The Willard InterContinental Hotel

Posted: 05.09.2025 | Updated: 05.09.2025

The Willard InterContinental Hotel might not be a familiar name to most Americans, but they’ve no doubt heard of its many storied guests who have called it home for a night. 

From Presidents to Civil Rights icons, the Willard has served as an icon of the Washington, DC area and continues to be a key setting for conferences and meetups for the political elite of America. 

And, of course, for locals and staff members in the know, the Willard has another reputation it’s earned; that of a haunted refuge for many different ghosts and apparitions. We’ve compiled some of the more haunted tales to have come out of the Willard, involving vengeful bellboys and dead presidents, for your reading pleasure. 

Keep reading on to learn just who this ghost could be. After you’re done, we’re sure you’ll want to learn even more about haunted Washington, DC. The best way to do that is by booking an in-person ghost tour with us at DC Ghosts.

Is the Willard InterContinental Hotel haunted?

Absolutely! In fact, the Willard InterContinental is rumored to have so many ghosts haunting its halls and rooms that no one, not even the current management team, is aware of the exact number of ghosts that call the Willard home. 

Hotel History

The Willard InterContinental Hotel isn’t just a hotel – it’s been the location of countless monumental moments throughout American history. However, before achieving legendary hotel status, it had rather humble origins. 

It was originally designed in 1816 as a row house, built by Captain John Tayloe and managed by Joshua Tennyson. Tennyson, admirable though his efforts were, was not in it for the long haul, and hotel ownership and management changed hands several times. In 1847,  businessman Henry Willard would take over operations. 

Under Henry Willard’s management, the hotel (soon to be renamed after him) would eventually evolve into a grand hotel, catering to the wealthy elite and upper-crust of Washington, DC.  By the mid-19th century, it had become a hub for diplomacy, politics, and American culture.

And “elite” really does mean “elite”; the Willard has hosted numerous American presidents over the years. President Franklin Pierce was the first presidential guest during his stay in 1853. Just a few years later, Abraham Lincoln would reside there before his 1861 inauguration. 

Calvin Coolidge lived in the hotel throughout his vice presidency (and for a brief stint during his presidency, too). Recently, President Jimmy Carter gave a keynote speech there in 2012 during a conference. 

And it’s not just presidents that the Willard InterContinental can boast about, either. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. edited the final draft of his “I Have a Dream” speech right in the lobby of the Willard. 

Back in 1862, another civil rights activist and abolitionist, Julia Ward Howe, wrote a song there. You may not know her name, but you’ve almost certainly heard the song before – The Battle Hymn of the Republic.  

Hauntings at the Willard

Of course, a hotel with such history and a pedigree of guests would naturally lead to a few ghosts taking up residence here. And, unlike your average haunted house or graveyard, the ghosts that haunt the Willard are rich, powerful, and in some cases vengeful.

Although no one is quite sure how many of these “upper-crust ghosts” are wandering the halls, guests have seen quite a few apparitions and pale specters wearing top hats and tails or even more modern tuxedos and fashions. 

However, one of the more enduring tales doesn’t involve a wealthy politician or businessman, but a simple bellboy.

This 18-year-old elevator operator ended up meeting a tragic end in 1903 while he was just doing his job. Tired and bored of ferrying the rich up and down the floors, the bellboy decided to have some fun on his shift by seeing if he could hop on the elevator between floors. This ended up being a fatal mistake that left him crushed flat. 

However, some say that he never quite left the elevator shaft, even after that fateful day. Guests and staff have reported strange occurrences with that particular Willard elevator.  

At odd hours of the night, the doors will sometimes fly open on empty floors, seemingly with no one inside, and the lifts sometimes arrive at designated floors without anyone having called for them. These eerie events suggest that the spirit of the young conductor is still on duty, as if he continues to operate his route between the living and the dead. 

Grant’s Ghost

However, it’s not just a bellboy who is said to haunt these luxurious halls. And while it was mentioned that the identity of every one of those prim-and-proper Willard ghosts is unknown, the staff knows at least one of their names. 

And that ghost’s name is Ulysses S. Grant. 

Grant was a well-known connoisseur of all the luxuries afforded to him by the Willard InterContinental Hotel. A rather notorious drinker, he didn’t even need to have a room booked to justify going out to the lobby bar and enjoying a nightcap or two. 

Perhaps, he was even fond of the hotel’s legendary mint juleps. Contrary to popular belief, this cocktail was not invented for the Kentucky Derby. Instead, it was actually invented in the Deep South in the 1700s. The famous Kentucky Congressman, Henry Clay, a fan of the drink, introduced it to DC during his many successful terms. 

But, mint juleps weren’t the only thing that Grant would expect to encounter during his days in the Willard’s lobby. 

Ever wonder where the term “lobbyist” came from? According to legend, President Ulysses S. Grant coined it right here. Tired of being approached by businessmen in the hotel lobby while sipping his drink, he referred to them as “lobbyists,” and the name just stuck. 

But even lobbyists couldn’t stop Grant from enjoying the many highlights of the Willard InterContinental Hotel. In fact, even after death, it’s been rumored that Grant’s ghost has stuck around here. 

Some staff members have claimed that, in the wee hours of the night, when no other guests are around, one can spot a figure that looks very much like Grant, enjoying his time in death and enjoying a few cigars and cocktails.

Haunted Washington, DC

Maybe, if you find yourself staying at the Willard InterContinental Hotel and if you’re lucky, you might be able to run into the ghost of old Grant himself. Approach gingerly – he doesn’t like crowds due to his experience with lobbyists – and he may even share a couple of drinks and stories from the White House with you. 

If you liked this story and want to learn similar tales, check out our Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. They spotlight other offbeat ghost stories all over the United States. Checking our blog is another good way to stay up-to-date with all the latest ghost stories and haunted spots in DC.

If you want to explore Washington, DC ghosts up close, a ghost tour with DC Ghosts is the best way to do that. Our guides are knowledgeable and enthusiastic and can provide even more information on the area. 

Sources:

• https://washington.intercontinental.com/history/
• https://travelhag.com/willard-hotel-ghosts-tea-christmas/
• https://mid-atlantichauntings.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-willard-hotel-washington-dc.html