Omni William Penn Hotel

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At this famous 1915-16 hotel where among other luminaries JFK has stayed, and Bob Hope proposed marriage in 1934, there are said to be two haunted floors. Floors 22 and 23, both unused, are visited by strange sounds, cold wind gusts, and ghosts that hide and watch folks, giving them an eerie feeling. It is said that a murder once was committed on these floors.

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Geographic Information

Address:
530 William Penn Pl
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
United States

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GPS:
40.440592, -79.99658899999997
County:
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Nearest Towns:
Pittsburgh, PA (0.0 mi.)
Mount Oliver, PA (1.9 mi.)
Lawrenceville, PA (2.7 mi.)
Bloomfield, PA (2.8 mi.)
Millvale, PA (2.9 mi.)
Green Tree, PA (3.3 mi.)
Dormont, PA (3.6 mi.)
Crafton, PA (3.7 mi.)
Ingram, PA (3.8 mi.)
McKees Rocks, PA (4.0 mi.)

Contact Information

Web:
http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/PittsburghWilliamPenn.aspx
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Comments (34)

  1. Stayed on the 20th floor at the William Penn and someone entered my room while I was alone and my speaker phone on the motel phone was turned on. Nothing around the phone to turn it on or fall on it. Got up got dressed and left asap…wouldn’t let me husband leave me along after taht

      • Went to my daughter’s college graduation at that hotel a few years ago. We were taking a bunch of pictures. In this photo -in the window-there is an apparition of a woman in the background…we were on the 17th floor!!!

  2. It is said that the murder was of a coed during a wild party, and years ago the floor or floors served as a dormitory for a local college. This is second hand info and I have never been able to actually confirm this information with any actual documentation. I used to work at the Westin William Penn (Club Level) and didn’t learn of the haunting until after I left my employ there.

    • Virginia Constantino  |  
      Reply ↓

      I am wondering which hotel my great uncle, Raymond Whitmer fell out of a window at. Our family was told he was washing a window, and fell. But others told us that he fell from a window that was a room of a wife of an employee. That my uncle was murdered by her husband. Have you heard of this?

  8. I stayed here for two nights in this hotel in 2012. The first night I had a dream that an old lady and man came into the room. They were carrying luggage. The old lady dropped her luggage when she realized I was in “her bed”. She yelled at me that the bed was hers because she was murdered there. She ran towards me and hit me over the head with a book. I woke up. Also, I don’t remember what floor I was on. I had no idea at that time about this hotels history.

  9. facts☆only  |  
    Reply ↓

    Bogus comments. I stayed there in 2014 and recently in 2015, it’s very historic and beautiful inside. You just have a feeling when you walk in by the decor and service that it has serviced some of the more elite people of many generations. It’s old school Hollywood glamorous meets modern day luxury. It also houses a nice social scene in the main lobby as it services many business class guests. I enjoyed my stay and look forward to visit there again.

  10. I just stayed in a room on the 12th floor and heard a female voice as I walked out the door one morning. Then that evening as after I went to bed I heard a female voice laugh in the corner. I had no traveling companion. I heard about the haunted after I mention the morning after I heard the laugh.

  11. I’ve been staying occasionally at the Omni William Penn for at least 10 years for business and until last night have never had the slightest unusual experience or thought. I stayed on the 8th floor near the west elevator bank and was awaken at 3:30 am by a very bright light in my eyes. There was a male presence directly over me looking down at me (directly in my face) and he appeared to be startled when I awoke and recognized him watching me and he quickly moved to the wall by the head of the bed…the movement was much more quickly than I could imagine a human could move, it was almost a flying motion to the stationary location. I was obviously in awe of what I just experienced and stared in the direction of where he moved and then the presence seemed to vanish over time as I stared at the location that it had moved to. That was it, but it was definitely real, there was a presence in the room watching me as I slept.

