakes and stared up in horror at where I was just two minutes prior.”
What did you see?
“A woman…a dead woman in a nightgown, watching me drive away.
Once I hit my next destination a few hours later, I conducted a little research about the Hotel Niles.
That’s when I discovered that the hotel was known for being haunted and that a ghost of a prostitute liked to crawl into bed with visiting men,” he shook his head.
“Alturas is a really messed up town, and I don’t think I will ever be the same again, frankly.”
