Is This Historic Santa Monica Hotel Haunted?

SANTA MONICA, CA — One of the earliest stays and great architectural designs in Santa Monica is also rumored to be one of the spookiest. The Georgian Hotel on Ocean Avenue opened in 1933 and was converted to apartments in the 1960s. In the 1990s it was converted back into a hotel—and some say some guests never left.

The gorgeous, bright blue and gold art deco gem is recognized as a historic landmark in the city. It was built at 1415 Ocean View Avenue in 1931 by architect M. Eugene Durfee, according to the Santa Monica Conservancy. The building was one of the tallest in Santa Monica for many years. Durfee was also known for the Art Deco Central Tower Building at 1424 Fourth Street, which was completed in 1929.

The Georgian Hotel was built in the Depression, which halted much of the city's tourism and leisure industry at the time, but some wealthy clients still wanted to be near the ocean. Once it was completed and opened, the hotel attracted the rich and stylish, including some of the early Hollywood celebrities.

Stars like Carole Lombard and Clark Gable would sneak away to the coast to get away and stay there. People also loved the famed speakeasy, where it was private and guests could drink in comfort—before Prohibition was repealed.

According to Santa Monica Daily Press, “some current guests allege the spirits of former tenants still linger” with stories circling of staff getting phone calls from unoccupied rooms and hearing voices in the former speakeasy space.

“One of our overnight officers tells a story about getting a telephone call from a guest room that was not occupied and he just heard giggling,” Westermeier told SMPD. “A guest claims to have checked into their room, put their stuff down and jumped into the shower. When they came out the television was on, the bed was open and the suitcase was empty.”

See more:

• Santa Monica Starbucks Closes Permanently On Main Street
• 'People Are Dying Alone': Google, Tech Responds To Cruel Reality
• Voting Centers Planned At Santa Monica Schools