Washington's oldest hotel is a charming, welcoming place surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and Willapa Bay. It boasts 18 cozy rooms, an award-winning eatery... and a friendly resident ghost named Charley. And whether or not you believe in ghosts, you just might agree that this place is pretty spirited.
The Tokeland Hotel is situated on a peninsula in the tiny coastal town of Tokeland
The hotel has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978.
The hotel was built in 1885, making it the oldest in Washington.
Tokeland was settled in 1858, when George and Charlotte Brown made a home among the Shoalwater Tribe. Later, their daughter, Elizabeth, built the hotel with her husband, William Kindred. The family wanted it to be a sanctuary for travelers.
These days, the Tokeland Hotel is owned by Heather Earnhardt and Zac Young, who love the hotel's rich history and have worked hard to preserve it.
They split their time between Seattle and Tokeland since Heather also owns The Wandering Goose restaurant in Seattle.
Heather's culinary knowledge gets put to good use here as well, at the onsite restaurant.
The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, and it's exceptional.
But according to most -- including the owners -- this is more than just a place to enjoy a tasty meal and get a good night's sleep.
Rumors of paranormal activity have plagued the place for years.
Charley is the resident ghost here, and he is believed to be the spirit of a Chinese immigrant being smuggled to Washington to work.
The hotel fireplace had a secret space behind it, and immigrants were hidden there on a regular basis. Charley most likely suffocated hiding behind the fireplace.
Charley has been heard roaming the hotel on many occasions, and full-on foggy apparitions have even been seen by guests.
People have come from all over the state to meet Charley, and even some non-believers have had some experiences they simply can't explain. The most activity tends to be reported in Room 4 and Room 7, so you may want to request one of those if you're hoping to have an experience.
Is the Tokeland Hotel actually haunted, or just old?
We can't know that for sure... but what we do know is that this is one fantastic place to stay.
Have you ever had an experience at the Tokeland Hotel? If you're really hoping to spot a ghost in Washington, try one of these spots.
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