Hawthorne Hotel

The Hawthorne Hotel, built in 1925 and named for Salem author Nathaniel Hawthorne, faces Salem Common and is the best-known hotel in the city. Guests and staff tell of an elevator that acts on its own, cold spots, swaying chandeliers and apparitions, with rooms 325 and 612 singled out. One story tells of the smell of apples connected to Bridget Bishop, the first person hanged in the 1692 witch trials, who is said to have had an orchard. The hotel was investigated by Ghost Hunters in 2007, and the team did not find any concrete evidence, though the stories remain a draw for Salem visitors.