Le Pavillon Hotel

Nicknamed "the Belle of New Orleans," this luxurious 219-room hotel has operated since 1907 in the Central Business District. Crystal chandeliers, Italian marble, and European antiques create an opulent atmosphere where supernatural guests feel right at home.

Le Pavillon Hotel has stood at the corner of Poydras and Baronne Streets since 1907, a ten-story Beaux-Arts masterpiece known as "The Belle of New Orleans." But beneath its elegant chandeliers and marble columns, the hotel harbors secrets that have made it one of the most paranormally active locations in the city. The land itself carries a dark history—before the hotel was built, this area was known for criminal activity and violence, and several people who lost their lives here seem unwilling to leave.

The most famous ghost of Le Pavillon is a young woman known by several names: Aida, Ada, Adda, Ava, or Eva. According to legend, she was a teenager killed by a runaway carriage in the early 20th century. Her apparition has been spotted in the lobby and near the main entrance, always with teary eyes, always lost. Witnesses describe a young woman with fair skin, brown eyes, and brown hair pulled back, dressed in black flowing clothing and carrying a clutch purse that she sometimes drops.

When approached, the ghost speaks the same words before vanishing: "Pardon me, I am... very lost." The scent of lilacs or roses often accompanies her appearances. Room 930 is said to be where Aida died after her encounter with the carriage, and she haunts that floor with particular intensity.

A ghostly couple in 1920s evening attire has been frequently observed on the first floor. The woman wears a flowing gown whose jewelry catches the light from the chandeliers as she and her spectral husband walk hand in hand toward the elevators. Countless witnesses have watched them enter the elevator—but when the doors ping open moments later, it stands empty. Dr. Larry Montz and his paranormal research team believe this couple has a particular fondness for the second floor and Room 221.

A more mischievous spirit roams the hotel: a long-haired man wearing a vibrantly colored shirt and no shoes. He delights in pranking guests—yanking sheets off beds, hiding room keys and shoes, and rearranging belongings. Unlike the melancholy Aida or the elegant couple, this ghost seems to find amusement in the living.

One paranormal investigation team claimed to detect nearly 100 entities during a single overnight stay. Another team theorized that the land beneath Le Pavillon serves as a portal to the other side, explaining the extraordinary concentration of spiritual activity.

Unlike some haunted hotels that downplay their supernatural reputation, Le Pavillon embraces it. Upon arrival, guests can request a pamphlet detailing the hotel's paranormal history and the findings of Dr. Montz's 1996 investigation. Staff report that the fourth, seventh, and ninth floors see the most activity, though encounters have occurred throughout the building.

Le Pavillon offers luxury accommodations for the living—and apparently for the dead as well.