The Hauntings of Casa Monica Resort

Posted: 11.14.2024 | Updated: 11.14.2024

St. Augustine, perfectly situated on the east coast of Florida, is a city teeming with history dating back six centuries. It stands out as a destination gem for tourists and locals who can admire the city’s Spanish-renaissance-revival architecture, plethora of scenic locations, and the beach life only a five-minute drive away. 

A place with so much history is sure to serve as a hub for spiritual activity, with St. Augustine as no exception. The tendrils of the past sliver through every inch of Florida’s oldest city, bringing a trove of ghosts and legends. Many of them whisper through the walls of The Casa Monica Resort & Spa, located at 95 Cordova St., renowned for its exceptional guest service and first-class amenities. What many don’t know is that this luxurious resort holds something else that has terrified staff and past visitors for years. 

Is the Casa Monica Resort haunted?

A whirlwind of debate has encircled the Casa Monica Resort as to whether it’s truly home to a rogue gallery of ghosts. Some believe it’s not haunted at all and refuse to acknowledge the possibility. Yet, ghostly experiences have become so common in the hotel that the housekeeping department supposedly allows housekeepers to work in pairs to clean the rooms. Ready to take a walk on Florida’s otherworldly side? Book a ghost tour with Old City Ghosts today and experience the haunts of St. Augustine!

History of the Casa Monica Resort

The Casa Monica Resort was built in 1888 by its original owner and architect, Franklin W. Smith. Henry Flagler, co-founder of Standard Oil, purchased the hotel four months later. The hotel underwent several changes on its way to the height of profitability. The most significant was an annexing bridge to an adjacent hotel Flagler purchased. The hotels operated as one under the name Alcazar a year later. 

The stock market crash of 1929 put a screeching halt on the bright future that lay ahead for the hotel. Flagler abandoned the property and closed its doors for good in 1932. It seemed like the then-named Alcazar had met its fate. That is until it was bought by the St. John’s Count Commission in 1965 and repurposed as a courthouse until the late 1970s. 

The hotel’s fate lay in limbo again for several years before it was purchased in the mid-90s by Richard C. Kessler. His goal was simple: return the hotel to its former glory as a top-class and luxurious hotel. 

That was achieved several renovations later when it was reopened as the Casa Monica Resort in December 1999. The King and Queen of Spain visited shortly after its opening, adding the final touch of validity to the hotel’s status that it needed. Today, the Casa Monica Resort is one of the most prestigious and luxurious hotels in the U.S. and is also a member of the Historic Hotels of America Association. 

Hauntings Overview

The Casa Monica Resort is a hotbed for sporadic ghostly activity, with most of the frights happening on the fourth floor. Faucets and radios can be heard turning on and off in several rooms when they are known to be empty. The soft pitter-patter of children’s footsteps can also be heard running up and down the corridors, even when the floor has been vacated. 

The Flagler Suite is known to house a ghostly child on the first floor as well. A mysterious child-like handprint is known to manifest on the first-floor bathroom mirror. However, the room also holds a more unsettling mystery related to the experience of a former housekeeper. 

Initially skeptical about the stories surrounding the hotel, she knocked on the door to the suite before she went in to clean. A voice behind the door responded, saying, “We’ve been expecting you.” The housekeeper opened the door, expecting to see a family getting ready, only to encounter something more chilling: no one was in the room. 

Former staff have also encountered unusual activity in the Ponce de Leon Suite. The radio is known to inexplicably turn on by itself when they are working upstairs. A lady in white who has been captured in a photograph is rumored to haunt the room and is believed to be the culprit. She has been seen in multiple places around the resort, including several other apparitions dressed in 1920s-era clothing. Some believe they are the resort’s previous guests from its peak before its abandonment. 

The Hanged Man’s Room

The story behind room 511 holds a dark cloud over the Casa Monica Resort.  It remains a mystery if it’s legend or rooted in truth, but the story goes that a man checked into the room one day and never left or checked out. Staff members went to check on him, but upon opening the door, they found his corpse hanging from the ceiling. Housekeepers have since reported feeling icy winds traveling through the room, along with various cold spots. They have also experienced hearing footsteps when they were the only ones in there, prompting many of the housekeeping staff to refuse to clean the room alone. 

It’s been said that if you wake up in the middle of the night, it’s probably because someone or something is watching you. That’s almost certainly the case in room 411. A previous guest reported he was sleeping alone in the room one night. When he woke up, he saw something that would send shrieks down to the core of even the bravest soul—several spectral apparitions dressed in 1920s garb standing in his room before vanishing within seconds. 

Haunted St. Augustine

The Casa Monica Resort is renowned as one of the most luxurious hotels in the U.S. It also grudgingly holds a reputation that has latched onto it as the most haunted resort in all of Florida. However, it’s only the tip of the spiritual iceberg when it comes to St. Augustine and its long, rich history. 

Come and experience why St. Augustine is the most haunted city in Florida. Book a tour with Old City Ghosts today while spots are still open! Until then, read up on our blog for more chill-ridden stories, and stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Sources:

https://www.hauntedrooms.com/florida/haunted-places/haunted-hotels/casa-monica-hyotel-st-augustine

https://www.facebook.com/usghostadventures

https://www.instagram.com/usghostadv