  12. Jacob Hayostek  |  
    Reply ↓

    I stayed at the Omni William Penn Hotel. It was my first paranormal expirence that I have ever had. I seem to be pretty sensitive to the Paranormal. Anyway I was staying with my family in a hotel room, on I forget what floor it was, but all I can remember of the hotel room was that it had no view, all you could see was a brick wall. At first the hotel room seemed like a normal room, but after a few hours that atmosphere changed, I could feel a sense of dread, a sense of dread, and the temperature of the room plummeted. I remember getting ready for bed. I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth when I looked up and I saw the face of a woman in the mirror. She was pale white, had dark bags under her eyes, and some blood ran down her face. I ran out of the bathroom so fast. I told my Parents, but of course they didn’t believe me.

  13. Definitely haunted a family friend has been a waiter there for 25 years. It’s creepy from suicides to the creepy unused floors that the elevator won’t go to and mgmt are tight lipped. I think it’s a Freemason illuminati meeting place as well as being by the point where demonology seminars are done every so often due to the three Rivers meeting at the “point” Pittsburgh is the real Gotham. Lived here my whole life evil place

    • Virginia Constantino  |  
      Reply ↓

      My uncle fell to his death from a window at a hotel in downtown Pgh, back in the 30’s. I am trying to find out which one. Did you ever hear of a window washer that fell? Rumor in my family is he was murdered by the husband of the wife who was in the room he fell from.

      • A search of PGH newpapers found there were a few window washer deaths. One in 1946 James Maloney and one in 1983 Robert Ferguson. Robert titus 1955 fell to his death. In 1943 Lee Martin fell and died.

  14. Stayed here this week for a conference. Nice place. I did find it odd that when I sat down for breakfast with a group of people I had never met before, 5 out of 6 people at the table said they had major issues sleeping the night before, myself included. Could just be with all the warm weather that quickly moved into the area, but I don’t recall a night’s sleep where there was a particular hour that passed where I woke up literally every 3 to 4 minutes. I can’t recall anytime in the last 10 years where I’ve experienced that. Again, could be nothing and I wouldn’t have thought anything more of it if I didn’t hear several other people all voice the same complaints at breakfast.

    For what it’s worth, I was also on the 8th floor. Didnt notice anything out of the ordinary aside from that!

  15. Stayed on the 14th floor and Sunday morning (5:45) I woke up to a door slamming and a women desperately yelling for help ….. I listened thinking I dreamt it and heard her cry out for help again…I shook my husband awake and told him there is a women in trouble I the hall we need to help …. He gets up (bless his groggy heart) and goes to check and there is NOTHING in the hall. Thinking back the whole weekend I never heard people in the hall (I wish modern hotels were that sound proof) but that mornings heard her clear as bell.

  17. I was a housekeeper there for just the month of June 2016. One afternoon I was cleaning a room, not sure what floor, but as I was finishing up, I put three magazines on the circular end table, as I turned around to start vacuuming, one magazine flew off the table, not thinking much about it, went back and placed it back, and checked to see if the table was unstable or something, turned around and it flew off the table again. Ok…… chills went up and down my spine, I left it on the floor and vacuum my way out, ran back in placed it back, and took flight out of that room. Ever since that day, I’ve been feeling strange vibes up and down the hallways. Creeeepy!!!!!, but it’s a beautiful hotel and loved working there.

  18. Headless Unicorn Guy  |  
    Reply ↓

    I normally stay at the Wm Penn when I’m in Pittsburgh for AnthroCon and have never experienced anything out of the ordinary. I do know there are ghost stories connected to the hotel. Maybe the spooks got weirded out by all the Furries?

