Hotel Bothwell - Sedalia, MO

Step into Sedalia’s most storied landmark: The Hotel Bothwell — a beautifully restored 1927 boutique hotel where classic Art Deco glamour meets whispered history. By day enjoy elegant rooms, a stately lobby, and downtown charm; by night, follow the stories that made the Bothwell famous. Guests and staff have long reported unexplained footsteps, shadowy figures, and strange phenomena—especially on the mysterious third floor. Stay with us for luxury, history, and the chance to experience a truly haunted night of southern Missouri lore.

Hotel History

• Built / opened: The Hotel Bothwell opened June 10, 1927. It was designed by H.L. Stevens & Co. in the Classical Revival style as a seven-story, brick-and-stone hotel and long served as Sedalia’s downtown gathering place for travelers and events.

• Historic status: The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (added 1989) and remains a landmark in the Sedalia Commercial Historic District.

• Later uses & restoration: The property has gone through different ownerships and uses (including a period as senior housing) before being restored and returned to hotel use in the late 1990s and 2000s; today it operates as a boutique historic hotel.

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Haunted hot-spots

• Third floor: By far the most frequently mentioned location. Numerous guest and staff accounts identify the 3rd-floor corridor(s) and rooms as the center of odd activity — footsteps, running or bouncing noises, moving objects, and visual sightings.

• Guest rooms & beds: Reports include sensations of pressure or weight on beds, items moved or going missing overnight, and guests waking to feel as though someone is at the bedside.

• Hallways / elevators: Occasional accounts describe elevators moving unexpectedly, doors opening/closing, and unexplained footsteps in corridors (often reported at night).

Paranormal Activity Reported

• Visual sightings: Shadow figures and sporadic full/partial apparitions (variously described by witnesses).

• Noises: Footsteps, children running or bouncing (some witnesses describe the sound of children playing), muffled voices, and unexplained knocks.

• Physical sensations & object disturbances: Cold spots, feelings of being watched or touched, bed pressure or a presence at the bedside, and personal items moved or unplugged.

• Employee reports: Former staff have related experiences such as unexplained scratches, doors operating by themselves, and other disturbances during overnight shifts.

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