  19. I’ve visited this hotel a few times. The first time I stayed there in December of 2013, I felt there was someone in my bathroom in the dark watching me. It was such a real and eerie feeling. I turned on the light and checked and no one was there. After a long night I came back to the hotel around 4 am and wanted to try and find a way onto the roof. I have a thing for taking in the view of cities from high areas for a travel a lot. I took the elevator up to the 17th floor (which is the highest floor the elevator went) then walked around up there looking for a staircase or door that could take me higher. I remember walking around, passing a grand ballroom, and then another ballroom that looked unused with an old
    piano. Around the corner, I walked down a long hallway to doors that looked like an employee door. When I opened the door it took me to a whole other corridor of the hotel. It looked like I went back in time with a bunch of empty rooms without doors and dim lighting. I turned left and walked all the way to the end of the hallway where I saw another door that looked like it led to a staircase. The whole while, I felt like someone was watching me with every passing room. When I got to the door I opened it to a staircase that led up 7 more flights of stairs. I started climbing the stairs with a very uneasy feeling. I have had experiences with the paranormal but this one felt the most intense. As I came up to the 24th floor, I felt like something was bearing it’s weight against me. As I felt that feeling, I took a picture of the 24th floor door. Immediately after I felt something brush my ear and I heard it say clear as day, “get out.” Whispered in my ear. That’s the point where I proceeded to jump down each flight of stairs as fast as I could to get to the 17th floor door and out of that corridor, down the elevator and back to my room. At this point it was about 4:32 am where I entered my room and, turned on all the lights, jumped in my bed and called the girl I was dating at the time. It was the realest most uncomfortable paranormal experience I’ve ever experienced. This story is 100% true. Ever since then, I’ve tried to always go back and visit the Omni William Penn hotel every time I come through Pittsburg. I have a new respect for the hotel because of the experience I had. But I definitely steer clear of the hidden corridor everytime if visit. I’ll post a picture of the door I took a picture of.

  20. I lived on the third floor of the hotel (room 355) for two semesters in my Junior year at Duquesne University in 1969/70, when the university was forced to lease living space there for a hundred or so students while awaiting completion of the new “Towers” dormitory. One Saturday morning around 6 a.m., I awoke to a loud “thud” outside my window, which opened onto a rectangular flat asphalt area connecting two of the three vertical towers comprising the main structure (see picture above). There was a man’s body lying there face down in a pool of blood, fully clothed in a suit and tie. Someone went out a window and tried to perform CPR on him, but he was already dead. We later heard he had jumped/fallen from a window near the top of the building. Other than that, nothing much out of the ordinary. 😉

  21. Kevin B Edgins  |  
    Reply ↓

    So I went in there tonight infact during a convention. And being very spiritually aware I started having an extremely bad time as soon as I went in there. Something did not want me and a friend of mine in there. Nothing to physically harm us, but definitely throwing negative energy our way. Something is definitely there and doesn’t want other people around.

  22. I went there for a conference. Beautiful building especially for those who enjoy older architectural details. I stayed on the 10th floor during my stay, I was excited to stay there, definitely had the old Hollywood glamour look.

    I’m not one to get freaked out too easily but I felt uncomfortable from the moment I got in the room. I felt like I was being watched and everything felt very dark/negative. I would only be in the room to get ready and sleep and I will admit I slept with the lights on (not normal for me) every night and would make my husband stay on the phone with me as much as possible

    Many people who attend the annual conference I was at refuse to stay there anymore from experiences they’ve had.

    A definite must see place and everyone who works there are very friendly and accommodating but it spooked me for sure!

  24. I just stayed here this passed weekend on the 7th floor. I’ve never been to Pittsburgh and knew nothing about this hotel but our room had a light that flickered the entire time it was on. After it doing it for about 6 hours and a failed attempt to make it stop by tightening the bulb we gave up and turned it off and used other lights in the room. Our smoke detector also started randomly going off. I assumed by the age of the building it probably had some ghostly history so after we checked out I looked up some stories. I didn’t have any scary or negative feelings but found both of these instances to be a bit out of the norm.

  25. I’m trying to remember if this is where we stayed back in 2005. As I recall, the floor we stayed on all the rooms doors had celebrity names on them. It was somewhat dated and a bit musty even a bit spooky but otherwise OK. I’m thinking the hotel might have done some remodeling and upgrades since. Would really like to see pictures if anyone has any.

  26. I have recently stayed at the William Penn this April, we also plan to go back in a few weeks to celebrate a birthday! I love this hotel and was always interested in staying there since I was a child. Being greeted at the front entrance by the bellmen and valet drivers is quite the upscale experience. Upon entering I was filled with excitement and overwhelmed with the impressive architecture and stylings. Of course, no luxury is off limits at this hotel and no is a word that is not frequently heard. We had a room on the 11th floor. When we got into our room, everything was fine. Until I went outside to have a smoke.. we were on the same side of the hotel as the Lafayette Suite (for those who may be familiar with the hotel layout) and the elevator corridor was nearby. However, the combination of the design in the carpeting, the lighting in the hallway’s is certainly something that can put you in a trance. I passed by the elevator corridor, unaware that I had done so. I reached the end of the hallway, and felt very alarmed that I was lost. Typically I can feel uneasy in a large building, but this was different. I immediately turned around and started to find my way back to the elevators, fully convinced that there was someone walking very quickly behind me. Later in the night, I wanted to try to explore more of the hotel however the elevator has a new security implementation that requires the room key to be swiped prior to room selection, and apparently this new feature will only allow the elevator to be taken to the floor in which you are staying, and of course the main lobby. After going out and having a few drinks in the city, I returned to the William Penn and changed into pajamas essentially and after about a half hour, I rode the elevator back to the Main lobby and went out for a smoke. It was about 2:30 in the morning, and the hotel was not very busy and there were only one or two guests in the lobby. I got back into the elevator, and went back to the 11th floor. Everything was very quiet and felt as though I was not alone, again. When the elevator doors opened, arriving at the 11th floor, I began my journey through the hallways to our room. I physically felt as though there was someone behind me again, in the same hallway as before, just closer to my room. I also heard shuffling on the carpet behind me, as if someone was dragging luggage or their feet behind me.
    I returned to my room and everything felt fine again. Later in the morning, I awoke to use the restroom, our particular room had a powder room and a full bathroom, I opted for the Powder room as it was closer. When I opened the door, the room seemed much larger than it is with the light out, and it almost appeared that there was someone standing back further into the powder room, although there is not physical space for that to be possible. Truthfully, I did not want to turn the light on because it was so dark in our hotel room, but I felt that I needed to.
    Other than that we had a wonderful stay, and we are looking forward to staying again. I assumed that a hotel of that age would certainly have a past… very interesting

  27. I absolutely despise this hotel & I don’t understand the people who admire the creepy, evil, & eerie vibes this hotel gives off. Especially in the halls & rooms they offer. I’ve stayed here 3 times & the last 2 times I’ve had terrible experiences. The first time I experienced something creepy was on the 16th floor in my room. I came back from a long work trip & I closed my blinds, shut all the lights off, & went to bed. I kept having nightmares to the point I literally felt like I couldn’t go back to sleep bc I was so scared to experience the horrifying dreams I was having. I felt like someone was also watching me in the corner of my room but I ignored it bc I truly do believe if you give “it” energy, it’ll make the presence stronger. I ended up turning my lamp on and going to bed with the light on bc of it. Then the last time I stayed there was 2 days ago…. The most creepiest experience I’ve ever had. It was 3 am and I had my tv on & the lamp dimmed so I can have a little bit of light. It was the lamp you turn the knob to get more or less light. My lamp slowly dimmed to the “off” setting & I jumped out of bed & turned every single light on in the room including the bathroom. I didn’t go to bed till the sun came up & made sure my blinds were open so sunlight shined in my room. I definitely felt an evil presence in my room, & I truly believe if a spirit is “friendly” you wouldn’t feel a heaviness or darkness from within. Whatever presence was in my room that night definitely was trying to prove something to me but I prayed over my life & my room and the entity never came back. Also forgot to mention how I heard noises coming from my bathroom like the toilet making noises or the faucet making sounds (unless it was all in my head…) I wouldn’t wish this hotel stay on my worse enemy. I recommend anybody staying here to be careful & aware of their spiritual well being.

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